Going to Anderson Gardens

One of Rockford's nicest places to go is Anderson Gardens. We love Khlem Arboretum and Nicholas Conservatory, so we don't go to Anderson Gardens often. BUT we should. I had the pleasure of doing their Tuesday night live music in the gardens last week. It was FANTASTIC! 

I cannot stress how wonderful that evening was. One of the owners of the Gardens was coming around offering up bags of fish food. We were able to feed the fish, the ducks, and even turtles that habitate the Gardens. No matter how old I get, I will always enjoy slowing down and just enjoying nature. We were laughing just watching the ducks and the fish fighting for the food. 

In regards to everything else, it was all great. The live music was entertaining. It was great to see kids running around and enjoying music and playing, just being carefree. There were many food choices. Even the drink choices were extensive. 

For anyone who enjoys the peace of the outdoors, I would recommend this spot. I have no idea what plants I am looking at, but I don't care. The impeccable Gardens, koi ponds, waterfalls, and pathways are great to look at and enjoy. You don't have to be able to identify anything to enjoy your time. If you want music and entertainment, go on a Tuesday!

oh, back to school

It's back to school time, folks! And you know what that means. There are things to do, emails to check, calendars to print, and dates to block out. It's the same routine every year. Once you get through the list, then you sit back and wait for the bus email to come letting you know what time to be ready. 

The backpack and school supplies were shockingly easy this year. A white Adidas backpack won't stay white for long, but she loves it. All supplies were collected from what we had, Dollar Tree, and Walmart. And, of course, we have an entire extra bag for the locker shelf, all the cute magnets, a dry erase board and a mirror. Supplies DONE.

Next comes the declutter. We went through drawers, dressers, and closets to get rid of the old to prepare for the new. We now have a good idea of just how many black leggings one actually needs. I am pleased to say that our love of jeans HAS returned, as well as the ripped to shreds look 🤣 Clothes/accessories restock DONE.

Now for the food. Oh, yes. In this house food gets its own back to school category! We hit Costco today and we have breakfast foods for months. We have juice boxes and lunch snacks. We have meal ideas because someone I know never can pack just a regular sandwich. All the thermos, snack containers, and matching refillable bags are cleaned and reachable. Food DONE.

Now I am off to print calendars and activities. Just waiting for the bus email and a schedule! Here is to hoping her last year of middle school is amazing. We are prepared, informed and she will be well dressed (priorities!). I hope everyone's back to school transitions run smoothly and everyone has a safe and fun year!

finding bald eagles

We were kayaking one day at our campground and someone pointed out a bald eagle. I don't know birds, but once we got closer, it was obviously a bald eagle. I have only recently started enjoying my bird feeders. I have officially reached the age where I go buy bird food willingly. There's nothing more peaceful than enjoying a morning cup of coffee while watching birds playing at my bird station. 

And now I can get excited about bird sightings on the kayak. There is a HUGE nest on the other side of the lake. It is an easy ride. Even if you aren't in shape, the kayak doesn't take much effort to get across the lake. Once you cross the lake, the nest comes into view. After that, you just sit and wait. 

One day we saw the mom, dad, and baby eagles all on their own trees in their own branches. On this particular day, we saw one of the eagles swoop in and land on this branch. Despite not knowing birds, it was a majestic thing to watch. This is a bit different than luring cardinals and hummingbirds to my little feeder station! They fly around and then perch so regally that it doesn't even look real. 

The midwest truly IS a great place to be. We have great cheese, great beer, great pizza, and great football. There are many fun things to see and do. Obviously America's symbol of freedom and hope likes the midwest as well :) This bird just made our day. It is easy to convince a kid to kayak, row farther, or stay out a bit longer than promising a view of a bald eagle!

when you're pleased to discover you're raising a good winner AND a good loser

You always have to wonder what is going through your kid's heads when they compete. We have a kid in a competitive sport. We learned that Illinois has a high amount of competitive gymnastics teams, almost more so than any other state! Due to this, we try to stay neutral on winning and losing. We try to remind her to simply try her best and we are proud no matter what.

Last week was our week for nationals. She went in with a big smile and a positive attitude. We reminded her to try hard, do her best and listen to her coaches. We said she will do great. We said we are proud no matter what. 

Well... this kid went out and KILLED IT on the first two events! I mean, trophies and cheers and all the things. It was amazing to witness. She was in her zone. We whooped and hollered and gave hugs and cheers all around. 

