UEA!

This used to be one of my favorite 'words' (I know it's not a word, but you know what I mean) because it meant a break from school and, for us, growing up in the hinterlands of So. Utah, a trip to the 'city' to visit cousins. My mother was a school teacher but I do not remember her ever going to the UEA convention, which is what the break is for, but she always loaded us up in the car and headed north to see her siblings. I have fond memories of those times in the car, stopping for chocolate milk, powdered donuts and jerky on the way, with my mom and my sisters. There were also lots of fun times with my cousins. My uncle and aunt were always so good to let us come stay for the weekend. My memories include pizza and root beer from Brick Oven, (which I was too picky to eat, so I got Spaghettios,--what was I thinking?) going to Arctic Circle late at night for fries and fry sauce and sitting on my uncle's bedroom floor to watch M*A*S*H, trips to the Mall to shop and playing 'horse' on the basketball court.

UEA is not my favorite word these days. I still like the break and so do my kids, but I'm thinking I'll just start calling it Fall Break. Don't know where you stand on the voucher issue, or if you care at all, but I do not appreciate the control the UEA and NEA are trying to wrestle from us over our own children. I do not think vouchers are the magic pill that will solve educational problems, but I do believe that parents ought to have a choice and if vouchers make it a bit easier for some to make a different choice, then that's a good thing. We ought to have a right to use our tax money in a way that we think best for our family.

Off the soapbox, and back to the family. It hasn't been a fabulous Fall Break, but we have enjoyed time together. I took the two oldest boys to the eye dr. yesterday and got them fixed up with contacts and glasses. OUCH! So much for 2 pair for $69.99! Thursday evening we went up to South Fork Park with C's BIL and co-worker and their kids and hiked about a mile up a small canyon and found a nice clearing to roast a hot dog and have smores. It was a beautiful hike and I wish I had been there two weeks early. The ground was absolutely covered with red maple leaves. It would have been gorgeous for pictures. I'll have to remember that for next year. I was the lone woman, my SIL has 6 mo old twins and didn't want to haul them up, and the co-worker's wife has a 4 mo old and didn't want to bring him. Oh, well, I could have stayed home, but I wanted out of the city too!
Today we are going to go to an ice cream place. We were going to go for FHE last Monday, but it got too late, so that's on tap for today. That and going to see Great-Grandpa who turns 98 today!!!

Enjoy your FALL BREAK!!