The Return

Pre-trip, last day of horseback riding camp!

 

We are back from our trip out East... from seeing my parents (and other amazing friends and family), from getting a new tattoo, and from checking off the last state I needed on the East Coast (Maine, you are lovely!). 

It was so amazing to see Penny, Panda, and Parker! We've missed our bubble.

It was a great trip, but definitely illuminating after a year off from travel. We won't stop taking these trips, but I think we are going to adjust them in the future. For one, now that all those mid-Western/East Coast states have been checked off, I think our focus will just be visiting friends and family. Direct between places, and keeping our trips to about 2 weeks. That was plenty long enough for Gwen and I. We'll have camping trips be separate. I've lost any desire to combine camping trips with cross-country trips, and the completely different packing needs the two entail. From now on, we'll camp out here, and visit out there.

Despite those realizations, it was such a wonderful time, full of great visiting and beautiful places. Gwen and I both loved Acadia (and I definitely want to see more of Maine).

Now... well we're diving right back in! I signed two doula clients before we left, so we're going right into meetings now that we're back. I added a private yoga client. I'm back to mapping. Gwen and I are getting her ready for school to start in just over 2 weeks! 

How was your summer? When does school start for your kids? 

Well Its Basically August and Summer is Over

 

I was talking with a friend, where I laid out how because we leave on our trip in 10 days(!!) my mind is consumed by prep for that, and that our trip takes up the majority of July, and when we return it takes a week or so to unpack and resettle and I have to jump immediately back into teaching/mapping/possible doula client, which takes us right into August and school prep because Gwen goes back on the 16th, so its basically August and summer is over. 

Woooo-saaaaa 

Hi, my name is Meegs, I'm a Leo, and I can be slightly dramatic sometimes.

Pride Face - Good Drama

 

 

But seriously, I cannot believe its already going to be July this week! Can someone come pack for me?

I did get to spend some lovely down time this past weekend doing yoga at Red Rocks with Hanny and Alex, which was lovely. And went to Pride with Gwenie. I needed that. 

 

There is so much good happening, special things and daily things, but woo doggie is the time just going too fast. How is your summer going?

Little Bit

There has been plenty to celebrate lately... Girl Scout trip to Great Wolf Lodge (indoor water park, mini golf, ropes course, and more!), Father's Day (pedicures! and Chinese food!), and Litha (a good whole house clean, and dinner with my sister and sister-in-law) specifically... but also just the little things. Summer days, visits from extended family, and plans for more travel soon.

It's only about 2 weeks until Gwen and I start heading East. I'm so excited to see Panda (who moved to AK from Colorado earlier this year), do some camping, and of course, see my parents!! It is getting harder and harder to leave Daisy behind (even when we're leaving her with Travis!), the older she gets. At least this time I'll be coming back with a new tattoo... of Daisy! It will be nice to have days that feel like our old summer days.

We've all been feeling the stress a bit lately. Balancing work with Gwen home for the summer, and suddenly even having a few extra things to do seems like so much to do after over a year of just, not doing things. This too will pass, but a few weeks of travel and visiting is just what the doctor ordered, I think. Then when we get home, its only 3 weeks until Middle School! 😵 Its hard to wrap my head around that. 

Its hard to figure out what to write... there's so much in my head that its hard to even organize it in any way. But I wanted to at least check in. Happy June y'all.

Travel 2 years in the Making

Gwen finished Elementary School on the last Friday of May (my baby 😭), and boy did I feel some feelings about that. But in all our wisdom we had planned a trip, our first as a family since pre-pandemic!, to visit with Travis's family in Arizona for the very next week. This is the first road trip Travis has joined us on in a while... and, Daisy joined us too. It was so fun to go somewhere with all of us (especially as Daisy gets older, its harder to leave her behind... even with people she loves, and who love her).

It was 50°s and raining when we left Colorado... which made for an interesting and extreme adjustment to the very dry and 102° temps in Arizona! But, luck for us, Nana and PopPop have a pool. In fact, Gwen spent at least some time in that pool every single day in AZ. 

What else did we do? Well, we ate and read, walked around town, and took a pretty amazing cruise around Lake Saguaro.

The pictures are all kinds of mish-mashed, but hey, I'm here and writing something I want to remember! So I'm not too worries. Ha!

So I've said it before, I'm really a forest/mountain girl, but I'll admit that the desert has a strange and lovely beauty to it, so different from anywhere else. 

I'm so glad we got to see Trav's parents, it was a really lovely trip.

I drove the trip down straight through, leaving early and arriving after dinner; but we broke the ride home up into two days. We drove to Sante Fe, visited our favorite dinner, then drove the rest of the way home the next day.

It was so nice to see people again, to get on the road again. Thankfully, this summer Gwen and I will hop in the car again to travel to the East Coast! And hopefully I'll even get around to writing about that too  😉

Movement In the Storm

I wrote this August of 2020, but just getting around to sharing! I'll try to do that more. 

 

I pack myself some water, lace up my good shoes, and head out onto the trail. So much of my day is noticing all that is different, all that has changed, all that is lost since March of 2020. I’m mad, disappointed, numb in rotating intervals. My faith in humanity shaken. The only break from that is when I encourage the miles to pass beneath my feet. 

When I walk, everything slows. 

One mile. 

The rain started to fall. It wasn’t heavy, but it was consistent, so I found myself hesitating – should I go back? Not for long though before the urge to walk overcame me and on I went. The rain danced little patterns on my skin, feeling so refreshingly cool, and drawing designs on the path in front of me. It was empty as far as I could see, no one else choosing to brave the storm. The more dirt that fell away under my feet, the worries more I felt wash away as well. 

