Holy, Moly! Visiting Ikea

After spending the morning picking strawberries and picnicking with friends, I loaded they boys up and drove on to Atlanta to meet up with Daniel at IKEA.

Daniel had been attending the Leadercast 2016 conference where he got to hear the likes of Andy Stanley, Nick Saban, Dr. Henry Cloud, and Steve Wozniak (among others) share how to be the "Architects of Tomorrow." I may be just a teeny bit jealous that he got to go to this.

We made our plan without really considering how tired we all might be (me and the boys from a long day and Daniel from attending the conference), BUT it's been hard to commit to making a trip to Atlanta for the sole purpose of visiting IKEA (we have been talking about it for almost two years now), and I was determined to make it work.

I arrived in Atlanta before Daniel was finished, so I took the boys for a snack at Chick-fil-a before heading to the massive blue store known as IKEA.

IKEA has a play area called Småland where you can drop your kids off to play while you check out the store. I asked Jack if he wanted to play first or look around with me. He said he wanted to look around.

So we went upstairs to the showroom where Jack proceeded to shout "Holy, moly!" at every turn. IKEA is a fascinating place and I hadn't thought of how much a 4-year-old would appreciate all of the little spaces.

Thankfully the store wasn't really busy and we could take our time – which was good because Jack wanted to open every drawer and look at every nook and cranny.

Isaac was stuck in the stroller, but with the help of snacks, he was a good sport.

Style of bed I would consider for Jack's room...

Style he would prefer... The next day he told me he wanted a

"bumpy bed from that big blue store that has a playground."

How I feel visiting IKEA.

After looking at the entire store (including the outdoor furniture, that was the main thing on my list), I checked in with Daniel and discovered that he was stuck in traffic (figures) and that it would be at least an hour before he arrived. 

So I dropped Jack at the Småland and made my way through the marketplace portion of IKEA downstairs (Isaac was too small to drop off so he was still stuck with me, in the stroller).

Jack had a ball and his hour of play was up just about the time Daniel arrived. We were all hungry so we ran to Chipotle for supper before heading back to IKEA to pick up the furniture we wanted.

It was after 8pm before we were picking up our items. I am so glad that neither boy had a meltdown since it was past bedtime! Jack had fun pushing Isaac around in the stroller while Daniel and I decided what we wanted.

We managed to leave the store by 9pm and hoped to have smooth sailing back to Chattanooga. Leaving Atlanta was a breeze and I was looking forward to a quick trip home.

But then we hit Marietta and construction on I-24 and my dream of a quick trip sailed out the window as we hit stop and go traffic. Daniel and I were in two separate cars (Daniel with the boys). It ended up being a 3-hour drive home. Getting home at midnight is not ideal, but we all survived and the boys went straight to bed. Talk about a crazy, long day!

Happy Mother's Day weekend to me! The ÄPPLARÖ table extends to seat eight, but when it isn't extended it still allows for plenty of room for the boys to play. We still need to pick up a few additional chairs as they did not have everything in stock, but now we can seat more people on our deck. We eat as many meals outside as we can, so this is a perfect addition for us.

Strawberry Picking

We had a very full weekend. I can tell we were busy because I spent most of Monday playing catch up – tons of laundry, dishes and toys to be dealt with. Today I feel caught up so I wanted to share about our weekend, starting with strawberry picking (there was also a trip to IKEA in Atlanta, T-Ball pictures, hiking and paddling).

Friday morning I managed to get my kids up and out the door by 9:45am. Unless it's a preschool day, we typically don't get out of the house before 11:30, so this was a feat in and of itself. 

Plus, I had to pack not only for strawberry picking, but for the entire day since we were planning on meeting Daniel in Atlanta. But somehow I got it all together and we made it to the farm on time.

Sims Farm is located in Ft. Oglethorpe, GA, about 40 minutes from our house. On the plus side, it was on the way to Atlanta. We met up with friends at 10:30 for some time picking strawberries and a picnic in the sunshine.

Nestled within sight of the mountains, Sims Farm was a very idyllic setting. It is actually a sod farm, but they also plant strawberries for the public to come pick.

To start May off, we had a cold snap and the weather the day we visited the farm was perfect. It was just starting to warm up, but it was breezy so no one got overly hot.

The kids in our group ranged from a baby to a few first graders. Isaac was one of three 1-year-olds in the group. While the other two toddlers seemed content in their strollers, Isaac insisted on not being constrained. 

So I plopped him among some daisies and he ate his fill of strawberries (the first one I didn't realize he had grabbed, and after that he went to town on the sweet berries).

