Summer closing up

I scheduled back to back vacations this summer, right before heading back to work full time for the school corporation, working part time for Menards and going back to school part-time to get my RN degree. I spent less time at the lake, more time with my kids and other people who are important in my life.  I took care of Nadia and myself financially on my own.  Added bonus, I was able to see more of my older kids than I ever have.  I also worked more than I ever have; working 2 jobs this summer.  

Lots of feelings of sadness about saying goodbye to summer and going back to work.  However, I will be beginning a new chapter of my life.  I'm going back to school, Nadia will be driving soon, starting her sophomore year at BHSS, Skylar will be starting his sophomore  year in college, and Natalya and Josh are looking for new jobs and educational opportunities, and making it on their own.

Sky and Josh have done a good job of helping me out this summer.  They have helped me move and remove appliances, replace the battery in my car, drop off old appliances to be recycled and offer to spend time with Nadia.  Natalya has stayed with the cats and Nadia while I have been on vacation.  I am so proud of my older children and thankful for their willingness to check on, and help out their mom.

Although summer break is over, there is still a lot of nice weather ahead.  And that is a good thing.  I will need some good weather to prepare for the half marathon I am going to do with Karen and Mabel in October.  I am committed to running and walking several days a week to get ready.

My good friend Julia has moved back to Bloomington.  What a gift!  She is one of the most amazing people I have ever met.  She has seen me through a lot of life's struggles, and celebrated the achievements however small or large.  I will enjoy reconnecting with her this fall.

Karen and I took 2 vacations in Illinois; biking hiking and walking.  We never stopped moving while we were in Illinois.  Do you know how good that feels?  Amazing.  We saw an Indians game and Cubs vs. Cards game.  We swam at the lake and in the pool.  WE rode our bikes A LOT! She is also the one who talked me into signing up of for the half marathon.  It's good for me to have someone who pushes me to keep moving.  I need it.  And she rocks!

Nadia went to Chicago to spend a week with her dad for the first time in a  long time.  She had a great time and didn't call me once with a complaint.  It was nice to hear that they could get along.  Nadia will begin her sophomore year with an IEP and a contract.  We meet with Mr. Doyle on Tuesday to discuss the terms of both.  She is willing to give it a try.

Lots of things to be happy about and thankful for.

I ran today.

Dropped the boys at hockey camp this morning with our bikes and our Ibuprofen already loaded on the van. Said adios to the boys and drove like hell toward downtown. Traffic was backed up!

But I was mostly concerned about someone getting too close to the back of us and smashing into about $1500 worth of bikes!  But, we made it. 

We parked in Lincoln Park for $30.  Yeah, and it's free to get into the zoo.  Hmmm

Then started biking along the Lake Shore Drive Trail. We biked through sand, and waves, and splash!  

After 20 miles we decided to get some beer and lunch. The wind on the last 10 miles was right in our faces!  A much harder work out in those 10 miles. 

We had lunch at a little place on Broadway. It met both of our criteria; we could sit outside with our bikes, and they had cold beer!  

After lunch and beer we rode to Wrigley Field!

After riding through Wrigleyville and back to our car we headed back to get the boys (Bo and Henry) in Bensenville. We were there early so we walked around the trail outside the rink. And on the last few hundred feet of the trail, dun, dun, dun, I RAN!  Ok it was more of a jog, but I've been scared to run for the longest time. And it wasn't hard.  I think I'll do it again tomorrow!

Definitely one of the best days I've had this year!

Copper and camping

It has been several years since we took our dog, Copper, camping but we decided to let him join our adventure this time. We left for Paynetown much later than we expected on Thursday but I could tell he was excited to be in the car with his humans.

He followed us around as we set up. He was always at our feet when there was food involved. He's a very patient beggar. He doesn't put his face in your food but he waits patiently, looking right at you as you put every bite in your mouth. 

Friday morning I had to run home to get more wood. The kids and Copper came with me. After getting things loaded up and talking to the kids about our plans, I decided to leave Copper at home so he didn't have to spend the day on a boat in the hot sun with little convenience. We loaded up in the car to head back to camp and Kyra says, "Aren't we leaving Copper here"?  "Yes", I respond. Kyra then tells me he's in the back seat of the car!  I ask Henry to call Copper into the house while I open the front door. Copper will not budge out of his seat in the back and away from his humans!  Henry picks Copper up and carries him into the house. I shut the door and head back to the car. 

We pull out of the driveway and wait for traffic to clear. And what to our wandering eyes should appear, but Copper! As soon as I shut the door he ran through the house, through the doggy door, down the stairs, through the gate that we had left ajar from carrying the wood and out on the side of the road where we were waiting for traffic to clear! Luckily my neighbor was walking up the street and grabbed him. 

After all that conniving he had done to sneak away from the house to be with us, I couldn't say no! My neighbor, Tammy, brought him out to the car and we took him back to camp. 

He spent the day 

1. Relaxing on the boat with us

2. Swimming with the boys

3. Snuggling up to the girls to keep warm 

4. Sitting on laps while we made s'mores

5. Taking a walk to the boat ramp 

6. Sleeping with Henry

Copper was a great camper and never complained! He was a great companion to all of us. I'm glad he is such a smart dog and knew what was best!

Love this dog!!!

Camping for my birthday!

The summer has practically come and gone and we had not been camping yet. Working 2 jobs and keeping up with the house, the yard and Nadia have left little time to get away. Finally, two nights opened up on July 17-18, right on my birthday! Woo hoo for 46!  We got to the campground around 4pm. Yeah, a little late. 

Tents and chairs set up even though I had to go back home for the tent poles! Dinner cooking now!

Adult birthday party

Dumb and Dumber, beer, friends, what could be better?

Camping at Starved Rock State Park

I have spent the last 4 days camping with my BFF, Karen! Tent, air mattress, cooler, beer, wine, brats and pbnj. That's all we brought besides the chairs and wood that we needed to make a fire. 

The weather has been beautiful the last few days for hiking and biking; and we have done a lot of both!  

Starved Rock only had 3 of about 15 trails open. We found that out about an hour outside of the park. No DNR! We do not have channel 7 or 13 to tell us about the storms! Indiana has different news channels!

Of course that didn't put a damper on our vacay. We visited Mattheissen State Park instead, which we found to be a hidden treasure. Many of the trails went straight to the bottom of the canyons and we hiked along the sand stone cliffs and and waterfalls. 

The Devil's Paint Box and Cascade Falls were two of my favorites!

 

This trip has been very economical...Karen paid for campsite, I paid for gas, and we ate out for one meal a day! No kids asking for anything!  Awesome. We swam and ate, hiked and biked, slept and napped all when WE wanted to. Besides being an amazing get-a-way, I have reached some important realizations:

1. Kids pack food and water for a hike, 40 year old women pack ibuprofen!

2. Going 33 mph on a bike at age 46 is equivalent to going 50 mph as a young adult!  Omg! Amazing adrenaline!

3. It's a lot cheaper to vacay without kids! I'm taking money home!

4. If it's late and we are too tired to make a fire, we don't have to!! We can just get in bed and no one complains. 

There are still good people in the world:

The young man who let us into the pool for free because they only took cash and we only had a credit card. 

The 3 Northwestern students who helped us down from a very tall cliff. 

The lady at the pool who told us where the bike trail was open. 

There are still some shitty people in the world too; namely the 9 year old boy at the pool who kept cutting in line in front of his friends, called them dumb and retarded. I wanted to yell at him and choke him but Karen wouldn't let me. She said it was time to leave. That's why she's my bestie!  She watches out for me!