Vacation time

Finished laundry and packing up tonight to leave tomorrow with the kids. Rob will join us after working this week.

Thursday we headed to Schaumburg and that area and we did some shopping and then went to Legoland. Glad we did it because it has been on the kids to-do list for years but I don't think we will ever need to go again. We all went to the pool in the evening and pretty much had it to ourselves.

Friday morning, Mom and Dad picked the kids up and took them with them to lunch with the GGs. Quite a treat, they got to dress up and have a lovely lunch. Jo took them to see a movie in the afternoon and a bit of shopping. Mom and Dad had them for an overnight. Rob and I went to a wedding of a friend in Barrington. It was nice to be able to talk without being interrupted. It has been confirmed - I really love birks and dansko shoes/clogs and quite despise anything else.

Saturday Rob and I ran a couple errands before I went over to pick up the kids. While they played outside during the afternoon, Rob and I worked on a re upholstery project. I really like the fabric I picked out and the covers ended up looking great. We met up with Mom, Dad, Jo, Tony and Matteo for the 120th birthday celebration (60 + 60) of Kate & Richard. It was a lovely evening to be outside. An added bonus to see Marg.

Rob and Ellie went to church this morning while Nick and I hung out. Rob worked in the garage this afternoon trying to get his honey-do list knocked down. Ellie and Nick have been inspired by the Olympics and Ellie set out making her own bow and arrow set this afternoon. She even came into the house to do some internet research about it. I mowed the back lawn because the slip and slide wore some big holes into it yesterday. We went to Mom and Dad's for dinner and had a great summer night meal of sandwiches and salads - and crack potatoes. We've been watching the Olympics at night and letting the kids stay awake longer than usual.

Hope you all have a great couple weeks - will post again on the 12th. Visualizing my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree

It has been so long

True confession...I have been forgetting to blog lately. I neglected to post last entry that I would be in Michigan this past weekend and unable to post. While I am in the remembering frame of mind, the kids and I will be going up to the cottage the first 2 weeks in August. Rob will join us on the first Friday with Dean and Edwin. So, for those that really follow this - I will post tonight and Sunday but then I am on vacation for 2 weeks.

Highlights of the last week since there is no way I can remember everything. Our garden has really taken off. I finally had a tray full of red tomatoes, ginormous cucumbers that were one inch long on Saturday and about a pound by Tuesday. Peppers haven't really been as great as the plants look - I think that bed doesn't get enough sun. The beans were there last year and that also didn't have a huge yield.

We had a pretty successful thrifting/rummage run over the last week. I picked up the strangest things that we really did need. I found the curtain rods I needed to hang the new curtains in Michigan at a rummage sale - all 3 rods (in the length I needed) with all the hardware for $1. I found 3 North Face fleece jackets at Goodwill. I found big wheel bikes for Mom's house. I picked up Nick's Halloween costume and a Calvin Klein dress for $1.

Michigan was fun. The weather wasn't terrible - we were actually comfortable most of the time. We spent quite a few hours on the beach. Ellie and Nick went to Clubhouse - this past week has been Olympic related.

Time is slipping away. We have a busy weekend with a wedding, a 60th birthday party and a tour around my old stomping grounds with my friend Laura and her girls. I want to get the bookcase in the back room put back together but I want to move some more things around. We went to the pool tonight and Nick finally went down the tube slide with Ellie - just the 2 of them. They both liked it so much that they are going to do it every time that way.

We went with Mom, Dad, Tony and Matteo this morning to Whole Foods to see Miss Lori from channel 11. The kids got to get a picture with her and some snack from the food van.

I have cut out the afternoon iced coffee because I have not been able to go to sleep until the wee hours. My body is feeling pretty good. I have been keeping up with my exercises from Whitney. Visualizing my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree

I Forgot it was Wednesday

I suppose this means that life is pretty normal and I am busy but I think it also represents the lack of routine this summer is.

We have had a productive few days. We did a road trip on Monday down to Naperville to search for more yards of the fabric I wanted for a curtain project. Didn't have luck with that fabric but I did locate an additional yard of the fabric I used to finish the bookcase shelves. We found some great things at the thrift store down there - American Girl outfits and a bag full of pillow forms that I can make cases for. We were at the pool Monday and Tuesday nights. Tuesday we took our neighbor with us for lunch and to see Ice Age and then back here to play legos inside. The kids are pretty cute, they are using legos to build cakes ala Cake Boss. We had Millies last night at Kate's house - nice to visit with the ladies. Today we went down to Navy Pier but it ended up being a rather quick visit because of all the camp groups. The kids did get to play at the children's museum for an hour or so. Visualizing my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree

Time is flying

I am not sure where the time is going but it is rolling by. We haven't been doing a whole lot other than the pool and reading. We went to the Exploritorium for a couple hours on Friday before braving the pool in the afternoon. Rob and I worked and we finally got the cabinet finished in the back room. I installed the fabric on the back and the shelves and painted the rest. I have to decide what we really need to put into it - seeing as how the former stuff has been boxed since January now. I have replaced all the torn window screens in our house. I even did the garden window in the kitchen where the squirrel came in about 8 years ago - that window hasn't been opened since. Dad took the kids fishing yesterday morning. Jo and I went to a couple yard sales but didn't really find anything. I have been using the garden yield to make some pinterest recipes - dill pickles and basil salad dressing. The cucumbers have a steady production and seem to be giving us one or two a day. I think the birds are eating my tomatoes or it is too hot for them. We went to Mom and Dad's for dinner and Mom had a lovely spread of food. We left to go to the pool but didn't realize it closed at 6PM on Sunday nights. We came home and set up 2 sprinklers and had a ball. Visualizing my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree

Wednesday already?

