Grandma Christine

Grandma Christine was my mother's mother. It is my understanding that she returned with my grandfather from Germany during or after World War II. She kept her heavy German accent during her life in the states. Of all of my memories of her, the one that recently emerged was of how she rubbed our faces gently with her knuckles and tsked in adoration--a way saved for grandmothers who adore their grandchildren, I suppose. She loved doing it, it was a daily occurrence whenever she was with us. I am reminded of it now because I do it with my own children--without the tsking, but I can't resist gently rubbing their cheeks with the back of my fingers. I wonder if she was as fascinated with the warm smooth suppleness of a child's face as I am or if she just loved rubbing our freckles? It doesn't hurt that now they are the perfect height for this and for now, they tolerate it. Whatever the reason, I now get more pleasure in this simple gesture because most of the time when I rub Ryan and Charlotte's cheeks, I am reminded of Grandma Christine and her love for me. I wonder if the kids will remember too?

Charlotte's first game

This was Charlotte's first soccer game. We nearly didn't come. Charlotte's attitude toward soccer has been somewhat lackadaisical. She is the one typically facing the wrong way at practice, spinning or twirling her hair. She truly has little concept of the game--or she probably does, but it just isn't important to her. This is not something I can instill in her. I just wait. I will likely wait at least one entire season (maybe two), but we'll see. She is not a black and white child. She writes her manual as she goes.

30 minutes before game time she gets this sudden burst of need to come. Keep in mind the game is 30 minutes away, we are supposed to be there 15 minutes early, she isn't dressed and Greg isn't home. But she insists. We make it 5 minutes after the game starts. She plays two quarters and gives it her all during the first one. By the second quarter of play, she is already tired, and less enthusiastic. She is one of two players that have never played on the team. A few of the parents are the parents that push and push their kids and keep them sports year-round. You can tell whick kids those are--at age 7 they are already playing very well. They make me tired.
But back to Charlotte, this is her first team experience. I am looking at it as an experiment. To see how long it takes her to get it, and gritting my teeth sometimes, support her on the way. Maybe this will become a love, maybe it won't. But she's sure fun to watch!

July 25 Trip adjustments

Some things you can plan on the fly. Camping in the UP is not one of them. After reading several books and going thru several sites, apparently the UP is THE place to be in July. Reservations need to be made in advance. Good to know. So instead of Apostle Islands, we are in Green Bay--at a hotel--with a huge indoor water park. Because, another lesson is that while our children are excellent car travelers, staying remoely still once out of the car is really asking too much. To say that they are monsters would be overstating, but since we are already stressed about plans and not a little concerned about money, there somewhat innocuous questions can really send us over the edge. Since they have no concept of what we are spending and are just being themselves, means that we have to adjust our thinking and plans to suit their needs--hitting a national park every 2 days just isn't going to cut it. Someday we will be able to do so. So tomorrow we will log hopefully our last longinsh day in the car on our way to Pictured Rock. Where I plan on staying until Thursday morning. Macinaw Island Thursday with camping that night and then hopefully we can stay with Jeanette in Livonia before heading home. I absolutely am not going on an extended multi stop car trip with them for a long time. Too stressful. We will go to one spot and park. Greg isn't happy because the kids are being the version of themselves that is not on a schedule and spending much time in the car. All they want is a playground and or pool. Our national park visits will be limited to day trips for a bit.

On a happy note, I am astonished at the amount of nature/historical stuff all over Michigan. We could come here for years and still not see all of it.

Today we were still in Minnesota. We took a few hours to visit the Science Museum there and it was really a gem.

On our way to Green Bay, we stopped for a geocache. While out walking around, someone tried to break into the car. A dose of cold hard reality. We called he police, they came and made a report. The kids were very excited (not all in a good way) about that event.

Ryan has cried at least twice today after being admonished and Charlotte is at turns happy and defiant. Not the happy family bonding we were hoping for. I think we are both on the verge of tossing in the towel and heading home.

I am hopeful that a few days in one place with hiking trails, beach, dunes and yes, water will help.

Saturday July 24

Well, it is here, the much awaited day where my family can watch as I walk across the stage in a gown to be recognized for my achievements in obtaining my masters degree. Greg keeps asking if i am excited. I will be:) More preoccupied with not tripping. It would also be different if I was going home to a different job in a different place. But no moaning today!

The trip up was a test of endurance--we did really well. We left at 8 am and pulled in a little after midnight--CST so it ended up being about 13 hours! the kids slept the last two. The hotel is great--a hot breakfast! We have decided that Charlotte will be a cruise director when she grows up--the perky happy morning one. She was up at 5:30 and telling me about how pretty the skyline was and how she wished she could paint it. And as I made my way to brush my teeth, I was given a tour of the room including the closet we can all share!

Yesterday we stopped in Chicago for lunch--ended up going downtown to avoid the expressway. Downtown is just beautiful. The library took most of the city block and it was funny to see the names of places that I usually just hear about on TV. Like the Marshall School of Law(West Wing!). Deinitely worth a trip or two back. We drove through a bit of Wisconsin, mostly rolling hills nd farms. Stopped for dinner at the Wisconsil Dells wich Greg tells me is something like a playground of the Midwest. We had dinner at Denny's--don't have to do that again:) The Dells had at least two huge indoor water parks. Then I rememebr that the winters here must be quite long. Hard to imagine gobs and gobs of snow when everything is green and warm.

So Commencment is this afternoon after which we will be left to our own devices. The Mallof America is calling!

Once again

I keep composing my blogs in my head and then make excuses not to write them! Since Greg is taking some online courses, he has the computer in the evening and since I just finished, I have no great urge to get on the laptop! Lots to blog about though.

We are almost done with June and already we have hit the 90s on several days, been to the pool and Boomerang Bay with the kids. I really love the heat! Charlotte has turned 6 and lost her first tooth. The tomaotes have their yellow buds and Charlotte's wildflower garden is starting to bloom. We went canoeing with friends in hocking Hills, Ryan tried a kayak! We have had several nights with a fire in the firepit complete with smores and just the other night, all four if us tried to see how many bubbles we could get to connect. We have bumped into old Antioch friends and reconnected. Many trips to the library. Ryan is inhaling books. I've been sunburned twice.
It has been a fun summer so far.

So many images to carry along. Perhaps the most memorable so far was waking up in the late evening in Hocking Hills because Charlie was growling at a beastie outside. It scampered off but my eyes were caught by the hundreds of lightning bugs. The sky was clear--so many stars--and near the ground and all through the trees--hundreds of lightening bugs. It looked like Pixie Hollow at nighttime.

Hello Sun

The long awaited promise of Spring is here. After rains and cold days and nights and wonder if we would ever put away the down comforters, it is here. It is here in the jubilant colors that overflow flower beds, in many seen digging in the dirt and the intermittent hum of gas powered machines cutting, trimming and shaping. Bright screaming pinks, cheerful happy daisies, garden centers popping up at the market. The magnolia blooms have come and gone. The corn is in the ground. Wildflowers are growing and the black-eyed susans are well on their way to making their July showcase. There is green everywhere, the leaves whooshing as the wind blows. Hello Sun.

Hat

Charlotte was telling me tonight after her bath that a girl made fun of her hat at school today. A cute, funky pink cowboy hat. I was so reminded about Ella the Elephant story! So we had a talk about how people can feel however they want, but hurting another person's feelings is not okay. She teared up a bit and said that she didnt tell her teacher and that she walked away before she started to cry. In the end though, she said she'll wear the hat tomorrow.