Leelanau Peninsula

Tomorrow our family of four is leaving our house for a week as we stay at a condo on Leelanau Peninsula. We will be surrounded by beaches, family, good shopping, and historical sights. We can sit poolside in our backyard (more like be in the pool with two little ones), watch private airplanes land and take off, ride bikes, climb up the old skiing mountain, walk on sand dunes, build sand castles, ride on boats, and read a book during nap times.

All the daily chores and cares will be caste aside as we inhabit a home that is not ours. We can crank up the air, do laundry (only if we want to), grill ribs all day, see how many beaches we can hit in a day, and go out on a date. I can't vacuum or scrub toilets. No dusting or cleaning windows. I do wish i could water my hanging baskets, but i can't so they might die.

It takes a great deal of planning and packing to get our family of four to the condo prepared, but i know it is worth it. TJ is staying up late trying to get ahead on some of his assignments for his grad class. I am just up late in great anticipation of leaving tomorrow

I will be away from my computer. I am leaving it behind. I will go through withdrawal, but then i will realize just how much reading i can get done without a computer!

See you when i get back.

It is July Already?!

My days have been filled with smiles, giggles and adventures. We have been keeping busy with playing in the pools, going to an art fair, going to the beach, visiting with family, taking walks, hanging out in our pajamas all day, baking, going to the library, and shopping. Aside from the pure naughtiness that Jaelynne sometimes portrays, it is so enjoyable to hang out with my daughters. They are going to day care once or twice a week, which is awesome. Jaely gets to see her friends and i can run errands or clean the house. . . and take a nap!

I am reading a book about Literacy Work Stations that i want to try in my classroom next year, so almost every day i am armed with a highlighter, sticky notes, and a pen as i try to read my way through the book, stopping to think how i can implement some or most of the ideas into my classroom next year. . . without spending a lot more money than i already do on my classroom.

I am also trying to finish Jaely's ABC book. It seems like any free time i get, i am outside watering plants or weeding or tidying up the house. But i do enjoy those things.


Soon we will leave for vacation for a week on the Leelanau Peninsula. I am excited to relax and have a pool right in the backyard and be close to many beaches and to visit with family.

The girls are both napping now. I actually utter an audible sigh as i shut the second bedroom door and the house is quiet. . . the thought of "i made it" races through my head for an instance before i think "of course, i made it. I am good at this mom thing."

Now, for some me time. And packing. I am taking the girls with me on a little road trip to Nammy's house in hopes of leaving TJ with a quiet, undistracting setting for him to get a lot of graduate class work done.