Jack was a really good picker. He was so proud of himself to filling up his basket to overflowing – without any help. 

After we all had enough berries to take home, we paid for our fruit and then set up blankets for a picnic. It was such a pretty day. 

The moms visited while the older kids played games. Jack was excited to learn how to play Red Rover.

Strawberry picking was such a fun activity and Jack seems to be at an age where he really likes to participate in activities, so this was right up his alley. We will have to plan to go again next year. I had two very tired little boys when I left the farm.

Thank You to the Many Moms in My Life

Motherhood. I am in the thick of it. I have a baby who still wakes me up to nurse, and a preschooler who is on the cusp of being a big kid (he already insists he lives in this realm). I am sleep-deprived and weary, but simultaneously grateful for the life I have. There was a time that I wasn't 100% sure I wanted kids, yet here I am and it is a good life.

Over the years many mothers have had a tremendous impact on me. From my mom who has had the most influence by far to grandmothers who have taught and given endless one-on-one time; aunts who were like older sisters I never had; and the moms of friends who took an interest in me; and finally as an adult, the women who are family through marriage, who have have chosen to love me and my children. Thank you all for playing a part in my life.

Since becoming an adult I have watched many friends, and my younger sister, as they have waded into the unknown territory of motherhood ahead of me. I have learned and been encouraged by their experiences. Thank you for carrying the torch ahead of me and being willing to offer a listening ear during my harder mothering moments.

I have had so many encouraging voices at different life stages, from the women who made me feel like my choice to wait to have children was perfectly fine, to the infinite support I received when I had a miscarriage. I have been blessed with examples of women who gave me a glimpse into motherhood that didn't conform to norms. They showed me that being who I was deep inside could be enhanced by motherhood, that those parts that make me uniquely me didn't have to be discarded. Thank you for letting me in on that secret!

For the women who are struggling this Mother's Day – with infertility, loss of a child, loss of a mother, not fitting into what is expected of you, I want you to know that you are loved, that I have walked some of those paths and I hope you know that you are not alone.

A prayer for Mother's Day adapted by Heidi Carrington Heath and originally written by Amy Young

I want you to know I'm praying for you if you are like Tamar, struggling with infertility, or a miscarriage.

I want you to know that I'm praying for you if you are like Rachel, counting the women among your family and friends who year by year and month by month get pregnant, while you wait.
 

I want you to know I'm praying for you if you are like Naomi, and have known the bitter sting of a child's death.
 

I want you to know I am praying for you if you are like Joseph and Benjamin, and your Mom has died.
 

I want you to know that I am praying for you if your relationship with your Mom was marked by trauma, abuse, or abandonment, or she just couldn't parent you the way you needed.
 

I want you to know I am praying for you if you've been like Moses' mother and put a child up for adoption, trusting another family to love your child into adulthood.
 

I want you to know I am praying for you if you've been like Pharaoh's daughter, called to love children who are not yours by birth (and thus the mother who brought that child into your life, even if it is complicated).
 

I want you to know I am praying for you if you, like many, are watching (or have watched) your mother age, and disappear into the long goodbye of dementia.
 

I want you to know that I am praying for you if you, like Mary, are pregnant for the very first time and waiting breathlessly for the miracle of your first child.
 

I want you to know that I am praying for you if your children have turned away from you, painfully closing the door on relationship, leaving you holding your broken heart in your hands. And like Hagar, now you are mothering alone.
 

I want you to know that I am praying for you if motherhood is your greatest joy and toughest struggle all rolled into one.
 

I want you to know that I am praying for you if you are watching your child battle substance abuse, a public legal situation, mental illness, or another situation which you can merely watch unfold.
 

I want you to know that I am praying for you if you like so many women before you do not wish to be a mother, are not married, or in so many other ways do not fit into societal norms.
 

I want you to know that I am praying for you if you see yourself reflected in all, or none of these stories.
 

This mother's day, wherever and whoever you are, we walk with you. You are loved. You are seen. You are worthy. And may you know the deep love without end of our big, wild, beautiful God who is the very best example of a parent that we know. Amen.

My Boys

I get monthly emails from BabyCenter with helpful information about what to expect each month in terms of the milestones and development of my kids (one email for Jack and one for Isaac). The last email I received for Isaac (the day he turned one) referred to my baby as a "toddler" and I was like, "whoa, he's still just a baby!" But really, I guess he is technically a toddler, or at least on the verge of being a toddler.

These milestones sneak up on you and I'm not ready!

