Two Wonderfully Delicious Summertime Dinner Recipes!

*This post contains an Amazon Associate link. I just wanted you to know that I haven't been paid to talk about any of these products and none have been gifted to me. I simply like the following items and would love to share what I've found with you! To read my complete disclosure, please see HERE! Thank you! *

A week and a half ago, I did something that I've never formally done before - I went to see a nutritionist! Well, technically my good friend has not quite graduated yet, but she is studying to become a "nutritional therapist." This is a practitioner that educates people on the healthiest diet for them and also looks for any vitamin or mineral deficiencies, absorption issues, allergies of problems with different food. If a patient is having various issues in their day to day life, a nutritional therapist will attempt to help ease these problems through the use of vitamins and other whole foods.

My friend, who I think is brilliant and look up to very much, was in need of several "practice clients" in order to become licensed, and I agree to be one of them! It started with a very long questionnaire and survey, followed by a food journal that I wrote in for three days, and a two-hour intake appointment and preliminary recommendations. Today I visit again to check in, and have the second half of my exam, which is called a "functional exam." I'll be palpated in certain places to see how my different systems are functioning and to test for nutritional deficiencies.

Anyway, nobody had to tell me, as a the kind of vegetarian that I was, that I was not getting enough protein in each day, and I was relying on too many carbohydrates in my diet. Too much added sugar as well. So, my friend started me on a nutritional overhaul. I wasn't so so bad in my eating, but there were definite things I could tweak. I was offered the "baby steps" route to changes or the jump-right-in approach. I chose to "jump-right -in," but my friend asked me several times if I was really sure and now I see why. Remind me next time to take baby steps. 

Mainly, at least for two weeks, to reset my body, I was instructed to avoid all sugar and carbohydrates including grains and starchy vegetables. No sweets, nothing with added sugar.  (This is the hard part). I could and should have, lots of water, all the green, leafy veggies and non-starchy veggies that I would like. Eggs, butter, any meats that I can bring myself to eat, tofu, milk or almond of coconut milk, nuts, limited, low glycemic fruit and for me, plain, full fat yogurt and other fermented, no sugar added dairy is ok.

Surprisingly, REALLY surprisingly, it hasn't been as difficult as I expected it to be! I mean, it's SAD not being able to eat cookies and pasta,  don't get me wrong, but it wasn't incredibly difficult. I spent over a week having eggs and cauliflower pizza and zucchini "noodles" and protein shakes and Greek yogurt with almonds and a few strawberries. It wasn't so bad. I even agreed to try chicken a few times but just couldn't really do it. Guys, I'm a vegetarian at heart. I know I truly am.

Eventually it became a little repetitive though, and I'm starting to really miss the freedom of eating  any fruits of veggies that I would like, lentils and beans and quinoa, etc. My friend agreed, if I can't stomach the meat, I need to add more vegetarian friendly foods in. Well see what she says today. (Edit: Yes! I've been given the green light on adding in some extra options for protein and a bit of carb. Phew! LOL.)

I will say though, it's so great. I've learned to trade out my almond milk creamer which has 4grams of sugar per Tablespoon, for an unsweetened Almond and coconut creamer and I was fine! My Justin's brand Almond butter was swapped for a no sugar added almond butter and I was still ok! My beloved fruit on the bottom Greek yogurt, traded for plain, Greek yogurt and it didn't kill me. Incredibly, I have not touched a piece of bread or pasta in nearly two weeks and I'm ok with it.

We'll see how this goes, but not matter what, I am very happy with the small changes, and I only hope to build and build upon them to make happier, healthier habits. I am certainly learning a lot.

Today I have for you, two new recipes that Jon and I have recently tried out. Both were just delicious and I'm so excited to share them with you. I feel like they make great summertime dishes and hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

The first is called "Thai Noodle Bowls with Almond Butter Tofu" by the Minimalist Baker. Oh it was divine!!!! Jon and I absolutely loved this recipe. You bite into cool, crispy pieces of shaved carrot, crunchy bell pepper and the most refreshing cucumber. The veggies lay on cold rice noodles and everything is drizzled with a light, garlicky-lime dressing. Then, you put on top, the most flavorful, warm tofu which has been pan fried and tossed in a creamy almond butter, soy sauce. You just get this interesting mouthful of temperatures and textures and flavor. It was incredible. The recipe calls for some red pepper flakes for the tofu sauce. We used about half the amount of spice for me. 

