Stone Mountain Campground

Who would think that driving 65 miles would take.all.day.  Lessons learned: get ready to go first thing in the morning.  No, scratch that.  Correction: start getting ready the day(s) before.  Between storing items for safe travel, cleaning up (and down! Don’t get me started on the floors😳), and trying to savor the last bit of a great campsite, moving can take all day.  We took for granted that moving so close would take less time.  And by we, that really means me, as Chris was trying to hurry me along but I was insisting to finish cleaning before we left.)

We finally started driving at around 1:15 and arrived at our site at 5:45.  We traveled straight there! Our short little trip included awesome points like Atlanta rush hour traffic, navigation drama (our current system includes two cell phones, turn-by-turn directions that are supposedly RV safe, and an Apple map app), dumping our tanks on an incline, leveling with blocks (common, but this was a new one for us), and our favorite part: pulling our toy hauler onto a mountain road with an incline we weren’t sure our RV would be safe on.  At least we know how better to handle that last one (get out and check, check, check, and go SLOWLY).

After all that fun stuff, as soon as we got settled, the kids found LOTS of other kids to play with at this campground, and we hardly saw them all weekend.  They spent hours riding bikes and scooters around our loop with other kids and also fished and swam in the lake.

The highlight for me of our weekend at Stone Mountain was the light show.  The music and tributes to so many periods of time and different groups of people was incredible.  There was a laser light show projected onto the side of the mountain.  Even though all three of our kids were asleep by the end (it begins at 9:30), it was well worth our time.

The big boys all hiked to the top of Stone Mountain.  Apparently, the view was amazing, and the challenge of the hike was also fun for them.  Biking to and from the base of the mountain from our campsite was an added bonus, which sent them straight to the pool afterward.  Chris loved it so much he hiked to the top a second time alone.

Lastly about the campground there, the roads on the loop that our site was on were really old and had lots of potholes and roots that had destroyed them.  They were narrow and in two spots also included a questionable incline.  We were so nervous for the drive out of the campground.  But we made it due to Chris’s quickly evolving 5th wheel driving skills.  Wide turns, driving slowly, me watching from behind the whole time, and the big kids playing by the dock during the whole ordeal worked well for us all.  I’m glad we went, but I don’t want to go back to that campground with our current rig again.

We are all growing a lot from our experiences so far.  Growth is sometimes (often) painful, as we all know.  Still, I’m glad we are doing this together.

More Bolding Mill, please

On Tuesday we moved to site 26, on the lake.  We had our own little private beach/water access, which resulted in even more kayaking, swimming, fishing and rock skipping.  

The rest of the week was as amazingly rejuvenating as the weekend was.  Sadly, there were no spots available here for Friday and Saturday nights.  So after searching the Internet for hours, we finally settled on Stone Mountain Campground, which was a mere 65 miles away.  Sounds simple, right?  🤣 

Bolding Mill COE, we drove right back

During our first stay (1-night) stay at Bolding Mill COE, we hardly brushed the surface of what this campground offers for our family.  We had to hitch up and head to an appointment for our RV, which needs some repairs, but after the appointment, we drove right back.

Our second night at his campground, we stayed at site 55 because that’s the only site that was available over the weekend.  We weren’t sure if we would stay beyond Tuesday, so we booked site 55 until Tuesday.  Site 55 had a LOT of sunlight, zero shade, zero privacy, and no water access.  We could see why it was available over the weekend.   But we still enjoyed beIng at this campground.

We discovered the “beach” at Bolding Mill, which had zero sand but plenty of water.  The big boys went swimming, but to us Floridians it was difficult to enjoy this concrete “beach” for long.

J and I got up early the next morning and went for a bike ride around the campground.  We saw a dock across the water and decided to go around the lake and find the dock.  We went back to BG and picked up two fishing rods, L, J a bag of rice cakes and a jar of sun butter.  We biked down a wooded trail that led to a fishing dock.  We spent the rest of the morning by the dock and all ate rice cakes for breakfast.

The next couple of days involved many hours at the dock, kayaking, swimming, rock skipping, and playing with clay.  It was a beautiful and relaxing weekend.

Bolding Mill COE Campground, Gainesville, GA

Within an hour of our arrival, 3/5 of us were swimming in our private lagoon,
part of Lake Sidney Lanier. We stayed in Site 23.

Easy to get to, easy to drive through to our site, and amazing views of the lake.  Here we had our first family lake swimming experience (3 of us anyway), someone had their first marshmallow ever, and nature surrounded us in this, what felt like our own private getaway.  This was the perfect place for us to land after descending that mountain.  We only booked one night, but we decided we had to return.

