This is My LiveJournal

I made a discovery about myself the other day. I miss Livejournal. So much in fact that I use this for stream of consciousness writing and daily journaling, just like Livejournal, only it never goes live. 

Until today. 

Here's whats been up:

My girl. My dollfaced girl. She's  9 now. 9!

We had the most amazing time at the Great Wolf Lodge with 2 of her good friends. It was maybe the most fun and freedom she has ever had. She got to run the place with her 2 friends, as long as they stayed together. 

It was fun to see how girls operate at different speeds and different comfort levels. I can see how they will be as high schoolers and even as young women. One of my daughter's friends moved very fast. Like superfast, caution to the wind, gogogogo.The other one was very cautious. Very reserved. Very slow.

My girl fits remarkably well between them. She was the glue that kept the group together. Though she really leans more on the side of free spirit, she knew she could not leave her other friend. She would slow the fast friend and encourage the slower friend to move faster. She is getting more and more aware of the needs of others, and their strengths. She has so many innate leadership qualities, and if I just step back a bit they shine through. I am super pleased with that. 

There was also a road trip to western Washington on the day of her birthday. It was cool, except for the unrelenting giggling from the backseat. Fun to see friends at our destination though!

So the very next day after my daughter's birthday is my husband's birthday. 

I took him out to dinner. Then he totaled our car on a foggy mountain road...

He is fine, but we are in the market for a new car now...

Luckily we were well insured so we will see a bit of a return for the car, and are able to put some money down on a new one. 

School starts next week, but we got a letter from the school district basically saying that our school failed to meet the NCLB testing requirements. We get to choose whether we want her to stay in her current school and get tutors if necessary or go to another school. Since she has always tested very well, and has thankfully always excelled academically we are choosing the other school I think.

Lots more has happened as well but it is really just summer stuff. Swimming, playing, events, walking, hiking, exploring, friends,  etc.

I am in such denial that Summer is ending. I haven't even done the school supply shopping...

SUMMER Y U LEAVE ME?!

6/ #48Walks : Yay, Sun!

For the 6th of my 48 Walks we were blessed with a gorgeous sunny day. We drove down south to the Millersylvania State Park. I love this park because it is so close by and child friendly. 

You will need a Discover Pass to visit this park.

I also love that there are many different options on what to do once you get to the park. There are trails, camping, swimming, fishing, and during the warmer months there are boat/kayak/paddle boat rentals.

This walk was actually taken the last day of February.

I still don't have a word, or a phrase for what I am figuratively walking towards. Maybe it should be clarity? 

I'm not really worried about it. It will come in good time.

Right now I am just so enjoying the last of our Winter woods, and anticipating Springtime. 

Now on to the magic.

5/#48Walks : The Walk That Went Awry

My little guy is really, really into stories right now. He LOVES when people tell him stories. He likes to read, and we do every night, but what he is really into right now is the off-the-cuff stories that people tell upon request.

After hearing "you tell me a story?" About 30 times in one day, naturally you start just telling the stories about the day.

Our story of this walk was "Once upon a time, there was a cute little boy who set off on a mission to make it to the end of a loooooong walk to see if he could see some seals in the water. But, this little boy threw one of his shoes into the ocean and his Momma had to carry him all the way back to the start. The end."

This was our first real hike in about 10 days. After being shut up indoors due to unsafe windy conditions and that work thing I was elated to hear that sun was in the forecast. I finished my chores at a frenetic pace so we could just enjoy the afternoon out at one of our favorite spots.
I didn't bother checking tide tables. I just chased the sun.
We walked the mile to the boardwalk and arrived to find that it was lowtide, so we only got to see the strange wasteland that is usually hidden underwater. It is strange, but still beautiful, in a chaotic way.

Then, while I was distracted (by photo ops?), my son apparently threw his shoe off the boardwalk. I looked back to find one white little sock poking out from his pantleg. Then looked over the edge to see a tiny, lonely shoe.  Lost forever.

At this time I just started laughing like a crazy person. Just wondering what this little person could have been thinking. Age 2 is my favorite.
Maybe it got stuck under the railing and fell in?
Maybe, but the story I got was that he threw it.
He was pretty upset to learn we could not retrieve it.
I just picked him up and we walked together all the way back to the car.

And the whole time he was either telling or requesting the story of the little boy who threw his shoe into the ocean. The end.

Now, onto the pictures