Next up,  in my quest to try and learn to like seafood, we attempted a "Lemon Butter Scallops" recipe by Damn Delicious.  It was damn delicious. I still had a difficult time getting scallops down, I felt so guilty, but they tasted great. I even liked the "zoodles" - zucchini noodles that I made with my new 

OXO Good Grips Handheld Spiralizer. This thing is perfect by the way, for any beginner "spiralizer," or when you just need to make a dish for one, two or a few people.

The buttery lemon-garlic sauce complimented the scallops perfectly and seasoned the zoodles so well, that you wouldn't even miss actual noodles!

Jon, who is not watching his carb intake, placed his scallops on some homemade polenta. he said it was delicious. Everything was topped with parsley and voila!  Very simple.

I hope you might try one or both of these dishes. It's such a joy to find new recipes and give them a shot. I'm lucky that Jon loves cooking and is such a great husband. :)

Until Next Time!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox,

Lauren 

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The Village Fair! The Village Fair!

*This post contains two Amazon Associate links. I just wanted you to know that I haven't been paid to talk about any of these products and none have been gifted to me. I simply like the following items and would love to share what I've found with you! To read my complete disclosure, please see HERE! Thank you! *

Our little city was first a wilderness, vast and natural, with a winding, pristine river. Native American tribes live upon its banks for a long long time. In the early 1800's came a handful of settlers. Our little city was merely a settlement, a "corner" where two dirt paths intersected. It was shortly then called "Piety Hill" for a while, if you can believe it. The "hill" being the very same hilly elevation that our house now stands on. Over time, "Piety Hill" grew into a village and then a town and now it stands as a small city of about 20,000.

Yet still, as probably the most anticipated event of the year, (other than the first day of summer vacation) by every child in the city, is the Village Fair.  And this year, it is the 53rd annual "Village Fair" to be exact! I grew up on the fair. I couldn't wait for fair weekend because it meant I could ride the rides and eat the junk food and that school would soon be out.

Look at this wonderful, nostalgic video that I found of the village fair from 1967 on Youtube. It's by a man named John3inDC. How wonderful!

I think the most magical thing about the fair, is that you wake up Tuesday or Wednesday morning and it's suddenly there. All of the trailers of rides and booths and prizes and food, they just silently come to town in the night. It takes a day or two to set everything up, and then the fair runs Thursday through Sunday. It all goes in reverse on Sunday evening, and just as suddenly, you wake up and there's nothing left but the old park in the center of town, empty except for a stray corn dog or gum newly stuck to your shoe.

Who's ready for summer!!!!

(From My Vintage Mending)

Currently wearing:  My go-to summer cotton dress, the Boden casual Jersey Dress. When you want something to knock around in, but sill look a little polished, you can't go wrong with this one. It's stretchy but not too stretchy, cool cotton jersey. I've been wearing them for several years. Boden comes out with new prints several times a year.

Each year at the beginning of summer, I gift myself with a new pair of Birkenstock sandals to relive my high school pseudo-hippie days  because I know I am too lazy to care to wear anything else. These aren't your hippie daughter's Birkenstocks though, they now come in sparkly, iridescent materials! My favorite style is the Mayari sandal. I purchased mine through J.Jill this year, but I have bought them in years past at Zappos as well. I've owned a silver pair and a gold pair and I must say, they really hold up. More substance than a basic flip-flop, but still the perfect slip-on for casual summer. This time around I chose a fresh pair in "Antique Lace." They're a perfect, crisp shade of cream with just the right amount of shimmer. I love them! And, since I am now slathering myself head to toe in white mineral sunscreen, I match my shoes. I think you'd like them too. 

Currently testing out:

Joico Color Endure Violet- Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner

Ok, I've taken the leap! You guys have told me on several occasions about Joico's SULFATE-FREE violet shampoo and condition. I've been meaning to give them a try for a while. I saw a nice deal on Amazon where for just over $39, you get giant 33.8 oz bottles of both the shampoo and conditioner. I'm going to test it out and see if it takes out the yellow, dull tones from my gray hair and makes it shinier! I will report back to you!

(Thank you Antique Clipart!)

Back to the Village Fair....

