American Day

It’s baffling how fast “summer” has passed! Here in Wisco we’ve only managed to enjoy a couple weeks of actual summer like weather ... but the calendar says summer is over already!

Our 4th of July weekend has come and gone, leaving behind some fond memories of family and friends. As I browse the pictures from these past few months, I keep thinking how important this holiday is to me. 

Family has always been been the impetus, with the parade at its center. This year I celebrated nearly 40 years of appearing in our hometown parade. I follow along my father who spent decades in the parade with fire and rescue. The festivities of our towns celebration touch every corner of my memory from being a kid impatient to get on the fair rides; to my adult visits at the famed ETBT.  

Along the way things have changed. Some of our towns people have lamented those changes. As much as I want things to be as they are in my memory, I know that change is inevitable, and sometimes that affects our beloved traditions. Yes, the carnival seemed smaller ... maybe the beer tent wasn’t quite as full as normal? And choosing a new spot to watch fireworks from brought a little melancholy, as it also signified the first year in memory that my parents or any of my extended family was with us. 

This year our BoBear was very excited for the Fourth of July weekend because, as he excitedly proclaimed, he got to celebrate "American Day".  He was happy to tell everyone about it, and his zest for American Day brought smiles and giggles.  The greater message from watching him revel in delight of this very American weekend, was no matter what had changed ... it was still time together enjoying the freedom we are so very lucky to have.

Happy Labor Day to all! We wish everyone safe travels home from the last American holiday of the summer!

The Most Perfect Place in the World

Our family completed our second camping trip of the season this weekend. As I look back on the pictures in my phone I couldn’t help but think how very fortunate we are to enjoy the great outdoors as we do. Although we are repetitive Disney travelers, there is something simple and lovely about sitting around a campfire with friends at your side, and stars over head. I am just as eager to head out on a camping trip as I am to head to Disney.

This weekend was full of walk abouts, bike riding, and playing at the beach!  We enjoyed an impromptu game of tball with all the little ones from the loop we were camping at. It is always fun when things come together organically. I needed to burn some energy, as did the kids, so was looking for just 15 minutes of fun and movement. So, I set out the tball set and before we knew it other families started to join in. We got a good 30 minutes of laughs and an effort to instruct on the basics of baseball! As I said to a friend and fellow momma, the experience of baseball with young children is like herding cats.

When we are camping it's as if life slows down and I notice the changes in my children. BoBear has grown so brave and independent. He climbs without help, and pedals his little bike as fast as he can. He’ll run ahead of the adults but is always conscious not to get too far ahead.  He’s become quite the “boss”, or perhaps even a mother hen, as he was very practiced at telling others what to do, when to pause, and what to watch out for.

Princess Putterpants has finally mastered getting in and out of her top bunk in the camper. Although she has grown so much I am reminded she is still that sweet baby. She had the misfortune of wrestling with a bug that won the fight. A round of Benedryl knocked her out for awhile so we snuggled her up in her camp chair. As she slept peacefully with her little feet’s popped out from under her blanket, I couldn’t help but see the little baby in her that still resides while she is growing into a young girl. Even at 6 years her piggies still make me smile. 

Blackhawk Lake Recreation Area is among our favorite campgrounds to visit. It has a beautiful beach and lake that is perfect for fishing, kayaking, and simply sitting back to enjoy the breeze. It’s no wonder we can spend hours there without noticing. In 10 years so much has changed ... not so much at the camp ground but in our view. When we started visiting Blackhawk together, we were all carefree couples just starting our new lives together. Then as the years slipped by the babies appeared. Before we knew it the babies became kids. I hope they will always remember these years of camping together, and time spent making sand castles together at this beach.

As it goes with all adventures, they must come to an end. Not surprisingly, Jen’s fried donuts were a hit with the kids and adults ... and their tummies. It was a perfect way to wind down our last night of camp. Now at home sitting with my husband, talking about the weekend, we both noted how life has changed. Gone are the days of flip cup ... instead it’s hoping the right kid is drinking out of the right cup; all night fires that used to end at sunrise, now end at 10:30pm; and games of leap frog from a dare have turned into chasing after our children while they wander into the inadvertent sticky situation. I wouldn’t trade it for a moment however.  No matter how life changes, camping is for us the most perfect place in the world to be.