Midweek Musings

Looking forward to: Packing up our bags and heading on a road trip across this great country!  Yes, on Thursday night around midnight, we are packing up a mini-van and driving 1,148 miles to the Southern East Coast.  Beau won a nice little family trip through his work this year, and we decided to go all out on a road trip adventure instead of flying.  Cruz is perhaps the best car rider on this side of the planet and we were able to save a bundle AND see more of the country by driving instead of flying.  We asked my parents along for the ride, and plan to make many detours on our way to our final destination - Savannah, Georgia.  We're staying in a cabin in the Smoky Mountains for a couple of days, and plan to take our time absorbing as much southern charm as we can squeeze out of our week-long trip.  We don't have a whole lot planned for must-sees or must-dos - just fried chicken, lots of fresh seafood, and the ocean, and we are giddy excited over the thought of back roads, stopping when we feel like it, and getting acquainted with a part of the country we aren't familiar with.  

If you've been to Savannah, the Smoky Mountains, Tybee Island, or Hilton Head, SC, and have recommendations of things or places we shouldn't miss, we'd love to hear!  

Watching: While we wait for the third season of The Walking Dead to come out on DVD, we decided to start a new Netflix series.  Beau and I are at a point in our lives when we seem to do a lot better with television series' instead of movies, I guess because you can watch an episode here and there without committing to a 2-3 hour sitting at once.  What usually happens, though, is that we get sucked it to the show and go on TV binges, watching until we are out of discs and have to wait the excruciating three days to get another familiar red envelope in the mailbox.  

We decided to start the series, Homeland, and so far, we are fans.  I've always liked Claire Danes, and the show has many elements of a 24-type show - suspense, counter-terrorist plot lines, and emotionally estranged characters.  Take 24 only put it on cable TV and you've got Homeland.   

Listening to: Beau and I are currently working on our roadtrip soundtrack, which includes everything from that Robin Thicke song no one can get out of their heads right now, to some Rodney Atkins, Creedence Clearwater, and Alabama Shakes.  Since my dad used to be an obsessive Forrest Gump fanatic and the movie just happened to be filmed in Savannah, we are adding the Forrest Gump soundtrack to our playlist and I was recently reminded how killer that soundtrack is. 

Eating:  I had my first Santa Claus melon tonight.  It was amazeballs.  


Thinking about: How important it is to stay present and soak up this summer with Cruz.  This week, my mind is all over the place with preparations for vacation, and when I find myself tugged between to-dos and let-bes, it's important I find time for both in my days.  It's okay to let Cruz watch cartoons while I throw bed sheets in the wash or attempt to count how many pairs of little underwear I should pack for him, as long as I make time for deliberate play.  Today, we went to one of our favorite playgrounds and played lions and crocodiles.  I chased Cruz, listened to his giggles and screams, and when we was all sweaty, we sat in the shade and he asked for stories.  He's been into this story-teller thing lately, and it's proved fun and challenging for Beau and I's creativity levels.  Telling him stories is completely worth it, though, because he typically gives you his full undivided attention, his big brown eyes staring right through yours in suspense and interest.  A couple of weeks ago, I told him the story of the day he was born, and now it's a frequent request.  And that, my boy, is a story I'd love to tell forever.

His story-telling listening face...

     
Spending our days: Outside as much as possible.  We spent almost three hours at the pool on Monday on our first mid-ninety degree day, and last week, we had a fun afternoon revisiting one of our favorite parks.  After nap, I packed our snacks up in a cooler and headed to the Botanical Gardens.  We built sand castles, told stories in the tree fort, ate strawberry shortcake in a makeshift knight's dungeon, and fed the gold fish a snack.  I had forgotten how peaceful this little secret place is.

Loving: Afternoons at the pool followed by Tropical Sno.  Every day because I started a precedent.  Bear hunts with Mom and Dad on Sunday afternoons.  Our first taste of sweet corn on the cob.  Fun road trip soundtracks and homemade scavenger hunts.  Very slow nightly neighborhood walks because Cruz now wants to walk himself instead of ride in the stroller.  A growing garden, a sunset bike ride with my little brother, and tenderloins at Toads.

    

We are fully absorbed in lots of summertime goodness over here and I've been enjoying your similar blog posts, feeds, and updates, too - zoo trips, baseball games, picnics in the park, and fresh homemade produce all sing a similar tune of a season that truly brings out the best.

I'm off to make chex mix, wash more clothes, and dream up more road trip remedies for keeping our two year old busy and content - may the highway gods be with us... ;)