This morning I listened to the first podcast that was put out by Tilt Parenting.  It was life-changing. I was already exploring and heading towards the idea of changing my expectations and beliefs that I needed to control as much as I do, but Tilt's episode one: Margaret Webb on Parenting the Child You Didn't Expect When You Were Expecting,  solidified my plans. If you have a "differently Wired Child," a child with learning differences, emotional special needs, one who is gifted or 2e or  ADHD or on the spectrum, please take a listen, I think you will really really enjoy it. This podcast is all about finding peace and relishing in the joy of your uniquely different child, and meeting them where they are at rather than trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It's also about letting go on some control and taking an introspective look at yourself! For a long time, once homeschooling began, I felt like I must, I must, I must "have school at home." Not only did that makes for conflict and tears, but Noah shut down from learning. It's only when I started to relax and realize that I wasn't going to get anywhere "trying" to force him to learn and retain knowledge, that I began to work collaboratively with him, asking Noah to lead with his passions, and that is where true learning started. I am not a radical unschooler, I am not even technically and "unschooler," but these days, I see myself as a mix of an eclectic, homeschooler and an interest-lead unschooler, and it works!  

I've been very curious for quite a while about Sarah Janisse Brown's series of homeschooling journals. For example, I've had my eye on the following:

Homeschooling Boys - Library Based Curriculum Journal: 60 Day Plan - For Active and Adventurous Learners (Volume 1)

Sarah is a pen and ink artist, writer and homeschooling mother to nine! She travels around the world with her family living and learning. Here is a short blurb from her Amazon page: " The Brown family started The Thinking Tree Publishing Company in 2009 and they publish outside-the-box curriculum and dyslexia therapy books. They focus on the needs of active and creative children who learn differently.  "

Her journals really spoke to me. Essentially, I want to be teaching Noah a love for reading, (which he honestly already has thankfully) how to write proficiently, and most of all, to enjoy LEARNING, seeking out knowledge in an independent and deep way. These journals do a great job at fostering that!. Essentially, each week the journal asks the child to go to the library and choose eight or nine books on different subjects that they would like to learn about. Then, the journals lead them through gentle exercises in retelling what they have learned.

I'd love to purchase a journal for Noah for the next school year as his favorite way to learn is to read and discuss! (By the way, we use the Life of Fred curriculum for math and ADORE it. More on that in another post.)

This morning though, since I do not own a journal yet, I made my own, little "Sarah Janisse Browm-esq" adventure into learning. I told Noah that we were going to go to the library and that his mission was to choose at least two books on any science topic or topics that he would like to learn more about, and at least two books on any history/current event topic or topics that he would like to know more about. The hope is, to get Noah inspired! To help him cultivate deep interests and enthusiasm for new topics.

So he rode his bike to the library, and I walked. We are very lucky to live two blocks away. That is when we saw that the FAIR had quietly ridden in during the night. Magic!

We spent a bit of time in the children's room, looking up call numbers, perusing different sections, choosing books, and staring out the window. It is not everyday that you see the Golden Sphinx ride from the non-fiction section. :)

What library excursion is not complete with bike riding at daring speeds before heading home?

Here is the boy's haul! I know these aren't all the thick textbooks of some fifth graders, but I figure knowledge is knowledge, learning is learning no matter what form it takes. And besides, his "novel," one from the Percy Jackson series is a whopping 550+ pages, so I figure he has that end covered.

Noah knew that he wanted to learn about dogs for science this week. We found the section and then I began asking him questions like: What do you want to learn about dogs? Their history, about different breeds? How to train them? Without a moment's hesitation he said: "I'd like to learn about service dogs and other working dogs!" So a short chapter book of working dog stories and an adorable sweet book called " Brave Dogs, Gentle Dogs- How they Guard Sheep," came home with us. (Awwww. ) In addition, Noah wanted to learn about city infrastructures, and what lies underground! We found two great books with diagrams and technical drawings. Everything from sewer systems to subways to the mechanics of  foundations for great big skyscrapers. On the history end, there was a book about medieval castles and because one of his greatest interests lies in Greek mythology, a book on ancient Greece and also one on ancient Rome, "for comparison." I slipped in a book on the history and meaning of the summer solstice, as we're upon it, and read to him over lunch. It was lovely!

And now my fingers are tired from typing and Jon is home getting dinner started. I need to go help. Tonight is a new recipe that we're trying. Thai Noodle Bowls with Almond Butter Tofu by the Minimalist Baker. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Until Next time!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox,

Lauren

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Opening Of the Season

(I'm ready for this view!!!)

I've been quiet around here, I know. So much has happened this past year, enough to not only squash my happy plans to blog regularly, but also to entirely change my life.  In general, I am a "glass is half full" kind of person. I like to look on the bright side! I still am this type of person, but the past ten months have worn me down. I'm exhausted, I feel sad.

