With an active day in store for us, I used my workout time this in morning to make some head way on packing and other turning-our-lives-upside-down prep work. I got my heart rate up a couple hours later during an outdoor homeschooling mid-morning adventure with 28 extra pounds strapped to my back.

She looks thrilled, no? Let’s let this picture be a little cranky pants foreshadowing.

We met up today with our friends for a hike through the woods and to build a shelter made with sticks.

There was stick collecting, but there was also a lot of running, jumping, balancing and playing too.

After our walk and some physical labor, it was time to bust into the sack of snacks.

Can you make all of that out in there? Just the essentials for surviving in nature.

Two Kashi granola bars for Thing 1 and Thing 2, a container holding Maxine’s spilled and then retrieved the Kashi Heart to Heart cereal, a buried orange, a PB&J Larabar, a random slice of cheese, some raw (obscured in the white dish) cashews, a cell phone, a small container of mashed curried chickpeas with carrots and onions, and Kashi crackers to go with it. (Sheesh – three various Kashi producs with me today? I should be buying stock in Kashi.)

My curried chick pea snack/lunch was practically camouflaged in the leaves! Where did my lunch go??

Like I was saying, just the essentials. Nothing more, nothing less.

Maxine’s whiny-ness increased exponentially when she was freed from the warmth of Mei Tai during our lunch break. She wouldn’t stop asking to go home, despite extra layers and the offer to split the dividends of my Kashi stock. She told me she had to speak with her stock broker first, so until then – no deal.

This was the last look I got of the shelter before heading back to our friend’s house to warm up the monkey on my back. I let my first born stay behind with the other kids and parents. Together they finished covering the shelter with more sticks and leaves.

Dinner was inspired by an awesome sandwich idea from Erica at Itzy’s Kitchen!

It began with sauteing a red pepper, red onion and canned artichoke hearts in a little bit of olive oil and just a splash of Good Seasons Italian Dressing.

Once the veggies were soft, I loaded Ezekiel sprouted grain buns with the veggie mix and topped it with a little Organic Valley mild cheddar cheese and popped it into the toaster oven to get all melty.

Veggie sammies for two!

One for Zak and one for Alison. Can you tell them apart?

Artichokes were such a great idea for a veggie sandwich! It was fast and easy, the artichokes had a great meaty texture. We both agreed these will be moved into regular meal rotation.

At least I get to keep all my Kashi stock earnings. I’m going to use it buy stock in artichokes! I suggest you do the same.