I grew up in the Maryland suburbs - just outside DC. Despite what you might now about suburbia, I am, by definition, a city girl. The sturdiest shoes I owned in college were keds. I had visited friends in Washington State near Mt. Hood who wanted to take me hiking. I donned my keds and was promptly pushed aside while my closet was ransacked in search of more appropriate footwear. When none was found, the "tourist" route was implemented.
When I trek more than five miles away from my homebase, I need a GPS and a credit card, which both came in handy when invited for that extra fun I mentioned earlier. Our family joined three other families at Lake Anna in Central Virginia. The setting is idyllic. It's a peaceful gem in our Lover's State. Lake Anna may be a public access lake, but it's definitely a less discovered destination spot. I think what I like most about it, is that we were there in 90 minutes. It wasn't a three or four (plus) hour trip to the beach or the mountains. It was a lovely, scenic drive through the Virginia countryside.
We jumped off the dock into the lake, which I've never done! The water temperature was perfect. There was a floating dock about twelve feet away from the shore the kids would climb onto and make sink. They would pretend they were on the Titanic, "we're going down - save yourselves!!" It was hilarious. I sat in my new favorite beach chair on the dock, enjoying the sun, watching them swim and laugh and dive and push each other in. The kids ranged in aged from four to fourteen - and they played together beautifully. They wanted all the grown ups to get on the floating raft to sink it further, somehow thinking we were bigger and heavier than they were. Hmmmmmm :)
Our friends have a power boat for cruising and tubing and a jet ski. The Colonel and I used to have SeaDoos when we lived in Florida's panhandle, BC (before children). We raced up and down our cove of the lake, spilling children off tubes, jumping waves with the jet ski, giggling the whole time. Our wet hair was blown dry while we raced. We got too much sun on our cheeks and our shoulders. We ate hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch and dinner. We played too hard, rested just enough, and took lots of pictures. The time away was much needed; a rejuvenation for me - a welcome distraction for the kids.
We are eternally grateful for the invitation for some extra fun. This city girl may be swayed to trade in her keds for something more outdoorsy-friendly. Time will tell ... and so will another trip to Lake Anna!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Perfect Pool Day
No, ninety days didn't fly by already - I've been out and about enjoying bits of summer with my family this past week, sans laptop. I guess I could blog from my smart phone, but no one really wants to see those typos!!
Today was one of those perfect pool days. Stunning. The breeze was refreshing; not a cloud in the sky; warm, but not too warm; perfect water temperature; and swim team friends just kept arriving at the pool so there were lots of friends to play with.
We began our outing with some extra kids along for the ride, a full cooler and picnic lunch, sprayed down with sunscreen, and pool passes in hand. I swam some laps while the kids played. At break, we all gathered up together to eat. Some friends ordered a pizza; some left to lunch at home and put kiddos down for naps. As soon as the guards blew the whistle, they were back in the water. My kids are old enough, and good enough swimmers, that I am not in the water with them anymore. I found a lounge chair, read a book (which I've not done in eons!), and counted kids after each page.
The whistle blew again for break - out came a $10 bill - and all the kiddos got an ice cream. I swam some more laps and did not indulge. Ten minutes swept by as easily as the day's summer breeze, and the kids were back in the water. "Sharks and Minnows 1-2-3!" And all the kids on the side dive in. Cannonball contests. Mini swim races. Best of all, our pool has a cool, green tube slide open to anyone who can swim to the side after going down.
More friends arrived. More sunscreen was sprayed. More pages were lazily read. More peanut butter crackers were munched. Card games were played in towel forts. It was a perfect pool day. Perfect. Now, where'd I put that bikini body I used to own??
Today was one of those perfect pool days. Stunning. The breeze was refreshing; not a cloud in the sky; warm, but not too warm; perfect water temperature; and swim team friends just kept arriving at the pool so there were lots of friends to play with.
We began our outing with some extra kids along for the ride, a full cooler and picnic lunch, sprayed down with sunscreen, and pool passes in hand. I swam some laps while the kids played. At break, we all gathered up together to eat. Some friends ordered a pizza; some left to lunch at home and put kiddos down for naps. As soon as the guards blew the whistle, they were back in the water. My kids are old enough, and good enough swimmers, that I am not in the water with them anymore. I found a lounge chair, read a book (which I've not done in eons!), and counted kids after each page.
The whistle blew again for break - out came a $10 bill - and all the kiddos got an ice cream. I swam some more laps and did not indulge. Ten minutes swept by as easily as the day's summer breeze, and the kids were back in the water. "Sharks and Minnows 1-2-3!" And all the kids on the side dive in. Cannonball contests. Mini swim races. Best of all, our pool has a cool, green tube slide open to anyone who can swim to the side after going down.