Two miles. 

Out in nature there is no illusion of control. You do what you can, but nature is wild and denies your attempts to keep it in check. So, you learn to let go. I’m not always so great at that in the rest of life. I hold on to the illusion that I can keep my pre-teen daughter safely under my wing forever; that I can stop the slow of time in our old black Lab. I want to control my employers who shut down, or made cuts, and stop people from acting without regard to the pandemic at hand. None of this is actually in my control, but I still cling to it. Until I get on that path. 

Three miles. 

I lean my head back and taste the rain on my tongue. My shoulders have loosened, my hands release. Sometimes I take in the flowers and shrubs around me, waiting eagerly to arrive at my favorite copse of trees. Sometimes I listen to a podcast, sometimes I just let my mind wander as the steps fall away. On this day, I walk in silence. I listening to the padding of my feet and the rain, watching the clouds move across the sky, feeling the cool breeze. My mind wanders to the weeks ahead, making plans, and actually feeling excited. 

Four miles. 

The rain stops, the air is so fresh. Blue skies start to peek out, and while the storm passes, the path stays clear. It is mine alone today. For the rest of the walk I let my mind be still and clear. Storms often come to clear the air, and I’m reminded today that they always pass. 

Five miles. 

I can see my house approaching, my warm shower waiting. As I step inside, I smell dinner cooking, and am greeted with a wagging tail and curious nose. I hear my daughter yell from the living room, wanting to tell me about her latest toy creation, and my husband drops a kiss on my head on his way past. I take a deep full breath, and thank the storm.

Birthday Interview: 11 years

Previous years can be found Here. 

 

Me: “Hey Gwen, how does it feel to be 11?”

Gwen: Not much different! 

Me: “Who’s your best friend?”

Gwen:  Clarissa  

Me: “What is your favorite thing to do?”

Gwen: I don't know.

Me: “What is your favorite color?”

Gwen:   I don't have one. 

Me: “How about your favorite food?”

Gwen:  Steak, pizza, and ramen; McDonald's, and junky stuff.  

Me: “What is your favorite thing to do with Dad and I?”

Gwen:   I like skiing and biking with Dad, and with you I like to go for walks, read, and watch movies. 

Me: “What is your favorite toy/game?”

Gwen:  Legos, Ninetendo Switch, and my bike. 

Me: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Gwen:  I might want to have a ranch or a farm, maybe take care of animals.   

Me: “What makes you happy?”

Gwen:  When you are happy. 

Me: “What is something that makes you sad?”

Gwen:  Amanda leaving to move to Arkansas. 

Me: “Do you have a favorite movie?”

Gwen:   No, I don't.  

Me: How about a favorite TV show?”

Gwen:  Just Add Magic, Last Kids on Earth, and Unlisted.

Me: “Do you have a favorite book?”

Gwen:  Too many to decide!

Me: What do you like to learn about?”

Gwen:   History. 

Me: “What were you excited about for your birthday?”

Gwen:   I can hardly remember my birthday! {Editors Note: Whoops! LOL One problem with forgetting for a month.}

Me: “Where’s your favorite place to go when we leave the house?”

Gwen:   It was Amanda's and Dad's work, now its just Dad's work. 

Me: “What is your teacher's name?”

Gwen: Miss Carlson (now Mrs Bocklemann)

Me: “Do you have a favorite treat?”

Gwen:   Ice cream, slushees, candy... I like them all!    

Me: “What’s your favorite animal?”

Gwen:   Daisy!  

Me: “Do you have a favorite song?”

Gwen:  No

Me: “What’s your favorite thing to wear?”

Gwen:   I don't have one.    

Me: “What are you looking forward to this year?”

Gwen:   Summer Vacation! And seeing everybody!  

Me: "Thank you for playing along!"

I'm Out of Practice

 

So I'll admit, I'm out of practice in remembering to come here lately. Sitting down to write post used to be a regular part of my routine, but, well routine has been ever changing lately. I started a new job a few weeks ago, and I'm still learning how to make it all work together. So far I've just given up on keeping my house clean 😄 BUT! It's Spring Break week for Gwen, so there's a little extra time. I plan to use that to finally do Gwen's birthday interview (whoops), play catch up here, and maybe even vacuum (maybe).

First off, Gwen went in for her 11 year check up and shots, and she is now 4'7"... aka only a little over a half a foot away from my height! My days are numbered. She's healthy and coming around to the idea of being 11, now that the shots involved are behind her.

Its been a pretty crazy few weeks. Amanda Panda (one of my bffs) and her family moved to Arkansas. It's so crazy saying goodbye to them and not knowing exactly when the next time is that we'll see them. Thankfully they are a drivable distance away, but our weekly framily dinners had become such an important touch-point for us in the quarantine, and its been such a joy to watch Penny grow. It is an adjustment... one we can do, and that will be amazing for their family, but its been sad too.

We also just passed through the 4th largest blizzard in Colorado history, which was intense for a day, but fine otherwise. It was over a foot in about a day, but the next day was in the 40s, and everything started melting!

I've had 2 doula babies born in the past 4 months, and have another due next month, and it has been wonderful and intense and beautiful beyond measure. I'm so excited to take a break for the summer, but hoping to fill up for the Autumn!

We've also been the house of dogs lately! We've found ourselves puppysitting for a two coworker's pups, and its been a fun - and exhausting! - treat.

Daisy is not 100% sure on it, but we've been giving her lots of reassuring snuggles and love.

I know there is more... so much more! Some of it I can't share yet, some is still in process, some I just can't think of, and I need to get some work done. But I got here, and that's a start. I'll try to do it more regularly.