My morning view.  We only stayed one night. Our outdoor setup is a work in progress.
But this was the best morning view yet, despite the wet clothes and styrofoam cooler (which the boys found in the woods).

Amicalola Falls State Park

My morning view at Amicalola Falls State Park - 4 mornings

Although the road to this site was more rough than we had imagined, we spent 4 nights at this mountaintop getaway.  This 4-night stay involved hiking, biking, clay-making, firefly catching, waterfall viewing, and other details I’ll write about at a later time. Suffice it to say that we will not be climbing too many more mountain roads like this one with our BG.

On the road. A.H. Stephens Historic State Park

Our morning view at A.H. Stephens Historic State Park, in Crawfordville, GA

While we stayed only one night here, on our way to the north Georgia mountains, we would go back. It was easy to get to, and we had the perfect first night on the road at this beautiful, well-kept campground east of Atlanta. We stayed in site 8.

We had hot dogs and burgers from the grill, roasted marshmallows, and sat by the fire. We felt the excitement of our first night camping as a family...finally our hard work was starting to pay off.

On our way to the campground, we stopped at our first backwoods country grocery store. It was fully stocked with everything some people might want, but it was far from what we were used to in northern Virginia or Florida. The most memorable item we bought was frozen country peas. When we ate them days later, the boys all went back for seconds and third of beans.

We prepared for months, sorting, donating, selling and paring down our possessions. We still own way too much. I’m embarrassed to say we moved in a 25 foot truck and filled it. I dream of going back to our storage unit one day with new perspective and getting rid of half or more of everything. But we were rushed toward the end. Or we didn’t keep our priorities in order. Of life just kept happening and then moving day came and we packed up what was left and put it away for safe keeping.

Saying goodbye again

It seems three years ago I wrote about saying goodbye to our friends in Monrovia, CA.  I was moved to tears today just re-reading the post, firstly because I still remember those special people and places and they hold a special place in my heart.  Secondly, we just moved again, away from more special people.  Let me take a moment to say how fortunate we have been to meet such adventurous and intelligent and kind and helpful and caring people in the towns where we have lived.

Tall trees

The house is silent, except for the intermittent heat clicking on and off. I think it's 30-something degrees outside.  I'm sitting alone drinking a cup of joe. And as I look out the large picture window, I think I may be on vacation. 

The trees are so, so, so tall. I can see the blue sky peaking around the branches with teeny tiny green buds.  This purple flower tree (I wish I were better about identifying trees!) is painted in front of the tall trees in the distance.  

The plentiful arrangement of tall trees, the almost-bare branches, the silent house, the space in time for noticing--this stuff happens on cabin vacations.  But I'm not on vacation! I'm sitting in my living room. 

Saying goodbye

This is our last night sleeping in this house that we have loved for 2-1/2 years.  Luke was in diapers when we arrived, and John was 3. We have made beautiful memories in this house, in our yard here, and in our neighborhood. I'm sad to say goodbye.  

We have been saying goodbyes all week, and the hardest ones seem to be coming last.  Yesterday we said goodbye to two boys with whom John and Luke spent almost 2 years riding bikes around town.  Today I said goodbye to a friend who I immediately liked the day we met, and we've gotten closer ever since.  Tomorrow we say goodbye to the boys' school and our special friends with whom  we have made so many memories and grown so much over the past couple of years.  Friday are the two hardest goodbyes. My heart hurts even thinking about it.

Play for our young children

"2007, the state board of education endorsed an initiative known as Ready Schools that had at its center the idea that schools should be made ready for children, rather than insisting children be ready for school."

I look forward to when more people in our culture become awakened to the fact that young children need to play, more than any academic "instruction."

http://leaders.edweek.org/profile/steve-oates-assistant-superintendent-of-elementary-administration-early-childhood-education/?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news1

Monrovia

What makes Monrovia, CA special?  

There is a downtown strip with mostly small, local businesses. There is restaurants galore, from sushi, Thai, Indian, tacos, a few pubs, and our favorite family-run Mexican restaurant, Rudy's. Rudy and his wife, their children, and their loyal staff all offer friendly service in a family friendly atmosphere. And the food is good, too!  Then there is Dollmakers' Kattywompus, or as we call it, "the toy store." I've never met a woman more passionate about toys than Cindy. She finds classic and unusual toys to fill any curious kid's desire. The store also offers classes from felting to singing, and the whole family participates to run the operation: yet another example of a hard working family that contributes to this strong community.  The skate shop, bicycle shop, coffee shop, and our favorite boutique, Charlie's House, also have added to our family's enjoyment of Monrovia.