Yet, life goes on. As we turn the corner on the school year and today, Memorial Day, marks the opening of the summer season, I look ahead with hope.

Noah has been struggling this year. It's been so complex and unrelenting. When his severe anxiety kept him from attending school, I became a homeschooling Mom. When I became a homeschooling Mom, Noah's anxiety and sadness and frustration made it very very very difficult to get through to him and to "teach." I felt trapped and confused. I still do in a way. Many kind people have mentioned what a "good" Mom I am to homeschool my child when he had special emotional needs. The truth is though, it has nothing to do with being a good mother or a bad one, I simply had no choice. No matter what we tried or what wonderful educator, doctor or specialist we've worked with, nobody has been able to get Noah back into school yet. I have wanted to stop homeschooling and I do believe that Noah would be better off not at home everyday, but I have no choice.

Luckily, in March we met a wonderful new friend and former teacher from Noah's school, Kevin. While I do homeschool, or at least try to homeschool Noah, five times a week, around 1:30, I take him to Kevin's for socializing with other homeschooling kids like him, and for educational support.

June 12th is our last day. I will miss the interaction. Because of his anxiety, we've yet been able to sign Noah up for day camp or a sports team or a class for the summer. Now it will just be he and I again. Day in and day out. He's not a huge fan of leaving the house, not very into being social, and has a deep aversion to traveling far. 

On top of this, be it part of his sadness or just normal, eleven-and-a-half-year-old, "tween" behavior, but Noah is also quite annoyed and frustrated with me, and even the simplest of requests cause him to baulk disproportionately to the request. This is where my worn out part comes from. 

All we can and will do is keep working on things. Keep striving to understand Noah's personality and meet his needs. Keep up with our support team and friends and have, as I said before, hope. Hope that it'll get easier and that with age and reasoning, Noah's anxiety will wain a bit, as it did for myself around the age of thirteen or fourteen. I have hope.

In the meantime, Jon and I have been re-writing our new normal. We drive more, to and from Kevin's and appointments. We've learned to stop pushing our child to do things that he's not ready or able to do. Our expectations are different and my personal boundaries are different. This is a blessing. I used to say "yes" to everything, even when it was too much for me. Now I say "no" all of the time, both because I want to and I need to. You know those times in life when you're just trying to survive? That's where I am, and "no" is a lifesaver. 

I've found some great online groups for parents with children who have emotional and/or learning differences and needs. Those who are "differently wired." We share stories, listen and swap helpful ideas. Recently I've been really enjoying Tilt Parenting's website and podcast, both are upbeat, inspiring resources.

Things have a way of working out, I believe it. Once we're able to get Noah feeling happier, less worried, then everything will be better. In fact, I kind of really like so many aspects of the homeschooling world and my new life.

As the school year is winding down and I will soon have more time on my hands, I realize how important it is to take short breaks and care for myself and for Jon. Of course as a Mom, I feel completely wrong and guilty worrying about "self-care, " but it is so incredibly important. I can't remember, I honestly can not remember the last time that Jon and I have been out for a "date night" or away from Noah other than his trips to Kevin's. We need to start figuring out the logistics of getting away for coffee or dinner from time to time, and maybe even a short trip. That would be amazing.

Also, on the same front, I've come to understand that it truly is, as they say,  "the little things in life."  The little things like the changing of the seasons and watching birds at my feeder or baking a cake, they make me feel so happy!!! \(^-^)/

I need to celebrate the small things, I whole-heartedly intend to! 

(I have never seen our wisteria vine so in bloom. It was amazing!!!)

As today is a day of remembrance for those who served so bravely in our military, and as the symbolic opening of the summer season here in the US, I pronounce this the start of my "Celebrate the Small Things Season!"  I don't even know exactly what that means, but I'd love to write about small joys that come with every time of the year, because I am CRAZY for seasons and holidays. 

Of course, I'll still write about gray hair too. Don't worry.

A few more items of business. For posterity's sake. In the past month, I have gotten in a small car accident, found out that I had basal cell on my forehead, had Mohs surgery to remove it, shattered my cell phone and broke our blinds. It was a strange, LONG month. Honestly, I love the mystical , astrological concept of "mercury in retrograde," that everything goes haywire during these periods several times a year, but I did not believe it until this past retrograde, which happened exactly when all the bad things were going on. Now I truly truly wonder... 

Traffic suddenly stopped and I rear-ended a service van going about ten miles an hour. Luckily nobody was hurt, thank God. Unluckily, I had a rather large bruise in the shape of a steering wheel across my chest for a week and cause $9,000 worth of damage to my car. Luckily, I have insurance.

I have been going for regular skin checks at my dermatologist for the past ten years, every six months, solely due to an obsessive skin cancer fear. Ironically, last month, I was diagnosed with skin cancer! It's too scary and upsetting to talk about much, but I am so so so thankful that my dermatologist listen to my concern when I came in with a small, pink spot above my eyebrow that was a little dry. I thought at most it was an actinic keratosis, a sun spot, but to my shock, it was a bit of basal cell. I was very lucky to find it early. Two weeks later I had what is called "Moh's Surgery," where they take thin layers of your skin until they have clear margins on all sides of your spot. Everybody could not have been nicer during my procedure. I was there for four hours and left with a fairly long incision from the side of my left eye, up around my eyebrow and ten stitches. Although my spot was small, the surgeon needed to make a longer incision so that the sutures could lay flat. Something like that. I'm missing part of my eyebrow, but it will grow back. I just had my stitches removed and I look a bit scary, but over time, knock-on-wood, I hope my scar will fade. In fact, I just purchased some recommended scar therapy patches, so that's good!

I have been pretty careful with sunscreen and sun hats as an adult, but during my teenage days, I went to lake Michigan too often without sunscreen. Please friends, be careful out in the sun, and if you do enjoy the rays, find a good dermatologist that you can trust. It's so important. <3 p="">

Here's my small thing for today, to celebrate the coming of summer! 

This is my happy place. :)

A little hobby that many of you know I have had for nearly five years. I make original window decorations for the children in the nursery school two doors down. They take almost daily walks for big portions of the year and it seems that they enjoy the ever changing decorations that I put up. I also make my creations for the many passers by that we get as we're on a sort of walking path. So many nice people have taken the time to stop and say that they have fun waiting and seeing what the next theme will be.

So for the month of June, or summer if I become too lazy, the theme is....honey bees!

I like how things turned out this time around. It's truly easy. All you need is some colored paper, a glue stick, some scissors or an exact-o knife. I also use double-sided tape and sometimes glitter and markers. Having a creative outlet in my life is not only essential for me, but one of my very favorite things.

It feels incredibly nice to at least try to make other people smile, and in the meantime make your house a cozy home. Anyone can do it, why don't you give it a try to celebrate summer!?

Until Next Time,

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo,

Lauren 

A Peaceful and Happy Summer

Friends, Romans, country ladies, lend me your ears......

I am coming to you today from my backyard. Purchasing new outdoor pillows to replace our old, moldy, chipmunk-eaten outdoor pillows was the best decision I have ever made. Today marks day one of the new school year and I hope to spend a lot more time here, on this wicker love-seat, underneath the wisteria-vine covered pergola. With Josie, trying to type for a few, but also involved in an intense game of soggy tennis ball toss. 

(This is where I'm typing from)!

This morning I have already exercised, gotten cleaned up and ready for the day, helped a brand new FIFTH GRADER and his Dad get out the door, folded laundry, cleaned the kitchen, AND went out for a few groceries, toiletries and gym shoes for school. WOOT! Give it up for Mom! Apparently on her game today! (I hope I can keep this productivity up).

So while that was all awesome and great, now the lure of scrambled eggs for lunch is almost too much for me, so I'll be a woman of few(er) words than usual today. Here's an abridged wrap-up of the second half of our summer. It was truly a nice one, but I am looking forward more than I can say for fall and cooler temperatures. Here, this week, we'll be hovering around 90 degrees each day. And Noah's excited for fall too! It made me incredibly happy to see him so happy when he smiled and gladly went back to school today. Noah told me that he couldn't wait to hug his teachers and friends.

This summer, in a nut shell, was pretty quiet. That's a good thing! Noah took a ceramics class and did some day camp. We swam and relaxed and went to the park and visited with friends. It was peaceful and nice.

It was a very dog-dominated summer in a way. We were either walking with the dog, letting the dog out, telling her to stop barking or snuggling. She's extra good at snuggling. 

The largest bit of commotion came in the form of our deck being ripped off and then re-built! When Jon and I bought our house, it was in need of much TLC, inside and out. We needed to gut the inside, and re-side and paint and roof the outside. One of the only projects that we didn't do was replace our  rotting deck. It was a good, old deck, but weather and wear eventually made it time. Well, when our feet started going through a few rotted out boards, it was really time!

