Summer Nights and Baseball

It has been said that baseball is the all-American past time and in the present it is as summer as ice cream cones, watermelon, and bike rides.

Tuesday nights are spent at the ball field watching my Mariah & Jeremy play ball. 

There is something nostalgic about being at a ball field. I played when I was young and my dad played ball throughout my youth. Now I sit watching my daughter and her husband play with the familiar sounds of a bat striking a ball, the sound of a ball landing in a glove, the calls of the umpire and the echo of "good game, good game, good game."

My mom and dad, brother and nephew present, I see a granddad doing his best to keep his grand baby happy and quiet as its mom and dad are playing on the team. And it hits me ... that is going to be my responsibility one day. I. Cannot. Wait. 

Oh, Hot and Sunny Summer Day

Oh, hot and sunny summer day ...

       My day off  ...

            Brooke is at work ...

                the house is peaceful and quiet ...

                     the windows open ...

                          and I have an entire day to play.

Some days need to be taking advantage of and there is so much to do, so much I like to do. So many choices, so I will say a quick prayer to make the most of today.

Sunshine. Active. Adventure. 

Work hard. Play harder.

The Cool Mom/Mother-in-Law

Getting herself a new bike for her birthday, Mariah and Jeremy have been talking about wanting to go biking and try new trails. 

[Insert mom with new biking transportation, hitch and bike rack]

We rode approximately 24 miles in some pretty intense summer heat.

They loved experiencing a new biking path and are excited to go back and liked the fact they could stop for refreshments midway. 

This is us at the end of our biking adventure. 

I love it that I am the cool mom/mother-in-law. I am a mom when they need anything and a friend they like doing things with. 

Always hugging affectionate, I love it when I dropped them off and we are all happily chatting when Mariah says, "I love you" and Jeremy chimes right in saying goodbye and says, "love you." 

They are both so wonderful and I am so blessed.

I love their active lifestyle and they are fun to be with. Theirs will be a fun-filled life of adventure and that doesn't get any better.

Paddle Board Yoga

I never knew how much I was going to enjoy paddle boarding. 

   Calm and balance.

        Serenity of gliding on top of an ecosystem.

            Splashing of the paddle cutting through water ...

                 and nature the only sounds to hear.

                     Peace and tranquility.

A perfect setting for paddle board yoga.

It reminds of of getting a massage on the sandy beaches of Cancun and Puerto Vallarta with the ocean only steps away. Setting is everything, it heightens the experience. 

Wunning

I love mornings! I love summer mornings when Brooke has left for school, I open the windows to feel the fresh outdoor air and hear the summer sounds you can hear only when the house is quiet.

Ahhhh ... the sunshine.

I choose my morning form of exercise and just as I am running back down my street, a text comes through, "Are u wunning?"

I laughed and replied, "Yes!"

Wunning is what I am calling my walk/runs. It is me doing my morning miles walking and when I feel like it I run. This removes the stress of feeling as if I have to run the whole time when I flat out don't enjoy it, then my Nike app gauges how I did and it reports I did slightly better or worse than the last time.

Technology can remove all the joys of simply being and I am winning because I am motivated and moving.

Just go for a walk.

Just go for a run.

Just go for a bike ride.

I don't need a technology device to pull artificial intelligence to track if I did well or not.

Happiness is a frame of mind.

Selfless

Brooke is taking Child Development this semester and is clear about the fact that she is not interested in having kids due to her career aspirations of Marine Biology and wanting a life of travel; however, her sister, Mariah, wants six (6) kids and so is prepping to love them like her own and help her sister.

The first project is what qualities to you makes a good parent?

Brooke's #1 answer is Selfless. Then comes in this order:  Patient, soothing, loving, gentle, playful, passionate, calm, quick to action and giving.

Quite honestly, I am shocked giving came last. Brooke's strongest love language is gifts.

A project had to be created on her #1 answer to the greatest attribute of a parent: Selfless

Selfless is a mom who loved her little girl so much that she gave everything she had, she said even if money was tight she gave it all to her little girl and created a whole universe for her little girl to live free, play and be happy.

In the photo, it is a mom holding the moon in her right hand, her hair is the sun and next to her is her little girl. Saturn is her head looking like a floppy beach sun hat as she twirls playfully holding on her dress with a magic wand of a star in her hands happy and free.

I love her perspective.

Biking Adventures

My Jeep purchased, the hitch installed and a bike rack. 

It's time for biking adventures! 

The summer before last was when I fell in love with biking. I hadn't rode a bike since I was a kid, then bought a Trek Verve, added biking accessories and spent that summer doing day trips to different destinations to bike. 

It was fun seeking new places and days spent in healthy quality time. 

Then the summers just became filled with other things. 

While I ride my 8-mile path around the lake almost every day, I miss my day trip adventures.

A Jeep Grand Cherokee is luxury meets adventure. I am still excited every time I sit in it and still send up "thank you's" to God for this most perfect vehicle. 

It is now ready and equipped and I am excited and embrace new biking adventures!

Freedoms Shores

Driving a cool car, a good class schedule, early release, and a super cute boy from Denmark with an accent into her and telling her she is beautiful, we are off to an excellent start with the 2016-2017 school year!

Quickly making new friends, tons of attention now that she has come into her own with 'her look' and being witty, funny and smart, the guys are paying attention.

She is shining.

I am smiling.

Me, my toes are in freedoms shores. Do I want to bask in the sun, go on an adventure, or twirl with my arms open wide and my face to the Son embracing this new season.