Jack has also surprised me lately. Whenever Isaac is napping, he comes and sweetly asks if it is "mommy and Jack time." Which of course, I say yes to. This is a new development and makes it me realize how much has changed in the last year.

Jack never really complained or seemed bothered about being usurped as the baby in our family. Honestly he took the whole experience really well – being very independent and doing so much for himself. Plus he is super helpful with Isaac and mostly plays really well with him (he even calls himself the Baby Patrol and helps me to corral Isaac). 

But every once in awhile, I am reminded that he is only four and it wasn't so long ago that he was our only kid, and my days were composed of me and my first baby. Of course, he would never want me to call him my baby now, but on occasion, he still wants me to himself. I'm going to try to be more mindful of that. As both boys get older I think we will start implementing one-on-one time with each of them.

Yesterday I had the opportunity for a quick date with Jack. A friend kept Isaac while I took Jack to a dermatologist (no big deal, just some eczema that hasn't cleared up). After the appointment Jack and I stopped at Dunkin Donuts where we went inside for donuts. It was sweet to spend the afternoon with my big boy. I know he won't always want to spend time with me, so I am trying my best to savor these moments together.

I know I will blink and these two will be teenagers...

Outside 365 | April 2016

Rain or shine, our family is getting outside. Not too long ago I read a post online about how children spend less time outside than prisoner inmates. It's a sobering thought. The following is the short film called "Free the Kids – Dirt is Good" and it reinforces the importance of getting outside – especially when it comes to our kids, though I believe everyone needs to regularly spend time outdoors.

In the last month, we spent a part of every day outside. Sometimes that meant getting wet. Some days, Jack came home muddy or with shoes full of mulch. We took our kids on hikes, and took time for ourselves as we participated in our first Triathlon. I hope we never get to a point where we don't spend time in nature.

A Look Back at Project Outside 365: January 2016 ⎮ February 2016 ⎮ March 2016

Things I Read in April (#5)

Can I just say that I am really struggling to read this year... 

It probably has something to do with not having had a single full night's sleep in the last year. Or the fact that I am now juggling two kids as part of my daily responsibilities, but truthfully I just haven't felt like it.

It's a strange thing to admit, that I don't want to read.

It probably has something to do with my passions changing with this new-ish season of life. There was a time when all I wanted to read was mysteries, ala Mary Higgens Clark. And there was a John Grisham phase, followed by years where I explored lots of different genres of literature. Post college I was enamored with leadership and business-focused books. But since I am not in the process of actively growing my business, these types of books no longer hold the same appeal they once did. I will occasionally pick up a parenting book, but while helpful, I find that I am more interested in parenting from my instincts and knowledge of my child verses the advice of an expert who doesn't know me or my children. Not to mention the fact that the internet provides quick access to information which makes plowing through an entire book seems like a waste of time.

Anyways, I don't fully know why I haven't been reading but those are my guesses.

Here is a taste of what I've been reading online:

The Secret to Being a Happy Mom by Dirt & Boogers 

She Only Said "Yes" Once by For Every Mom 

Outdoorsy People are Nicer than Indoorsy People by Adventure Machine 

You are Not "Too Much" via The Huffington Post

Parenting Starts Now by Hither & Thither

That Moment When 2016 Hits You via The Washington Post

How Americans Became so Sensitive via The Atlantic 

This Stage of Life? It's Hard by Austin Mom's Blog  
  

As for real, actual books, in April I read the book, Every Bitter Thing is Sweet by Sara Hagerty. This book is a reflection on facing lost expectations and learning to rely fully on God and his promises. There is a level that I connected with this book, having experienced miscarriage and various other lost expectations throughout my lifetime, but I had a hard time relating to the overall experience found within the pages of this book. 

From her struggle with infertility to the decision to adopt multiple times, I just couldn't get into this book. I don't like that I feel this way in the sense that this is a real person sharing her real struggles... Maybe my feelings have to do with where my personal passions currently are (see above), maybe it was the way parts of the book rambled, or it was the way her poetic language describes her personal relationship to God while my own interactions with God never feel beautiful or poetic. I don't know, but it took me weeks to finish this book and I ended up feeling a bit cynical about the ending. I think it's time for me to consider a new genre of books. Any suggestions?! 

National Parks

National parks, wilderness areas, forests, oceans, the wild places within our world, they all hold a special place in my heart. When I stand on the pinnacle of a high place or find myself in the bowels of the darkest cave, whether paddling down a wild river or feeling the thunderous motion of a waterfall, I feel most at peace. I feel closest to the God of creation. When I hear the gentle whisper of the wind through the trees, gaze at the endless night sky, or hear the lapping of waves on a shore, I am in awe. I think of the verses in the Bible that state that the rocks will cry out, and these wild places make me believe those words.

