My Motivation

 I am really struggling with motivation to exercise. Fortunately I can borrow Mowgli to assist me with that. I do so well for days, then get busy for a few days and neglect it completely. I brought Mowgli home with me on Saturday night and within twenty-four hours I had gone on three walks. They aren't as long as I would like but every little bit helps. I even kept him an extra night just so I get a couple more walks! You would think that the lake views or health benefits would be enough motivation but I will have to work on that!

Cedar River Festival

 Sunday morning when I was reading the newspaper on line I noticed that there was an interesting festival at Hickory Hills. I loved the idea of going to that park, listening to music and supporting the cause of cleaning up the rivers. Dale and I grabbed a blanket out of his trunk and lounged on the grass, ate a great lunch, listened to a band and enjoyed the perfect weather. It was a small festival and that was great; no crowds, great parking and a very relaxed atmosphere.

 Then Lincoln, Ashley and Travis joined us. We gathered on the blanket and listened to a couple more bands.There was less lounging and more chasing but it was all fun. Lincoln loves the big open spaces and loves to announce, "Running!" as he takes off at full speed. It really was a wonderful afternoon, something I would like to do more often.

Saturday Parade

Shriner Bowl came to Cedar Falls this year and hosted a Saturday morning parade before the game. I thought it would be worth the trip downtown so I told the kids and we had a fun time. Ashley, Lincoln and I found a good spot and enjoyed the middle age men driving funny little cars. Jay and Briana joined us for part of the parade then we spent time downtown.

 

 Note to self; when promoting enthusiasm with a toddler one might look a bit goofy!

After the parade our first stop was for breakfast burritos at the farmers market. It was the best breakfast burrito even if I had to stand in line! I love eating in the park and watching Jay and Lincoln play and run. It was a wonderful morning that felt more like October than July. I love this break from the summer heat!

Kirby Doll

I have pulled out lots of Jay and Ashley's things to share with Lincoln including a few Cabbage Patch Dolls. When Lincoln was at my house one day this week he reached out and asked for his blue blanket and Ashley's Kirby Puckett doll. He snuggled so sweetly right there in his high chair. It may have been partially due to a very short nap but I always love to see him playing with things that I saved from the 80s. Ashley hauled this Kirby Puckett doll lots of places including many trips to the Metrodome to watch the Twins play when she was a very little girl. He has held up well. I am glad that I saved some of this stuff.

Kayaking

 What a fun Thursday afternoon with Briana! Remind me not to complain about my tiny paychecks and reduced hours this summer. It's wonderful to have time to enjoy this gorgeous weather on the water. This week's low humidity has me enjoying summertime and getting out. I was thrilled that Briana was willing to load the kayaks and haul me along to Big Woods Lake after work this afternoon. She was very brave considering I was quite uncertain about my ability to get out of the kayak gracefully. Believe me, it was not pretty but I got out and stayed dry! Thanks for all the fun Briana! Thanks for the photography too!

 The crazy part is that I went for a bike ride for about an hour before the kayaking! I got off work before Briana and hoped to hit the trails before I knew that we might go kayaking. There was no reason to give up on the bike ride so I rode the trails for an hour then met up with Briana for a couple of hours on the lake. I could enjoy summer lots more with this kind of weather.

Day Camp

 Tuesday at Pine Lake with family was a perfect day. It's always so fun to see the little ones doing things that our kids did. I certainly had lots of memories of Ashley and Kaley camping together when they were little and now they are chasing the little ones.

I love seeing my parents with the little ones and the kids seem to like it just as much as their great grandparents. Grandpa's scooter was a huge hit with the boys.

 After our hours in the lake there was plenty of time for pedicures and play. The weather was absolutely perfect and the cabins nestled into the woods was beautiful.

 Saela is changing so quickly. I am grateful for another opportunity to see her and her family this summer even after a move out of Iowa.

We had an amazing meal in the evening. Everything tasted especially wonderful outside in the fresh air. Thanks to Dan and Mom for putting everything together.

