BackRoad Family

Our family adventures

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We are a family of five living abroad, homeschooling, and adventuring. We are excited to share our successes, big fails, and everything in between. We hope you join our journey.

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backroadfamily

backroadfamily
10! I can’t wait to write more about you and the 10! I can’t wait to write more about you and the light you bring to my life. But right now, we are in bed together after the most epic birthday party day ever. We are grateful for the first “party” since your 7th birthday, grateful for the rad community that has welcomed us here, and grateful we didn’t get sick from how much sugar we ate 🤣Neither of us can keep our eyes open so .. Night night Sagey… I love you. More words tomorrow ❤️
Our 6 day road trip through the (northern bits) of Our 6 day road trip through the (northern bits) of Southwest England is up on the blog. FRIENDS, there’s an interactive map AND a YouTube video and it only took me a year! 🙌🏼 Must sees: •Broadway Tower @broadwaytoweruk •Snowshill Manor @snowshillmanornt •Cleeve Hill (for a hike) •Newark Park @ntnewarkpark •Bath @visitbath •The Circus (beautiful ring of Georgian townhouses) •Roman bath @theromanbaths •@thejaneaustencentre •Royal Victoria Playground (best playground in Bath) •The Assembly Rooms •@fashion_museum_bath •Prior Park @ntpriorpark •Stourhead @ntstourhead •Stonehenge @stonehenge •Jane Austen’s home @janeaustenshouse •Windsor Castle @royalcollectiontrust
I am flooded with gratitude that you are here, thr I am flooded with gratitude that you are here, three years old, chatty and sensitive, observant, healthy, strong, and thoughtful, silly, loving, smart as a whip, grounded, and good. You are just so good. And right along side these examples of pride and privilege exists so much grief. So much grief, that I pause, put my hand on my chest and cry (while making birthday Mac and Cheese), I cry because you are no longer a baby. I cry because you might be our last. Oh please don’t be our last. I cry because nothing has ever been more important or more enjoyable to me than children. I cry like a toddler because like the toddler, I just want more. I want more sleepy mornings nursing you in the warmth of our covers, fingers entwined, the smell of your hair, your beautiful green eyes looking up at me. I want more beautiful births and fierce first years when I feel like a superhero. I want more baby words, small voices, soft feet, requests to be picked up. I want more cloth diapers and snuggly stuffies and bedtime stories. I want more soft bellies, dimples, cries for mama. I want to stay in the years where it consumes me. I never want it to end. It all fell into place with you. The things that felt like such struggles with my first or even second baby became such pleasures with you. How did you do it? Its true I never want it to end and it’s true that I love watching you grow. You are a spectacular child Shiloh and all of us adore having you in the family. Happy Birthday my love. I count my lucky stars every damn day and thank you, thank you , for coming straight out of my dreams.
A February walk in the woods near our home. 🪵🍂. So much beauty can be found when we slow down a little.
It’s my birthday! And I’m a little sad this ye It’s my birthday! And I’m a little sad this year is over. Here’s why: I have a two year old, which is the best thing ever. Once we were released from lockdown we saw SO much of England and Wales and then even made it to Greece! Our kids are thriving in homeschool and meeting so many other cool home schooled kids! My Mom came to visit us TWICE this year from California. We held lambs, Sage cleaned her room, our neighbor’s dog had puppies, our chicken’s neck feathers grew back, we biked 150 miles, camped in the Lake District, ran around castles, saw Stonehenge, hiked two of the highest peaks in the UK, I saw endless patches of dahlias, camped with wild horses, I ate lots of ice cream, stayed on top of the laundry at least 7 weeks out of 52, my loves Lori and Jim and their kids flew across the world to hang out with us on a sailboat, Lindsay the love bomb introduced me to Vuori joggers, I met a new friend named Alyssa who has an enviable brain and closet, my friend Alex made me two coffees in one day, K and I continued to unpack the meaning of life, I rekindled a friendship with Nellie whom I adore from the teenage years, I got to watch Kim L (who I love) become a mother! I read some incredible books (thanks Eunice), my plants grew, I did 382 peloton workouts, we found Forest School, Cedar gave me kisses, I got Chambord as a present today, we finished the first season of Peaky Blinders, my husband continues to show me that he is an amazing human being, I watched The Morning Show, I ate the worlds best sandwich, I mean… this just skims the surface of wonderful things that happened this year. And I know 2022 is going to be even better. Especially because we aren’t starting this year in lockdown. (I refuse to check the news so if anything has changed don’t tell me 🙈!) Happy Last day of 2021!
