Goddess in the sun.

Ryan conked out after being in the water most of the morning.

Peter and I relaxing in the sand.

Enjoying my view.

Nathan and Ryan having a great day in the water!

Our camping adventure

So in the previous blog I had said that I had not camped in many years and wasn't sure how I would feel about going out in the "Great Outdoors." We camped at a rustic campground.. no electricity, no picnic tables, no bathroom.. nothing. We ended up having such an amazing time out there.. and plan to go back again.

We got out to Big Traverse Bay on Friday around 5:30 and had everything set up by 7pm. The kids were so good. We got them into their swimsuits right away and let them play in the sand with their toys while Peter and I set up our camp. The four of us stayed in one tent and had a screen tent next to us for Buck to sleep in. After everything was set up we had hot dogs for dinner, followed by play time in the water.. Lake Superior water. Which for those of you who don't live around here Lake Superior is very very very cold. I have never been in the water over my head. My husband on the other hand has swam in LS every month of the year.. Brave .. Crazy.. I call him both.

Anyway we ended our evening with a campfire and smores. The kids were in bed by dark which is probably around 10:30pm. We didn't have a clock around us, which is why I had such a great time. I would rather forget about time and just have a great time. Peter and I had wine coolers and then I was off to bed.

Saturday we got up and I can't even explain what I experienced at the water. It was calm. Completely still, the sun was shining and the sky had no clouds in it. It really was like a religious experience out there. It was very calming and peaceful. We had breakfast and the kids went back into their swimsuits and into Lake Superior. I would say they were in the water by 7:30am, but again I had no clock.. i could only tell by the placement of the sun in the sky.

After we got the kids situated on the beach I took the kayak out on the lake. I put my headphones on and drifted in the water, with the sun on my face and listened to Edith Piaf. Edith Piaf is a very popular (from decades ago) French singer. I had no idea what she was singing about, but her voice is so popular it was beautiful. I just drifted and every so often i would put my hand in the water just to feel how cool it was. I really have never felt anything like that. All the stress in my life was gone. I didn't want to come back to shore, but I thought I should give Peter a turn in the kayak.

The rest of the morning was spent making sand castles, swimming, giggling, and reading on the beach. I did go out on the kayak one more time around lunch time and it was just like the first time.. amazing.

Our day was pretty much that... doing nothing relaxing on the beach. We did have to take a drive out to Lake Linden in the afternoon. Peter and I needed a cold soda so we took a drive. At dinner time as the kids played in the sand I realized that my MP3 player had a radio on it.. and I got public radio. That totally made my day. I love public radio and too boot... Prairie Home Companion was on. We listen to PHC every Saturday night while we eat dinner at home. Smore and wine coolers ended our day.

We had fields of blueberry bushes around us. The boys and I picked for about an hour and we have enough to last us for a while. The only bad parts of the camping trip were the ants. They were everywhere and got into our stuff, but I had just get over it.

And there is the part of the no bathroom. For boys it is just easy.. but for us girls :::sigh:::, I managed.

By Sunday morning I was ready to come home. It was starting to storm out when we were driving back home. We all had a great time and we want to go again in two weeks. I am glad we had all day today to recuperate. We will all be in bed early tonight.

I only wish I could bottle up the sights, sounds and smells of this weekend. It was so perfect!

The view from our campsite. So quiet and peaceful.

So I haven't been camping in a long long time. The last time I went it was 2001. Today we leave for a few days for "rustic" camping on Lake Superior. It will be gorgeous.. there is no question about that. I am a tad bit worried about the outhouse situation. I am not.. fond of them. I will have to buck up and bite the bullet!

We are tenting it. My boys are climbing the walls waiting to go. They have been driving me crazy in every sense of the word since 6:51am this morning.

So I hope a bear doesn't eat me.. or some other strange creature. I will take lots of pictures and will do a follow-up blog on Sunday after we get home!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

A low key kind of holiday weekend

I remember holidays when i was little as very stressful. My mother would go out of her way to make it "perfect". She wanted that Norman Rockwell kind of picture. It always seemed to go sour.. mainly because of my father and his controlling ways. I too took this attitude on for MANY years. Everything had to be perfect and if it wasn't I would throw a huge hissy fit. (my poor hubby)

Ever since I realized that I can't control every situation I have been looking at life in such a different light. I realize that why control everyone around me and instead just go and have fun and what is meant to be ... will happen.

This is the second 4th of July that I haven't been in my hometown of Ishpeming. 4th of July always seemed to be so darn stressful for me. (I always think of a certain 4th that my mom again...was trying to make perfect and she and my father got into a HUGE fight. My sister Vicki took me into her room and we fell asleep next to each other) I used to stress over getting ready for the parades and then what to do afterwards. I know maybe it sounds silly, but to me it was depressing and I ended up never having a good time. It seemed to be just a big let down.

So this year I just vowed to myself to make this a pleasant, non-stressful and fun weekend. I am surprised at how much fun we are having as a family. No crowds, just the four of us doing what we want to do. Friday night (2nd) we had cereal for dinner and watched Aladdin. It was around 92 degrees which isn't pleasant here.. at least for me and Peter.

Today (3rd) we packed up and went to the beach. We packed a picnic lunch and at sat in the Gazebo at the Calumet waterworks park. Lake superior was behind us and a lovely breeze kept us cool (today was around 85-90 again). After our lunch we we trotted down to the beach and I was surprised how empty it was. We had a huge stretch of beach all to ourselves. The boys dug in the sand, Peter went swimming in the lake and I went looking for rocks. It was so peaceful out there. It was just the four of us having a wonderful time!!! No yelling, no crying and most importantly no stress.

There is something about hearing the waves crash into the shore and how the sand feels against my fingertips that makes all the noise of the world go quiet. A hush that falls over and I can hear my thoughts clearly. When I am at the beach I feel at home. I love when we have a stretch of beach all to ourselves and we can sing, laugh, tell jokes and no one except the birds can hear us.

When I die.. I want to be cremated. I want my ashes to be scattered on the beach.

Happy Fourth of July everyone!! I hope you find your peace where ever you are.