Summer Montage

I remain in a semi-state of summer bliss, although the calendar is about to take another turn, this time into August.  The past two pages have been wonderfully void of true responsibility and full of endless summer adventure possibilities.  While only a couple weeks remain in this summer for me, I am still taking each day as it comes and making the most out of it. I realized that this blog has been devoid of pictures for quite some time, so here is a bucket-full.   They are not in any order, just as they are in my own mind.  I know that this summer will be one for my lifetime, where I can look back and feel that my time was not wasted.  Here are some images from our summer:

Audrey and Daddy cross the finish line at the Anchorage Mayor's Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska.  This is one of the highlights of my life.

Audrey and Daddy pose with the huge finisher's medal.  I needed to keep walking after this picture for another 30 minutes before I could sit down to soak my feet in ice water and eat some much-needed food.  

This is Zadie getting Audrey and I onto the ferry to Haines, Alaska.  We are in Juneau in this picture.

Audrey in Haines, AK.  Here she is rescuing kittens that were trapped in the ceiling at Attle's house.  Don't ask, it's a loooong story!  Maybe for another time.  

Audrey and a Raven Totem in Haines, AK outside of the local radio station.  

This is Audrey standing just inside the tide on a hike out Mud Bay Road in Haines, AK.  It was a little drizzly, and she wore Attle's big brown vest.

This is the breakfast Attle made on our last day in Haines.  Pancakes, chocolate chips, etc.  What a nice way to begin our journey to back to Juneau.  

As the sun dips in Southeast Alaska, we see the glacier in the distance.

Audrey in Juneau, AK next to a statue of Patsy Ann, the famous boat-greeting dog.

Midnight Shadows:  Audrey and Daddy take a photo of their shadows at Twin Lakes in Juneau, AK in the evening.

Zadie, Audrey, and Daddy in front of the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, AK.  

Here we are in Juneau at the top of Mt. Roberts.  Audrey and Daddy are on the left, and my friend, Luke, and his three daughters are on the right.  You can just make out houses on Douglas Island behind us.  This was a wonderful last day in Juneau.  

Luke, Marcus, and Abel on the top of Mt. Roberts in Juneau, AK.  This is a special moment for me, anytime I can see friends from the early part of my life.  It helps me to remember the good things and my mindset from an earlier time.

Violet having a breakfast smile at the table.

After we returned from Alaska, Audrey stayed for a week with her grandmother in Indiana.  This gave me a nice stretch of time with my younger daughter, Violet.  It was a special time to get to focus all of my attention on her, and get to know her more as a little, independent thinker.  Here she is experimenting with wind power at the Children's Museum in Naperville, IL.

While her big sister was away, Violet got some super snuggle time in each morning with Audrey's giant teddy bear.  Shhhhh, don't tell Audrey.  

This was the first morning after Audrey returned from her visit with Grandma.  Can you tell Violet missed her big sister.  

This was taken in July during a trip to the Field Museum in downtown Chicago.  This is a picture of Bushman, the gorilla.  This is my father's favorite animal of all-time, so we always take a picture and send it to him when we visit.  

Here is Audrey, Jaden, and Violet at the Brookfield Zoo.  Jaden is the son of my childhood friend, Ben.  He and his wife were visiting for a couple days, and we were lucky enough to have a day at the zoo.  It was a hot one, but the kids were troopers!

Audrey at Brookfield Zoo in front of her favorite dinosaur, the tyrannosaurus rex!  This was a highlight for Audrey this summer, and she is asking to go back again soon!   

A sweet sister moment:  Audrey is trying to help me get Violet to take nap by pretending to sleep, too.  Violet curled up for a few minutes, but never took the bait.  Still, a nice snapshot for the heart.  

Nothing made me feel more like an adult this summer than buying this new couch for our living room.  My dad had bought Kim and I our red one that has been with us for over ten years! We love this one, but the whole process made me feel very grown-up for some reason.  Finally, though, we can all enjoy a movie in the living room without someone having to sit on the floor.

Sometimes happiness is painting toenails.  Up to this moment, Violet and Audrey had been fighting all day, and I didn't care what it took to get them to be nice to eachother.  Ultimately, they were both happy when Audrey opened her own nail salon and got to do everyone's nails.  This is a great picture of Violet getting some attention from her big sister and both of them feeling like big girls.

Here we are before another trip to the zoo.  However, this picture really seems to sum-up a lot of the summer for me.  Hitting an adventure with the stroller, strapped with snacks, diapers, wipes, toys, bottles of milk and water....ready for whatever.  Summertime.

At the end of our zoo trips, before we go home, the girls get to ride the carousel at the zoo.  Today they have chosen the penguin, and polar bear cub....the fact that the two animals are mortal enemies is not lost here.  

This is a special afternoon on a sunny day in July.  We just decided to make a picnic in our backyard.  Audrey and Violet enjoyed sharing the plates of berries and sandwiches, and it was very peaceful sitting in the shade with a nice breeze.  What a good summer meal this was.

Violet and Audrey hatching at an exhibit at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago while visiting with Uncle Stuart!

Riding in a large tractor at the zoo!  Violet is looking for a drink holder!

Audrey was cautious at first, but then fed the cow a second time at Lincoln Park Zoo.  This is such a wonderful place, and it is amazing that it is free to the public.  

Crossing a bridge at Lincoln Park Zoo, we couldn't pass up the perfect skyline photo opportunity with Uncle Stuart and the girld.  

Another Uncle Stu and the Zoo picture.  They love him.

This is a funny picture because Violet insisted she get out of the stroller on the windy day and do a touchdown pose with Uncle Stuart.  

Just this past weekend, my family from Virginia visited Indianapolis, and we drove to meet-up with them.  We met at the Children's Museum, our favorite place in that city.  Here are fast friends, Violet and Aunt Irene.

Uncle Fred makes sure Violet doesn't get too interactive with the water flow model!

Aunt Irene makes a purchase in the Egyptian market from store owner Audrey.

Fred, Abel, Violet, and cousin Sam take a break in the small Egyptian restaurant as Audrey waits our table.   

Aunt Irene marvels at the giant liquid clock as our time nears at the end of the day!

Violet and Audrey sitting on the Great Wall of China!

Audrey and a Mayan pyramid.

The girls ended the day with a street crossing to our car holding Aunt Irene's hands.  She is a magical person, with the incredible ability to communicate and appreciate young minds.  She is one of my heroes in this world.

Sam, Kim, Audrey, Abel, Violet, and Uncle Fred outside of Shapiro's Deli.  All I can say is, YUM!!!

Audrey and some swim buddies taking swim lessons at the local pool.  This is really the last picture, as Audrey's swim lessons will be one of the last things we do before resuming school and work and "normal schedules".  Audrey is the one one on the far right, splashing he instructor with her awesome power kicks!

I hear a podcast recently where one of the members stated that anxiety is thinking about the endless possibilities in the future we cannot control, and regret is spending time thinking too much about the decisions we have already made.  If we can slow ourselves down as much as possible, and put our minds in the present moment and concentrate on what is in front of us right now, those are the ones who have found contentment.  I feel that this summer has brought me much contentment.

-a