As Summer Slips Away....

T minus 12 and counting. Hours that is. Until school starts and summer is but a distant memory.  Oh there will be little snippets of summer hanging around.  Like 90+ temperatures just in time for the first bell to ring. Maybe a few more late night bonfires on the weekends and a chilly dip in the pool one more time. But for the most part, once school starts, we’re movin’ on, people.  In years past I’ve been more ready for school to start.  I like my routine, the rhythm of the day. A little structure goes a long way for this girl. But this summer I’ve felt different. Maybe it’s because it was such a memorable summer. From the new adventures in Canada, to the annual weekend in Clark Lake, Michigan, friends over for cookouts, sleeping with the windows open, the kids and their various activities……Maybe it’s because I realize how little time I have left with Todd especially, and Jodi.  They are both in high school now. Not sure when exactly that happened…….Maybe it’s because I’m still trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up and the summer hasn’t handed out any hints…….Maybe it’s because our lives are so packed with activity.  We race at lightning speed from one ‘terminal’ to another on this life journey dragging our suitcase so that the wheels are rubbed down to nubs and smoking. We look up only to find that we don’t know what city we are in or where we’ve been or even where we are headed.

When it comes to raising kids, I've heard it said that the days are long but the years are short. I sure am feeling that these days. I remember the days when the kids were toddlers.  I would look at the clock and it read 9:30….in the morning. They had been up since 6:00. We’d watched some T.V., had breakfast, done a craft, took a walk, had a snack, took another walk, read books, watched some more T.V. and it’s still only 9:30….in the morning! What was I going to do with them…….all day? Fast forward twelve years and Jodi can spend hours in her room painting her nails, doing her hair, reading, coloring, “creating”. After a while I knock on the door just to say, “Hey, whatcha doing?” (Wanna come out and play?) Todd is mostly frolfing (we used to call it Frisbee golf, but that is NOT the correct terminology these days!) or texting, or running or reading, or drawing. The other night he was sitting (I use that term loosely. The only word I can think of that fits is “draped” like curtains; hanging? You get the picture. The kid is some arms and mostly legs) in the chair…texting, watching T.V. “snap chatting”? and I said, “Todd, come sit by me on the couch. I don’t see you much these days.” He looked at me with a blank stare, paused, and proceeded to say, “Mom, no, that’s weird.” Seriously? There were days when the kid would “cuddle” so close I had to peel him off me and claim my “personal bubble” back.

The year ahead seems daunting to say the least. Treading water through high school (me, not them. They will be doing the freestyle along with the backstroke at times, I’m sure) and seeing what God brings.  As the summer slips away, I will take the time to stop and look back before rushing ahead to the next adventure, the next mystery, the next “season”. By taking the time to consciously remember our summer, take stock of it, I can see God’s faithfulness; in both the “big” and the little things.

Random Snippets of The Rhines' Summer 2013: Jodi playing freshman basketball through June…practice, sleep, eat, game; practice, sleep, eat, game, repeat….Todd frolfing almost everyday……having the pool up and running before July (3^rd summer’s a charm!)…… cookouts and smores with family and friends….cousins reconnecting……training for cross country (the kids, not me; let's not get crazy now).....annual trip to Clarklake (ahhh!)…..meeting mom for coffee….Clinique counter with Jodi at the mall (way out of my comfort zone!)…….Todd saying goodbye to The Hair…..Jodi saying good riddance to braces……..lots of time in the minivan.....boating down the Mighty  Mississippi……reading…….sunsets…..kayaking in Canada……puppiesJ………new smartphone for mom……fresh veggies from the garden……crossword puzzles……..sleeping with the windows open……..cool nights……warm days………an afternoon at Magic Waters; the kids having a blast with their friends and me with my book;a win-win….walks in the evening……The Waltons :) …….reading……family dinners….Mike camping with each of the kids – their own “dad adventure”….."back to school" shopping.....movie nights.....grilling out.....watching my kids grow up before my eyes.....

Yes,I will mourn the passing of time; the end of summer. I will also choose to be thankful for all that has happened, and how blessed I am, and then slowly, I will look forward to autumn: holidays, football season, cool, crisp air, family gatherings, watching the kids run cross country,  more bonfires, visits to the apple orchard, and of course just being “in my jeans and a sweatshirt”. After all, it’s just around the corner. I’ll see you there!

Journey On....
Cindy

 

Headin' Home...

Day 6 Saturday, July 20,2013

What goes up, must come down so I guess those who “go away” must come back home too.  Today was “travel day” which isn’t nearly as much fun as swimming, kayaking and rolling down a log slide J.  The parts of travel I do enjoy are listening to music, reading and just plain gazing out the window.  I think this is how we started our trip:

He's fine by the way!

 

(Don't tell them that these pictures are on here. Hey, I'm the mom, and this is my blog :)

We woke up early and decided to hit the road and then stop and get some breakfast along the way…We headed south by 7:00 a.m. and the kids were “out”.  They spent most of the time in the car on the way there and back either watching episodes of Duck Dynasty, sleeping, or mostly reading. They are both voracious readers. :) They finished 5 books between the two of them. We found a little diner in Gladstone, MI and fueled up for the rest of the ride.  I love traveling along Lake Michigan whether in the U.P. or northern Wisconsin. Every once and a while the lake pops in to view and then disappears again only to show up a few miles later. 

 

One item on the “to do list” before leaving the U.P. was to stop at Dobbers.  If you aren’t familiar with Pasties, they are a unique food creation that includes beef, onions, rutabaga, and potatoes.  It’s all wrapped in a crust similar to a calzone.  We eat ours with ketchup.  Some people use gravy. Time for another fun history fact..... (Hey it’s more interesting than our 6 hour trek back home, trust me.)

Pasties came to the U.P. from Cornwall, England with the copper mining boom.  They became a lunch favorite of the miners because they were small, portable, very filling, and could stay warm for 8-10 hours. Who knew?

 

As you see on the Dobbers sign, a Yooper is a friendly name for a person that lives in the U.P. A funny bumper sticker we saw said, “ A yooper would rather be lost in the woods than be found in the city”.  That pretty much says it all.

We decided to stop in Walworth, WI (near Lake Geneva) on our way home and get our dog, Kati.  Grandma and grandpa Rhines were kind enough to “dog sit” while we were gone.  This added time onto the trip but it was worth it. We were able to have some pizza with Aunt Becky and the cousins who are up visiting from Atlanta.  We will see more of them this week. 

A sure sign we are back in the Midwest; farms, cornfields, and puffy white clouds...

Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!

Well I couldn’t end this “leg” of the blog without one last sunset.

I think I will continue to add to the blog.  It may not be quite as exciting nor have as many picturesque photos, but it has been fun to write, and there is something purposeful about finding the “magic in the mundane”.  Letdown is always inevitable after a memorable vacation or event, but more adventures await us even in the everyday moments. We are extremely blessed with a warm home, loving and supportive family, and cherished friends, for which we are very grateful.  Going back to the title of the blog; In My Jeans and a Sweatshirt, pretty much describes how I would dress all the time if I could. (Close right now as it's 67 degrees...down from 87 earlier today)

Life has enough challenges as it is; I might as well be as comfortable as possible :)

We listened to this song quite a few times on our journey, so I leave it with you now.  Gotta love some CCR. I’ll see you “Up Around the Bend”.......

Until next time.....

Journey On,

Cindy

 

Good-bye Canada, Hello Grand Marais

Day 5 Friday, 2013

Goodbyes are hard. There’s just no way around it.  I heard a saying once, “Don’t be sad it’s over, be grateful it happened.”  So, even though I am sad our stay in Canada has come to a close, I will be grateful for the adventures and memories made.  A big THANKS! to Bob and Cherie for having us and showing us such a great time.  You definitely get a 5+star rating!

 

Leaving Canada....

 

On the road again, we headed back into the U.P. towards Grand Marais, Michigan.  Even though we weren’t too far from Canada, the terrain was much different in the U.P.; much flatter and with a lot of scrub brush.

On to Grand Marais which holds a lot of memories.  Mike used to go there as a kid, mostly camping.  When we were first married, Mike took me there and then almost 10 years later we took the kids.  When you are this far north, you might as well go to Grand Marais.  It’s beautiful.  Right on the shores of Lake Superior; you can see forever.

