Time flies when you're having fun - especially in summer…we're trying to soak it up though and thoroughly enjoy even with this new heatwave…98 today. Woo.
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| Graham got to walk around the warning track with his little league team and take in a game afterwards - quite a thrill! |
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| A little golf at the Lake Park mini course |
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| The beloved Downer bike race - we hung out at our house and then headed up to Downer Ave for the exciting kids' race and then took in the pro race - always a favorite summer event |
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| backyard pool time |
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| This is, in fact, the fish that Graham caught up in Eau Claire!! It was obviously fresh and it really was fabulous…Graham was beaming that he was able to provide his family dinner that night. |
We made a visit to Schlitz Audubon and Graham and I took pictures of some of the gorgeous flora we saw - as well as turkey fauna!
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| So pretty - fern shadows on a fallen log |
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| We spent a beautiful day on Wood Lake with my Mom and family |
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| Aunt Connie and Uncle John |
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| Uncle Steve with a Stay Calm and Carry On t-shirt - love it! |
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| Estelle and our cousin Kaylin had a ball in the water |
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| Orzo with basil, goat cheese and roasted peppers |
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| The sweltering walk home after the 4th of July parade |
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| Post Fourth of July parade cool off in the course sprinklers at Lake Park - 90s and humid - hottest I can remember! |
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| Hanging out in big bro's room |
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| Jason took the kids to Eau Claire while I stayed behind for a sort of reunion with my three best friends from H.S. and my cousin's awesome wedding shower |
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| Picking blueberries near Eau Claire |
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| These must be the ones we ate. |
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| Graham went out and ran through our one thunderstorm in the last, what?, 6-8 weeks? So fun. I miss the rain! It was so exciting and refreshing. |
The time I had alone while Jason and the kids were in Eau Claire was unreal. You miss the things you don't have like for me, free time and alone time. It was so quiet and so foreign to be able to take my time doing things that I wanted and needed. No big rush or urgency. Quite an opposite to the daily life here.
The calm let me think of a number of things that I value and strive for…balance, simplicity, solitude, living in the moment, things are the way they are for a reason, divinity and mystery, training myself to always look for the good in every moment and situation, practice optimism, stop bad thoughts and attitude in their tracks and change it, give it up and let it go; and replace it with joy and gratefulness.
God grant me the humility, patience and wisdom to live these things!
