Gigi and Poppy (S’s parents) last saw their Wildman grandboys in July. Their arrival today here in Croatia makes me realize … that our boys are growing. They’re getting bigger, of course. They smell more....

The good news is that Gigi and Poppy have come to stay with us in Croatia for a week. The not-so-good news is that ALL their non-carry-on luggage is not yet staying with us … and is somewhere else in the Croatian Airlines ether. A mere hours after an epic series of flights across the...

I’ve never had a great desire to publish photos of me shirtless, wearing a bathing suit. However, I want to pass along a memorable moment of boy courage … and these photos — and one video! — are the way to do it. The boys and I have been doing a lot of diving in to...

We’ve started a new lesson in FICTION WRITING in our Art of Language World School classes. Dad is not in the photo because he hasn’t showered in a while...

A photo of our eldest son Skype-ing with church buddies during youth group tonight called Crossroads. (What his buddies cannot see is W’s dad upstairs, brandishing a wet beach towel, engaged in a bitter air duel with a resilient...

Two glimpses of our current life in Croatia. By day — with hanging laundry, lunch (with Pringles!), an arbor of tangerine trees, and a mini trampoline. And by night — three boys exploring the sights and sounds of sunset, as mom and dad watch with deeply grateful...

  We set out on an epic bike journey during our first week in Croatia — in the same hills where Mario Andretti was born! We never reached our destination … it rained a fair amount … W’s pedal came off … E lost his chain … but we logged some great...

This is a panorama inside the greatest rest stop ever. It’s on an Austrian highway and it sold, among other things, fresh smoothies and freshly grilled pork chops. If you look closely, you can see W almost sleeping with his head down on a tray stack …. We’ve been on the...

Our journey today included: a ride up, up, up on a gondola, lunch (PBJs, salami and ham with butter), some family arguments, an hours-long stroll across a small jag in the Alps, a train ride, coats on then coats off, the sun on our face, and blue in the sky. But — our journey today was...

This screen shot memorializes a crucial dinner prep moment this week in Switzerland. We were aiming high — cheese fondue! — but we needed help with a translation on a food package. H kindly typed in the French — and voila! — “Pour the contents...

We were in the thick of heart-exploding beauty today. Here are four shots of “our peaks” presiding over the day — from sunrise to...

This is the scene from our World School table today in the Swiss Alps — including some bananas, a handwriting workbook, a dry erase board with coordinates, S’s Bible and devotional book, salt and pepper shakers, a map, a beloved stuffed animal, some pencils, and a pocket...

For our records, we’ve started producing digital maps of our country travels. There’s a new MAPS button above on the masthead. We’ll keep adding maps as we finish them … and as we travel.

Sarah and Jean treated us to pure Swiss dinner fare this evening: a meal of RACLETTE. Artisanal cheese was heated up inside a table-top grill, then poured hot over boiled potatoes … and sweetened with vinegar-heavy baby corn and onions. The adults enjoyed Swiss wine, made from grapes...

Tomorrow in Nashville, Tennessee, the CREIGHTON family is gathering for a massive family reunion. My late maternal grandmother Mama Liz was a Creighton — she’s the baby girl in the tiny black and white photograph at the top of this post. Her name lives on in our family —...

One of our hosts here in Germany has been deployed to/in Afghanistan since last summer. We were surprised to see M in his living room over the weekend, wearing his favorite Sleepy Hollow Elementary t-shirt. He was home for less than 24 hours. In small ways, we’ve seen what HOME means...

Boarding Chunnel, bound for France — so cool! W just said: “Let’s play soccer ”...

      I decided to solo pilot a wooden rowboat for the first time this week in the middle of a seasonal gale on Lake Windermere. As if there weren’t enough rainbursts, shallow water buoys, and expensive watercraft to look out for, I spiced up the maiden voyage by propping up my...

W and H recently paraded around our apartment dressed as mom and dad — wearing our footwear, speaking our expressions, and sporting accurate hairstyles. They even asked everyone to leave the room so they could have a private conversation. It’s true that we’ve chosen to...

This picture is only one third posed … … and it shows how YESTERDAY was a particularly trying day for World School. S pulled teeth through math and science. I struggled through art of language. An example: Since we’re in the Lake District, we’re discussing POETRY in...