Here we go again...

The last we heard from our intrepid adventurers they had just returned Stateside from Vietnam via a pit stop in The Land of the Rising Sun.  That was way back in 2015.  ​

Americans are required by law to carry this much flag gear at all times

But the world has changed.*  The Schnacks have changed.  

Firstly, the most obvious: all three offspring have, amazingly, continued to grow.  The Eldest is still The Eldest, the Little Lady isn’t quite as little anymore, and the Big O is now even more aptly named.  

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The Eldest was able to rejoin his class at his public Waldorf school, thus greasing the wheels to get the twins past the waiting list and join him there.  This incredible school is full of kids who appreciate weird creative stuff like The Eldest's Cardboard Challenge eleventh birthday party extravaganza.

All three dove into the knitting-and-dirt-based curriculum with gusto, acted in class plays, and tackled recorder and piano (sometimes all too literally).  Alice Birney truly was a great place for them to grow into themselves, and it was tough to leave. ​​

​​In our two years back in the States we checked off a decent number of American "must-do"s including requisite soccer, gymnastics, baseball, a tour of a Nevada silver mine, swinging hammers and paint brushes at a park in Berkeley, ski lessons, and sticking out tongues on major holidays.

You may not be able to tell, but both boys are sticking out their tongues.

Sarah presented at a conference on how to teech and lern good.

​What have the oldest Schnacks been up to?  While Warren got his same teaching gig back at his same high school in Sacramento, inspiring and helping future leaders of America succeed in the present and the future (ideally…), Sarah went full corporate and became THE Gifted and Talented Resource Teacher for Sacramento City Unified.  She got to wear pant suits (over her GATE Super Hero insignia) and teach teachers how to teach those future leaders.  After all of this inspirational do-gooding, the summer of 2016 was a welcome respite.

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We immediately hopped over to Chicago for a quick child-free visit with the Radulies, friends from the old country (you know - Vietnam).

Ok, so they're not THAT old.

When one has teachers for parents, what does one do over the long, boring summer?  Drive to Missouri, that’s what!
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Warren’s awesome and famous cousin organized a Schnack family reunion soiree in the Show Me State, which gave us an excuse to show our kiddos a bit more of their great homeland, with an emphasis on the National Parks of Colorado and Utah.

This emergence must be symbolic of something, but we're not sure what.

Actual size.

We rode ponies!

Yep, all three kiddos really did participate in an honest-to-goodness rodeo.

Hiking the Narrows in Zion National Park was quite a highlight.

Rafting the Colorado River next to Arches National Park! My selfie stick is pretty good, eh?

After a quick last-minute remodel of our front bathroom, it was time to say goodbye to our lives in los Estados Unidos.

Underage, non-union labor

Goodbye front yard tree!

Goodbye shipment! See you soon (we hope).

As you may or may not have heard, we've now picked up and moved to a small but mighty Central American country, hoping that we might have more success learning the language than last time.  Our temporary hotel home is in the heart of the city and the whirlwind of new friends, food, and levels of humidity has been intoxicating.  

More to come!

* Too much, many would say...