Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
A List for Fall
I decided I wanted to continue enjoying simple fun things that I started this summer. I sat down to make a list for the fall and found it so much harder than summer! I was able to come up with a starter list - here goes -
I want to go to the Big E see the lights and watch the people go by - hear the screams of delight and fear on the rides - find things that spark my visual eye and take images just for myself. Go into the the kitchen and slice apples to make a pie - smelling the cinnamon and tasty aromas as they fill the house - cut a generous warm piece and watch a huge dollop of vanilla ice cream slide down the side before I take a bite. Visit a haunted house to feel the thrill of anticipation and fear - not knowing what is coming and knowing I'll scream at least once. Take my first visit to a corn maze - knowing that getting lost is part of the fun - challenging myself to get through with as few hints as possible. Go to a local football game - wrapping blankets around my legs - smelling the chill in the air and watching the people around me bond with "their team". Carve a pumpkin to light my front door on a night when there is a chill and rattle of leaves in the air. Build a huge pile of leaves in the yard and run full on jumping into the center of them - feeling the softness of my landing and the scratch of leaves against my face...
This is what I have to start with. Like the summer list I'm sure more will be added on as we get more into the season. I'd love to know what says fall to you - the things that if they didn't happen would make you feel like you missed the whole season. Is it baking and eating a whole pumpkin pie by yourself or roasting the seeds after you've carved a pumpkin? These adventures are always more fun when shared and I'm always open to more company - let me know if you'd like to join me!
I want to go to the Big E see the lights and watch the people go by - hear the screams of delight and fear on the rides - find things that spark my visual eye and take images just for myself. Go into the the kitchen and slice apples to make a pie - smelling the cinnamon and tasty aromas as they fill the house - cut a generous warm piece and watch a huge dollop of vanilla ice cream slide down the side before I take a bite. Visit a haunted house to feel the thrill of anticipation and fear - not knowing what is coming and knowing I'll scream at least once. Take my first visit to a corn maze - knowing that getting lost is part of the fun - challenging myself to get through with as few hints as possible. Go to a local football game - wrapping blankets around my legs - smelling the chill in the air and watching the people around me bond with "their team". Carve a pumpkin to light my front door on a night when there is a chill and rattle of leaves in the air. Build a huge pile of leaves in the yard and run full on jumping into the center of them - feeling the softness of my landing and the scratch of leaves against my face...
This is what I have to start with. Like the summer list I'm sure more will be added on as we get more into the season. I'd love to know what says fall to you - the things that if they didn't happen would make you feel like you missed the whole season. Is it baking and eating a whole pumpkin pie by yourself or roasting the seeds after you've carved a pumpkin? These adventures are always more fun when shared and I'm always open to more company - let me know if you'd like to join me!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Summer's End
The beginning of this summer I was emailing a friend - telling him about the helicopter ride that I've wanted to do for years and finally got around to. He asked me what my next adventure was going to be. My answer was..
"My next immediate adventure is a smaller more encompassing one. I want to enjoy this summer like I did when I was in high school and college - simple and fun.... I want to sleep out under the stars even if it means I lug a sleeping bag out into the back yard, cuddle up on the couch and watch movies and eat snacks until the wee hours of the night, have a lazy rainy day sitting on the porch playing games listening to the radio, drive with the top down - full moon and good music, go out dancing and get slick and sweaty - take an icy shower and slide into bed still damp and sit out by a fire having deep meaningless conversation - with samores of course!"
I later added to the list - having a squishy finger painting date with my niece where all the paint oozes and slides between our fingers and toes, chase fireflies just for the chasing, go to a minor league baseball game - smelling the popcorn, listening to the crack as the ball rebounds off the bat and the thump of it hitting the glove, geocaching with a friend (high tech scavenger hunting) where we walked and talked - ate bad food and walked some more, fishing with the boys - coming home all salty, red and tired. I even threw in a skinny dip or two.
All in all it was a really great summer. There were one or two things that I didn't get to and will add to next summer's list. I haven't decided what I'm going to get up to this fall. So far I'm thinking about going to the Big E looking for images that just strike me as fun and maybe a candy apple. What do you have on your list to do?
The helicopter that started it all.
My friend Audrey sporting the helicopter look :)
The kite flying we ran came upon while exploring Newport RI after the ride
The great finger paint artwork Dorrie and I created
Told you we used our feet!
What we used for the geocaching - once I figured out how to use the thing!
I'd love to see any great images you have from your own adventures this summer!
"My next immediate adventure is a smaller more encompassing one. I want to enjoy this summer like I did when I was in high school and college - simple and fun.... I want to sleep out under the stars even if it means I lug a sleeping bag out into the back yard, cuddle up on the couch and watch movies and eat snacks until the wee hours of the night, have a lazy rainy day sitting on the porch playing games listening to the radio, drive with the top down - full moon and good music, go out dancing and get slick and sweaty - take an icy shower and slide into bed still damp and sit out by a fire having deep meaningless conversation - with samores of course!"
I later added to the list - having a squishy finger painting date with my niece where all the paint oozes and slides between our fingers and toes, chase fireflies just for the chasing, go to a minor league baseball game - smelling the popcorn, listening to the crack as the ball rebounds off the bat and the thump of it hitting the glove, geocaching with a friend (high tech scavenger hunting) where we walked and talked - ate bad food and walked some more, fishing with the boys - coming home all salty, red and tired. I even threw in a skinny dip or two.
All in all it was a really great summer. There were one or two things that I didn't get to and will add to next summer's list. I haven't decided what I'm going to get up to this fall. So far I'm thinking about going to the Big E looking for images that just strike me as fun and maybe a candy apple. What do you have on your list to do?
The helicopter that started it all.
My friend Audrey sporting the helicopter look :)
The kite flying we ran came upon while exploring Newport RI after the ride
The great finger paint artwork Dorrie and I created
Told you we used our feet!
What we used for the geocaching - once I figured out how to use the thing!
I'd love to see any great images you have from your own adventures this summer!
Friday, September 05, 2008
Family Fun Week
The Sjursen girls and their families all spend a week at my parents in the summer. It's a lot of people (11) going in a lot of different directions at the same time! This year my Aunt Jane, her husband David and cousin Sanna (not to be confused with baby Sanna) were here as well. We ended the week celebrating Gram's 93rd birthday.
First up Kai
His brother Cooper
The indomitable Dorrie
And her sister baby Sanna
These two are exactly 11 months apart and adore each other - so funny to watch them interact!
So while the ladies were all out getting pedicures the Dads got to work. They taped a hose to the top of the slide, added a kiddy pool to the bottom and then a tube - so you could slide out of the pool and onto the tube - boys loved it!
Dorrie took a little more time to warm up to the idea - here she is contemplating the journey - she took it. :)
Sanna hanging on the swing with her mom while all the action happens around her.
It was a busy busy week- beaches, boating, dinners at the beach, hallmark's ice cream - oh and little fishing trip. I also realized the curse of having the swing set right outside my window. Seriously - who would have thought swings at 7am would be such a big attraction!
First up Kai
His brother Cooper
The indomitable Dorrie
And her sister baby Sanna
These two are exactly 11 months apart and adore each other - so funny to watch them interact!
So while the ladies were all out getting pedicures the Dads got to work. They taped a hose to the top of the slide, added a kiddy pool to the bottom and then a tube - so you could slide out of the pool and onto the tube - boys loved it!
Dorrie took a little more time to warm up to the idea - here she is contemplating the journey - she took it. :)
Sanna hanging on the swing with her mom while all the action happens around her.
It was a busy busy week- beaches, boating, dinners at the beach, hallmark's ice cream - oh and little fishing trip. I also realized the curse of having the swing set right outside my window. Seriously - who would have thought swings at 7am would be such a big attraction!