Season of Bittersweet

I have been away from home for HALF the days this month so far.

And for three seperate events, so that has also meant a lot of organizing, packing, unpacking, laundry, re-organizing, and re-packing on the days I've been home!!

I have one more 2-1/2 day stint to organize, pack, and unpack for and then 3 days of houseguests to prepare for, and then getting the girls and their new school supplies ready to go, so yeah...

I haz busy!!

But there are only 12 more days before the girls start school and while I really don't want them to have to be gone all day every day, I'm definitely looking forward to establishing and maintaining a routine again. You know, one that doesn't involve getting ready to leave or tidying and organizing after being gone!

I'm looking forward to looooooooong quiet mornings, being able to go for a walk or jog regardless of The Bushman's work comings and goings and the available daylight hours. I'm looking forward to tackling housework and home blessing without interruption and distraction, and improving my ability and capacity to "focus on the task at hand." I'm looking forward to being able to concentrate for more than a paragraph or two when I try to read!!

But I will miss the fun this summer has been, too, despite how hectic it's felt at times, particularly this past month. I will miss the ability to do movie nights in the middle of the week with my girls, to go for bike rides whenever we feel like it, and the sounds of their laughter and play around the house and in the yard. I will miss not caring what time they get to bed or wake up in the morning. I will miss the smell of mosquito spray combined with sunscreen, and the two smiling, tanned little faces framed with wet hair from an afternoon spent playing on the slip'n'slide or in the lake.

::sigh::

I guess this is why Solomon says there is a season for everything. While there are great things about each season that we wish would last forever, there are also those things each season that would burn us out and break us down if they continued any longer.

I dread the end of summer each year. But at the same time, I also look forward to fall. And I'm so grateful to have had yet another season chock-full of blessings with great memories to look back on.

Practicing Gratitude

This past Sunday was my birthday.

I am officially...

wait for it...

...almost 40.

We spent Saturday night and all day Sunday at the lake with our church family. Though the weather wasn't perfect, it wasn't a horrible day to be at the lake and plenty of fun was had by all.

On Sunday morning, when I entered the dining hall for breakfast, those already there broke into a chorus of "Happy Birthday!" And then at lunch, it happened again ~ this time with a surprise cake!! And hugs, cards, well-wishes, and some gift cards for Tim Horton's!!! I see some serious coffee and donuts in my future!

I felt so honoured and blessed to have such wonderfully thoughtful friends.

Later, I went for a short walk by myself and took a bunch of pictures. While it hadn't really outright rained, there had been periods of heavy mist and as a result, leaves and flowers were covered with water droplets and I got some great macro shots. I posted them on FB and one woman who'd also been there commented that it was hard to believe such beauty had been found on such a dreary day.

And I got to thinking that while it's great to have those days when we actually FEEL blessed, there are so many more days in our lives when we have to put some effort into seeing the blessings.

I'm thankful for the days God seems to show special favour ~ obvious like hot sunny days at the lake ~ but I'm so thankful that His blessings are always there, even when they're tougher to spot, like crystal dew drops and bright red berries hiding on the dark forest floor.

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Week 8 of 10

Yikes! Only two weeks left!! Many weeks ago, at the start of summer holidays, I made a few goals for July and August and vowed to keep track of my progress here. I'm known for making plans and then promptly forgetting or neglecting them, but this time, I think I've actually done rather well.

• Get to the local library once a week ~ July 8, 13, 22, Aug 10, (planning to go this afternoon. We weren't home the first or third weeks of the month and will have company most of next week, so we might get only one more visit in before the school year and home reading programs start.)



• Go to a playground once a week ~ July 8, 11, 27, Aug 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 17 (Aug 4-8 and 17 weren't at our school, they were at the beach and at my old elementary school in The Big City respectively, but they were playgrounds nonetheless, so I'm counting them!)



• Spend 20 minutes a day in the garden ~ July 7, 8, 9, 12, 24, 27, 30, 31, Aug 2, 13
  
  Ugh. Failing miserably here! In my defence, August has been a whirlwind ~ and will continue to be ~ but I still wish this was going better.



