{"id":672,"date":"2021-06-02T12:51:54","date_gmt":"2021-06-02T19:51:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/box5401.temp.domains\/~gagnonsg\/?p=672"},"modified":"2021-07-08T02:28:59","modified_gmt":"2021-07-08T09:28:59","slug":"not-all-unicorns-and-rainbows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skanvie.hr\/website_58e85257\/planning\/not-all-unicorns-and-rainbows\/","title":{"rendered":"Not All Unicorns and Rainbows"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Not All Unicorns and Rainbows<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Justin Grades Our Behavior After a Week Together On the Road<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Almost a week into our 8-week-long road trip, I could only imagine that anyone viewing our blog or social posts was thinking that it\u2019s all rainbows and perfectly roasted campfire marshmallows over here. It\u2019s true, we were blessed to be on that EPIC journey together, and we were also reveling in a whole lot of goodness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Like the rest of life though, no day was complete without plenty of whining, flaring tempers, and multiple sibling fights ending in tears. It\u2019s real life, just life on the road and with the backdrop of some of the most beautiful sights in the natural world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\tWhining and complaining cares not for <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\tNATURAL BEAUTY.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The personalities of our kids were on full display. And here was my \u201cTrip Report Card\u201d of sorts, one week into our journey.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Grace, A-<\/b>: Ever the pleasure like her mother, Grace is upbeat and energetic most of the time. <\/span>Most<\/span><\/i> of the time. When Grace is pissed or uncomfortable though, she makes it known with no qualms. Prone to aching feet towards the end of long hikes, the only knock against her is her vocal discontent towards days\u2019 end. She also has a keen knack for pushing Brady\u2019s buttons, which she does with abandon on a continual basis. If those two would just get along more often, the bickering would be substantially reduced. She has been a savior by being the \u201cQuinn whisperer\u201d on hikes. Those two are best buds. Extra points for that. She\u2019d freak out to know she didn\u2019t get an A+ and her brother did, and that alone would likely be enough to correct the behavior…for a short while.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Hayden, A+<\/b>:\u00a0 He\u2019s been an absolute joy. Ever our naturalist, he loves charging ahead of the ground, and hasn\u2019t complained a single time. So easy going, and just a blast to be around. With the exception of a couple spastic, dumbass moments where he \u201caccidentally\u201d injures a sibling (e.g. randomly whipping a plastic water bottle across the RV and hitting Grace in the face), Hayden has been our all-star.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Hayden, A+<\/b>:\u00a0 He\u2019s been an absolute joy. Ever our naturalist, he loves charging ahead of the ground, and hasn\u2019t complained a single time. So easy going, and just a blast to be around. With the exception of a couple spastic, dumbass moments where he \u201caccidentally\u201d injures a sibling (e.g. randomly whipping a plastic water bottle across the RV and hitting Grace in the face), Hayden has been our all-star.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Grace, A-<\/b>: Ever the pleasure like her mother, Grace is upbeat and energetic most of the time. <\/span>Most<\/span><\/i> of the time. When Grace is pissed or uncomfortable though, she makes it known with no qualms. Prone to aching feet towards the end of long hikes, the only knock against her is her vocal discontent towards days\u2019 end. She also has a keen knack for pushing Brady\u2019s buttons, which she does with abandon on a continual basis. If those two would just get along more often, the bickering would be substantially reduced. She has been a savior by being the \u201cQuinn whisperer\u201d on hikes. Those two are best buds. Extra points for that. She\u2019d freak out to know she didn\u2019t get an A+ and her brother did, and that alone would likely be enough to correct the behavior…for a short while.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Quinn, C-<\/b>: He\u2019s not even 6 years old yet, so he\u2019s admitted being scored against a standard above his age group. He\u2019s the most difficult on hikes, and will break down and tears at the mere mention of the word. Yesterday on a .6 mile out-and-back to the lower falls at Zion, he proclaimed through tears upon reaching the falls, <\/span>\u201cThere are only two things I hate in the world: hiking and being wet. This is JUST. THE. WORST.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>