Time flies when the kids are out of camp. Really, a whole bunch of nothing to share. I had my last two appointments with Whitney this week. She gave me about 2 dozen exercises I can pick from on a daily basis and I should let her know how I feel in 6-8 weeks. We went grocery shopping and finally restocked the fridge. The kids have had fun playing outside at Mom and Dad's and here at home. We have hit the pool each night this week. Rob is busy assembling a playground unit for Ellie's old cooking camp counselor. That is about it. Visualizing my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree

Let the Summer Begin

Camp is officially over now. Nick was named camper of the week during his final week. Ellie made fruit flavored ice cubes for her final party. I had a girls night out with Jo on Thursday night. We went shopping, had dinner and caught a movie - it was a treat to be able to have so much time without the kids. We headed up to the cottage on Friday after camp. Rob took Nana's car back up to Michigan and was about 20 minutes behind us on the way up.

He took the kids to the beach for a little bit when we arrived and then they were off to the clubhouse for movie night. Although Friday night was hot, the cooler temperatures rolled through Saturday and cooled us off. We spent time on the beach every day and got a couple projects done, too.

The kids have made their summer lists - parks, museums, places that they want to hit before school begins. I have a couple PT appointments this coming week. I have to be honest, I totally didn't do the exercises she gave me however, I am feeling so much better. Well, I should say I felt so much better until I helped Rob move the grill on Saturday. Visualizing my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree

Happy 4th of July

I cannot believe we made it. It was hotter than hot today and we were pretty much outside since 9AM. We started off at the church parade. The kids decorated their bikes last night and by the time we walked to the start of the line up we all had sweat dripping off of us. The kids did their lap and were able to get a prize for participating. We left from there and came back home to finish making our food for lunch and to refill water bottles. We went to the Skokie parade and made it through almost all of it. We had a shady spot and there was a breeze. The kids got some candy and magnets and popsicles and snow cones. We went up to the church picnic. We lucked out and again found a shady spot. It was almost too hot to eat. The kids played hard and their faces were bright red. Lauren and Dean and the girls met us in time to do the races and games. Ellie and Abby won the balloon toss and Nick came in 4th in the race.

We left the picnic and went to Mom and Dad's for the combo 4th of July/Dad's 60th birthday party. UB came down from Baraboo and the GGs were there. Katherine and Evan were over from next door. Mom had a nice spread but the heat really limits how much food you can eat. The kids had fun running around and playing together and it was nice to visit. We came home for a little bit to pick up our blanket and refill water and then we were off to the fireworks. Skokie put on an awesome display and we were able to park relatively close. We came home and took quick showers and got the kids to sleep.

This week has just been way to hot for Chicagoland. Even when I we have watered the plants, they still look limp and unhappy. We were able to pick a couple more cucumbers for our lunch today - really like being bale to shop from the yard. Nick got a very cute haircut on Monday night. My cabinet for the back room is finally inside the house - still need to get the shelves in and the fabric mounted on the back but it is progress to have it in. Visualizing my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree

Busy Weekend

We were in town this weekend with no real plans but it still ended up being busy. Today we began the day at church. We came home and the kids played outside and washed my car before the storm blew in. That is exactly what happened - dark skies and wind. We had lunch and then the kids went back out to play before we went to Mom and Dad's for dinner. Mom made a garlicky summer salad and topical fruit salad and we ordered from Dengeo's. The kids had fun playing with Tony and Matteo. We came home and they played a bit longer before coming in to shower and get ready for bed. Rob and I watched the olympic trials and relaxed.

Yesterday we got an early start. We began the day at the library to pick up a couple books we had on hold and get a couple more. We headed north to make a donation drop at Habitat Re-Store - all the leftovers from the garage sale that Salvation Army wouldn't take. We had some good luck at the thrift stores finding a car seat for Jo, a jumper for Mom's house for Matteo, a bike for Nick, some clothes and other things. We went to Bass Pro Shop as long as we were up that way and the kids got to practice their archery and paint a bear claw. We lucked into Radio Disney being at the mall and the kids got to dance and sing. They each won prizes...Ellie won a gift card to the Disney store. We did a bit of shopping at the mall before heading back home. We hit Mariano's on the way home to pick up some produce, dinner and gelato. If you go to Mariano's try the strawberry balsamic paired with their pistachio - delish. We came home and the kids played outside. We had dinner and then got the kids cleaned up and into bed.

Friday night we did some gardening. I needed to extend our cucumber trellis a couple more feet because they have crawled all the way up the 5' one. Rob moved the yellow jacket nest but they still keep coming back. We picked our first cucumber today and it was great. Can't wait until the peppers and tomatoes are ready, too. I will be able to make a salad right from our yard.

I think that about covers it. My body aches a bit. Whitney told me I have two more appointments available but we have scheduled them for 2 weeks from now so we can track my progress alone. Visualizing my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree