Indiana Dunes State Park.

We had our first two night camping trip with Zara! Camping is so much work- making a home away from home- but always worth it. We were going to go to Asheville but the hurricane made that impossible. We decided on Indiana Dunes National Lake shore instead. The only issue with a last minute change is that all the great camping spots were taken. We ended up finding a place & I swear I try to see the humor and adventure in things like that, but I'm me and I can't.

The area we visited is in Indiana, so there were lots of corn fields and Trump signs. The trails we found during our time there were surprising. The first was Brincka Cross Gardens. A passionate couple created the home and gardens with lots of trails on the property. We got lost as the sun was setting because we were playing with Zara- but that's okay. Jonas always finds the way!

Zara eating a strawberry & pickles from the jar::

 Brincka Cross::

 Breakfast after the first night camping::

 The visitor's center is great and full of information and education about the area. They also have the best restrooms because there is music. I will never understand why there is never music in restrooms where it is needed most, ha.

 We completed the 3 Dunes Challenge & we get extra points because Zara was tired. I loved it so much. You make your way to three dunes. It is steep and sandy! ::

 She can fall asleep like this and it amazes us::

 Zara decided to take her shoes and shirt off. She impressed us with her rugged dune hiking::

 There was an Apple Festival while we were there. It was neat to go to a local event. There were story tellers, a hay ride through a mint field, farm animals & apples! ::

 The best part about our trip was the beach! It was probably the most lovely beach day I have ever had. It was not too hot, the water was refreshing and Zara got to play with some sweet kiddos next to us. One of them dug a very deep hole while we were there, it was scary deep and we filled it in after they left. I felt bad, he was so proud::

She smiled the entire time we were there! It made us happy to see her so happy ::

Our camp::

 The last day we spent some time on Heron Rookery Trail. We chased each other through the forest and spent our last bit of outdoor time together before heading home. We all miss home when we are away. As much as we love to explore new places, we adore our comfortable, happy house :)

family outings this week.

We made it to the last summer movie night at the zoo for Toy Story. The best part about it is exploring the zoo in the evening with no one around. When the movie started, we didn't really watch it, I ran around with Zara in the dark and we left when it started to rain. It was still fun to show Jonas some of Z's favorites around the zoo since he is usually at work during our visits.

The rain interrupted the Lou City soccer game on Saturday too. It was an adventure. We watched the game & played in the downpour until they cancelled the game due to lightning (not the flooded field?) It was still so fun & the sugared almonds we bought were heavenly in the cold rain.

We were able to go to the rescheduled soccer game this Tuesday, much better weather. Can't wait for the next season!

goodbye summer days.

I have wandered idly through my own summer days. They are my favorite kind of day- when a ray of sunshine makes you feel connected to everything. A slow summer day can be like a meditation and leave a beautiful peace. So this poem by Mary Oliver makes me feel so sad. My own summer was filled with ruminating and anxiety. My brain was soaked in it. I tried all I could to stop it, but so many moments passed me by. They could have been good- not wasted on shit that does not matter. Maybe. But I also felt like I had no control over it, it owned me.

Tearfully, Dear Summer, I have to tell you that we must try again next year.



the summer day by mary oliver:

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean--

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down --

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

With your one wild and precious life?

the blue lagoon (film)

I just got our film developed from the Blue Lagoon! They are not the best quality, but I love Z with her face mask on. At one point she was acting like a ghost :)

eight.

We try to take a photo around every anniversary. This is the 8th photo ! ^^

It's crazy to look back at the photos from our time together so far. We have been different people. Our marriage has changed a million times.
Eight years of successes and failures...
As I navigate work, motherhood, and health (mental & physical) I appreciate having someone to count on. I am so thankful the stability and love that marriage has brought into my life.

Zara Lately (She's 2 and a half!)

My Baby Z is not such a baby these days. She is forming sentences and reasoning with us a bit more! but she can still be a serious handful, like the tantrums. But that's ok because it just means she is a normal toddler.

Z has a toddler language that only I understand. I need to start a list of her cute phrases. She does always tell me "mama, it gonna be ok"..I get stressed out.

Z made up a game that I love. When we start driving on the street to our house, she points to the houses on the way and says "home?" "not home" over and over until we get to our house and she says "home!!"

Zara has another favorite game: she brings play doh to me or Jonas, wants us to make a ball and then crushes it in front of us and says "nun nun nun".

Z is really into coloring, play doh, molding clay, stickers, cars (& pretty much and other method of transportation), animal toys, her train set, running "really fast" and being outside.

We always make a "rawr place" in the living room- a fort made of couch cushions that lions live in.

She loves to gather some toys in her back pack before we leave the house and she always makes sure she has at least 2 pacifiers in there.

Z can remember so much. She is repeating so many words.

She still is not potty trained, but will go on occasion. I am going to start actively potty training very soon!

She calls me "mommy" and Jonas is "daddy".

Z has called many random bearded men her Dad. & photos of Jesus.

Zara loves this German smurf band that is more annoying that the chimpmunks (die schluempfe). Of course her favorite song is the version they do of "I'm blue- da ba di". She asks for it all. the. time. & then she is the leader while Jonas and I run around the house with her, do yoga poses and run in circles.

We spend a lot of time at the zoo, Zara is obsessed with animals and bugs. I always ask her to help me find the zoo so she points out the billboard of animals at the zoo entrance.

Z pretends that random bottles of soap or water are a 'baby' and she takes care of it. She has dolls and her first Barbie dolls ( Anna & Elsa!)

School has started again and Z loves it. You can also find her helping me open the funeral home before school starts. She pushes caskets, turns on lights and our fountain and helps put cones out. It is so exhausting but also a special time for us.

Z also loves nursery at church and playing with the other kids in that class.

She got her first staph infection or fungus, the doctor was not sure. It was nasty.

Z's diet is still a major struggle. It drives me crazy. She does eat a ton of boiled eggs (& helps to make them).

Development is so rapid right now it is hard to keep up. Z is so independent. but she will always be my baby!