More friends arrived. More sunscreen was sprayed. More pages were lazily read. More peanut butter crackers were munched. Card games were played in towel forts. It was a perfect pool day. Perfect. Now, where'd I put that bikini body I used to own??
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Extra Fun!
Camera charging.
Suits packed.
Goggles and sunscreen in the pool bag.
Towels drying over the deck railing.
Awesome beach chair in the trunk.
Directions in the GPS.
We are looking forward to spending a day at the lake with a couple other families we've gotten to know especially well this past school year. Our boys played sports together, we live in a triangle to each others' homes - and the other two families share a bridge to their backyards!
In a summer where friends flit off for the weekend or the week, leaving us pool folk on our own, it's nice to have an invitation to go have some "extra fun," too. We are looking forward to the road trip, the water fun, and some memories to treasure for a lifetime.
I encourage you to find some extra fun this week. Maybe it's the dollar movies and the local summer cinema. Or a trip to the Outlets to browse around. Ask another family to go along - it's always more fun with a friend!
Suits packed.
Goggles and sunscreen in the pool bag.
Towels drying over the deck railing.
Awesome beach chair in the trunk.
Directions in the GPS.
We are looking forward to spending a day at the lake with a couple other families we've gotten to know especially well this past school year. Our boys played sports together, we live in a triangle to each others' homes - and the other two families share a bridge to their backyards!
In a summer where friends flit off for the weekend or the week, leaving us pool folk on our own, it's nice to have an invitation to go have some "extra fun," too. We are looking forward to the road trip, the water fun, and some memories to treasure for a lifetime.
I encourage you to find some extra fun this week. Maybe it's the dollar movies and the local summer cinema. Or a trip to the Outlets to browse around. Ask another family to go along - it's always more fun with a friend!
Friday, June 24, 2011
I Love ...
how my dog is so happy when she knows we're going for a walk; when my kids lay on top of me to watch tv - no matter how big and bony or wet their hair is; watching them splash in the pool; catching my husband mid smile; how my daughter adores her daddy; how my oldest is turning into a man-cub; when the Colonel comes home in uniform (va va voom!); friends who seek me out; honest conversation; praying for others; curling up with my man; when my oldest signs I Love You to me; my middle son's impression of an old man.
Even on the days when I am most cranky and uninspired ... like today ... I can find reasons for joy.
I encourage you to share your joy!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Little Bits of Thursday
Tonight - Chef Boyardee. "Mom, this is so good!"
And I cook ... why?
Started running/walking this week. Turns out I can run faster than I thought - and for a longer distance than I thought. A friend pushed me a little outside my comfort zone, encouraging me the whole way. What a wonderful friend! Continued today and am now as proud of myself as she is of me. And I cannot believe I'm not more sore.
The Colonel's on duty for a while - hence the Chef Boyardee for dinner.
The kids wrote lists on the driveway tonight of what they'd like to do over the summer:
As I was tucking the Ginger Ninja into bed tonight, he said, "If we do all those things, it's gonna be a great summer!" I love seeing summer through my children's eyes.
I encourage you to start jotting down one thing your children do each day. Don't complicate it with a system or needing a special book/journal. Just start. We think we'll remember and we don't. Do you know how great it will be to see that summer list above years from now?
I want to thank you for leaving me comments - they are a wonderful encouragement to me!!
And I cook ... why?
Started running/walking this week. Turns out I can run faster than I thought - and for a longer distance than I thought. A friend pushed me a little outside my comfort zone, encouraging me the whole way. What a wonderful friend! Continued today and am now as proud of myself as she is of me. And I cannot believe I'm not more sore.
The Colonel's on duty for a while - hence the Chef Boyardee for dinner.
The kids wrote lists on the driveway tonight of what they'd like to do over the summer:
- Have sleepovers
- Go to bed late
- Get ice cream
- Have a neighborhood cookout/movie presentation
- Plant flowers
- Start a blog
- Have a Luau
- Go fishing
- Hike on the Walney Pond trail
- Make Shrinky Dinks
- Have drum lessons with Dad
- Go to the batting cage
- Play mini-golf
As I was tucking the Ginger Ninja into bed tonight, he said, "If we do all those things, it's gonna be a great summer!" I love seeing summer through my children's eyes.
I encourage you to start jotting down one thing your children do each day. Don't complicate it with a system or needing a special book/journal. Just start. We think we'll remember and we don't. Do you know how great it will be to see that summer list above years from now?
I want to thank you for leaving me comments - they are a wonderful encouragement to me!!
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