Summer Blahs

This is the time of summer where the kids and I start to get antsy. It's the time in between trips and activities where there are long stretches of hot days with nothing to do. We all start to get a little testy and I start wishing we had a pool. I can't complain, our friends that do have a pool would let us use it any time, but I hate to abuse that privelege.

Friday we leave for Camp Dearborn, if you don't know, it's a campground owned by the city of dearborn but it's in Milford which is only a 15 minute drive from my house. They have a lake and pool, mini-golf and bike trails. It will be great for the kids to have some options. We'll be there for 2.5 weeks. It's also nice because I can still come home for things like laundry and bills. Anthony will still work and the kids have doctor appointments and such. So, it's like we just uproot our home and move it somewhere fun for a few weeks.

We have invited nearly everyone we know to come visit us and hang. We even have a couple friends that are coming to stay for a week or more. I'm looking forward to it.

Oh What a Night

Do you ever just have a night that can only be explained as weird? Alice and I went to the Cyndi Lauper concert last night and had no expecation of it being anything more than fun. But one thing after another just made it a weird, up and down emotional night.

The concert was good, she was promoting her Memphis Blues Album, so she sang mostly songs off that album, which was really good and in the end, I liked it better than when she did some of her "greatest hits". Although, the crowd started getting grumpy when she didn't do some of the songs they wanted her to do and then she got a little testy herself because of them, which dampened the end of the concert for everyone. But she was still Cyndi Lauper and I do love her.

But throughout the night, we just had these other uncomfortable, odd situations. I got a text out of the blue that was distracting for me, she had a drop-in visit from a relative that she hasn't seen in years, and then a voice mail from another relative grumping at her.

On the way home there was a major police chase and shooting on the opposite side of the highway where an armed robber was shot and killed! I think every police officer in Oakland and Wayne Counties were there. Then five crotch rocket type motorcycles drove past us at such a high speed, they had to be going at least 120mph, that we both nearly pooped our pants. Needless to say after it all, our nerves were fried and all we wanted was to just be home!!

Sustaining the Momentum

We biked and hiked so much on our camping trip and felt so good that we are trying to maintain the momentum now that we're home. I've biked daily since we got back and have loved every minute...well, maybe not EVERY minute, but most of them. I especially like it when I can ride with a friend, so if you're interested, let me know.

Today, when I awoke at 7:00am Tony asked me to go for a ride with him. So, we left a note for the kids that we were going on a ride (they were still sleeping) and took off to the neighborhood behind us and started on the walking/biking trail that leads to the dairy twist...that's how I identify it.

As we approached the baseball fields, we noticed a single track mountain bike trail. "Fun!" we thought. And it was...but it kicked our asses!! It was truly the definition of single track with roots, trees close together, twists and turns and tree trunks to go over. It took about an hour to navigate through it. It is such a fantastically designed trail that I would love to thanks the people that built it. I know the city paid for it, but I want to know who actually built the trail. It's terrific!!

I feel great now but I know I'm going to feel it tonight and tomorrow. However, it was so worth it! I can't wait to bring the boys and just do part of it and then double back, it's a bit too much for them to do the whole thing, I think.

So, if you live in this area and want a little challenge, go for it! Bring a helmet, I think this finally pushed Tony into getting one...he had a couple close calls. *By the way, that's my new helmet above, cute huh?*

We Call Him the Chipmunk Whisperer

As I mentioned in one of my other posts, we have loved it here at The Pinery. We took a 14k bike ride, we have hiked several trails, flew kites at the beach and swum in lake huron. Sam and Tony rented a jet ski yesterday while Noah and I hiked another trail.

But the most fun has been watching Sam feed these little guys...

We call this one Woody. Later The Prospector came and tried to gather some almonds for himself, but Woody was having none of it!

We like to picture Woody in a track suit in February sitting on top of his fat pile of nuts with a gold chain around his neck rapping..."You can get with this...or you can get with that..." (points to little wimpy chipmunk with one wilty peanut standing in the corner). *Thanks Kia Soul for the fantastic commercial*

Here is Sam feeding Woody by hand.