1st Day of School

It's the most wonderful time of the year ...

The 1st day of school.

Brooke is now a Junior, an upper class man, and excited to sport her new mode of transportation.

Me? I've always embraced and celebrated the first day of school and cannot even relate to those mothers who are sad their kids are leaving the house. Structure is good, too much free time isn't. Get a hobby and stop living vicariously through your kids.

Ahhhhh ... the house is quiet.

Welcome 2016-2017 school year!

Be of good cheer, it's the most wonderful time of the year.

Warrior Dash 2017

There is simply nothing else like it, Warrior Dash is the muddiest and the funniest summer event!

I declined on competing in the event this year and really wish I had. It was a blast to watch. The weather perfect, thousands mud-covered, the music awesome and I liked the pretzel beer. Pretzel beer, I know right!

I'm in 2017 ...

A Double Birthday

 Plus ...

Equals a double birthday celebration for my beautiful Mariah now 21 years old and my handsome son-in-law Jeremy now 34.

A sparkling juice toast for her to welcome 21 and chopped salted almonds for him for our mutual favorite, chocolate ice cream with salted almonds.

Perfect weather, a cookout, corn hole, a bonfire and a burning of a bee hive made a fun-filled, relaxed family evening.

This photo I will title 4 Generations, because that's what this momma is praying for! 

Happy birthday, Mariah & Jeremy, I love you both!

A Perfect Vehicle

I found it!

After weeks of searching, days spent hitting countless car dealerships, testing driving, salesmen becoming a blur of business cards and hours upon hours of online searches, I found it. A Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with a pewter-like exterior, black leather interior with ALL the bells and whistles (including a few features I've never had before) is now nestled in my garage.

My payment? Significantly less than I was hoping/wanting to pay. It's perfect. Thank you, God!

Vehicle hunting is no easy task. As I bounced between new and used, I found myself nit-picking in frustration. I wouldn't like the color of the exterior or the interior, it didn't have all the features I wanted to justify a payment. I knew I would know it when I saw it and I did.

Cargurus.com is a goldmine for viewing what is out there dealership or privately owned. It searches vehicles according to Great Price! Good Price! Fair Price! and below value. My Jeep fell under a Great Price! search and I found it an hour away. Doing a 500 mile search, I did not find another like it close to the price. That is thorough car shopping [happy dance].

A new milestone in life has been reached.

Brooke now has the Honda CRZ and we are equal in happiness when it comes to her new freedom of having her own car embracing independence and I find myself feeling as if I am in my 20's again except it's ever better!

It's better because my home is established, I'm in the groove of a career I enjoy, my youngest daughter stepping into transportation freedom, working and embracing her freedoms positions me to wake up, stretch my arms and ask myself ...

"What do I want to do today?"

I know exactly what I want to do! Put a hitch on my Jeep, get the bike rack I want and start biking my favorite biking paths.

A Car for Brooke

When I wanted to get a kitten after Sammy Blue died, I did state-wide searches for Ragdoll kittens and was frustrated with one obstacle after another. So I made praying my foundation and although it took a bit of time, I found my Finneaus King Solomon whom I love.

It's time for Brooke to get a car now that she is working and starts school next week.

I feel as if I am on the total freedom home stretch with her almost 17 years old and becoming more independent. Her wants, I've always provided, are now being purchased through her own paychecks.

She is embracing and loving the beauty of working = having. She sure likes to have and that alone will be justification, motivation and inspiration to work.

She needs a car.

I certainly am not a car expert, so I am tapping into a lot of prayer to find the perfect car situation for both her and I, as I did with finding my sweet boy Finneaus.

A lot of prayer has lead to avenues opening and I am learning more in this car buying arena that I would really rather pass off to someone who enjoys this far more than me.

The goal is to make wise financial decisions while sitting in a vehicle I am excited and happy to drive for years to come.

And so my search continues ...

6 Weeks

I have been faithful in biking my 8-miles 4-5 days a week, walking my 2.35 miles, and occasionally incorporating running where I have found a walk/run system that actually works for me.

My bodies response, nothing.

Frustration kicks in and a memory is triggered around the 4-week mark. History reminds me that it used to take 6-weeks of pretty intense workouts before my body responds as if it realizes I've been doing something.

Push through, push through, two more weeks pass.

Ahhhhhh... there it is... down 3 lbs in a week.

I can feel it in my clothes, too.

Frustration is being replaced with hope and motivation.

Actively Doing My Thing

Actively doing my thing, I find myself with a fresh perspective, able to view upcoming scenery and arms open for a better life than the one I now enjoy.

I saw her from afar
     enjoying life to the fullest
         moving confidently
             through her dreams
                  weaving new dreams
              arms open
           as if expecting
         more blessings than she could hold
     and I wanted her ...
   I wanted to drink from her life
 to taste
what she thought was so sweet
      I wanted to fall asleep
           hearing her laughter
               and wake up in her arms
                  so strong
              so warm
            so able to live
          and able to love at the same time ...
      I wanted to wander through
    the maze of her mind
 and discover each fascinating thought
         I wanted to know
                who she was ...
                      every facet
                           every flaw
                                every strength
                         every weakness ...
                     I wanted her to
                 need me
             to not need me
         to want me
      to not want me
              like an elusive butterfly
                    drawn to the color
                          of my love
                                already drunk
                                     from the honey of the Son
                               while she decides
                           whether to alight
                    and partake or not
               I have already decided.
       I want her ...

           - Michelle McKinney Hammond