"Our children drop into our neat, tightly governed lives like small, rowdy Buddhist masters, each of them sent to teach us the hard lessons we most need to learn."
Monday, August 26, 2013
The Ride
So, this is happening.
This kid. Kindergarten.
I don't even know how to feel about this. Since I noticed his quirkiness, and got a name for it back when he was two, I feel like I've been on a roller coaster ride that leads up to this point. I know the ride isn't going to end, of course, but I feel so much weight put on this year ahead. Like this is what I've been working toward: the Big Test. I am simultaneously proud, excited, anxious, nervous, sad, weepy, terrified, confused, grateful and sick to my stomach all at the same time.
I'm gonna keep hanging on for the ride. The progress is always forward, and there is no stopping us now.
But, geez, little guy, could you stop growing up so fast??
Monday, August 19, 2013
How To Survive Your Last Day of Summer Vacation
1. Sleep in, but not too late. You don't want to kick yourself for wasting your day later.
2. Don't make a list. Don't make plans. You will disappoint yourself later if they don't get completed. That way, if your friend suggests a second glass of wine at lunch, you can say "Why not?'
3. DO NOT go to the mall. (Though a second glass of wine at lunch seems to take the edge off.)
4. Play the It's My Last Day Of Summer Break Card. This may get you lunch out with a friend, a day off of cooking/dishes, etc.
5. Get the things you HAVE to get done, done right away. Such as cleaning out your teacher bag from last year and putting in the new post it notes and planner. You'll never know what treasures you'll find! (That lost DVD, handwritten/drawn thank you notes from first graders that read: "Dear Ms. Fix, I will miss you.")
6. Exercise. Zumba your ass off. In air conditioning.
7. Negate the exercise by treating yourself to a pity cone at Super Premium Ice Cream. Pass it off as an excuse to cool off the poor kids. Really, it is for me, people. For ME.
8. Soak up the last bits of summer. The morning raspberry picking ritual. The muggy air. The breeze. The sunshine on your face. The moon. Hold on to every last bit.
9. Try to find the piece of paper that was sent last June (JUNE! I mean, come ON) that tells you where you're supposed to be and when tomorrow. If you are unsuccessful shrug and assume 8:00.
10. Remember you are not going back to some "ordeal." This is your job, and you are good at it. You are not having surgery, you are not moving, you are not on trial. Imagine a moment last year, fifth grade maybe, where magic was happening around you. Great art was being made, creativity and excitement all around you. Remember why you do it, and why you always go back.
*sigh* I will miss you though, summer.
2. Don't make a list. Don't make plans. You will disappoint yourself later if they don't get completed. That way, if your friend suggests a second glass of wine at lunch, you can say "Why not?'
3. DO NOT go to the mall. (Though a second glass of wine at lunch seems to take the edge off.)
4. Play the It's My Last Day Of Summer Break Card. This may get you lunch out with a friend, a day off of cooking/dishes, etc.
5. Get the things you HAVE to get done, done right away. Such as cleaning out your teacher bag from last year and putting in the new post it notes and planner. You'll never know what treasures you'll find! (That lost DVD, handwritten/drawn thank you notes from first graders that read: "Dear Ms. Fix, I will miss you.")
6. Exercise. Zumba your ass off. In air conditioning.
7. Negate the exercise by treating yourself to a pity cone at Super Premium Ice Cream. Pass it off as an excuse to cool off the poor kids. Really, it is for me, people. For ME.
8. Soak up the last bits of summer. The morning raspberry picking ritual. The muggy air. The breeze. The sunshine on your face. The moon. Hold on to every last bit.
9. Try to find the piece of paper that was sent last June (JUNE! I mean, come ON) that tells you where you're supposed to be and when tomorrow. If you are unsuccessful shrug and assume 8:00.
10. Remember you are not going back to some "ordeal." This is your job, and you are good at it. You are not having surgery, you are not moving, you are not on trial. Imagine a moment last year, fifth grade maybe, where magic was happening around you. Great art was being made, creativity and excitement all around you. Remember why you do it, and why you always go back.
*sigh* I will miss you though, summer.
Trip Log: Vacation, Summer 2013
This blog post is brought to you by Wisconsin State Parks, where you are welcome to bring your dog. Oh, but once you're here you can't actually bring him anywhere. Like the beach. Or on hiking trails. Or places you go when you are in STATE PARKS.
Day 1: Arrival at Copper Falls State Park
Weather: 73 degrees, sunny, with one small sun shower.
Critter count: Multiple tiny frogs, the first named Gilbert. An owl symphony during the night.
Number of hours Rowan spent in the water: 2
Number of fish caught: 0
What we did: Arrived and explored the park, swam at the beach, serenaded by Aidan on guitar. Reveled at my amazing packing ability. Those years of playing tetris in high school paid off.
Quote of the Day: (Rowan) "Dad, do police kill mosquitoes?"
Day 2: Copper Falls again
And finally, I leave you with a video, which really captures the essence of what it is like to camp with these two children. Make sure the sound is turned up and you listen all the way to the end to hear what Rowan has to say. Enjoy.