 

The other night, after our kids were in bed, Daniel and I were debating between putting our own exhausted selves to bed or watching mindless television. As I flipped the channels, I stumbled across an episode of a PBS documentary entitled "National Parks: America's Best Idea."

Grand Canyon

Within five minutes we were hooked. I have always been drawn to the National Parks, not only for their grandeur, but also for the stories that are tied to them. These experiences in the wilderness are the ones that stick with you for a lifetime.

Grand Canyon

The episode we watched reinforced this belief, as countless supporters of National Parks (biologists, writers, park rangers, etc.) shared personal accounts of visiting these parks as children. Each person had been profoundly impacted by their time in the parks. The people in the documentary all had similar experiences in childhood (around age 10 or so) when their parents loaded up a car and drove across the country, visiting as many of the parks as possible. These indelible memories were tied not only to the magnificence of the land, but also to their parents who took the time to take their children on an epic adventure.

Niagra Falls

I have only been to a handful of National Parks (though many of them are on my bucket list), but as a small girl I did get to visit the Grand Canyon with my parents. I don't remember the trip, but I have pictures to prove I was there. I hope to go back with my own children some day.

Lake Huron

I want to share a family adventure that my family embarked on about the time that I was entering adolescence. In my mind this was a catalyst for my love of the outdoors. I believe that I was about 12, and my family had recently transplanted from Ontario, Canada to Arkansas, when my great grandmother passed away. My parents made the decision to attend her funeral in Canada, and since it was summer time, they decided we should visit all five Great Lakes.

Lake Ontario

The Great Lakes are not National Parks but they have their own vastness and majesty just the same. I remember driving over the Mackinac Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, as we crossed into Canada, high above the waterway that connected Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

Lake Michigan

On this trip we swam, or dipped our toes, in all five Great Lakes – with Lake Superior being the coldest by far. I believe my mom was the only one to actually get into Lake Superior. There is something magical about watching your mother throwing caution to the wind as she runs into a freezing lake.

Lake Erie

In addition to visiting the Great Lakes, we camped as we drove through the province. The campground that stands out the most is Grundy Lake Provincial Park – you can read my full account of our experience here. To this day, any mention of this park conjures up memories of ridiculous amounts of mosquitoes. It was early summer and we were drowning in mosquitoes. My mom took my siblings and I down to the lake to swim while my dad set up camp. This translated into us holding our breaths and staying under water as long as humanly possible to escape the swarms.

Algonquin Provincial Park

As soon as our tent was up, we hurried inside and spent the next 30+ minutes killing everything that buzzed. We were all miserable, but in the end the story is among our fondest memories, and we all still love to camp. 

Rocky Mountains

After Grundy Lake we visited Algonquin Provincial Park. Obviously this was a park in Canada and not the United States, but I'm sure it had the same profound impact on me as a National Park would. I was young and impressionable as I decided that some day I would come back and take a multi-day canoe trip in that park. Twenty+ years later, I still hope that dream comes to fruition.

Rocky Mountains

In junior high and high school I had several opportunities to attend Wilderness Trek (a Christian camp in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado). On the four different trips I made, we hiked into back country to spend five days, and if the weather allowed, we would summit a mountain. My very first year I found myself on top of Mt. Elbert, the highest mountain in Colorado, and I was never the same again. I was convinced I would eventually make my way to the top of all 50 states. I no longer believe that will happen, but I continue to try (I have made it to 9 out of 50 high points).

Anthony Creek Trail (GSMNP)

Daniel grew up taking yearly trips to the Great Smoky Mountains, and has many personal stories that he relives whenever we visit the park today – including hitch hiking with his dad from the Chimney Tops.

Gabes Mountain Trail (GSMNP)

As adults, Daniel and I have formed many new memories in this park as well. We also had the opportunity to visit Crater Lake several years ago and those experiences have shaped, and continue to shape who we are. I just hope we have the chance to share these types of experiences with our boys as they grow up.

Crater Lake

As for the PBS documentary, I hope to watch the rest of the series, and some day, in the not-so-distant future, I hope to take our boys to stand on the edges of huge canyons and endless shores, and to the tops of tall mountains where their breath will be taken away. And just maybe, they will begin to dream their own dreams, as the beauty and majesty that God has put all around us begins to shape their lives.

Laurel Falls Trail (GSMNP)