We'd been saving up and planning to do this for a while. We decided to do the deck and the backyard all in one sweep. This is the new cedar deck, it smells SO GOOD! 

We had to replace our retractable awing and patio umbrella as well. I have to tell you, for those of you who have sunlight that really streams in and heats up your house in the summertime, these retractable awnings are really amazing at keeping the temperature down when you want it. At first I was unsure of the awning that came with our house, but I quickly understood how helpful it can be!

Also, I found outdoor pillows for the deck furniture, the chaise lounges and the seating area underneath the pergola, all about 1/2-off on Amazon! 

Jon and I spent two, full, long days out in the yard, trying to weed and prune, wash and paint. Basically, attempting to fix the back up! We washed all of our furniture with scrub brushes and soap. Jon painted our patio set and a little bench that I've had and stained the chaise lounges.

(I need to do something with this corner...)

(Come sit and read!)

My favorite part was weeding and clearing our little pebble path and trimming the dead branches off all of the trees and bushes. That was fun! Now our "secret garden" is looking a little bit tidier, but there's always more to do.

We took part in a deal to join a local swim club for the month of August. We belonged when I was a kid, and this very same cement dolphin was there! And I was in love with him!

Each time we went, I'd have these grand plans to relax poolside with a magazine or book and my crochet. And each time, I'd last about ten minutes before the heat got to me and I would jump in.

Speaking of crochet, I whipped up the world's easiest little cardigan and the pattern was FREE!!! I made mine a cropped cardigan and I chose not to make the sleeves long. I need to get a picture, but in the end, I sewed on an acorn and some oak leaf appliques. You can watch the video with free patter from Wooly Wonders Crochet HERE!

For my September window decorations, I went with a school and apples theme.

I put them up today! They came out nicely if I say so myself! I'll put up some pictures of them in the fall decorations post I'd like to write. The jug of cider and donuts is from a much beloved, little cider mill around here. 

This summer I got glasses!!! I began wearing glasses at age three. Over time my eyesight became stronger until I had 20/20 vision in my 20's. Now though, I'm getting a little far-sighted again. I was hesitant about wearing glasses, but I'm glad that I got my eyes checked, and just like gray hair, glasses can be something fun and expressive about yourself too!

Another thing that happened is that we went up north! "Up north" is what we Michiganders call northern Michigan, a place where many of us vacation on the great lakes or various inland waters. There are sandy beaches and lots of pine trees. My father lives quite far up north on a bay of Lake Michigan. My Mother vacations at a nice lake in the woods, about three and a half hours north of where we live.

In August, Jon and I packed up the car, the Noah and the Josie, and we headed up north. The cats stayed home with our new cat sitter. (It was hard to leave them, but I'm glad we actually got away). Noah was very prepared for vacation in his Hawaiian shirt and ukulele.....?

Josie was strapped into her doggy car seat and she did so well all the way there and back. She just slept!

Our bedroom opened onto this screened in porch, that opens up onto a deck with the lake below. It was extra pretty in the morning and we even heard the calls of the Loons! It's just like On Golden Pond.

There were bonfires and boating, a walk around the lake, cooking, reading, spending time with friends and skipping rocks. It was such a nice time and such a nice summer!

Until next time, enjoy these warm end of summer days!!!

xoxoxo,

Lauren :)

A Caravanning We Will Go !!??

(This adorable, sweet vintage Shasta trailer named Buttercup was found on Rollin' Oldies Vintage Trailers.com)

Our family is a little weird. We're not exactly like most of the other families I see around here. I don't know why we're different, but we just are. I'm not saying that we're bad different, in fact, I rather think we're very nice people, but we're just...I don't know....not regular?

What I mean is, for example, we only have one child by choice. This might not be so odd to you, but it's less common here in suburbia. Also, our kid has always refused to join a soccer team or a baseball team or other organized sports that are so so popular in our neck of the woods. They're almost like an elementary school right of passage! I'm not the type of parent to force my child to do something he truly doesn't want to do, so instead Noah takes to solitary sports, like (LOL) rollerblading, bike riding and swimming for fun. He also runs like the wind. So we can't really join in all of the baseball and soccer conversations and camaraderie with our friends.

Other weird things about us is that we don't own a minivan, our idea of fun is finding books on the "Just In!" shelf at the library, and I'm afraid of the sun. (But only because of Melasma. I get what looks like mustache when I spend too much time in the sun. It's just gorgeous if you can imagine).  And most of all, other families like to travel, and they go on these intense vacations and do things like camp or visit monuments and state parks. I don't know, we just don't travel much. Well, except for one year when we took Noah to New York City (family wedding), San Francisco (business trip) and Toronto (4-day mini-vacation), but that was a fluke. 

