Zoo

Don has a good friend from high school that he has kept in touch with. He happened to get married a year or so before we did. They had a baby girl (Nikki) a few months before we had Rebekah. We have been trying to get together since we moved to Indiana. A year later we finally made it happen. Leli called and asked if I would join her at the zoo. 

Turns out Rebekah isn't a zoo person. Not yet at least. She is not content to look. She wants to interact. Made it a little rough for me. But I'm learning about my girl and that's what's important. She did enjoy the penguins and the dolphins. She also like the walruses until a walrus came right up to the glass where she was and stared at her. She turned and climbed on me as fast as she could. First time I've seen real fear in her eyes. The other spectators were amazed the walrus did that. It was so close I could have touched it if the glass wasn't there. Other then that she didn't think much of the animals.

In the midst of running around after her, I was able to take a few pictures:

First thing Reka saw: sea horses 

Penguins held her attention for a long time

Not much on the desert animals

She did like pushing the stroller around.

Reka and Nikki. 

Not the best of friends yet. 

Nikki was shy and Reka is kind of 

get in your face - you will play with me and you will like it....

A bit much unless you are ready for it.

Finally! Something to climb on!

We did stop for some animals:

Love the grace of giraffes 

The rinos were fun to watch too 

So was this little girl

She enjoyed snack time

She even enjoyed a quick picture with mama

The flamingos were close so I stopped to look...

So was the lion

And the tiger

But then she was done with this whole zoo thing. Good thing there was a park available.

Loves a good twirly slide

She worked up quite a sweat and it was very hot and humid. I felt I needed something cold to cool her down. What better then an extremely overpriced ice cream treat?

Which she loved

Then there was a new wave of energy to look at some birds

A very rare Rekabird

Just like me, Reka loves reading the signs

I did like the Indianapolis Zoo. I am glad we came. However, I will be waiting for a little while before I do that again. 

100 Day Challenge

Last year around December I decided I needed to slow my sugar intake. My reasons were several but basically it boiled down to this: it's an addiction for me. I don't have a small handful of chocolate, I have the whole bag. I don't have one cookie I have several. I crave it all the time. I know it gets worse with stress and other such feelings. I need to break the addiction and stop comforting with sweets. I made it all the way from December 26th to Valentines day. When I did have sweets again it tasted so foreign, SO sweet, which was very good: I loved that my body was already not use to it. However it apparently wasn't long enough for a lasting change.

I've been trying to do it again. I get a few days and then I break my cycle. But I am determined. If not for myself I need to do this for my daughter. I can't let my addiction effect her. She sees me eating and wants to eat what I eat. And I don't want to hid my eating from her. I also need to be free of the addiction because I need to be more healthy for her. She is 2. I'm 38. She'll be 14 and I'll be 50. I won't be able to keep up with her.

To this end I am announcing my 100 Day Challenge. I'm giving it up for 100 days in the hope that my cravings and tastes for it will change. I'm concerned that I will always crave it but hopefully in 100 days I will be much stronger than I am today and will choose to go on. Maybe have a treat on a once a month or once a week basis or something. My 100 days end September 6th, which ironically is right in time for my 39th birthday. Ironic because I'm thinking I should celebrate with cake...? But seriously I hope that within that 100 days my taste buds will adapt to the change, or I will have the strength to keep going.

I write this here because I want and need support. Hopefully knowing you all know what I am doing will give me the support and strength I need to be strong enough to conquer.

Garden Endeavors Part II

Just got back from weeding the garden. I took some pictures for my mom in law because I have never grown some of these things so I wanted to make sure I was doing it right. Thought I'd share with you all too.

Radishes. Mom says the one side should be thinned but otherwise they look pretty good.

What I thought might be a few carrots growing. I didn't have much luck so I replanted. However a few of these came up and since they were basically in a straight line I though they may be carrots. 

Mom doesn't think so. Very sad. Guess I'll be weeding next time I go back.

Here's the tomatoes

The peppers and brussel sprouts

Beans and the first of the peas 

(I replanted where they didn't come up so hopefully we'll get more)

Lettuce (I replanted the spinach right above the lettuce)

A view of my side of the garden (from the brick over)

A view of the whole garden. You can see the egg plant they planted to the side of my plot.

Still early but I do like seeing things coming up. 

Garden Endeavors

Although the pots worked pretty well last year, they really weren't an option for this year. They were hard to move around (had to be moved to mow and sometimes needed more sunlight) and the fruit / veggies were small. So there was some talk about putting a garden in at the house but that proved problematic too. 

One day I was at the library with Rebekah and noticed a flier on the bulletin board. "Come join our community garden," it said. Okay, I said. So I went and asked questions. Here's the deal. They give you a little plot and they plant in the plot right next to it. You weed both. The food they grow goes to the community. Other than labor, it's free. They treat the ground, provide the water and even tools if you need it. I spoke to Don and he was for it as well. I signed up. 