The other “attraction” near Grand Marais is the Grand Sable Dunes which is part of the Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore.  Unless you see it in person, the pictures don’t do it justice.  The entire shoreline is one big cliff of sand. 

We "re-enacted" this shot from years ago when the kids were little...they jump, I photograph :)

A little history here…..Back in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s the logging industry in the U.P. of Michigan exploded.  They would ship the logs into the big cities like Chicago, Milwaukee,and Detroit via the Great Lakes.  With the dunes, they had to come up with a way to get the logs out of the forests and into Lake Superior.  One way was to create a “log slide” which was like a huge chute that went straight down (300-500ft vertical drop) to the base of the lake. One is still around and you can “go down it”.  (You probably know where I’m going with this….) Mike has done this before as a kid.  I. have. not.  Of course the kids wanted to see it and give it a shot.  There is a huge Warning sign at the top of the “log slide” listing all the accidents that could happen.  (There are even pictures of ambulances….Don’t get me started!) The last line says, “There have been many emergency rescues in recent years: Do not be a statistic! Which pretty much says, “I dare you, you big wimp!”  Here is my lovely family at the top of the log slide.  By the way, you cannot see the bottom from the top.

Happy and contemplative....

Here is my lovely family at the bottom; all in one piece J

What you don’t see and I didn’t see (Thank you Jesus!) is Todd doing a total face plant about half way down because his legs couldn't keep up. He flips over midair into a full out somersault, and smacks his head on a rock upon landing. All I got was the play by play from the people who were half way down watching it all happen.  Things a mother really does not want to hear at this point….  Things like, (woman gasping) “Oooh, I hope that kid is okay.” “Did he hurt his neck?” and “I think he hit his head on a rock”…..”Is that your son?” “Uh, does he have on a bright yellow shirt?” “Yes, he’s mine.”  All I have to say is if you are familiar with the famous "kayak story" from about 13 years, this is right up there.  I’m not going on about it.  He, of course, thought it was totally awesome, and hauled the rock all the way back up in the back to keep as a souvenir.  Kids. Oh, on a side note, he did throw up later that night, but “it was probably just something I ate”. Uh huh, yeah, let’s go with that while I look up the closest medical facility in the almost 12 page phone book (it was over an hour away just for the record. We are in the U.P.remember)  But really, what is a vacation without at least the chance of going to the emergency room….

Todd and his "rock"...he's very disappointed that the lumps don't show because of "The Hair"

Back on a lighter note……A few more pictures of this magical place…..

 

 

And last but not least...the sunset....from the point at Grand Marais

 

The wind and waves on Gitche Gumee...

 

 

Until next time,

 

Journey On,

Cindy



 

 

 

More Fun

Day 4 Thurs. July 18, 2013

Well so far we’ve had swimming day, and kayaking/hiking day.  Not sure what to call today.  I know Mike would’ve called it “Awesome Fishing with Uncle Bob” day.  I guess for the rest of us it was “Get Creative” day.

I like to start the mornings with a cup of coffee.  I don’t always do this at home, but there is something about having coffee on vacation.  I used to think it was a “Clark Lake thing” but now I’ve had it in Canada as well so I guess it’s more an “Aunt Cherie thing”.  It’s called Hershey Syrup and flavored cream in your coffee.  The funny thing is I’ve tried this concoction at home and it just doesn’t taste the same.  So, anyway, that’s how my day started out. 

 

Bob and Mike had the maps out last night plotting and planning their fishing trip for the day.  Mike’s always been partial to trout fishing, but I encouraged him to go for the pike since he doesn’t do that kind of fishing at home.  For those of you that aren’t fisherman, never ask, “Oh, where do you go fishing?” Number one, that shows that you are not a true fisherman, and number two it’s just an unwritten rule.  If someone ever asks Mike, his reply is, “Well, I could tell ya, but then I’d have to kill ya”.  Point made.   Having said that, Bob was nice enough to share some of his fishing spots with Mike.  For those of you who are wondering about the fishing, yeah, it was good.  Both Bob and Mike came back each with a 5 pounder.  That made for some good dinner that night.

