Lest everyone believe our summer was completely overshadowed by sadness, now that the year's hottest and carefree days are unofficially over, I present to you the highlights. Despite what happened, we had a wonderful summer 2014! Check it out!
We had a berry tasty summer!
We spent a lot of time picking berries, either in our backyard or heading out to berry farms. Elliot is pro now. But despite all that picking I made less jam this year than ever...probably because a certain two year old kept getting to the goods before I had a chance! Especially to the ones in our backyard. Which is fine, because I would rather have them going fresh down her gullet than after they have been stewed in sugar and preservatives anyway.
I ran my first 5k!
Although I had never been a runner, I always had aspirations of being the kind of person who ran 5ks, you know, for fun. One day in early spring, I said to myself "how hard could it be?" Let me tell you. Hard. Seriously, I could not run a tenth of a mile without stopping to walk. I was about to throw in the towel, when a friend suggested an app that tells you exactly how to run to get ready for a 5k in 9 weeks. I engaged in the program and on July 4 completed a 5k, without stopping to walk, in a perfectly respectable time. And little did I know I was around 5 or 6 weeks pregnant at the time! The most rewarding thing about running is hearing Elliot say things like "I want to run!" or "Mommy, let's run!" I love that she associates running both with me and with a fun activity.
Unfortunately, really soon after the 5k I started getting bad morning sickness. Mine is of the dizzy variety, and running was basically impossible. It got to the point where if I went for a run I was sick the remainder of the day. So I had to cut it out temporarily. Then, when we lost the baby and I had surgery, I felt good enough to run but was not medically cleared for any physical activity for two weeks. So this week was actually the first week of getting back on the program! I am definitely not 5k ready anymore, but just knowing that I can get there is a huge motivator.
We dusted off our green thumbs!
In this family, summer is synonymous with garden season. We have a huge garden this year and it is the year of the tomato! I have picked countless pounds of tomatoes and have been turning them into soups, sandwiches, and sauces like you wouldn't believe. We also have some prolific carrots, peppers, beets, herbs and many others. I love being out there with Elliot, showing her how to pick veggies and pull weeds and then letting her help me turn the produce into lunches and dinners. She is an eager helper and quite a little encourager. While we work she says things like "Great job, Mommy!"
#rammfammvacation
In mid-July we went on vacation to Lake Pend Orielle, Idaho, with Erik's family. It was wonderful! They rented a house on the lake and brought their boat. The rental came with the use of a jet ski, paddle board, and kayak too. We spent the week boating, fishing, eating good food, and enjoying each other's company. And Elliot found some good sports, her Grandma and Auntie, to indulge in her love of the water, which she referred to as "Ampa's Water."
Chilling with Ampa.
The rental.
Paddle boarding and water skiing.
Boating with Auntie Krista.
Bonding with "Gamma Shu"
Hey Soul Sister!
Erik and I were able to get away for a quick overnight trip to Northern Quest to see a Train concert. It was amazing! Pat Monahan is a wonderful entertainer and makes belting out those high, powerful notes seem effortless. We were big fans before going to the concert, but he is even better in-person. We danced to a Train song at our wedding, so they hold a special place in our hearts. They didn't play that song, but everything they played was awesome, including his rendition of "Dream On". Wow.
The fairest of them all.
What is a summer without a trip to the county fair? Elliot was particularly fond of the animal exhibits, especially the cows. She kept asking for just one more time with the cows. She also rode her first carnival ride. By the time we finally left she was deliriously tired and happy, which is pretty much exactly what a parent hopes for at the end of a trip to the fair.
The Emerald City
We spent part of Labor Day weekend in Seattle with Erik's family. Erik went to the Cougar football game with his parents and Ells and I hung out with Krista. The next day, Grandma Sue took Elliot and me to the Seattle Aquarium, which was lots of fun, but unfortunately I forgot my phone so I have zero pictures of this outing...boo. That night we went to...
...a Mariners game!
Ok, so normally I am not into baseball. But, this summer Erik has been having me watch the games with him and I have gotten into it. I know the players and the battle for the wild card has been making it pretty exciting. Plus, Dustin Ackley is my boyfriend, so...
Unfortunately for us, we went to a crap game. King Felix pitched the worst game of his career and they lost. Even so, it was a lot of fun.
And there was a fireworks show afterward, which was probably the best fireworks show I have ever seen. Set to music from Seattle bands, it was a delight to the eyes and ears!
We got a pooch!
Liza Louise Rammelsberg joined our family! We adopted her from Pet Overpopulation Prevention. She is almost 13 years old, but the vet says she is in shockingly good shape for her age. Her previous owner boarded her with her vet and then refused to pick her up. She is part dachshund, some kind of setter, and probably part corgi. We already love her to pieces. Elliot maybe a little too enthusiastically. She is a good companion for Toast, very sweet, and a cuddly little thing.
We can't believe how well she fits in with our family. It is like she has always been here.
Oh, and we are doing ok.
A lot of people have asked, or maybe want to ask but don't know how to ask, how we are doing after the miscarriage. The truth is, we are managing. We are putting our hearts back together piece by piece. And some days are honestly completely normal. It is a strange kind of grief that hits me at random times. Things like making plans for the upcoming months can leave me feeling hollow inside. Like before, we were planning on clearing out the spare bedroom to make room for the new baby, but now sometimes I walk in there and am overwhelmed with sadness because we don't need to change anything about it. The hardest is at work when we have dependency hearings and the mom, who has lost all six of her other children due to abuse or neglect, walks in six months pregnant. It feels so unfair. But I try to swallow my bitterness and be grateful for everything I have. We have grown incredibly close as a family. And the support we have received from all of you has been instrumental in getting us through this awful time. Thank you! And please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Well, that about wraps it up. Our summer in a nutshell. Hope you had a wonderful summer as well. Now bring on the fall!