We just don't travel much for a whole slew of reasons, and I'm not saying they're great reasons, but they're our reasons. One is that, (sorry Noah) our child has historically been the LEAST adaptable, most ridged person I have ever met when it comes to vacations. We eventually gave up on even "trips" to the zoo until he was older. We tried going to Cleveland when he was 8-months old and turned back around the next day. He used to scream in his carseat and to this day, we've never been able to get him to sleep in a pack-and-play. (Not that we're still trying). So, after a few miserably failed travel attempts before the age of two, we really started to pull back. Several years later we tried again. I will protect Noah's privacy, but let's just say that days without sleeping and an aversion to anybody's toilet except your own, really puts the brakes on a vacation. Then when he was five, we had to go for a week to New York City for a big family wedding. Ask our child what happened when on the first day there,he got a grass stain on his stroller's footrest and what he proceeded to do for the following six days. It was not so easy. At least we can all laugh about it now.

Anyway, that was probably too much explanation, but the point is, for as much a homebody as Noah is, I'm probably and even bigger one! ;)

I know, I know, it's not good. It's important to be open to change, to be adaptable. I get it. The world is big and great and our oyster. I totally understand and agree and want to be a world traveler.  There's just something so cozy and easy about home and something totally exhausting when I think about "vacationing" with a child.

The other issues that we have is our pets. I love our cats Hector and Willow, and our dog Josie. I didn't realize how much they would keep us from traveling though. My Mom has always been willing to visit the cats twice a day (this was before we also had Josie) and I have even found and interviewed a very nice pet sitting service as a back-up. But, for whatever reason, on the rare occasions that we do go somewhere, I worry that the cats are lonely or that  that think we abandoned them! (For what it is worth, they're both rescues with handicaps. Hector is blind and Willow has a strange eye-wiggle, neck tilt. They're both ok though). Ask Jon though, about our second lovely trip to Toronto and what he thought of Noah and I leaving a teary message on the answering machine to the cats the second night, and then crying ourselves to sleep. I'm sure he'd LOVE to re-live that memory.

Now we have Josie though, and my whole perspective has changed! I think if we went on vacation and took the dog with us or sent her to my Mom's, the cats would actually THANK US for leaving! Really. No puppy = CAT'S VACATION!!! So, I think now I'd be ok leaving the cats for a week or so.

But then there's the dog. Who, is way too over-attached to us, or is it the other way around......?

Another reason we don't travel much, is because I don't care for flying very much. I mean, I WILL fly, but I still dislike everything about it. So, it's not like I start jumping up and down and beg to go to Cancun as soon as I see that Delta's running a deal. I'll get on a plane though. I've been to Europe, back and forth to California several times, New York a bunch and other places. It's just that I'm claustrophobic , and can feel nauseatingly seasick and most of all, I'm not in control and I hate that.
(Note to self: another one to work on).

And the last reason that we don't travel that often is just because of cost. While I'm sure that we could probably plan and save and budget for some travel, it just always seems like there are other things in life that we need to pay for first. We chose to buy the house that we love, but one that requires a lot of repair and maintenance. Having a child is expensive too and cars and school and summer camp and pets and a Cinnamon Toast Crunch habit. So travel doesn't come first,  and when it does, it's not one plane ticket, it's three. It's nine meals a day, it's three travel size tubes of Crest!

I'm rambling, aren't I?  So the whole darn point is, Noah is ten and I have come to realize that #1.) it's OK to be a little different, BUT #2.) soon he is going to be all grown up and I desperately want to make more family memories while we still can!!!!

If Noah turns out to be anything like Jon, then in four short years he will be stubborn and crabby and curmudgeon when we try to drag him to Disney World. So, we need to hurry up and just go do something.

(From Lucy Lord's Flickr!)

Every 4th of July, some of our very best friends in the world go on an annual camping trip in northern Michigan. Actually, lots and lots of our friends and they're all families. Every year we decide to stay home. One, because we can be lazy homebodies, two because four or five days with twenty+ people sounds completely overwhelming, three because ticks, four because we don't own ANY camping gear and $$$$, and fifth but most of all!......OUT HOUSES AND PORT-A-POTTIES!  Noah and I can not, we just can not set foot in them. And NO I DID NOT TEACH HIM THIS!!! I swear!!! He's never even seen me in a situation where I needed to use one. Noah was born, like I was, instinctively knowing that port-a-potties and outhouses have the potential to be stinky and/or not "the cleanest". Honestly, it's an nature, not nurture.