Here's my little plot. If you look closely you can see my little plants:

Tomatoes, peppers, brussel sprouts

I also planted by seed carrots, peas, lettuce, spinach and the popular Walker favorite: radishes.

Here is a view of both. They planted eggplant in their plot.

*It's been a few weeks since I started this blog. My garden is coming up pretty well. I had to replant some peas and carrots and all the spinach. I also added some green beans. So far it's been great. It's still about 15 minutes from my house, but it hasn't been a problem so far. More pictures later.

Mother's Day 2014

Saturday night Don took me out to Chili's. I had an amazing shrimp taco meal. So good! 

Sunday morning we got ready for church early so there was time for the official mother's day yearly picture:

Sunday afternoon I made a dinner for mom. She asked for my mother's apple and sweet potato recipe and I was very happy to oblige. There was also sliders. (I got slider buns thinking Reka would be happier if she could hold her own hamburger. Didn't really work though. She eats what she wants when she wants it. End of story.)

After the meal we had presents. We got two nice cards for grandma / mom, one from Reka and one from us. Mom got me the picture of Rebekah and the candy you see on the table. Don got me the plant and the shirt. (The shirt was too big so I had to return it. However, Rebekah didn't think the black one suited me and made a big fuss until I got a brown and white one.)

I now turn to my mother. I don't have too many pictures of her. The one you see below was taken years ago in our front yard. 

Sweet unsuspecting mother gardening. Never saw it coming. 

I do love my mother very much. She will always pick up the phone when I call. Sometimes she tells me she can't talk right then and hangs up quick, but most of the time I get a good long talk. 

Every time I am asked to play piano in church I think how lucky I am to have a mother who taught me that skill. Everything that I am I owe to her. 

Happy mother's day mom!

Reka's Room

The room Rebekah is using was previously Paul's room and therefore painted in a very manly dark blue color. I wanted something lighter and more girly. To that end I talked Don into painting. 

Here's the before

Very dark colors. We were concerned that we would have a hard time covering the blue so we bought primer. 

Rebekah helped put it on

We prepared on Friday and primed on Saturday. Saturday night Don and I went to Home Depot to get the color paint. We chose a light green "Celery Ice." The sales woman assured me it would cover the blue that still showed through the primer, however I was still concerned. 

We painted on Monday and although we needed two coats, it finished great. 

Here's the after

The wall hanging on the right is a blanket my mom in law made for Rebekah. 

I love seeing it on the wall!

It's hard to tell from these pictures, but it turned out a very beautiful shade of light green. Very calm and  very peaceful room for my little girl. Thanks to Don and mom for all their help! 

Best Daddy

Rebekah sure loves her daddy. Every time I turn around she has another way of referring to him:

"My friend Daddy"

"His name is DON!"

"Donny"(I'm afraid Reka is the only one who can get away with calling him that...)

"My tallest Dad."
"The tallest Dad in the WORLD!"
"That tall guy with the big head and broken pants." (His pant leg bottoms are frayed)

Any way you put it, Rebekah is a daddy's girl. And when you have a daddy like this, who wouldn't be?

Lake Michigan

Don told me the goal for the next day was to get me to the lake. Rebekah also wanted a park. Don worked his wonders and got us both. 

A big hill leading to the lake view

I took the much easier stair route. While I was waiting, I enjoyed the view. I also took a page out of my daddy's book and thought: 

"now if I had that house, and they had a better one...." 

(that way there's no coveting)

mom down at the park taking a picture

What she was taking a picture of

After Don and Reka made it, mom and Frank joined us

me taking a picture

what I was taking a picture of

(Reka was pouting: there was a park nearby and yet she couldn't "climb and climb")

She finally rallied and enjoyed the walkway

Mom and Frank enjoying the view

FINALLY, it was park time

She climbed and climbed

And climbed some more

(one of my favorite pics of her)

and she ran and ran

My girl loves a good park.

Don wanted to make sure I saw enough of Lake Michigan. Maybe he wanted to be sure he didn't have to take me back any time soon.... Either way, he found another lake view. We walked down the boardwalk.

Mom and Rebekah looking for fish

There was much carrying of Rebekah

(and much regretting the forgetting of the stroller)

A family group shot

Our family totem pole

A close up of my sweet little girl

The lighthouse and the sign

The view

Don took the camera and walked the path out towards the lake. I stayed by the beach with Reka and got these:

Yes, that is another stick for her collection

Reka found some swings on the way back

Then we indulged her with some sand time

she came back with both hands full of Michigan sand wanting to take it home

Finally we headed back to the car and found mom and Frank. They were heading of to some other destination but before they left we talked mom into taking one final picture:

We put Dora in for Reka to watched and headed back towards home. My mind was on the lake. It was so beautiful! Only two other times in my life have I been stunned by the beautiful view; the Big Island (thanks Courtney) and Orient Point in Long Island. I still think about the lake and see the views in my mind. Don humored me and found a house for sell on Lake Michigan. So if anyone wants to go in on it with us - (it's only 4.2 million) - let me know. 

Special thanks to Don for the trip. I truly enjoyed it!