Summertime

I miss running.  It sounds odd, but it’s true.  Running was therapeutic for me.  It was calming, relaxing and refreshing.  It was my time alone to think, and my best times with God were on the road running, listening to music and worshiping. There are not really any words to describe a beautiful August evening, the fields ripe for harvest, the smell of summer in the air, the crickets and grasshoppers chirping, a combine humming in the distance…  Somehow walking isn’t quite the same and doesn’t give me the same rush as jogging does.  I realize I could start up again, and I hope to, but it doesn’t get to be relaxing and refreshing until I’m somewhat in shape, which I wouldn’t be now!  Running to me now would be exhausting and I’m guessing pretty frustrating as I was running 3-4 miles 3 or 4 times a week last summer.  I’m sure if I tried now I would barely make it one.  I’m a bit upset with myself with how little I’ve gone for walks this summer, but now with Adalyn it always seems like so much more work.  I think actually getting out there is the hardest part, but once I’m out I love it. 

We’ve had some interesting things going on here in the last couple of weeks.  Here’s a picture to capture the first one…That hole, my friends, is the result of our extremely talented and desperate Black Lab dog whom Mark accidentally locked in the shop.  I suppose he must have been pretty desperate to get out chewing through 2 bits of plywood and some insulation!  

Next, we sent another house on it’s way!  Yay!  It feels good to say good-bye to another one! 

And of course we can’t forget the Adalyn picture updates…  She is such a happy girl, though I have yet to capture a really great picture of one of her beautiful smiles.  They melt my heart!  She is growing so fast and learning so much!  Her favourite thing to do these days is stand. Haha She’s so strong!

Adalyn and her friend Kayla from church.  Kayla is one month older.

Sitting in her own chair!

Bonding.

We enjoyed a lovely day at Falcon Lake with Mark’s parents the other day.  Adalyn’s first time on the beach.  Now that summer is drawing nearer to an end, I finally feel like I am able to enjoy it!  Too bad we’re almost into September already!

Grandma and Grandpa babysitting.

Lounging on the beach

Angela and Isabelle trying to enjoy the water.  She didn't like it so much this time!

 

 I'm thanking God for all these awesome blessings!

Camping and other things

(written on August 5, 2011)

I was just reading back to my first post after Adalyn was born.  It’s amazing how quickly things change and how fast you get used to a new life!  Adalyn is just about 6 weeks and I can’t remember what it was like before she was born!  A lot of the things I was so worried and anxious about back then have now become almost second nature.  Adalyn has settled into more of a routine and I am learning what her needs are, although I still definitely don’t understand all baby talk! 

I think a large part of why things are going so much better now is the fact that I am getting more sleep!  Adalyn has slept 7 hr stretches two nights in a row now!  Agh, it’s so awesome!  I feel so rested in the morning when I get up after sleeping that long myself!  I had almost forgotten what it was like to sleep so many hours at one time without having to get up!  Things always seem better when you’re rested!

We went camping to Spruce Woods last weekend.  Adalyn’s first real adventure!  It went so well!  Marks’ family has a huge extended family campout every other year.  This is with his Dad’s uncles and aunts and cousins, so it is quite extensive!  I was a bit scared to go, but it really was easy taking a newborn camping!  They don’t need anything other than to be held and loved and fed.  I didn’t have to worry about bringing food or toys for her, I could feed her whenever she was hungry and didn’t have to worry about what time meals would be served.  After watching some of the others who had kids a bit older, I was very glad Adalyn was as little as she is.  She slept pretty well at night too.  It was really cold the first night so we bundled her up real good and she was fine.  She slept about 6 hrs straight.  Pretty good I’d say!

Adalyn all bundled up for sleeping in the tent.

Matching cousins, Isabelle and Adalyn.

Auntie Riss and Isabelle

Grandpa and Adalyn

Enjoying some good company.

The main park area was completely flooded out this year so we couldn’t do the things we would normally do when we go there.  Normally we would go swimming, mini-golfing, paddle boating, ect. and the main attraction there is the sand dunes.  There is a nice walk through the dunes which we would usually do, however because of the flooding we couldn’t get to this area of the park.  Someone arranged instead to go on a trail ride in pick-up trucks.  They have some really nice back country trails there and it was really cool to see a different area of the park in a different fashion.  I braved it and took Adalyn along on the truck.  I didn’t really know what it was going to be like when I left, and it turned out to be quite a bit bumpier and a lot longer than I thought.  We took a bunch of wrong turns so it took much longer to get to our destination, but it was fun exploring!  At the end of the trail there was a beautiful little walk to a look-out.  Adalyn was fussing by this point and I hadn’t planned to feed her along the way.  (I hadn’t brought my nursing cover with)  I walked with the others out to the look-out, which included quite a long downhill climb on nice soft beach sand.  As I was walking down, I was thinking to myself that it was a bad idea. Haha.  By the time we got to the end of the trail Adalyn was NOT happy so I turned right back around and booked it back up the hill as fast as I could.  I quickly fed her at the trucks before the others came back and she was very good the rest of the way back.  It was a nice adventure and I’m glad I conquered my first time mother worries and went.  I’m trying not to let a baby stop me from doing things I would normally do. 

This is the beautiful territory we were in!

Can you spot all the houses?

  Mark has finished one house and started on his next two which are supposed to be finished by the end of September.  We currently have 4 houses going on our yard!  Quite a job site. Haha.  One is sitting right outside my dining room window on our lawn.  It’s moving sometime next week.  It feels so good to be busy, though at the same time Mark doesn’t have much energy after 11 hours of work a day in the hot sun.  At least we know there is money coming in!  We’ve had a few slow years so this will help to make up for it!
 

 

I decided to post a picture of my very pitiful garden.  I have a big problem with comparing myself to others.  I always notice those who have magnificent gardens full of fresh produce and blooming so wonderfully, so to post this picture is quite embarrassing.   I have to admit, I always try to show the best of myself to others so they think I am awesome and have it all together.  I think so many of us do this, when really inside we feel completely opposite.  So here is my terrible garden for those who feel the same way.  If your garden looks like mine, or if your house isn’t completely tidy and organized, or if you don’t make awesome meals every day, or if your bed isn’t made, it doesn’t matter!!!  You can have aspirations and goals, but don’t let it make you feel less of a person because your garden sucks.  There.  That’s my little lesson for the day.  It’s as much for me as for anyone else.   

Well, this post is getting quite long by now and quite random, so I’ll leave something for another day…