The Library offers weekly storytimes that have included lively finger plays, open-ended crafts that appeal to multiple ages, and lots of moms, dads, grandparents and strollers. The summer library programs include reading programs with fun prizes, Lego building evenings, and science experiments.  

Library Park is a central meeting place for kids and their caregivers. Our two sons and their babysitter went to Library Park weekly for 2+ years and made memories that will last for years. Sunday evenings in summertime, you will find hundreds of concert-goers with blankets and chairs in front of the library stage enjoying music and community. The library lawn regularly has people blowing bubbles, playing games, and running around enjoying themselves.

Last but certainly not least, our family's Friday ritual for more than 3 years has been to attend the town's Friday night street fair and farmer's market. Every Friday, year round (all year!), vendors line a 4-block section of Myrtle Ave and sell food, handmade items, and other fun stuff.  There are at least 2 areas with live musical entertainment and all evening there are plenty of people to watch every Friday night.  "Festival Friday" has been our family's weekly highlight for years. I can't think of a recent Friday when we haven't announced to the kids that it's Festival Friday! Usually, they already know.

I'm sure I'm missing loads of important details here, but if I don't publish this entry tonight I may never do it!

We will miss you dearly, Monrovia, California. We will never be the same after having lived here.

Moving

We are relocating from a town we have grown to love. Right after we moved to Monrovia, CA, I felt it was different than any other town in which I had lived. It feels like a small town where you really know your neighbors. I remember walking down Myrtle Avenue soon after we had moved to Monrovia, and people were so friendly. They asked about our baby (then only a few months old) and about our recent move from Florida. On one particular walk to downtown/Myrtle, we were admiring a pepper plant in someone's yard as we walked by...the man came outside to say hi and to tell us about the pepper plant! I've known many friendly people in my life so far. But I've never known a town as friendly as Monrovia, CA.

Gordon Neufeld

I've recently been enjoying a new Happy Place: me...at the dining room table...with a jigsaw puzzle and an inspiring, educational video. I'm expanding my mind and studying something that inspires my daily interactions with people. I love puzzles and I love learning new things and hearing new ideas!

My parenting this week has been inspired by several Gordon Neufeld videos I've watched on YouTube.  The following videos, especially, have helped me to be a better leader this week. They are short and straight forward. Perhaps you may enjoy watching them, too.

Provide a Sense of Rest and Safety

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sBg08G6f-Qo

Bring Relief from Alarming Feelings and Build Resilience https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xH-yCqFgEjo

Gentle, Confident Leader

I realized today that, while I give our children lots of attention and love, I have work to do in consistently being their gentle, calm leader. After a relaxing weekend full of birthday parties and connecting down time, today I found it easy to be a calm, gentle leader. 

When I said no, I meant it and I stuck to it. When I spoke out loud of a plan, I had already thought it through and made the decisions. Negotiation was attempted, and tears were shed, but through it all, I maintained that I was the grown-up in charge.

This strategy took us through even a successful visit to the dentist, and I was the patient. The boys were calm and patient, almost the entire hour of waiting. And they got to see my teeth in a whole new way!

I think my decisive leadership was well-received. I hope we can continue on this path.

I ditched Facebook

I'm feeling excited to have deactivated my Facebook account. I've pondered doing so for years, but I've never had the nerve to let go. It was a really arduous decision, as I love keeping in touch with friends and family, and the wealth of information I attained from carefully selected Facebook groups has been really helpful to me as a parent (aka the hardest job ever).

However, while I already have struggles focusing on the most important things in my life, my Facebook feed was making this even more difficult for me. I pared down my friend list, I signed off for days at a time, I stayed conscience of how much time I spent on Facebook at one time. But no matter how hard I tried to avoid wasting time on Facebook, I'd always get back to a point where I was just browsing my feed, wasting my precious time.

I'll never get that time back, but I look forward with excitement at the times ahead, when I can share my thoughts here instead. maybe I can keep up now that I have no Facebook and a blogging app on my phone! Here's to hoping.

Big Bear Lake 2013

Last year around this time, we went to Big Bear with Scott and Holly (AKA Uncle Scott and Meme).  Chris and Scott went snowboarding.  We hiked from the back yard of the cabin.  We enjoyed watching other people skiing and snowboarding.  We enjoyed the fireplace.  We ate snow.  We sledded in various places.  We had a blast!  