My friend, the ring-leader of this whole camping trip even called the park owner and convinced him to deliver my own, private port-a-potty, which was SO nice but over the top and I didn't know if it was just a ploy to get me there. And besides, I could TOTALLY see my friends bugging me to use my  "private bathroom" instead of sharing their port-a-potties with twenty little kids with terrible aim. 

But, all of this said, I really want to be able to go and spend time with our friends and try their version of camping. I've even gotten over my fear of wearing a bathing suit in front of them when I realized that they don't care if I have cellulite.

*******************************************************************************

The idea started rolling through my head a few years ago when I saw an episode of the Inbetweeners. The one where they go to a "Caravan Club." (That dirty show. I know).

And it only solidified more in my mind as something we might want to try as a family when I started reading about the beloved "Connievan" on the blog Attic24. 

Hmmmm....I thought, maybe there is something to all of this "Caravanning." I think in the U.S. it's called......well, they aren't RV's so it's not RV'ing here in the United States. I think we call them "trailers" here. This is how truly little I still know about the whole thing. I think though, some aspects of "trailering" or caravanning or whatever it is, sounds really nice! Especially the vintage-y, shabby chic details.

(From HearthandMade.co.uk)

If you go caravanning, you can have adventures, but you can still take the dog. It saves money on hotel rooms, and you don't have to barf on a plane! And, the best part, you always take your own bathroom with you! You can even go camping on the 4th of July so your friends don't hate you for missing yet another year!

And then, then I saw this, short video. Very short. Please watch. It made me realize that not only does caravanning help you make memories, but it teachers you how to be more flexible and adaptable and step outside your....well, i was going to say "box" but I'll just start with..... it will get me to step outside my "HOUSE". And lord knows that especially Noah and I could learn to push our boundaries a bit and become more adaptable. At least practice.

Not only would we learn to be more "go-with-the-flow," but Noah could meet lots of kids and ride his bike around and play! Something that there isn't a lot of opportunity for in our neighborhood. I could see myself trying to relax with a good book or a crochet project and Jon BBQ'ing or reading while we all sit in the woods! I'll be sure to wear long pants, and I'll make Noah and Jon and Josie wear them too. Because ticks. I even told Jon that I would let him play his Motown music the entire time, and I'd start eating hot dogs again, off sticks! Over a fire! And we'd all drink Tang.

so, see, it might be a great idea! I even started a VINTAGE CAMPER PINTEREST BOARD last year. Look how cute and comfy these things can be!

(From The Beehive Cottage.)

TRAAAA- LA -LA........

(From Cornbread and Beans Quilting.)

LA -LA-LU-LEE......

Lah-di-dah. Lah-di-dah......

(From Cassiefairy.com)

And then, this week, the universe spoke! The universe knows that we have no idea how to restore and fix up a vintage trailer. (Or anything for that matter). We have zero idea of what we'd have to do to get a camper in shape and I'd have to guess, even armed with Time Life "How To" books, we'd be in over our heads.

Enter..... THE SHASTA AIRFLYTE 1961 Re-RELEASE!!!!!

It's almost too good to be true! If you can believe it, for the past couple of years, Shasta has been making reproductions of their famous 1961 model Airflyte. Isn't that COOL!!!!???? You get all of the vintage, but none of the falling apart! Plus, it does have modern safety standards and some modern "conveniences" like air condition, a microwave oven and a nice stove and fridge. I can't believe that I'm saying this, but it's pretty neat!

Here's a video of their almost finished first pro type a couple of summers ago. It's all done now and on sale! Look at this great Facebook page for Shasta Airflyte enthusiasts! 

Think of all the places we could roam! First I'd take Noah and Josie up north, then we'd go to Maine and through Vermont and New Hampshire. Maybe somewhere warm over winter break or to Pennsylvania to see family. Maybe next summer the Grand Canyon or Route 66.

Where would you go?

What I'd like to ask you my fine readers, is have any of you had experience with campers or trailers or RV's or caravans with your family? Do you recommend this type of hobby? Do you have some special advice or input?

School ends on Wednesday, so we're ready for summer and whatever adventure it may bring! Thank you for reading my rambling post about rambling. More soon.

Until next time, be yourself and enjoy the open road....your own way. :)

xoxoxoxoxoxo,

Lauren