• Teach the girls how to do some simple chores ~ girls have spun the dials, added the detergent, pushed the buttons, and carted laundry up and down the stairs for most loads since the end of June. I haven't gotten them to fully do it on their yet though.
  
  Daily bed-making and bathroom "swish 'n' shine" still goin' strong. Peanut does both automatically, and Fidget will do her bed the same time her big sister does hers, but the bathroom thing usually requires a bit of prompting!



• Get them to take turns setting and clearing the table for supper, as well as helping me with meal prep and dishes once a week each ~ haven't done much meal planning/prep or dishwashing with them yet, but they are helping to set and clear the table almost every meal.
  
  July 24 ~ we made Unbaked Cookies together. Yum!
  July 29 ~ made Banana Chocolate Chip muffins together and the girls actually did most of the work themselves with me just supervising and helping out here and there. They even filled the muffin tins on their own with almost no spillage!!



• Weekly piano lessons for Peanut ~ August has been tricky with us being gone and having company for more than half the month, so we haven't actually had a lesson yet this month. Planning to have one tomorrow and hopefully another one before the in-laws arrive a week from today.



• One craft, special activity, or playdate each week ~
  July 7, 8, 9 (see two-week check-up post for details)
  July 13, 14, 15, 21-24, 25 (see week four check-up post for details)
  July 27, 30, Aug 4-8 ~ (see Week 6 "report")
  Aug 12 ~ Fidget attended a little school friend's birthday pool party and Peanut and I went to the home of a friend who also dropped off one of her kids at the party. The older sister is Peanut's age and they were best friends in Nursery School, so they had a blast reconnecting.
  Aug 16 ~ a GREAT day with the cousins at a kiddie amusement park near The Big City!
  Aug 18 ~ rode the city bus with grandma and grandpa to a fun market and riverwalk downtown
  Aug 19 ~ The Bushman's parents took the girls and their cousins to the Children's Museum
  Aug 21-22 ~ our church's annual family camp up at the lake; spent the night in a cabin



• Try to head to the lake or pool one afternoon a week ~
  July 25 ~ FINALLY went to one of the nearby lakes a family!
  Aug 2 ~ The Bushman took the girls fishing
  Aug 4-8 ~ spent several hours each day at the lake while camping
  Aug 12 ~ Fidget got to spend the afternoon splashing at a friend's pool party
  Aug 21-22 ~ spent the evening plus a day up at the lake for church camp



• MORE PICNICS! ~
  July 26 ~ shared a picnic supper with an uncle we hadn't seen in a few years, who popped in for a surprise visit!
  July 29 ~ do indoor picnics eaten on the dining room floor count if we use the picnic blanket?
  Aug 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 ~ all meals while camping count!

Overall, I think we're still doing well, but because of all the comings and goings this month, the routine is definitely taking a beating!

In July, we were also successfully managing to go through some time-telling workbooks I'd picked up ~ doing half a dozen pages or so almost every day (the girls loved "playing school!") ~ but I don't believe we've even LOOKED at those books since August began. This week will be all about trying to tend to a few garden things (though it rained ALL DAY yesterday so that won't happen for a couple days yet)and then preparing for a camping weekend at the lake for an annual family gathering, so we'll see how it goes!

I have LOVED being an intentional parent and we've had an awesome summer, but the furious activity of this month has me looking forward to the slower pace of school days, even though I'd love for summer to never end!

Practicing Gratitude

Once again, I'm thankful to get away. Especially since this time I'm sleeping in a wonderful INDOOR bed and I didn't have to bring along all my food!!

The girls and I have spent this week in The Big City, visiting with the grandparents and doing some fun things. It's been a full week and I'm looking forward to heading home tomorrow morning, but the feelings are always bittersweet.

I'm so thankful for my parents, my in-laws, and the relationship I have with both. I'm so thankful my girls still love visiting their grandmas and grandpas. I wonder how long before they start asking to go somewhere else instead, like I always used to when we'd visit my grandparents. I understand now why this bothered my mom and dad.

