Fall Family Retreat

By RoseAnne Gallegos

​The most beautiful month in New Mexico is October... no question.  Most of us home-educating families, after about two months, being back to the homeschool grindstone, need some reprieve (reprieve - verb, re-prēve: to give relief or deliverance to for a time). 

We started attending the CAPE Family Fall Retreat 13 years ago!  Every March or April, when we sit down to enter our calendar items for the rest of the year, we always write 'CAPE Retreat' in the October 20 something days.  My youngest son enthusiastically asks months in advance if we're going to the CAPE retreat!

​If you're thinking that the retreat will be another event where you have to run after your kids and make sure they're not in danger and feel the stress of planning your schedule... Breeeaaathe... this event is the antithesis of anxiety!  It's a true 'retreat'!  All you have to pack is a change of clothes and a light jacket.  ​Everything else is taken care of for you.  Every member of our family benefits so much from this annual family outing in multiple ways.

​The kids love the kids program which is organized, put together and run by some of the high school and postgraduate homeschool kids.  They make it interesting and fun with crafts, games, songs, physical activities and snacks!  Our kids can't wait to be turned loose to go with 'their group' after the corporate family worship time.

​The environment is so intimate and personal and extremely relaxed.  It allows us to get away for the weekend with our spouses and our children and receive encouragement and some real in-depth teaching and edification.  A large part of your time is sitting with your honey (spouse) conversing (remember what that felt like?), engaging in interesting topics with other adults, drinking coffee and tea during the sessions, and laughing... (seriously, you'll be surprised that this actually happens ... a lot...!) 

​Every year, the CAPE board invites a nationally renown 'home-school speaker couple' to lead several sessions.  We receive in-depth teachings and excellent encouragement. It seems like every year we parents feel like "this year's retreat speakers are the best we've heard".  It just gets better every year.

​There is a session where the Dads go off and talk Dad/Men things and the Moms stay in the main log-cabin type meeting room.  This is always inspiring, fun, and encouraging.  It's terrific to meet new families.  One of my favorite parts is the 'Town Hall' for the parents.  Learning the struggles of others, local and national current homeschool information from CAPE Board members, new ideas, all in snippets of 60 - 90 seconds per person.

​On Saturday afternoon there is about a four hour period where the kids can participate in four or five different activities that they love!!  The activities include an amazing Challenge Course, Remote Control Truck Course, Pedal Cars, Pedal boats in a beautiful pond, roller skating with Christian Music, Bungee Trampoline Jumper, Family games, Horse Back Riding, and other field games.  The prices for each activity range from free, to $3, to $15 for the Challenge Course.

The time of year the retreat takes place is generally perfect because the weather is relatively warm and definitely not cold.  The setting at the Sacramento Assembly Camp is just outside of Cloudcroft and is gorgeous.  Did I mention it is gorgeous?   You have to see it to believe it.  The fall colors are turning and the nights are crisp.  The food is excellent, and I do mean excellent.  Our two sons often talk about what their favorite meal was.  You walk into the cafeteria, with the fire going, sit down and enjoy a warm meal.  It took some getting used to for those of us who often eat cold food and eat last... ;o)

​The rooms are very nice and fun and cozy. The kids love running around the very safe facilities with their friends, exploring and then meeting us in the cafeteria.  We have even taken our camping trailer and stayed in the Sacramento Assembly Camp's campgrounds.  We cannot recommend this family weekend getaway enough.

​For our family, we really treasure this three day period without having any schedule demands or stress.  This is the only event we know about that combines fun, relaxation, inspiration, and even spiritual invigoration for our entire family.  As I said, we put this on our calendar every year, months in advance.

For more information or to register for the Fall Family Retreat visit the CAPE website.

RoseAnne Gallegos

RoseAnne Vau-Gallegos is a native of Albuquerque and has been homeschooling her three children for 12 years.  She's a late blooming mother and before motherhood, spent 13 years in NYC, VA, TX and LA pursuing a career in acting.  She has been a professional actress for about 23 years.  She aspires to be a professional writer and radio broadcaster.