 I was so excited for a campfire! It's been a long time since I have done that too. S'mores were a perfect dessert for our day of camping.

 

 Lincoln had his first s'more and loved it. Brecken likes them too. So do I! It was a fun treat.

 I love having Lincoln around family and so glad that he knows his great aunts and uncles. When we loaded him in the car to go home at 8:30 PM he kept saying, "Dan, Dan."

 

Lincoln and I used Dad's scooter to take a load to the car. It's really lots of fun. I think Lincoln enjoyed it more when Grandpa drives cause he gets to beep the horn lots. I had so much fun for a Tuesday. I could have gone back again the next day, but I did need to work. Lincoln did exceptionally well all day long even with a short nap and a very late bedtime!

Pine Lake

It's been a few years since I spent most of an afternoon floating on a lake and I intend to do it again more often. Ashley, Lincoln and I drove to Pine Lake to visit family. Mom, Dad, Dan, Jill, Kaley, Scott and the two little ones were camping for the week and invited us to join them on Tuesday.

 It wasn't hot. It wasn't sweaty and the sun was shining. It was a perfect day and we had lots of fun. More photos to come but for now I am posting the lake photos that Kaley took for us. Jill and I always have a great time and good laughs, even in the middle of a lake!

After the Storm

The high winds and heavy rain didn't last very long this evening. When I noticed a gorgeous light out the window I decided to grab my camera and head south to get out of town and get a better view if there might be a rainbow. I did find a rainbow in the east that peeked in and out of the clouds but the more dramatic view came in the western sky where the clouds had lifted enough for the sun to stream through. 

 When I returned home I found these beautifully lit clouds just outside my front door. I am so grateful that I took time to go out and enjoy the gorgeous show in the sky tonight. I am most often tucked in for the night long before sunset this time of year.

1982 Pelican

In 1982 my good friend, Becky made and appliqued this cute little outfit for Jay. I dug it out of the storage box this summer to try it on Lincoln and it brought back wonderful memories. I love seeing Lincoln in Jay's things and I love remembering all the special things that Becky did for my little ones. Thirty years certainly fly by quickly.

Sew, Please

Lincoln is intrigued by my sewing machine so a couple of months ago I showed him how it works. Since that day whenever he is at my house he asks, "Sew, please?" He sits on my lap and intently watches my actions and the movement of the machine. The dials and buttons are tempting but with reminders he keeps his fingers away. He is the only reason I have done any sewing this spring or summer. We only stitch a few squares together each time but eventually this quilt will be done, most likely when the weather keeps me inside more often.

I love watching Lincoln learn. I don't expect that sewing will be his thing but I love the way that he watches my hands and the moving parts of the machine as he soaks it all in.

Sunday Family Night

I am loving the opportunity to hang out with family at my house. Sunday night we gathered to celebrate Briana's birthday. I rushed home from Des Moines and threw together a simple meal but the best part is a patio full of family. It's low key but plenty of fun especially when Uncle Jay and Lincoln get out the hose and water the plants. Surprisingly, Lincoln is the only one that got very wet!

Happy Birthday, Briana!

A new bride and a birthday girl all in a couple of weeks! Happy birthday to Briana, most often called "Aunt Breezy" lately.

Fast Weekend

 It was a fun weekend in Des Moines. We started Friday night with a trip to Principal Park to introduce Felix, Dale's grandson to baseball. It was hot, sunny and crowded but it was still fun to be at the ball park with Felix and Val. It wasn't a great spot for photography but thanks to my shadow and interest in the camera, Felix was looking at me. Saturday night we went to Prairie Meadows for the horse races for the first time in a couple of years. It was a beautiful evening and I broke even when I won $4 on a race!

 The farmers market was a wonderful Saturday morning stroll with perfect weather and a smaller crowd because we got there early. The lines were short so we got a breakfast burrito too. We had hoped to beat the heat but fortunately we got some cloud cover and it never got horribly hot. We did a little yard work at Dale's and even took a walk at Waterworks Park. This dragonfly entertained me while I watered pumpkins. The weekend went too quickly but I think that's a good sign!