I dread those days and hope against hope it will never happen, but that's probably delusional. I suspect my kids will be older than I was before it starts happening though, because all their grandparents are much more involved with them than my grandparents were with me. I love watching my girls interact with their grandparents.

I'm thankful we found time for this get-away! Because of a bit of indecision, it almost didn't happen at all this summer, and though it is making for a rather cramped and busy August, I'm still glad we made it happen. It's been busy, but it's been a blast!

I'm thankful the van is still working nicely. It got us here safely on Sunday and I'm trusting it will return us home again tomorrow.

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Summer Evening of the Heart

The other day, while The Bushman and I were sitting at the supper table, we decided we love our life.

The girls were off playing in a different room already, but he and I just sat at the big window, enjoying the play of light and shadow between the evening sun and the trees that surround our yard.

I think it's my favourite time of day.

The air cools off a little, the gentle breeze tickles the poplar leaves and they spin and flash in the sunlight. The lilies lazily dance as the air moves them and the hummingbirds streak back and forth in front of the dining room window, stopping briefly at the feeder or in a tree to preen. The cats race around, chasing each other and wrestling each other to the ground. Mama cat cuddles with our big dog, and the two of them watch the antics of the younger kittens.

I can't help but feel at peace.

Too often we focus on the things we don't have that we think would make our lives easier or more fun, but really, the blessings are already too numerous to count. We just need to focus on THEM instead of the temporal desires!

During most of the day, my brain is cluttered with "to do" and "could 'n' should" lists, and invariably, my mind drifts into wishing things were different. That I didn't have to work so hard at keeping my kitchen and home tidy, that I could finish a task without being interrupted for a drink of juice or a snack, or that my home was bigger, my vehicle was newer, that we had a second bathroom, etc., etc., etc...

But in the brief window of time after supper's finished and the dishes haven't been started yet, something happens.

So often ~ this summer, anyway ~ it's when the dark rain clouds move on, having accomplished their purpose in the heat and humidity of the late afternoon, and we're treated to a beautiful sunset in the cool of the evening ~ the western sky ablaze with colour while a rainbow lingers against the clouds in the darkening eastern sky.

The timing varies from week to week as the daylight hours wax and wane with the seasons, but still it happens. That magical time when the sun shines just right through the trees and the yard is set aglow. The colours of the flowers more vibrant, the greens more varied, the diamond dewdrops more visible, the bird songs sweeter, the clouds whispier...

And suddenly, I have everything I need. Everything I ever wanted. My soul is blissfully content.

And I realize summertime evenings are as much an attitude of the heart as they are a daily occurrence.

The Beach.

Last Wednesday to Sunday we spent a marvelous 5 days at a lakeside campground with a nice beach.

On the way there, we stopped at a town along the way that sports a most unusual house...

It's deserted now, but apparently someone really used to live in there! The girls reported a living room upon peering through the one window.

We got to the campground at around 3 pm and after a bit of set-up, we trekked off to the beach. Despite it being cool and very windy. I can never understand the compulsion to get into the water regardless of environmental conditions, but I let my family indulge in the madness.

Of course, this was the one time we left the boogie boards at the campsite. And of course, these were by far the biggest waves we saw during our stay. Figures.

Doesn't it look absolutely FRIGID?! Crazy family. I was wearing a hoodie over top of my T-shirt, my sweat pants and I was still huddled up in the picnic blanket!

Enjoying hot chocolate and 'smores back at the campsite before sending the girls off to bed on the first night.

Ahhhhhh, the sounds and smells of a morning in civilization ~ out in the wilderness! Thank goodness for electrical campsites. We have a campfire coffee perk, but I'm never a fan of how that coffee turns out, so this year, we decided to bring at least ONE of the comforts of home along with us!

The girls and one of the many friends they made during our stay.

The bay our site was located on had a small playground in the middle, which was awesome for keeping the girls occupied while we grown-ups SLOWLY enjoyed our morning coffee and eventually got around to making breakfast. It occupied them again while we washed up and did some more relaxing and reading before preparing a quick lunch and then heading off to the beach for the afternoon.