This dog is the poster child for the experience YOUR dog will have in Wisconsin State Parks. Sorry, buddy, thanks for being such a good sport!!! |
Day 1: Arrival at Copper Falls State Park
Weather: 73 degrees, sunny, with one small sun shower.
Critter count: Multiple tiny frogs, the first named Gilbert. An owl symphony during the night.
Number of hours Rowan spent in the water: 2
Number of fish caught: 0
What we did: Arrived and explored the park, swam at the beach, serenaded by Aidan on guitar. Reveled at my amazing packing ability. Those years of playing tetris in high school paid off.
Quote of the Day: (Rowan) "Dad, do police kill mosquitoes?"
Rowan and his micro-frog |
Beach at Loon Lake |
Aidan and his micro-frog |
Weather: 73 degrees, sunny, with one big shower of rain. COLD at night!
Critter count: A woodpecker, a herd of deer and a possible sasquatch encounter. I mean really people, we heard the weirdest noises coming out of the woods by the beach, so we drove down the road to explore what it might be. There was a bigfoot crossing sign tacked to a power pole, I kid you not. This, of course, sent Rowie into excited question mode about the "monster" that made the noise. Dan explained the sign was just a joke. My response was a cocked eyebrow and, "Or, is it?"
Number of hours Rowan spent in the water: 1.5
Number of fish caught: 0
What we did: Explored and hiked the falls, moved campsites, celebrated our 13th anniversary with ice cream cones and cheese curds (we ARE in Wisconsin!) from the gak stand at Copper Falls, both of us grown ups went for a jog, went for a quick swim, had Thanksgiving leftovers for dinner, which you usually can't say you did while camping, had a fire.
Quote of the Day: Dan" "Rowan, what's your favorite thing about camping?" Rowan: "Swimming"
Dan: "What's your second favorite?" Rowan: "Sleeping."
Hike to the Falls |
Anniversary Cone N Curds |
Day 3:Copper Falls State Park, again
Weather: 73 degrees, according to the thermometer. But really, 90 in the sun 37 in the shade. Which makes it really hard to decide where to put your camp chair on the beach. So then you do this funny little dance of shuffling your chair back and forth, putting your sweatshirt on, taking it off, etc.
Critter count: two cute widdle baby fawns
Number of hours Rowan spent in the water: 5
Number of fish caught: 0, but not for lack of trying
What we did: We split up, Dan and Aidan hiking to go find fish, Rowan and I camping out at the beach. The boys never made it down to the river, as steep slopes down would not have allowed our gimpy geriatric dog to get back up the embankment. They had a great hike though. Rowan and I lazed and swam. We had another fire and ate s'mores.
Too steep for Murphy |
Day 4: Off to the Island!!
Weather: 75 and perfection
Critter count: Owls, who again performed for us all night. Blueberries. Behind our campsite. They count, right? They were wild.
Number of hours Rowan spent in the water: 1
Number of fish caught: 0
What we did: Observed a miracle: BOTH boys slept late, which allowed us to pack everything except for the clothes they were wearing, the sleeping bags they were in, and the tent around them without interruption or whining. It was glorious. We drove to Bayfield, played at the park/picnicked, and took the ferry over to Madeline Island, explored the beach at the State Park. Without our dog. Again. (See, brought to you by...)
Quote of the day: Me: (While pointing out my lack of a razor.) "Yep, I am rockin' the French pits."
Day 5: We Love Madeline Island
Weather: 75 and perfection, again.
Critter count: two naughty red squirrels who were openly shouting profanities in front of my children, some ducks.
Number of hours Rowan spent in the water: 3
Number of fish caught: 1 perch
What we did: Hiked along the lake, saw the Lake Superior Water Sprite and his tribal dance, drove over to the Town Park beach where dogs ARE allowed, thank you very much. Aidan and Dan rented a canoe to fish in the Lagoon. Drove into town to experience Tom's Burned Down Bar and to eat real food. Met a fellow Jeffersonian (lives 1 block away from us) while at Tom's. Ate burgers and drank beer while the boys played with the ducks in front of the restaurant. Got up with Aidan at 2 a.m. and walked down to the beach to see the stars/persieid meteor showers.
Quote of the Day: Rowan (at lakeside restaurant) "Can I take off my clothes and go swimming?"
The Lake Superior Water Sprite performs his tribal dance |
Finally, a beach for me!! |
Aidan at Tom's |
Day 6: Minnesota Goodbye
Weather: 77ish and perfection.
Critter count: 0
Number of hours Rowan spent in the water: 6
Number of fish caught: 0 caught, one bonded with in the Lagoon
What we did: Decided the island wanted to hold on to us for as long as possible, so we broke camp, went back to the town park, and stayed there til 4:30. Caught the 5:00 ferry and headed home. :(
Quote of the Day: Rowan: "I want to go swim in the La-ga-goon."
And finally, I leave you with a video, which really captures the essence of what it is like to camp with these two children. Make sure the sound is turned up and you listen all the way to the end to hear what Rowan has to say. Enjoy.
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