 

 

 

 While Bob and Mike  went fishing, the rest of us went to the Agawa Campground Vistor Center for an art class. We had seen a flyer for it when we had been there on that first day.  A local painter came in and did a little demonstration along with some instruction. She showed us a 30 minute slide show which was quite fascinating.  This little lady, probably close to 60 yrs. old, goes out on her own and camps for weeks at a time so she can paint and “be inspired without distraction”.  Most of the time she goes alone and often in her kayak packed down with all her gear.  She had some beautiful pictures of landscapes and wild animals; including moose that came right into her campsite.  Then we got to create our own paintings.  Both Todd and Jodi are very artistic (Todd more on the detailed pencil drawings so he wasn’t thrilled with the painting part :).  Cherie came with us, and we had a great time creating memories from our trip and trying something new and different!

 

All masterpieces in their own right!

 

After we all met back up at the cabin, the boys went for a swim, and Cherie and I walked the dogs. It’s enjoyable since they don’t even have to be on a leash; they just follow along. Most of the time, we crackup laughing at Bruce who tries so hard to keep up with Ben, jumping up to bite his ears or running between his legs.  It’s also been really fun and interesting to meet some of Bob and Cherie’s neighbors that live on their “street”.  A few of them live there year round, but most come up for the summer or off and on during the year; fascinating people and stories.  After the great fish dinner, we celebrated Mike’s birthday a week early with a cake, candles, and a few gifts. Fun stuff!

 

 

The end of another incredible day.....

Journey On,
Cindy

Another Day in Paradise...

Day 3, Wed. July 17, 2013

Wow, what a day! This was our biggest adventure day for sure.  But, first things first.  We started off with Bob’s famous blueberry pancakes made with those very berries they picked yesterday…..and with real maple syrup! I almost needed a nap right then and there….but no time! Today is kayaking day and it was starting off great. No rain!

 

We were all packed; swim suits, snacks, sunscreen, lunches, life jackets,  water shoes, hiking shoes, cameras, kayaks….we were marching out the door; left, right, left, right…..turn around, the trailer tire has a flat! No worries, Mike and Bob (and the mosquitoes) have it changed in no time!

 

Okay, take 2….we’re off! The sun was shining and there was a cool, mystical fog rolling over the hills and into the valleys.  We put the kayaks in at Sinclair Cove.  It was beautiful bay with high rocks on both sides and an island straight out ahead.  The sun was shining and the fog slowly dissipated. 

 

 

We headed out with Bob (and the dogs) in the lead to check the wind and waves on the big lake.  You have to be really careful about watching the wind conditions because it can get quite treacherous very quickly (cue music for The Edmond Fitzgerald here…). All in a single file line, we were off. 

 

 

 

 

I was a little hesitant at first as I am more accustomed to river kayaking than lake kayaking. Plus, the kayak I was using had a much flatter bottom on it than mine at home which makes it a tad bit tippier (if that’s not already a word, it needs to be).  The waves were just right; enough to be challenging and adventurous, but not enough to evoke sheer panic.  That’s the balance I was looking for! We made our way out around a point and back into a cove with a sandy shore to do some more swimming.

 

 

After swimming and jumping off the rocks, we thought about paddling out to an island and even started in that direction, but as we got out further, the clouds started moving in and the wind picked up.  We did a left turn and headed back to Sinclair Cove. 

 

As we were coming in, we noticed a fishing boat on shore.  Sure enough, there were some First Nation fisherman selling fresh Coaster, Whitefish and Lake Trout.  We bought a variety and were set for dinner later that evening.  First Nation is the proper term for Indians that live in Canada.

 

Heck, it’s only 12:30! What’s next?  Bob and Cherie really wanted us to see The Sand River which has a hiking trail and waterfalls.  So, we headed off again!  A quick lunch at the trail head and away we went.  It was sunny and warm, and Cherie commented that there were more people than she had ever seen there before.   It was a great spot for family pictures and nature scenes.

 You could see Lake Superior in the far distance

 

 

 

 Man were we wore out on the drive back from our day’s adventures.  The dogs put themselves right to bed when we got home; especially the puppy, Bruce. He is so darn cute!

 

Fish dinner, cheesy potatoes, beer bread, and Hawaiian cake for dessert.  That’s good livin’ right there. Then Mike and I took a walk to cap off the day.  We sat along this shoreline just down from the cabin.  I love the rocks all piled up; the colors and the reflection of the sun…..

 

 

Until tomorrow......

 

Journey On,

Cindy