Sunday, August 25, 2013

Live on Summer

yurt  (yûrt) n. A circular, domed, portable tent used by nomadic peoples of central Asia.
yurting  (yûrt-ing) v. Camping in a yurt at our local campground.

We've been busy this month trying some new things.  The first new thing was yurting.  And the whole family agreed that this was AWESOME fun.  These yurts are not far from home but we have never tried them out until now.  With the temperature near 30 everyday, this lakefront, seconds from the beach, loons singing, birds chirping, campfires crackling oasis was a perfect summer adventure.





Each morning we would escape the shade and mosquitoes of the yurt area and walk down to the beach. We were always the first ones there and often the only ones for a long time.  I would sit on the sand drinking my morning coffee, watching the girls run and play on the beach, and count my blessings.  It was so peaceful and I was full of gratitude and appreciation for all that I have.  



And as luck would have it, our cousins and our friends were also camping at this campground.  Just when you think life can't get any better than this, your friends and family show up to share in the summer love.





I asked Callie what her favorite part of yurting was.  She said, "everything, except the storm!"  With the heat wave we were having we were bound to have a good storm and it came on our last night at the yurt.  The canvas yurt was not much of a sound barrier between us and the booming thunder and the sound of the pelting rain.  The lightning flickered brightly through the glass dome in the ceiling.  Callie bolted out of the top bunk where she was sleeping, shaking uncontrollably and near sick from fear, she crawled into her dad's arms and eventually settled back to sleep.  And Lexi?  She never even flinched.  "What storm?" she would say in the morning.  





After a week of yurting we packed up again and headed out to a new beach and campground.  We traded our deep, rocky shored,  northern lakes for a taste of the prairies.  Add together sunshine, more friends and family, shallow warm water and cold drinks and you have another recipe for perfection and gratitude. "This summer thing is pretty hard to take."  "This is the life."  "It doesn't get any better than this."   Any of these comments could be heard rolling off our tongues.





We ended our trip to the prairie land in the familiar farmyard of my BFF.  I love the change of scenery and watching the kids play and ride bikes with the wide open wheat fields in the background.





Summer is so short in our country that it always leaves you wanting more.  More time with friends, more visits with family.  More time to read books, more time for adventures.  For us, we always end our summer on a high note...


...little sister had a birthday and there's a party in the works!  Live on summer!

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Adventures in the City

It wouldn't be summer if we didn't have a little road trip!  We've been to this city before but two years makes a big difference in little lives.  When we got to the hotel Callie said, "it's just like Disneyland!"  I couldn't quite figure out how this seemingly regular hotel resembled Disney so I had to ask.  "Because the room has a balcony!"  Oh, yes.  Of course.  Just like Disneyland.  I love how her brain works.  

All our trips start with a long drive and an adjustment period of everyone getting the grouchies out before they settle into holiday "this is fun, let's do everything" mode.  This trip was no exception.  So once the grouchies were out and everyone cooled their jets in the hotel pool our first adventure in the city was the zoo.



Hudson the polar bear was the big attraction at the zoo but there were many animals to see. Lots of animals we've never seen before.



As we were walking I asked Callie if she thought the animals were happy in the zoo or if they wanted to live in the wild like on Madagascar.  She thought about this dilemma but in the end she said that she didn't know the answer. I don't know either I told her.  It's just something to think about.



The penguin exhibit ended in the gift shop.  We now have a penguin snowglobe and a penguin water pen kicking around the house.  What to buy was such a big decision for Callie.  She thought long and hard before having to decide between the snow globe and a stuffed penguin.  Lexi chose the pen with penguins and then we were off to other city adventures.


Watching my girls have fun fills my bucket full to the top!  I enjoy watching them as much as they enjoy having the fun.  





And I love seeing little girls holding their daddy's hand.  Pointing in excitement about what's next to come...

...and I love daddy's who carry little girls whose legs are tired and just can't keep up.




Visiting the city is fun and exciting.  With so many things to do and see and places to go I always imagine what it would be like raising my girls in the land of museums and malls and movie theatres.  



I always seem to come to the same conclusion after a week in the city.  Its a great place to visit...



...but I'm always happy to come home.  We have a few more adventures on our agenda before we start talking school supplies.  And since we got home from the city the summer heat switch finally got turned back on!  That should make for some happy campers.  C'mon grab your backpack, Let's go, you can lead the way...


Monday, August 5, 2013

Savouring...

July 1st feels like you've won the time lottery.  You've got the whole summer ahead of you. August always has a different feel.  Like you were on a time spending spree and now you've got to reign it in and savour every last moment.  

Here's what we've been savouring...

1. August evenings have been cool.  Hot chocolate on the deck in our jammies...

I opted for something a little stronger.  

2. Spending time with friends who you can do everything with or nothing at all.  Just being together is where it's at.  Usually it's all about kids.  But here's a glimpse of the moms behind the scenes...


3.  Endless hours of fort building.  Girls against the boys.  You be the judge...


 4.  Taking advantage of any every moment that the sun shines to hit the beach...



This may have been the girls last tube ride for a while.  It ended with the Callie and Lexi in the water unexpectedly!  They survived, completely unharmed, but may be a little gunshy the next time.  

5. Being creative and making chalkboards like you see on Pinterest...

I haven't sewed since junior high school.  The Home Ec lab at the school was selling the old machines for next to nothing so I decided no better time to see what I can make.  I'll let you know if I actually make anything worthwhile.  I have a feeling it's harder than it looks.  I'm basically counting on the fact that my grandmother and mother can sew and that I got the sewing gene.  

 6.  Exciting fun with cousins.  What could they possibly be looking for in that rock pile...


The kids were on a mission since the moment they heard that there was a snake living by the garden.  They were determined to find it occupying several hours of their time.  Finally some help from their uncle was required.


The kids were all so brave.  I wanted no part of catching, holding, or touching the snake but it was so fun to see the kids so excited.

 7.  Duck Dynasty in the making...



They were eating from the palms of their hands.  So many moments to savour.  This is summer's half way point.  What could there possibly be left to do?