One other camping family, in particular, we quite enjoyed visiting with. We ended up spending two afternoons at the lake with them as well as having a potluck marshmallow roast and 'smores at their campsite one evening before they had to pack up and leave on Friday afternoon. Campground friends are fun, I decided!

Cue "Chariots of Fire" music....

More fun with friends.

A meal fit for a king! Inside the foil packets are chopped potatoes and onions, with butter and shredded cheese. The shredded cheese turned out to be a bad idea, but it was still a very tasty meal.

Warming up after a cool swim.

A view down the beach on Saturday, the busiest afternoon! For serious. I was surprised how empty it stayed, especially on the weekend, but I was certainly okay with it.

NOW we're talkin'! Man, I could've easily just brought HALF this amount of meat ~ we brought two of those giant suckers home with us!!

On Friday night, we went into the city that's about 20 minutes from the campground to do a bit of shopping (they have our nearest Wal*Mart) and to take the girls out for ice cream.

Saturday morning, the girls wanted to go on a hike and The Bushman had to run back into the city because the tire shop he needed to visit had been closed the night before. So the girls and I walked for a bit down one of the many mowed trails the park has.

I got each girl to take a picture of me with the other so there'd be some proof I was actually along on this trip!!

Playing with a different little friend.

Daddy got himself roped into a game of Go Fish on Saturday night before bed.

Sunday morning the water was the calmest we saw it. Almost no ripples at all. The girls and their dad went to the beach while I cleaned up the campsite, packed and collapsed our tent trailer. By the time I finished, I was thoroughly in need of a dip myself, but of course, I'd already packed my swimsuit! (of course!) I walked to the beach and waded in up to my knees to cool off, and we spent another hour there before changing into dry clothes and heading home.

Both girls actually made serious progress with their swimming skills over our stay, so that was pretty cool to see. Peanut didn't know anything about backstroke until the weekend and Fidget couldn't bring herself to put her head or even just her face into the water. Both girls mastered these new skills.

All in all, I'd say this was probably our best camping trip yet. (Which may or may not have something to do with the fact that it's the first one in two years...) We had an awesome time and really enjoyed our stay. I don't know how refreshed we necessarily feel, but it was good to relax and have fun together as a family for more than just a day.

Both girls said they wanted to make camping there an annual tradition, and I have to say, I'm not opposed to the idea.

Practicing Gratitude

I can't decide which I'm more thankful for ~ getting away for a few days, or coming home again!!

Both are WONDERFUL things!

We had a GREAT time away and the weather, for the most part, was perfect. Wednesday was cool and windy and Thursday night was downright COLD, but Thursday during the day, and Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were absolutely gorgeous. Perfect beach weather.

The campground and our site were awesome, too. Our bay was a very small one ~ only about 20 sites ~ and in the middle was a playground, so the girls would usually spend the morning there or biking around the bay, while The Bushman and I relaxed at the campsite. Then we'd eat lunch and all head to the beach for the afternoon. They'd be back at the playground during supper prep and in the evening. We had an electrical site, so we could not only keep our food refrigerated, but we could bring along our coffeemaker and have fresh-brewed coffee each morning! The bathroom/shower was directly across the bay from our site, easily accessible via the mowed playground trails.

We were blessed to have wonderful campground neighbours who happened to have kids our girls' ages and we all hit it off very nicely. The kids were together non-stop until their family left on Friday afternoon and we spent two afternoons at the beach all together, as well as a marshmallow roast on Thursday evening.

We got home Sunday afternoon, all hot, sweaty, and tired, and boy, did it feel incredible to sleep in our own beds again!!

And then more good news: we got to pick up our repaired van again on Monday! And thankfully, it was actually a very small problem! Unfortunately, it took them quite some time to figure it out, so the labour cost was fairly high, but the part itself was very small (about the size of your thumbnail, to be precise!!) and inexpensive. It's so great to have our own wheels back again, though it was wonderful to have a "loaner" from friends that made it possible for us to bring the girls' bikes to the campground with us. Not sure that would have worked if we'd taken the van.

So we're home again after a great camping trip free of major injuries and problems, we made some new friends, we got our van back, and have had a great week so far...

