Packing -- 9 Days Out

Today I spent hours mixing up all natural bug sprays and hand sanitizers.  I also mixed up some homemade all natural deodorant for myself -- to give it a try over the next week before I have to commit to not packing bottles of my beloved Weleda!  The house still smells like an experiment in aromatherapy!  Gregg washed our "jungle outfits" (basically linen/gauze long sleeve pants and shirts) in permethrin.  Let's just say, that stuff seems as toxic as DEET!  I think we'll launder the jungle outfits one time before wearing to reduce the concentration -- at this point I'm not sure what I fear more, mosquitoes/malaria or synthetic chrysanthemums. 

I also packed the girls clothes.  That was a task I dreaded.  We had planned on packing each of them into a regular "school size" LL Bean backpack.  How would I ever get everything they would need for 6 months into such a small bag?  Well, I laid it all out the bed -- the have-to-go's and the I'd-like-to-gos.   And I piled it up into two piles, one for each girl.  And I stuffed it in.  And it all fit!!!!  Yes, other than a rain jacket, fleece, and pair of hiking shoes for each (which are going into a mountain bag with the same for me), all that I wanted to take for them fit in the little bags!  YEAH!  I did realize that I left their two new suities (aka bathing suits), each, at the cabin.  HOW??? I went over that place a dozen times.  We'll live.  They have plenty of others.  

Gregg and I are still waging battles over the box of books (I need books, he wants to reduce weight on Elsie's shocks).  Stay tuned (or not, I'll win).  

I don't think this is a bad pile of luggage for a family of four on a six-month adventure! (Of course, it's just the clothes...)