Getting outside

SO many things are getting cancelled. The list keeps piling up and I can no longer keep track. It is saddening, heartbreaking, frustrating, and any other adjective you wish to insert. We had so many plans. There was so much we wanted to do!

But then... I remember we are happy, healthy, and well. We are safe. We are together. We are sane. We have access to everything we need. 

I took a deep breath and made a deal with myself to try to stay positive. I realized family time isn't cancelled. Friendships aren't cancelled. Nature isn't cancelled. Creativity isn't cancelled. 

We can hike, bike, kayak, walk, sightsee,  and do a whole slew of fun stuff outside. That's the new goal. We want to try all the outside fun that we can while we can. Vitamin D is good for you. Just look at outside time as another way to get your vitamins :) 

Dad's Day

Someone I know spent HOURS creating a perfect Father's Day experience for her dad. She had mock up menus, she practiced her handwriting styles until she picked just the right one, and she googled meal prices to charge him exact amounts for her home cooked breakfast, lunch, and snack options (I get to handle dinner- that didn't go well, but I insisted). There is even a spa day menu complete with back massage and your choice of music and diffuser smells. 

I remember putting all these creative efforts into special days when I was a kid and I am glad my daughter has the heart and creativity to do the same. This is all we have talked about for a week. Everything had to be just so, just right, so daddy would know how much she loves him. And I am the trusty sous chef, assistant, and guide as she caters her dad through a day built just for him.

She referenced her kid's cookbook for just the right menu choices and even helped me order groceries so everything would be perfect. She wrote and rewrote everything. She wrapped the Monopoly money in with the card so he can pay for his day. Sass and attitude are all gone today, so everyone wins!

What better way to say I love you than breakfast in bed with hot coffee. Or maybe with a lunch she prepped and cooked herself. She is on the ready waiting for him to get thirsty, bored, hungry, or anything else so that she can do or grab things for her dad.

If you actually look up the definition of Father, it's not saying a lot. A dad is someone who goes beyond a DNA match. A dad has a bond, a special place in your heart, he is the drier of tears, the keeper of secrets, the planner of fun, a coach, a ballet enthusiast and so much more. 

There are so many important people in our daughter's life who help her and love her. We are indebted to them, their guidance, and their love. They help her and mentor her time and time again. They are uncles, cousins, buddies, teachers, grandpas, coaches, etc. We are lucky and blessed to know them all. 

We want to wish everyone a very happy Father's Day. I hope everyone gets catered to, waited on, doted on, and loved not only today, but all year through :)

a whole new world

Summer break is a time for fun, relaxation, and lots of adventures. It is easy to make your own fun because there's always tons to do and many places to go. We typically love going to the programs at the library, Discovery Center and Burpee Museum, music in the park, zoos, parks and pools. This summer is shaping up to look a lot different. Most of the places on the above list aren't even open!

Now we plan to go to curbside pick up at the library. They have everything ready to go and checked out for you without you even leaving the car. It's the same for our favorite ice cream spot. Dairy Haus now has curbside pick up as well. If you're really smart, you have the books and the ice cream ready to pick up at the same time!

The pools may be closed, but lakes and rivers aren't. State parks are open. Hiking, biking, and camping are open. Laughter in the sprinkler, arboretums, and window shopping are still available. Fun can still be had with a little more effort and thought.

I read an article from a mom listing things she will do this summer and NOT apologize over. Getting ice cream often was on the list. I don't know this mom, but I fully agree. Summer rules are different than the other rules. Ice cream is a staple for a fun summer! There are so many places, so many choices, yet so little time. 

I truly believe that summer memories are created in the little moments. Sharing some ice creams while swinging in the hammock sounds like a great place to start. Here are some of the crazy ice cream combos we tried out today. Again, it's all about the memories! We have to try them all, just for the sake of the memories :) This summer WILL be fun. It will be memorable. It WILL be filled with ice creams and NO apologies!

my secret spot

Before it got hot yesterday, we went on a bike ride. Same ol', same ol', but we finally got off and walked down by the water. If you go under the big trees by the dam in town it feels like you're in your own special place. I love it and now she does, too!

It's not really that cool or that special, but I love it. I would go there when I was a kid and tool around. And now my kid can do the same. She needs an ending point on every bike, hike, or ride so I had to entice her with my wooded waterland and she was in.

We walked along and a saw a toad, tons of black and red birds, but no fish or minnows. It was so peaceful listening to the rushing water and making up stories of people who used to live off the land. We took a bunch of pictures and tried to capture the sunlight. It was a great little outing!

UNFORTUNATELY... people have been holing up down there doing who knows what. All the mini fire pits were neatly put out. But then the Gatorade bottles, wrappers, cigarette butts and diapers started up. Who walks across a small bridge and down the water's edge to the middle of nowhere with a baby?! There were quite a few diapers left. Ew. Disrespctful. Gross. Bad for the water, the fish, everything. 