We found the best wall at Borough Market ❤️💜💛💙
Sweets season is every season with this crew. 🧁 Sweets season is every season with this crew. 🧁 🍩☕️
Our second week sailing in Greece was glorious! Li Our second week sailing in Greece was glorious! Light winds, sunshine, more smiles, less barfing, gorgeous views, and glassy water 😍. We’ve been back in England for a few weeks and believe it or not, it’s been sunny here too! Greek magic must be working it’s way west ☀️
Boat adventure week one. 🌬 💨 With this week Boat adventure week one. 🌬 💨 With this week came a storm that blew 30+ knots for 4 days. Our crossings were difficult for me. I’m fairly new to sailing so I spent our passages either scared or sick. On our last passage from Kea back to Athens strong winds were predicted but It turned out to be a gale. Fortunately Peter is an excellent sailor and handled it like an ocean God, @jimbaudino and his stomach of steel stepped up to co-captain, and the kids enjoyed a 4 hour roller coaster ride. I wouldn’t know though because when Peter told me the forecast, I picked up the two year old, shot one glance at my girl Lori and we all made a run for the ferry. 🤣 When we met the kids back at port the first thing they yelled was “NO ONE BARFED!” And Sage made sure I knew, “the passage was better without the Moms. Moms are too worried, cautious, and throw-upy” #nailedit. Despite the challenging weather it’s beautiful and sunny here, we found protected bays, explored caves, the kids paddleboard-surfed behind the dinghy, and we hiked with goats! I have no clue how we would have managed this week without the Baudinos and their navy seal style children. I am eternally grateful! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼💨💨💨⛵️⛵️⛵️ Next stop Mykonos!
In Kythnos, waiting out the storm. 💨 💨 ⛵️
Our pic from the summit of Scafell Pike. The highe Our pic from the summit of Scafell Pike. The highest peak in England. Anyone who knows English weather- you can imagine how long it took for those clouds to part ☁️ But they did! And that’s all that matters. For more on the hike, I put some details in the previous post. 🗻❤️
On July 10th, 2021 we started from Seathwaite and On July 10th, 2021 we started from Seathwaite and ascended 3,000 ft (920m) in 5 miles. The views were stunning but that didn’t make this day any less difficult. The hike was a beast. With 3 kids it took us 10 hours but we did manage to put down 3 lbs of chocolate 🤩. Here are some clips of our day. Including some cool drone footage at the end! Unfortunately I don’t have video from the top so check out our feed to see the picture 🙏🏼
I’m going to eat them! I’m going to eat them!
Savoring the last moments of the season. ☀️ Savoring the last moments of the season. ☀️
Sun chasers! We have managed to find the teeniest Sun chasers! We have managed to find the teeniest tiniest bit of sun in this chilly and cloudy English summer.
I was heart throbby, teary-eyed, and amaze-balled I was heart throbby, teary-eyed, and amaze-balled by all of them which, of course, led me to buy way too many visitor’s guides 🙄 BUT we used them for homeschooling so I think it was worth it. 😉I hope you enjoy our little movie (and Cedar’s mullet) SO MUCH that you decide to visit Wales. If you do, we’ll give you ALL our guidebooks. Mullet not included.
A hunky man and his little shaggy sidekick. 👑 ❤️
Adventure buddies 💫 📷= Cedar Adventure buddies 💫 📷= Cedar
My little blonde boyfriends at Flimston Bay. My little blonde boyfriends at Flimston Bay.
Happy 5th birthday Cedar! Sage calls you “the lo Happy 5th birthday Cedar! Sage calls you “the lover,” and she nailed it.  You are gentle, sensitive, tender, observant, empathic, and nurturing. You crave security and predictability, you notice the teeniest tiniest things and you are the medicine to the physical and emotional aches in our family. You’re our little cancer baby, born in the water, and like the water you flow swiftly while smoothing the sharp edges in your path. You ask us to please not kill the flies in our house, you are afraid of drowning, you don’t like eating meat, you love to wear dresses, you want to grow your hair “long like Rapunzel,” and you take care wonderful care of your baby doll, “Brownie Frank Sedivec.” You also love riding your bike, fishing, skateboarding, scootering and doing front flips off the top bunk onto the beanbag. Leading up to your birthday you asked for nothing. Not a toy or even a special activity… the only request we could get out of you was a rainbow cake and friends to eat it with. You have a soul that is centuries beyond your 5 years and your intuition can make our hearts stop. I don’t know what I would do without you Cedar. You are a special star child and I am so lucky to be your mama.
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