taking stock // 02

We're on vacation at the family cabin in the northwoods of Wisconsin. Here's a bit of what we've been up to. 

Making : a little extra time for myself, setting an alarm for 5:30 so I can get in some exersise and coffee before Henry wakes

Cooking : everything on the grill

Drinking : good, strong coffee from a big mug on the balcony overlooking the lake.

 
Reading: and loving The Paris Wife by Paula McLain 

Wanting: another ice cream cone 

Looking: at the lake through the cabin's big picture window every chance I get 

Playing: a game of war with Chris while Henry is distracted

Wishing: vacations lasted longer

Enjoying: the one on one time spent with my husband. It's so very rare that we are alone as a family of 3 back home. 

Liking: where I'm at, both in life and geographicly 

Wondering: about the vistors of the past that built the many grand old vacation homes and cabins on this lake. Thinking of all the fun that was to be had for so many families over the course of the past 100 or so years. 

Loving: how Henry nuzzles up in the crook of my neck and dozes to sleep when we take our evening ride in the boat around the lake, the sound of the motor and the gentle rocking of the boat lulling him to sleep. 

Needing: to line up a new book to read because I'm devouring the one I have. 

Smelling: the sweet perfume of fresh peaches from the local farmer's market

Wearing: my swimsuit under every outfit..(one never knows when a prime swimming opportunity will arise)

Noticing: the delicate hue of plum the lake turns as the sun lowers and says goodnight

Knowing: that these are the "good old days" that our future selves will glance back at and revel in. 

Feeling: new and fresh and so totally alive in every cell of my body everytime I leap into the brisk waters of the lake. Remarkably so.

Opening: all the windows and doors to let the cool air filter into the cabin through the screens. Air that smells of pine and damp earth and campfire. 

Giggling: along with Henry as he chatters his teeth between blue lips, splashing and blowing bubbles in the waters of the lake as he clings to his daddy's neck. 

Feeling: grateful for this retreat and the freshness it has brought to our summer. 

Busy bodies

On Sunday, we returned home from a last minute, impromptu, trip to our family's cabin in the northwoods of Wisconsin. Chris called me, while cutting hay, at 4:30 on Thursday afternoon and sprung the plan on me. When he came home around 7:30 he went back and forth with telling me to go upstairs and pack and saying that we should probably just stay home. Finally he decided. I grabbed the biggest weekend bag I own and filled it with swimwear, sunblock, and sweatshirts. That's one of the things I love about our trips up north; it's just warm enough during the afternoon for swimsuits but the temps get down low enough in the evening that hoodies are required for comfortable campfire enjoyment. It was a nice quick getaway. We had our fill of the local pub's famous cheese curds. Henry discovered the joys of using ranch dressing as a dipping sauce. We jumped into the freezing cold waters of Plum Lake and refreshed and very much alive. Henry even went in and floated around with Chris in his life jacket, giggling through chattering teeth all the while. 

Chris and his mom fished while I kept Henry out of tackle boxes and away from fishing lines. When Chris caught a decent sized blue gill, he called Henry over to him to look at the fishy. I was shocked when Henry grabbed it from Chris with both hands and held it for a good minute. Chris told him to put it back in the water and Henry climbed up on the seat of the boat and, with one hand, plopped the fish back into the lake. That same day Henry saved Chris from a spider! He nonchalantly reached up and grabbed something off Chris's shoulder and dropped it on floor of the boat. When Chris looked, he saw a dime-sized fuzzy brown spider! This mama just about lost her head. I don't know where he gets his bravery but it's surely NOT from me. 

It feels like we've been gone all summer. In June we moved Chris's sister to Fort Worth, Texas and were gone about a week. Then our little trip to the cabin happened. And now we are on our way to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the weekend to watch the national junior hereford show. A handful of calves that came from our farm are being exhibited by kids from Texas and Oklahoma. I'm not sure what there is to do in Pennsylvania, but I do have a couple things in mind for the drive. My goal is to find a "u-pick" farm of some sort and load up on fresh fruit to can and enjoy. 

taking stock

Making : my flower gardens bigger

Baking : pound cake

Drinking : well water straight from the garden hose 

Wanting: a good pair of overall shorts like these 

Looking: at my stubbed & bloodied big toe that I closed the door on earlier..

Playing: with my arms in the watering can with Henry's

Wishing: I could bottle up this moment in Henry's life and keep it forever. 

Enjoying: the chocolate-covered strawberries Chris & Henry gave me for Mother's Day

Waiting: for the ground to dry up a little after last night's rain so I can plant more in the garden

Wondering: what it would be like to have another baby in our lives 

Loving: being Henry's mother

Hoping: to do some closet purging this weekend

Marveling: at how much Henry's grown as he runs sure-footed around the yard giggling

Needing: to go out and buy some shorts. This warm weather really crept up fast!

Smelling: red and yellow tulips & freshly worked black soil in the fields

Wearing: the most comfortable, stretchy, black t-shirt dress I own

Following: Henry as he chases the dogs around our farm

Noticing: how precious and beautiful life is

Knowing: that each day comes to us only once

Thinking: and praying for my uncle in Louisiana 

Giggling: at the muddied, wet mess that is my son after an afternoon outside

Feeling: revived by this breezy, warm day 
 

I first saw this Taking Stock post over on The Daybook www.thedaybookblog.com