Ahhh, my heart is full and I am content.

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Six down, only four left.... Aaaaack!!

SIX weeks into my goals for the summer ~ man I can't believe it's OVER HALF OVER!!

• Get to the local library once a week ~ July 8, 13, 22 (weren't home last week; planning to go today)



• Go to the school playground once a week ~ July 8, 11, 27, Aug 4 , 5, 6, 7, 8 (well, these August dates weren't at the school playground, but we spent 5 days at a campground that had a playground just on the other side of the road from the campsite and the girls were there every day!)



• Spend 20 minutes a day in the garden ~ July 7, 8, 9, 12, 24, 27, 30, 31, Aug 2
  I'll confess I'm having a little trouble with this one! Partly it's because I haven't made it a high enough priority, but partly it's because I've still had to mow lawn 2-3 times a week and once I've done that for an hour (or two!), my only thought is hopping into the shower! And once I've done that, well, I don't really want to get all sweaty again!!



• Teach the girls how to do some simple chores ~ girls have spun the dials, added the detergent, pushed the buttons, and carted laundry up and down the stairs for virtually every load since the end of June. I haven't gotten them to fully do it on their yet though.
  
  Daily bed-making and bathroom "swish 'n' shine" still goin' strong. Peanut does both automatically, and Fidget will do her bed the same time her big sister does hers, but the bathroom thing usually requires a bit of prompting!
  
  Have also done a few 15-minute "27-fling Boogies" in their room to keep it considerably tidier than it always used to be!



• Get them to take turns setting and clearing the table for supper, as well as helping me with meal prep and dishes once a week each ~ haven't done much meal planning/prep or dishwashing with them yet, but they are helping to set and clear the table almost every meal.
  
  July 24 ~ we made Unbaked Cookies together. Yum!
  July 29 ~ made Banana Chocolate Chip muffins together and the girls actually did most of the work themselves with me just supervising and helping out here and there. They even filled the muffin tins on their own with almost no spillage!!



• Weekly piano lessons for Peanut ~ still at it, but definitley with less enthusiasm than before! This month will be a little tricky; we were gone most of last week and will be again all of next week. I'll try to get a lesson in today or tomorrow, but I'm not sure it's worth it for the 2 days she'll be able to practice this week!



• One craft, special activity, or playdate each week ~
  July 7, 8, 9 (see two-week check-up post for details)
  July 13, 14, 15, 21-24, 25 (see week four check-up post for details)
  July 27 ~ well, it wasn't a planned playdate, but another school family happened to be at the playground the same time the girls and I were there and so we stayed and played/visited.
  July 30 ~ went to the Valley's annual rodeo parade in the morning
  Aug 4-8 ~ camping



• Try to head to the lake or pool one afternoon a week ~ July 25 ~ FINALLY went to one of the nearby lakes a family!
  Aug 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ~ spent several hours each day at the lake while camping



• MORE PICNICS! ~
  July 26 ~ shared a picnic supper with an uncle we hadn't seen in a few years, who popped in for a surprise visit!
  July 29 ~ do indoor picnics eaten on the dining room floor count if we use the picnic blanket?
  Aug 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 ~ all meals while camping count!

And there you have it. Certain goals now in August will be tougher simply because we'll be gone or have company for over half the month, but we'll keep pluggin' away at 'em!

Practicing Gratitude

I'm thankful for the chance to get away.

On the one hand, camping can feel like so much more work than it's actually worth, but that's why I'm so thankful we can go for more than just a weekend! It will be a wonderful break for all of us.

I'm thankful that The Bushman has had steady work since May, but that has also meant he's almost never home. Most weekends, he spends at least half the day on Saturday working at the shop, servicing the semi-trucks and getting them ready for the following week, and then there's yardwork to attend to when he gets home. Sunday is the only day he really gets to relax, and we sometimes find ourselves resenting the fact that Sunday morning is spent at church.

So it's been good for him to take the week off, even though it means no income this week. And it will be good to be away for a few days where there is no yardwork, no housework, and only simple meals to prepare and clean up after!

I trust God will use this week and our little family getaway to revive and refresh us.

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