Camping Time...

We found ourselves with two unexpected days off and decided to hit the open road.  We loaded up the kids and headed to Camano Island State Park for some much needed family time.  It was refreshing, beautiful, and comical watching our kids experience camping.

For me, being in the outdoors is a priority but to two city kids who spend most of their time indoors, camping was a bit unnatural.  Our first night, the kids asked where the trains were.  The second day, Kannon asked if we could go home.  But by our last night the kids were making racetracks in the dirt and fingerpainting on trees.  By the day's end, they weren't ready to come home.

We had a wonderful time hiking and exploring the tide pools.  Kannon was quick to find a crab claw and a few clams.  Our water obsessed dog had a great time chasing logs in the frigid water.  We laughed and rolled with the flow.  We found eagles, rabbits, and tree frogs.  We watched as our kids curiosity exploded with new words and ideas.

We dreamed about what life in the country would be like.  Both Dale and I are from the small towns with rural roads and big sky.  Someday, our kids will have that life too, but for now, camping is the closest we will get.  For now, we will just relax and savor the smell of pine, dirt on our faces, and the giggles of children.

WTF??? Where did I go?

OMG.  It has been almost a month since I blogged. I think hell just froze over.  Pigs may be flying.  I might actually have a life!  Sometime between Dale starting a new job and the coming of summer I simply forgot what day it was. 

I must admit I thought about blogging.  I contemplated sitting at my computer and writing but it was hard to turn down 70 degree days, sunny days, the ocean breeze, and my family by my side.  I carry my camera and iPod everywhere I go to record notes, take pictures, and videos.  Somehow, these memories never make it to the blog. 

So where have we been? I am still sorting that one out.

One beautiful Seattle day, we headed to Magnesun Park and soaked in every amount of sunshine and cool lake water we could possibly sponge in.  I forgot my camera.  I forgot my iPod.  On that glorious day the boys could hardly wait before stripping off their clothes and running full force into the shallow water.  That day, we saw a floating helicopter, threw sticks to Emma, and listened to the full-on belly laughs of the boys. 
I kicked myself for forgetting my ways to record the moment.  But then I had a thought.  What happened before pinterest, instagram, and tumblr?  What happened before blogs, facebook, and twitter?  What happened before iPhones, iPods, and cameras?  HOW THE HELL DID ANYONE SURVIVE?

As much as I love blogging, facebooking, pinteresting, and etc, I love spending time with my family more.  My boys are growing bigger each day and while I make every attempt to share my journeys as a mom, wife, parent, and more, sometimes cuddling on the couch or running through the sprinklers is a lot more appealing than staring at a computer. 

Plus, I have been in a funk. There is so much pressure to be a mom who does it all.  I put pressure on myself to write, photograph, cook-from-scratch, garden, work, and more.  I was just saying to Dale, I feel like I do it all yet I haven't quite found my "calling" so I want to do more.  I want to do everything but I can't do it all.  So where does that leave me? 

That leaves me doing whatever the hell I want! Amen!  So what if my blogs happen once a month or less?  So what if I can't upload photos seconds after they were created?  It will all happen eventually.

What matters is the happiness of our family.  The joy, laughter, and love. 

This year has tested our bounds.  We have been overdrive trying to sort out illness, issues, tiredness, being overworked, and financially challenged. I feel like the last six months have been a total of years.  I feel like we have been to the moon and back as we sort our life out.  So, since Dale started his new job, we have been on a vacation of sorts.  We have had more family time, freedom, and adventure.    We have laughed, played, and smiled more. 

I stopped thinking about the blog, facebook, and pinterest.  I stopped thinking about my next career move or what preschool to send the boys too.  For now, I am just savoring every moment and focusing on my first "calling".  The calling of motherhood and family.  The ability to provide happiness and healthiness to my family.  So I am back to cooking, gardening, playing.  You should see our meals, homemade bread, our activities, our preschool shelf.  It is all so wonderful and it may never make it on the blog but that is okay!  I have finally stopped putting so much pressure on myself to do it all and just simply live.    I apologize to all my readers, my family, friends, and strangers for this epiphany.  Someday, I will return, things will become more regular again, I promise.  For now, its summer and I suggest all of you turn off the internet and just enjoy life.

So now for the where we have been part.... 

 our zucchini garden...

 cuddles after bathtime..

 our meal plan for this week...

 playtime at the splash park

 cuddle time in the morning..

 another day at the splash park

 roasted chicken with whipped potatoes, roasted beets and carrots....OMG.

 mornings out at the park...

 playing doctor at Fremont Brewing...

 playing in mommy's makeup bag during naptime

 the best homemade hot dog buns....so delicious

 happy fourth of july....

last week's meal plan...

 fava bean risotto....oh, how heavenly and light

 the best pizza ever made more complete with the best pizza dough...

 nights out on the balcony, sipping wine and taking yummy bites

 finding new and awesome discoveries....

 buying locally sourced and delicious food...

 enjoying ice cream at our second home, Full Tilt Ice Cream in Ballard

 more wine and nights on the balcony....

 watching our boys become even better friends...

 playing outside

 learning and playing at gymnastics...

 potty training ourselves....good job, Clark!

 riding the carousal at the zoo

 going on walks...

 going to the beach...

 homemade finger paint...

playing with daddy...

 happily getting ready for work...

 mommy getting ready for work too...I am still doing my photography business but I am also contracted with Bella Baby Photography photographing newborns on their first day of life...

 I made indian food complete with yummy naan bread made on the griddle...

 making all sort of jam (papaya jam, apple rhubarb and more) and more bread

 awesome game nights added to our schedule...

 couple time...

So there you have it! Where we have been and why it hasn't made it on the blog.  Happy summer!