Back to the Real World

After being home for more than two months, working on a little card table with a view out the window, I'll be going back to work in the office next week. This has been stressful and wonderful and so very strange. Everyone wears face masks at the grocery store now and when I don't have one on, I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Everyone stands in the checkout line at a distance and when someone stands only two feet away from me I feel like they're crowding me and doing something wrong. When Shelly and I dropped off groceries for Grandma Sue we chatted but kept our distance. No hugs anymore. And I'm so very grateful that I live in this home with four other people who can never get enough hugs and high fives and cuddles. And sad for those who don't have that.

We're all done with school for the school year - I declared that we'd be done because the endless worksheets and writing assignments just don't seem worth the anxiety they're causing. We wrapped it up a week early and Eli and Shelly played made-up games outside to pretend it was Field Day and came back in sweaty and exhausted and smiling. Archer took his final exam for his last math class at 2:00 this morning and now we're officially done. And as the kids wrap up school and I go back to the office, it seems things are finally starting to get back to normal, a little bit.

I'm going to miss the bird, squirrel, bunny watching out my window. I'm going to miss the stream of non-stop hugs all day long. I'm going to miss wearing slippers while I work. But I'm really looking forward to the kids getting their summer adventures started, and getting back to the office with my colleagues so I can chat with them throughout the day, instead of working alone and seeing their faces only once a week on a video call. Somehow I feel like a vacation is ending, even though I've been working this whole time. At the same time, vacation is just beginning for the kids. And the grandparents are already making plans for some fun!

Here's to recognizing what we have, hoping things get closer to "normal" soon, and looking forward to what's to come!

Family Field Trip

I woke up this morning feeling unhappy about not having anything fun to look forward to. I mean, besides laundry and watching tv and greeting my family members as we passed in the kitchen, etc. etc. So... Everybody up, we're going to a museum today. And you're going to have fun! Shelly was excused from the mandatory fun because she already had plans to go ice skating with her friends. We left her behind, and we were off!

Would you have guessed? The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has the world's largest collection of these whimsical toys, and it is only 20 minutes from where we live! Off we go! We first stopped at the Scout store, then ventured to downtown Milwaukee. Some features of the museum - we learned the song which is now stuck in our heads and Eli has been merrily singing it for the last several hours. We saw the great diversity of athletes, presidents, and tv stars that have been honored by memorialization via Bobblehead. Eli completed a scavenger hunt and was rewarded with a sticker. Archer found a Roller Derby player from a local team. David was guide and photographer for our expedition. A nice little diversion on our afternoon.

After much discussion of what a Public Market is, and trying to explain it to Eli  without succeeding, I decided we should visit Milwaukee's market, since I'd been there only once a LONG LONG time ago and the rest of my family hadn't been there at all. Well, Archer was with me many years ago, but he was too young to remember. Anyway, it's only 3 blocks that way, we'll just walk over there. And we start walking. And it's REALLY REALLY cold out and none of us are quite dressed for the weather. And I may have led the crew off in the wrong direction but walk faster! We'll be there in a couple of minutes! David went back for the van, the boys and I hiked on until finally it was in sight and we crossed another street and another and then finally we were inside the market. Whew! There was a huge crowd, and so much food and everything! It was nothing like I remembered - definitely more crowded and more vendors and so much food!!! Mexican, Italian, Avocado, Seafood (raw and cooked), Bakery, Butcher (raw and cooked), Florist, more Bakery, Wedding Cakes and Brownies and everything! We walked around a bit, met back up with David who had brought the van closer to the market so we wouldn't have to walk 3 or 10 blocks when we were done shopping. We didn't shop, but instead decided to come back later for food and treats.

Next stop Milwaukee Trolley. I pictured something red. Like Mr. Rogers had? I don't know, but I've definitely heard a lot of hype over this trolley over the last couple of years. The politics, mostly. Anyway. We go stand outside at the trolley stop, realize we have 16 minutes before it's going to come and we are SO COLD so we go stand back inside for 13 minutes. Come out, freeze for 2 more minutes and then hop aboard the trolley. Which looks like a city bus, except it runs on tracks, and the seats in  the back face backwards. I join David in the back, facing backwards, and we ride for a little while, till the end of the line. The trolley (feels like a city bus) stops. The driver (is he called an engineer on a trolley?) opens the door of the little room that was at the front of the bus, and walks the length of the trolley, greeting everyone as he passed, then opened up a door to a little room at the back of the bus. Which is now the front. Because after a moment or two, we started going back the way we had come from. "We're going the other way now," Archer said to Eli, and this was the moment I quit fooling around on my phone and decided to actually pay attention to what was going on around me. Sure enough, now David and I were at the front of the trolley, facing forwards. We had a nice little ride through Milwaukee, we passed City Hall and Cathedral Square. We got to the other end of the line, the driver walked back to the room at the other end of the trolley and we started back where we had come from. We got off in the same place we had started. All very cozy and warm, thanks to being a closed bus and not an open red trolley like Mr. Rogers had. Just saying...