I'm excited to be going to Big Bear again next week.  This year, more than a few things are different.  There likely won't be as much snow (uh, winter seems to have missed southern CA this year); Luke is running (last year he wasn't even walking); and we are staying in a different cabin.  I'm sure it will be a completely different trip this year.  But I'm looking forward to making new memories.

Here are some photos from last year's trip to Big Bear.

Chris and Scott after snowboarding.  

Wrestling can definitely precede walking.

Hiking!

nom nom

sliding down

two sleeping boys on mommy and daddy :)

Rancho Mirage, CA

Chris is on a 10-day work assignment just south of Palm Springs, and the boys and I joined him for a few days in the desert town of Rancho Mirage.  I had never been to "the desert" before and had debated whether it would be worth the 2-hour trek. I am so glad we went!  It was beautiful and so different than any other place I had ever been. Everything was sandy and dry, with very little green foliage, and even the architecture was different.

The highlight of our trip was a hike in Indian Canyons, which was about 30 minutes from our hotel.  In Andreas Canyon, there is a stream that never dries up.  Next to the stream are beautiful, tall palm trees--in the middle of the desert!  I took so many photos.  This place really took my breath away and was one of the top 5 most beautiful places I have ever been (also on my list of most beautiful places I have visited are the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland and Ancient Rome).  Unfortunately, Chris had to work the whole time, so he couldn't come with us.  I must give credit to our friend Katie who told me about this hike.

Here are some of my favorite photos from our hike.

The road that leads into the canyons

The ranger said this stream never dries up.

keeping my promise to include myself in more photos :)

For most of the hike, John ran ahead of me and Luke.  

Luke never turned around while climbing this high.
He slid down on his belly.
Some women passing by thought I was completely nuts, I'm sure, for letting him do this.

Luke wanted so badly to climb that rock, too.

Luke had a lot of fun playing in the sand along the way.

They just played and played in their own worlds.

Called on my time in Girl Scouts to use a stick because I forgot to pack spoons.

Looking down from the canyons

January 2014

I have more than 500 photos from January.  And we didn't even go on vacation!  I thought I would share some of my favorites, which highlight some things we did in January:

Hammering golf tees into styrofoam

 

While everywhere else, temperatures were freezing, we were playing in the water.

No, not push-ups--Luke was lying like this and giggling as he splashed his feet into the water.

More water play

We spent a lot of time in our yard in January.

This month the boys dressed up like cowboys, pirates, monkeys, and firemen.

Fireman John

Fireman Luke

Monrovia Friday Night Street Fair 

John loves to ride his bike around town.

Luke loves to ride his bike around town, too.

We went with friends to see the Rose Parade floats.

Hiking in Monrovia Canyon

Luke "reading" to John

We drew a town (credit to Aunt Nancy for the inspiration).

Luke loves to help.  Here, he is washing lemons from our neighbor's tree.

At the advice of some wise mamas I know, I have started trying to take more "selfies" with my kids.  There is a real deficiency of photos that include me.  I'm going to work on fixing that.  Here is the first one I took with this plan in mind.

Smoothie time!

impromptu smoothie "art"

John and some friends working very hard to figure out how to get a log up the hill

Magic show at an indoor play place

I got the idea a few years ago from the internet to make a hammock under the table with my woven wrap (usually used to carry babies and small children).  The boys LOVED their hammock!

Luke's first time sitting in the hammock

room for two!

John and Chris had some fun with mud.

We all had a great time at our friend's high school basketball game.

John chose their outfits.  I told him we were going to a basketball game, so he decided they should wear their jerseys.

John has been taking a lot of initiative lately to create various things from paper, scissors, string, tape, crayons, markers, and other similar materials.  One day during quiet time, he spent an entire hour working on creating this costume, which he made from paper, felt, scissors, and tape.  He then put on his costume to show to Luke when he woke up from his nap.

Meme came to visit.

The boys and their Meme had fun using the camera timer to take pictures of themselves.

Chris and I went on lots of "date nights" during January. I love this photo.

Family photo before the boys stayed home with their Meme and made
dinner together (personal pizzas) while Chris and I went on date night.

Our Winter garden includes an abundance of kale and tomatoes and
also some spinach, chard, strawberry plants, beans, and flowers.

 

We picked grapefruits at Aunt Sherry's house.

Visiting with Aunt Sherry

Our favorite past time in the car is looking for jet streams.
I took this photo for the boys while I was working at the coffee chop. It made me think of them.