Super Summer Reading

What I'm reading this summer:

Summer is the only season where I read book after book after book.  And the season where I ask myself how someone who considers herself a reader and writer can go sooo long without reading a good book!  (Answer to myself: schedule, work, kids, cooking, driving, sports, kids, cooking, laundry....).

Anyway, there's no reason not to have something great on your ipad or kindle at all times, while you're waiting in the carpool line or at yet another soccer practice.  So here's my list of what I'm reading this summer:

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown - this is heavy, but good, and her accompanying TED talk is good, too.  This I'm reading for personal growth & knowledge, and it's a bit heavy, so the heaviness has to be lifted by things like....

Zero Day, The Forgotten, and The Escape by David Baldacci - these were my beach reads.  I always have to have an easy-read thriller or mystery to lose myself in.

The Girl on the Train - a recommendation of my book club.  It was good...with a nice twisty ending.

Dead Wake - I'm just starting this one.  It's about the sinking of the Lusitania, which sounds heavy for poolside reading, but it's by Erik Larson, who wrote Devil in the White City and In the Garden of Beasts.  Hubby recommended it.

The Mended Heart by Suzanne Eller.  I always need one spiritual/inspirational book in my bag, so this is it for July.

In between losing myself in these goodies above, I am coaxing, pleading, arguing and threatening my kids to finish their summer reading assignments for school.  Time to go check on their progress.

Pepsi Days

Through my teenage years I avoided outdoor exercise, outdoor yard work, outdoor walks, and pretty much anything OUTDOORS.  I didn't like to be hot, cold, or have my beautifully aqua-netted bangs messed up.  I remember days when my parents and brothers were out mowing and trimming and my attitude about helping was SO BAD that my mom pretty much left me in my room and didn't bother to have the fight it would take to get me outside.  But now that I'm an adult I absolutely love, love, love to be outside in nature.  And being in the mild summer temperatures of Northern Michigan means that I am walking, running or biking pretty much anywhere I need to go.  Whether it's a short walk to achieve my FitBit goal for the day, a 24-mile bike trip along the paved TART trail, a woods hike up to Empire Bluff, or just reading my book on the porch, I want to be outside under the blue Michigan skies and green Michigan leaves.  

When I was young (it was the 70s, I was maybe 7?) Pepsi had these awesome commercials on the air with the tagline "Have a Pepsi Day!"  (Sigourney Weaver was actually featured in one; hopefully my link works and you can watch it here: (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qM3xWjKFEpU).  My links never work.  Just google it.

But anyway, my mom and I went off to spend the day together and she was telling me what fun we'd have and I asked "Mom, can we please have a Pepsi day?"  Of course she thought that was the cutest so to this day, a super wonderful, practically perfect day is described by me as a Pepsi Day.  I haven't had too many of those this year, but yesterday and today come close.  And tonight, after pizza on the patio, a full day of biking and walking and hammock naps and watching J and 12-year-old C on the lake in the little boat as the sun sets, my heart is pretty full.  

A day to remember

Again, we took the 3 kids (14, 14, almost 13) against their will on a 1/2 day adventure and hike and again, they ended up loving it.  Picturesque town, gorgeous bluff views of Lake Michigan, and plenty of opportunities for picture-taking.  I read an article somewhere this week advising on ways to get along with your teenager, and I've decided to try some of the techniques.  My 3 are not into the 'terrible teen' phase at all, but their attitudes (mainly toward each other) can be NOT FRIENDLY at times. (I still prefer teens over toddlers.)   So when we announced we were taking them on a short road trip and another hike I deflected the groans and eyerolls by promising photo opps (I'm telling you, they can't resist a good Instagram post) and food.  So we took off and I even sat myself in the dreaded third row seat and let one of them sit up front with dad.  The bluff hike was short and pretty, lunch at Joe's Friendly Tavern hit the spot, and afterward we walked to the beach before heading home.  A pretty perfect day!  This is a direct quote:  "I loved it there!"  Success. :)

Forests and Fields

Ugh, so apparently I'm going to be writing about ups and downs.  We are vacationing in one of our family's favorite places - Northern Michigan, where you can have cool nights and hot days and woodland hikes and lake swimming and beach fires all rolled into one awesome week.  But as we (and I do mean "we" - it's a family experience) struggle through my husband's depression I'm reminded that it isn't going to give us a vacation reprieve.

Yesterday,  when J spent a good part of his day alone inside, away from the sunshine and family, I thought "I should write a post about tips for dealing with a spouse's depression."  But then I thought - no, that's the action-oriented side of me.  What I really needed was to READ some tips about dealing with a spouse's depression.  So that's what I did.  And it helped.  And they all said mostly the same thing.  The best was a guest article in Psychology Today by a man whose wife had averted suicide.  "Get lots of support" and "Take Care of Yourself."  I'm trying to do more of the second.  But the problem is that when you have to shoulder more than your share of family responsibility alone, it's a lonely existence.  But, I am doing more self-care, and learning to do more activities alone or with the kids (ie, if I want to do it, I just do it, I don't stay home just because J wants to).

But late in the day he rallied and we took the 3 grumbling teens for short hike through the woods to a gorgeous overlook, with sweeping views of Lake Michigan and my favorite sight - the "line where blue meets blue" - seemingly endless blue water meeting the vivid blue sky.  We took pictures (my youngest may not like hiking A WHOLE MILE but she can't resist a good instagram post), we talked and laughed and walked.  On the way back the loop trail emerged from the dim woods into a sunny field, and as the sun hit us I thought, "yes, this is a bit like our day.  Some cloudiness followed by times when I see the clearing."    I see progress in our battle with this depression, and along with the tips written by other families, I'd add - take heart when you see the sun emerge, because it's a good sign.  Encourage it.  I truly believe brighter days are ahead.

Headed North!

Love the freedom of heading out for vacation!  2 weeks in the beautiful, soul-nurturing woods and lakes of Northern Michigan.... my true north.  We get to re-set our compasses for the coming (school) year, and enjoy the beauty of the woods, the lakes, the beaches, the bike trails and the cherry orchards.  I'm looking forward to coffee on the porch in the cool morning air, and wine on the patio in the evenings, fire pit roaring!  Even the grouchy teenagers are in decent moods as we drive.  And best of all, they are old enough to PACK FOR THEMSELVES!!!  This is right up there with "potty-trained" and leaving them home alone for the first time.  Asking them to be packed and ready and having them actually do it? That cut about, oh, a HUNDRED hours from my week.  We're off!