We were supposed to go to Okoboji this past weekend to stay with dear friends and soak up lake life together. With schedules filling up this summer, we found a weekend wide open for both of us. The weather looked near perfect, we were packed and ready to go, and we were all so excited. And then, due to some unforeseen last minute changes (stupid COVID), we had to cancel plans. Beau had an office co-worker test positive and we felt it best to lay low until Beau was able to get a test himself. The kids cried in their beds for an hour, I unpacked all the bags I had just packed, and we spent the rest of the day disappointed, confused, frustrated, sad, you name it.
But when life gives you lemons, you make some lemonade. Our first glass of lemonade was mixed up with a Dairy Queen blizzard, a walk on a rediscovered trail, and the prettiest sunset. We stayed past dark and as we walked back to the car the trails were covered in fireflies. I have never seen so many. It reminded me of a part in Harry Potter when they’re walking to the Yule Ball and Harry notices all the shrubs covered in twinkling lights. Only when he gets closer, he realizes they are real life fairies. I told the kids last night that if you go looking for it, there are real bits of magic all around us. You just have to have eyes to see it and then time to stay in it long enough to really see it. Pretty soon, a summer sunset turns into a masterpiece and a field of fireflies turns into a scene straight out of a movie.
Until I edited these pictures, I didn't even realize Mila was wearing her lemon twirly dress. She also stole my sweater as the sun went down and looked so sweet in it. I smiled to think of her looking through my closet some day and picking out a few things she might love to wear.
Saturday's lemonade involved a little bit of Jack Johnson, a big batch of pancakes, some homemade strawberry butter, and a bottle of maple syrup from Kelsie, straight out of their maple tree. We ate our pancakes on the back deck and then stayed in our pjs most of the day, reading books, taking naps, and being all sorts of lazy.
After a hot and humid day, we needed a pitcher of lemonade to cool us off. So we dumped in one part backyard camp-out, one part grilled pizzas, and one part movie night under the stars. Tradition would have it that just as the sun sets and it's not quite dark enough to start our feature presentation, we kill some time with home movies. And this preview always ends up being our favorite part. Their sweet baby voices fill the night sky and mix with their laughter to create the perfect soundtrack of summertime nostalgia. And then we stuff our hands in big bowls of buttery popcorn and stay up way too late. Only to retire to our tent.
There are movies that are just better in the summertime, especially if watched outdoors. The Parent Trap, The Sandlot, The Greatest Showman, and now...Troop Zero. After it was over, I went and found some old paper lanterns I have had since Cruz's first birthday. It seemed like a fitting time to light them up and send them to the stars with our own little messages, just like Christmas in the movie. And then we all slept like babies in our backyard tent - after we excused our snoring companion to go to his bed in the house!
Sunday's lemonade included a picnic lunch and a road trip to a new park we've been wanting to explore. Ledges State Park in Boone has been on our list for awhile even though we had no idea what to expect. And boy were we pleasantly surprised with what we saw! We hiked beautiful trails, stood atop rocky peaks that overlooked the river, and our favorite, stream stomped and taunted the cruisers to GET US WET! We had once again stepped into an old summer movie scene straight out of Stand By Me. Especially when the kids climbed up that bridge. Ledges, we will be back! And maybe next time, we'll bring our tent.
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