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He claims he does not have the stamina for hiking and that his legs hurt easily, but that\u2019s really BS, as he has no problem wrestling for hours with his brothers without tiring. Of course, he claims <\/span>\u201cYeah, but wrestling isn\u2019t walking, Dad. It\u2019s different!\u201d <\/span><\/i>If you can make him think we\u2019re not hiking, but walking along a river and throwing rocks in it on the way, he\u2019s fine. But if he even catches wind that we\u2019re on an official \u201chike\u201d, he loses his shit. I\u2019m almost to the point of getting a toddler backpack and throwing him in it preemptively, even though he\u2019s far too big for that. He\u2019s killing my neck riding on my shoulders though, but I\u2019ll take that over hearing him bitch incessantly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Quinn, C-<\/b>: He\u2019s not even 6 years old yet, so he\u2019s admitted being scored against a standard above his age group. He\u2019s the most difficult on hikes, and will break down and tears at the mere mention of the word. Yesterday on a .6 mile out-and-back to the lower falls at Zion, he proclaimed through tears upon reaching the falls, <\/span>\u201cThere are only two things I hate in the world: hiking and being wet. This is JUST. THE. WORST.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHe claims he does not have the stamina for hiking and that his legs hurt easily, but that\u2019s really BS, as he has no problem wrestling for hours with his brothers without tiring. Of course, he claims <\/span>\u201cYeah, but wrestling isn\u2019t walking, Dad. It\u2019s different!\u201d <\/span><\/i>If you can make him think we\u2019re not hiking, but walking along a river and throwing rocks in it on the way, he\u2019s fine. But if he even catches wind that we\u2019re on an official \u201chike\u201d, he loses his shit. I\u2019m almost to the point of getting a toddler backpack and throwing him in it preemptively, even though he\u2019s far too big for that. He\u2019s killing my neck riding on my shoulders though, but I\u2019ll take that over hearing him bitch incessantly. <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Brady, NI<\/b>: I\u2019m just going to go with the elementary school grading of \u201cNeeds Improvement\u201d. Unsatisfactory. Significantly below grade level. When he\u2019s good, Brady is amazing, and he has so much potential to be a joy. And yet, for some reason, every. single. argument. involves Brady. He\u2019s the antagonist who can\u2019t stand being antagonized. He persistently torments, and yet claims he\u2019s the victim of everyone\u2019s ire. Brady has always been the child who is most negatively impacted by lack of sleep, and with it staying light out until 9:30pm, we\u2019re not exactly setting him up for success by roasting marshmallows by the campfire after dark. He is also a persistent complainer, and yet will end a several mile hike in a dead sprint to the RV to beat everyone, and then ask who wants to play family football. Brady has been at the center of every brawl over seating and sleeping spots, and can\u2019t stand not getting his way. He\u2019s stubborn, but we\u2019re hoping that once he gets in a flow with the trip, he\u2019ll up his grade. When he\u2019s good, he\u2019s so, so good. We just need him to decide that he wants to be good more often.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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It\u2019s a bit unfair to grade the kids without levying a grade on the parents too, so here goes:<\/span><\/p>

Justin, C<\/b>:\u00a0 The start of the trip has me struggling a bit with disconnecting from my normal day to day, and I\u2019m admittedly moody and somewhat volatile. The RV can break down in the middle of nowhere, and I\u2019m unfazed and upbeat, laughing and cheering through our misfortune. And yet I can get completely spun out by something as simple as realizing I forgot a grill brush or hearing the kids argue over who\u2019s sitting where. Just yesterday, I voluntarily took a trip to the dumping station to empty the black and gray water tanks, and I peeled out of our campsite, kicking up dust in frustration as I sped away from the five of them. I was more getting away from the bickering and using the waste tanks as an excuse. I need to get better at not letting little things spin me out, because right now I\u2019m prone to it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

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Allison, A+:<\/b> Like Hayden, this girl is at the top of the class. Radiant and energetic, she\u2019s been beaming for SIX. STRAIGHT. DAYS. She\u2019s all positive energy, and completely unfazed by the antics of the kids around her. She\u2019s basically the opposite of me. More than once daily, she looks over at me, her eyes dancing and nearly watering with emotion, an effortless smile lighting up her face, as she says <\/span>\u201cMy heart is so full!\u201d<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m <\/span><\/i>so<\/i><\/b> happy!\u201d<\/span><\/i> She continually reminds both me and the kids to look around and take in the natural beauty around us.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Her positivity and effortless love of life can leave you questioning <\/span>\u201cIs she for real right now?\u201d<\/span><\/i> Kinda like how when you\u2019re in that pessimistic headspace and Tony Robbins message of empowerment feels more like an act than reality. <\/span>\u201cYeah, whatever. This dude\u2019s all show. I\u2019d be that upbeat too if I were pulling down speaking fees like that.\u201d <\/span><\/i>But then you realize your issue isn\u2019t with Tony and his message, it\u2019s that you’re jealous that you can\u2019t seem to get there, and you realize that you\u2019re being challenged to be better and be your best self by even witnessing the energy before you, and you resolve to be better.<\/span><\/p>

Yep, that\u2019s what it\u2019s like being with Allison on this trip. She\u2019s perfectly in her element, and to watch her absorb and reflect the beauty around us is as stunning as the scenery itself. I\u2019m challenged to be better by seeing her at her best, and I know our kids are too. And that alone makes all of the stresses and frustrations that we may encounter completely worth it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

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More Like This<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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