The boys are outside playing and Becky and I are totally chilling on the couch. To be honest, I am pretty sure she’s asleep already, but that totally cool after the long week she’s had. It has been a while since we’ve had the opportunity to just snuggle on the couch and I’m thankful for these peaceful moments.

Earlier this evening we picked up ice cream and Becky’s choice took me way back to being a kid. Every single time I have a taste of butter pecan ice cream I immediately am reminded of summer evenings at my Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Each night we were there would end with ice cream and that flavor was the one that we could always count on having (unless they took us to DQ). All it took was one bite of Becky’s ice cream and I was ready to turn on the Brewers game, sit in the screen porch, spend time with my grandparents, and then grab a mason jar and fill it with the lightning bugs I was about to chase. All that from one quick taste of butter pecan!

Pardon me while I cut this short and go back to chillaxing on the couch with Becky … who totally is sleeping now 😉

Thanks!!!

In its totality it’s been a very good day and it really started last night. Just like I said I would my bed was my destination right after blogging. My eyes were closed before my head even hit the pillow. Almost eight hours later I woke up feeling very well rested. It felt amazing!!! I just might have to do it again tonight.

Today I really don’t think I need to say much about the sunrise I saw, the picture pretty much speaks for itself!

Hugely thankful for the help of our friend Courtney this week! With Gavin having Camp Invention, Becky being out of town and me working I am so grateful for Courtney’s willingness to pick Gavin up each day. The monster cookies she also made were dee-lish!!! Thanks Courtney!!!

I am super thankful Becky is coming home tomorrow. Sure, having a second parent in the house will be awesome too, but I am finding myself really missing her now that she’s been gone the better part of two weeks. I am pumped to spend some time with her tomorrow night and this weekend!

Thanks!!!

“If you would be a river you must be a reservoir.” ~ Father Mark Pierce

While Father Mark meant this in a more spiritual sense, this quote hit me differently today.  If I don’t take time to properly take care of myself I am unable to be the version of me that I feel I should be.

Over the past few weeks I’ve been going 100 miles per hour seemingly nonstop.  This has resulted in running myself down, losing good habits, and adding bad habits (have I ever mentioned how much I like to stress eat?).  In the pursuit of working on being who I should be I think I’ve overdone it a bit and need to pump the brakes a little.  It’s nothing too crazy or anything, it’s like a couple of years ago when I was thankful for feeling the wall with my hand before I crashed into it headfirst.  This reminder has been popping into my head every so often as I wrestle with my daily choices.

This evening as I just felt lethargic and run down that quote from Father Mark popped into my head.  It helped me remember to slow down (I can even hear my dad’s voice in my ear, “slow down Mikey!”).  Tonight I am listening to this advice and going to bed early.    The plan was to do some stuff with the boys, get some work done, and a few other random things, but instead I am heading to bed.  As soon as I’m done typing it’s pajama time, and off to hit the hay.  My alarm is already set for an early morning workout – after 8-ish hours of sleep.

Time to work on filling the reservoir back up!  Tonight it’s sleep.  Tomorrow it’s exercise and sleep.  Friday will be exercise, sleep, and watching my food intake.  All simple steps I can take to fill myself back up so I can truly pour myself back into being who I should be.

Thanks!!!

Yesterday was the last hike I’ll ever make in these shoes.  I know, it probably sounds kind of crazy, but I’m very much attached to these shoe.  To most anyone else they are an ugly, beat up, ripped, dirty, smelly, and goofy looking pair of hiking shoes, but to me they are so much more.  When gaze fondly upon these shoes I have awesome memory after awesome memory of moments that these particular shoes have been with me for.