There are so many bad things going on these days and going outside in nature is one thing keeping us happy, healthy and mentally strong. The least people can do is pick up their own garbage. We plan to go back with a garbage bag and gloves and sticks to pick up what we can. You should leave nature better than you find it. 

I cannot control much these days, but THIS is what we can control. Helping something, some way, some how. Making nature beautiful for the next family and bonding with some mother-daughter time along the way. These are the moments we remember. The conversations we have and the laughter we share is just one more amazing way I can show my daughter I love her. And if she is passionate about picking up garbage to make the Earth healthier, then I am in because we try to find beauty and happiness everywhere we go.

Maybe if everyone starts small and focuses on one small thing they can do to better their world, their community, their home, themselves, then all the little things will add up to some big changes... I will just leave that thought there. :) 

As long as I remember that my happy place starts with bare feet and rushing water (with clean landscapes), I know that I will always be able to find happiness.

fun, free weekend in Wisco

After being cooped up in the house through cold, wind, snow, and now extreme heat, we were excited to get out and enjoy nature. Free fun weekend in Wisconsin is always a good time. Biking trails are free, fishing is free, and entry to state parks is free.

We went up to Yellowstone State Park for the first time and it was great. If you don't mind an easy route with some slight inclines, try hiking Timber. The trails were really clear and there was lots to see. They have bat houses everywhere so thw bigs weren't even that bad.

Next up was lounging on the beach with kayak rides compliments of our little blow up kayak. You can't even make up a good day like we had! Grilling out, digging in the sand, laughing and chatting... It was great. Vitamin D really does do the body good. 

Just don't forget sunscreen. We got that far and then forgot the reapply step! With only an hour (ish) drive and a quick stop near Monroe for gas and cheese curds, I would say this was a great day. Next time we will actually spend the night and see how that goes.

Summer fun has officially begun and my heart is full, tan lines are back and sleep is even easier!!!

What is happening?

I can't sleep. Again. Could it possibly be that the world as we know it is going all sorts of topsy turvy? I came to terms with the Covid outbreak and cancelling plans, hotel stays, and holidays. I embraced the quarantine with solid resolve to come out better than when I went in. I complained minimally and smiled frequently, knowing that we are all sifting through the same storm. And now a new storm is brewing.

A major racial injustice has occurred and my heart aches. I am sad for the victim, I am sad for his family, I am sad that someone thought those actions were justifiable, I am sad that this is what our nation has become. Not everyone, though. Not everywhere. And not every time. However, watching the news, my Facebook feed, listening to people of different races and cultures speak out is eye opening and heart-wrenching.

I choose to live in my own happy little bubble. I admit that. It is very easy to turn off the news when it gets disturbing or ignore it. Well, folks, this is hard to ignore. Very much so. People are upset and rightfully so. People are rioting. Violence is occurring. Looting and pandemonium are ensuing.

Peaceful protests are occurring out there, though. People are getting their point across. People are realizing that if we truly just stop to see each other, hear each other, and respect each other, then change can happen. There are people speaking out about how to make changes. People are speaking their truth and it is shocking. We need to hear it. We need to accept that changes be made.

We teach our daughter to respect everyone. We teach her to be nice, share, use kind words, and choose kind. She sees differences in people and embraces that. She asks questions of color, culture, and so on. We answer as honestly as her age will allow. I hope she always stays open-minded, openhearted, and thought provoking. I hope she can grow up in a peaceful world and not have to fear going to a store for fear of violence or fear speaking her truth for fear of indifference. I hope she is always able to view the world as she does now, with a heart full of possibilities and the ability to see people for who they are, not how they look.

I am an avid reader, so I tie a lot of things into what I read from a book. There are so many books that kids read about acceptance, right verses wrong, and equality. Are adults reading these? Did the rules of kindergarten stop applying somewhere along the way? The quote I keep hearing over and over in my head is, "When given the choice between being right and being kind, CHOOSE KIND." -Wonder

The other thing that keeps popping into my head is the "Everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten." The last word is LOOK. It's easy. Look at the world with a kind heart that is open to possibilities, differences, change, acceptance. Don't look away when you should be helping. Look to others to make changes if you can't start them on your own. Look for help and know that kind people are everywhere. Not every police officer is the same. Not every civilian is the same. Not every white person is the same, just as not every black or brown person is not the same. Just because we don't all look the same doesn't mean we can't all co-exist the same. We have to look for acceptance. We must try harder. We must teach this at home. And early. And often.

Just choose kind. And if that is too much, then remember the rules of kindergarten :) It takes a village and I am willing to work on it just like everyone else should.