camping +

We took an impromptu camping trip to the The Pinery last week, and despite the torrential rains and a few small (ish) leaks in our tent, had a great time. Everyone loved the outdoor meals (no rain at mealtime), the close-by beach, and the beautiful drive through farmland - fields of corn and "whatchamacallit", a crop we now know to be soy beans. The kids loved sleeping in the tent (when I asked them if they'd like to live in a tent all the time like gypsies, they said YES, "that'd be AWESOME" (Hendrik)) and eating marshmallows for breakfast, and much fun was had exploring in the woods and amassing rock collections. There was but little semblance to the camping we did growing up so it's hard for me to really think of this as camping (there are other people right there - and a road too! And cars everywhere!) but it's the perfect kind of camping for us, with the young kids. If it had been a disaster, we could have hopped in the car and been home in an hour and a half.

Other notables:

Alana turns four this week and we're having a little party/gathering at our place - complete with pizza, a unicorn cake and her best friend Chloe... should be fun!

School starts in one week! Hendrik is ready and Alana, I think, is not. Well, she is ready for school but maybe isn't ready to leave the nest... and I feel the same way. I'm ready for some more time just with Jordan, to get things done while he naps (I hope) - but not so ready for my bird to fly the coop. 

The kids are signed up for gymnastics, swimming and basketball, though we might simplify and just do the first two. We were sort of surprised that Hendrik wanted to do the gymnastics thing but he seems pretty enthused, so hopefully he enjoys himself. Inspired by the Olympics? Maybe. A 6'8" gymnast? Not so much. 

We booked a trip to Denver! Two of my sisters live there and I am pumped to be heading down to see them with the whole clan. Neither of them have met Jordan and I haven't seen where they live and it's been a while since I was there and I haven't met my youngest sisters fiancee - !! They recently got engaged (exciting!) so we'll get to talk weddings and maybe even look at dresses. It'll be great to get the cousins together too. Yay!

This fall will be busy for me: I'm doing the last course of my master's and coaching and have a newborn. When is a newborn not a newborn anymore? I'm not sure how these days can get any busier but they will. 

I have baby spit up on my shoulder and was up last night at 2:30 4:30 and 6:30 so I need to do two things: shower and go to bed. Signing off! Enjoy the pictures and more importantly, the last week of summer freedom and fun!

 3 1/2 months and growing cuter by the minute