When your car breaks down while you’re in Iowa City for a wedding and you’re stranded for at least an extra day what happens? You’re forced to slow down, realize it’s August, become nostalgic about your summer and possibly even update your blog. I’m going back-in-time for a summer re-wind to catch this thing up on some of the highlights over the past few months and also to capture everything we’d still like to do before the end of the summer.
We’ve had some memorable visits to the Memorial Park splash pad this summer including several birthday parties and also many trips just because it was too hot to do anything else. One day in particular stands out to me the most because Emerson stopped every person who happened to be walking their dog and struck up conversations about her own dogs — who doesn’t love discussing their pets? One sweet young woman talked to Em for almost an hour but mostly listened and was very kind when Emerson hugged her goodbye and wouldn’t let go. They became fast friends and E talks about her regularly even though we haven’t run into her again.
Earlier this summer I started going to a Saturday morning yoga class with my favorite local fitness studio [Studio Burn 360] and was honestly pretty surprised at just how much I enjoy it. Anything that makes you feel this good is addictive — thankfully this is a healthy habit! Emerson was also interested when the gear started showing up at home and she picked it up too and loves striking yoga poses anywhere and everywhere we go… she makes them up and gives them the best names you could imagine. Eyeball pose, anyone?
One of the things we love most about summer is waking up and heading right outside into the privacy of our backyard. I’ve spent countless hours watching E play in the dirt wearing nothing but a sun hat and underwear. She gives wonderful poolside pedicures, and is known to dig for worms with one hand while holding a popsicle in the other. Our many bug boxes are often without vacancy as she honestly leaves no insect behind. Butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, slugs, worms, and crickets are all beautiful in her eyes but don’t even think about bringing her near ants or flies — too scary!
We made another trip to Iowa City back in June to help Meggie move and to see some of my favorite people in the whole wide world who live faraway in the land of California, and meet their beautiful brand-new baby! It was a high-stress weekend due to moving logistics but totally worth it thanks to these few highlights. One things we’ve been trying to cross off our list for the past year was visiting the Iowa Natural History Museum — always one of my favorite places to visit and I had been dying to take Emerson there and see her reactions.
In the early spring Emerson picked out a variety of seeds for our garden that we started inside and planted a few months later once it warmed up outside. In all honesty, we have no idea what we’re doing as far as gardening is concerned, but that fact that everything is still alive makes our project a success. We put in three boxes for flowers, veggies, and herbs… the plants are growing out of control but there’s a lack of actual vegetables. In the past week a few tomatoes and cucumbers have appeared so we’ll see what happens. Our backyard is low on direct sunlight so we know there’s a good chance we picked the wrong types of plants to begin with. Any time we get a shovel out to dig a hole Bela gets all kinds of excited and his digging instincts take over so much that he requires a good nap afterward.
July was bittersweet as Emerson said goodbye to Safari, the daycare and preschool she’s been going to since she was 2 — when we moved back to Spirit Lake. Her teachers planned a fun graduation party at the beginning of the summer; the kids dressed up and walked the red carpet, received an award, then posed for the mama- and paparazzi. It was tough to leave such a nurturing and loving environment that we have grown to know and love but the time has come for the next chapter to begin at SLES. Of course I’m proud and excited that Emerson will be a little Indian, just like mom, this fall when she begins the TK program! It feels surreal that I will be taking my daughter to the same elementary school I went to and also very comforting that there are still familiar faces in the building!
All in all it’s been a great summer that went entirely too fast. We’ve still got a lot of beautiful weather days ahead and plenty of time to finish up our bucket list and probably even think of a few more things to add!
2015 Bucket List:
Plant a garden- Weekend getaway to a new place
Splash padBaseball game- Explore the local farmer’s market
Saturday morning yoga on the dockBoji Bay poolBackyard campout with bonfire and s’mores- Swimming lessons
Arnold’s ParkCatch fireflies‘Graduate’ from SafariTreasure hunt at the beachIowa Natural History MuseumDrive-in movieSafari Pre-School Graduation