We crossed a street and went to lunch at a nice little restaurant. I'd definitely go back there again, if we found ourselves in the neighborhood. We crossed the street, went into the Market to pick out some desserts, and we were off.

We arrived home about 20 minutes before Shelly got home from her Ice Skating field trip with friends, and now we're all snuggled safely into our separate corners of the house. Which is ok, I guess, since we DID end up having some Quality Time Together for a few hours today. It's just... What's the plan going to be for next weekend? Plan something, or see where the wind blows us?

Summer Vacation 2018

This summer has been filled with the most wonderful moments. I so often think about stopping to write a blog or take more pictures but more often I think - just treasure this moment right now. Yesterday we went to State Fair and a stranger complimented us on our kids' good behavior. Archer was carrying Eli, they pressed their cheeks together cuddling and loving as can be. Tonight all three of them were crawling around on the ground, animal noises and made-up noises and cuddles and a little bit of wrestling. Eli told me at supper he couldn't eat anymore because his stomach was sore from laughing so much. He laughed so hard that he cried!! I keep treasuring more and more of these moments, closing my eyes and picturing all of them having the time of their lives and I get to see it all. What a blessing. What sweet sweet moments. I cannot imagine how life could be any better than this.

So - quick recap.

Archer and I took a bus trip with his school to Washington DC in May. I met some of the kids he hangs out with, we spent SO MANY HOURS on a bus and never quite got enough sleep. I don't know about him, but I learned a lot. I hope our family can visit there someday. I'm glad I got to spend so much time with him. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for both of us, and I'll treasure it forever.

June. 8th grade graduation. (I may have shed a tear. I'll never be back to that school, he's a high schooler now! He's so much more mature than when he started 6th grade, etc. etc.) 5th grade transition. (I may have shed another tear. She's getting so grown up!) Last day of First Grade. (I loved Mrs. Powell! E has grown so much!) Many thoughts about transition and change and moving on/up.

Visit to Nana, dragged her around to all the antique shops we could find just for the fun of looking at old stuff. It was great spending the day with her and talking about times old and new.

Archer attended National Youth Leadership Training for Scouts. Sounds like it was lots of work and lots of fun, he came home with a few stories to share. We're still hearing the stories 2 months later. Also, maybe he'll be staff next year? Something to consider. It rained every day, they ended up in a cabin when their tents were all soaked. But he looked happy when we showed up on the last day, and I'm proud of him for completing it.

July. Our most laid back 4th in many years - no attempt to make it up to HC for a run, just hang out at home till we go to the lakefront to stake out our spot for the fireworks. And someone stole our spot!!! Wait! They moved! We got our spot! Mary and her family joined us for yet another great night at the fireworks. I almost forgot - before that we hung out at Rachel's house with her boys for a cookout (where David kindly grilled all the food while the girls sat around chatting (gossiping?)). That was enjoyable for all of us, except maybe David who looked awfully hot once the 20 pounds of chicken was all cooked.

David and Eli went to Day Camp where they had many wonderful Scout activities for 4 days. By the last day, Eli was seeming more and more run down and David took him home early. We worried that he had heat exhaustion but that night, both Archer and Shelly went to bed early. They had either contracted heat exhaustion from Eli, or all 3 of them were sick. I think there was a little sickness running through our house , and within 24 hours everyone was back to normal.

Archer went to Scout Camp with his Troop. He was kept busy working on merit badges and cooking dinner and whatever else Boy Scouts do at camp. They all came home exhausted and smelling like... well, actually, Boy Scouts don't smell that bad! Part of the Scout Law, a Scout is Clean!

Shelly was at Anokijig again this year. Photography, games and HORSES! Shelly read lots (borrowed a book from a friend she knew from last year, and read instead of slept during quiet time), read some more (hid inside her sleeping bag with a flashlight, why does that not surprise me?), hid some more inside her sleeping bag when a big storm rolled through camp one night... But the best part was the horses, she enjoyed it all.

Let's not forget Camp Snoopy, where Eli hung out while Archer and Shelly were at their camps. So much to do - fishing, kayaking, swim swim swim! Eli actually stayed at Camp Snoopy for most of the week while the older kids were away, so he had his own version of camp and being away from home. I don't think he missed home at all, the Camp Snoopy Counselors (Grandma and Grandpa) kept him WAY too busy to think about missing home.

More stuff
Kingfish Baseball game with F5
Walk with friends at the lakefront
Brewers Baseball game with work peeps
Pool party sleepover with friends
Pool party with Nana
Making windchimes with Shelly
Beach pizza picnic with the kids

There have been a few more days here and there for more Camp Snoopy (kids trying to escape via kayaks), fishing, lefse making, so much swimming, and I forget everything else.

And now I store up these moments in my heart. What a wonderful summer. Time with family, time for the kids to find adventure on their own, so much good. It's winding down and we're starting to think about school supplies and school schedules but we've got a couple more weeks to go. Let's enjoy all the days of summer to their very last minute and find joy in each and every one we come across.