If you want to see a chipmunk stuff his cheeks with almonds up close check this out. Fast forward for a few seconds first.

More Blogging, Less Twittering

I have really missed blogging. I love summer as it affords me the time to do what I love and one of those things is writing. I don't claim to be an expert at it but I do enjoy the written word and I regret that I have been swayed far too easily by the 140 characters or less dark side.

The thing about writing is that I can more clearly communicate my thoughts in writing than speak them. I've been known in times of marital stress to write my thoughts in an email rather than talking where I fumble over my words and emotions; even when Tony is just sitting in the next room. I'm a huge advocate of thank you notes and love letters...although, I admit to not writing them often enough. (note to self....write more love letters).

If I stop and really think about it, just the act of sending someone a note in the snail mail reveals many things. When you pick out the perfect card or stationary you are thinking of that person, what they would like or what you think their need is at that moment. Do they need encouragement, congrats...or just an acknowledgement of the role they play in your life.

When you stop to write the words on the page you are taking time out of your day to devote to that person. Time is the most important thing we have to give...to give it to someone shows how much you value them.

Unlike the instant gratification of email....with a posted letter we wait...and wait. To me, the waiting shows that there is value in the letter. Good things are worth waiting for...I could write a whole other blog post on how we don't know how to wait for anything anymore.

I don't have a great finish to this post. Other than that I think I'll write more letters and cards to the people I care about.

The End. (lame, I know...told you I'm not an expert writer)

A Red Roof Inn might work just as well

Sometimes, Noah's hormones and mine bump up against each other. When that happens, it's not pretty.

Also, I think God had it right in the old testament when he sent the women away during their "unclean" time. The whole notion of the "red tent" isn't such a bad idea. Today I wish I had one because the proximity to the three males in this camper isn't nearly far enough for any of us.

When Tony had the nerve to ask..."isn't there something you could take to make this shorter?"...I about lost it on him. I just started getting moody TODAY...it's not like I've been this way all week or anything! Chances are good that after a good night's sleep I'll be back to my cheery self in the morning. Geesh! Can I get a little teeny tiny bit of sympathy and understanding?? Anyone??

I want a red tent and wish Karen (who I almost called to vent to today because her hormones are all wacky right now too) and some of my other girlfriends in there with me to vent about how insensitive men can be. Though Tony's one of the more sensitive types...he'll never understand what it's like to be a woman.

Oh Canada...

We are taking our first family vacation of the summer in Grand Bend, Ontario Canada. The campground we are at is called The Pinery. It's only about 3 hours from home and it is absolutely beautiful here! It's a huge provincial park with lots of trees and space between the campsites. There are tons of trails and it's a quick bike ride to Lake Huron.

Yesterday we rode bikes on a trail for a while and then hiked one of the trails and read all about the Oak Savannah, one of the few remaining of it's kind in North America. We learned how in the 1960's people were afraid that because the area looked sparse, they thought they needed to plant a ton of pine trees, but in doing that they actually hurt the environment so now the rangers here are pulling the pine trees out to restore the savannah to it's natural state again. We spent time talking about how often man destroys the natural order that God has created but then we can learn from our mistakes and fix it again. Hikes like this make me want to home school the boys.

Speaking of disturbing natural order...Sam's favorite thing has been hand feeding squirrels and chipmunks. He named the two that hang out around our campsite Buzz and Woody and they take almonds right from his hand. He loves to watch them fill their cheeks until they can't hold anymore then run into their hole and come back for more. He calls all the big black squirrels Rex.

When we're not learning about the savannah here or feeding wildlife or riding bikes, we spend our time reading and playing games. Battleship is a favorite on this trip for some reason and I've taught the kids Phase 10 although they are both terribly poor losers at that game for some reason.

Today is rainy and is supposed to rain all day...tomorrow too. So, we haven't quite figured out what to do. The nearest movie theater is about 50 miles and I hate to spend our time doing things that we can do at home, but I might shoot myself if I have to be trapped in the camper with the boys for two days. So, we may not have a choice.

All in all, this is a great trip so far and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys the great outdoors.