Event 3 and was good, but not the best. I hesitated to start the conversation, but she knew. She flat out said the warm-ups didn't feel right and that threw her off. She said she didn't do great. When the total scores came out she began jumping up and down saying, "I'm not last! You guys, I'm not last!" I was waiting for tears or frustration, but nope. Again, this kid continues to amaze us. She accepted that the routine didn't go great and was more excited that she placed at all. She's my "glass half full" kid.

Event 4 should've been a landslide. Unfortunately, it didn't go that way and she knew it. You could see it on her face. I wanted to run out there and give her a big hug, but we had to wait for her to come back to us. When she came back she was able to tell us where she made the mistake that resulted in her lower score. She patiently waited for the overall scores and rankings. She ended up POINT TWO POINTS from getting a medal. Point 2!!! She just kept saying, "Point 2!?!" 

All in all, it was a great week. She smiled and accepted her trophies. Then she smiled and accepted her ribbons. She thought through each routine to identify successes and mistakes. She wants to continue and is ready to head back to the gym.

After all this, I don't have to fear the tearful hysterics or the excessive gloating. We can handle the good and the bad news. We smile and nod graciously. We reflect. We smile and shake hands. We can do this!

dollar tree has all the fun!

I can't even remember how long we have had this little easel. I DO remember it was a random trip to Dollar Tree to grab seasonal items, snacks, fillers, or whatever. She wanted a tiny easel for her room to change out when she changes out her room decor for each season or holiday. Done. $1 for something cute and easy that we can enjoy together!

The chalkboard markers were on sale during a yarn run at Michael's, so this little easel really was a cheap and easy way to keep her entertained. This summer she wanted to try to draw fruit. I must say that for someone drawing freehand on a tiny chalkboard, she nailed it! I grabbed a skewer stick and got it wet so we could wipe away some of the color for details. It turned out better than expected. 

I even googled fruity summer sayings until we found one she liked. Here is to hoping for a sweet summer time! It has arrived! This year it is especially well deserved and exciting because we have fun plans all summer long. We hope everyone has a sweet summer time while school is out!

it's time for blue skies and sunshine

It is that time of year! I can see clear blue skies and beautiful blue waters in my immediate future! After the world's weirdest winter and a lot of fake spring time, I think we have finally hit the real deal. And let me say, it is about time! There are so many options for all the fun we are about to have.

Before fun, though, we have to play it practically. Two kinds of sunscreen have been purchased. Two kinds of bug spray have been purchased. We have already been sunburned, wind burned, and there has been ONE tick found and it's still only April. It can't all be fun and games, but I spent enough money on safety precautions so we can make summer as fun as possible. 

Life jackets will be required this summer on all activity lakes, activity ponds, and kayaks. Even though are kids are old enough now, you just never know and we want to play it safe and not sorry. There was some grumbling, but if you can't legally vote, then you don't get a family vote. Safety first! No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Fingers crossed that we make it safely to summer break without incident. We are so close! And then it's fun time! Here's to a summer full of fun, minimal sunburns, maximum water safety, NO ticks and loads of memories. This summer is simply about maxing, relaxing and making those memories before these kids get too old to want to have fun with their mamas 😀

kids are kids regardless of age (and regardless of what they say)

My daughter and her friend are these big cool teenagers now, but I see through it. As soon as we invited one of the little besties over, I asked what they wanted for lunch. Go figure. Macaroni and cheese with chicken nuggets. And, of course, Takis (gag). 

My kid wanted to make her friend lunch and I am down for that! However, she needed to show off her new vanity. Then they played with the dog. Then they did ALL the skin care (thanks YouTube for that unnecessary trend!). While they girled, I made the quickest, easiest lunch and even chopped up an apple so the lunch wouldn't be processed food with a side of red dye 40. We got a few Christmas platters with 4 dividers last holiday season, so I put their food into the divider plates. 

As soon as the girls sat down, there were ooohhhs and aaahhhs over the Christmas trays. It's the little things that count you guys! I make easy lunch and put it in cute platters instead of on a plate. They went bonkers over the cuteness. I got loads of thank you's and we were going to eat anyways! 

Don't let the term "teenager" fool you when you walk into this house. Yes, there are more products in her room than in Sephora. Yes, her floor is covered in clothes and who knows what. Yes, she talks to her Alexa each night like a goofball. BUT, chicken nuggets and their presentation will always go far with her just like they did when she was 3, 5, and also 7.