When I look at these shoes I remember:

• Hiking up Grandad’s Bluff before 5am and walking past deer sleeping the side of the road and the company of my friends
• A road trip and a couple of long hikes with some friends in Colorado
• Hiking through Joshua Tree National Park with my family
• A random conversation at a Trader Joes in San Francisco that results din Becky and I seeing a crazy waterfall that drops right into the ocean
• Hiking through the Ancient Grove in Olympic National Park and having a conversation with my dad
• Another long road trip to Colorado to take Dominic out to accomplish a dream – summiting a mountain (Mount Sopris)
• Taking the boys on a hike up approximately 1.7 million stairs to a beautiful watch tower in New Zealand
• A jungle hike in Grand Cayman with friends
• Taking in the incredible view and feeling of history of Mayan ruins in Belize
• Touring around Isle Royale, my fortress of solitude
• Hiking to the top of a glacier in Alaska with my family
• Cruising through the lava fields in Hawaii with my family
• And so many hikes with my family in the bluffs near our house

One simple pair of shoes, so many memories they created with me!  Funny how those shoes were with me for so many mind-blowing moments.  When I think about it when I’d lace them up there was always a smile ahead.  I’d bet that if I looked back at my heart rate and stress levels during that time my heart was racing with excitement and my shoulders were totally relaxed every single time I put them on.  My body and subconscious just knew that adventure lie ahead when they were on my feet.  How awesome is that?

Sleep well in the big shoebox in the sky!

Thanks!!!

What a whirlwind last week was!  We were all headed in different directions from Sunday afternoon until this afternoon.  Next week goes in the same direction as we all head in slightly different directions again.  Over the course of the past week and the next few weeks there are approximately three days when all four of us are in the same place at the same time.  Today has been one of those days and we took time to enjoy it.

We got a great hike in and were able to spend time catching up on everything we’ve each been up to over the past week.  Nothing like enjoying the beautiful weather while hiking with family!  Between hiking, eating as a family, playing games, and just talking it’s been a wonderful opportunity for us to all reconnect before we break huddle tomorrow morning and go our separate directions for another week.

Along those lines, I’m going to cut it short and head back to time with them.

Thanks!!!

This is going to be a short one so I can keep enjoying one of the things I’m grateful for today… family fun! My niece Sela had her graduation party today and it’s been great spending time with family and reconnecting. It’s so awesome to spend time talking with family and that’s what I’ll be diving right back into after typing.

Earlier in the day I went for a run and talked Gavin into rollerblading alongside of me. We had a great time talking about many random things while got a great workout in.

After a while I turned on The Nights by Avicii which led Gavin to ask a pretty profound question. Next thing I knew we were having a conversation on the importance of living while we’re alive. This took us down paths including why we travel, why we should appreciate each moment we’re blessed to have, and how can we more truly savor those moments. It was an incredible discussion that I’m hoping will stick with him for quite some time.

I still remember having a similar conversation with Dominic back in the day. It’s one of those moments that I hold deep in my heart as it leaves me feeling like I’ve been able to help impart something that is a core value of mine that they will keep in their life as well. So much fun talking with the boys about life like that!

Back to the family fun! 😁

Thanks!!!

The day started off with many reminders of why I so enjoy being out in nature.

When I was out running / walking with the dogs this morning it was before anyone else was up and moving on the quiet road we usually run on.  The only sounds were those of birds in the wild and the occasional crunching of small mammals in the brush.  At one point I caught myself stopped in the road just listening to the sound of a woodpecker drilling into a somewhat hollow and rotten tree.  I was totally lost in listening to the repetition of its pounding.  It was so peaceful!

Later in the morning as I drove north I kept taking in the scenic views of the natural world around me.  At one point I saw something that I haven’t seen for a very long time…  a skunk running (more bounding and pouncing ) playfully across a field.

Throughout the day my thoughts returned to the memories of enjoying nature in the morning.  There was a calm about me all day long from taking that time to appreciate the wild surrounding me and I’m thankful for it.

Thanks!!!

My Grandma Lamping was the BEST!!!  There are so many reasons I am thankful for her that over time I’ll probably cover the tip of the iceberg of her awesomeness.  When Gavin and I were walking from the house to the garage he said something that left me literally laughing out loud…

“Hey Dad, throw me the keys!”

Ever since I can remember I have memories of my Grandma Lamping sharing the story of why we should not throw our keys.  Many of the details are still foggy so if someone else can help jump in and clear them up I’m all ears.  What I remember is hearing about someone once throwing the keys to someone else (I think they were thrown to Grandma?) and the keys then impaled the hand of the person catching them.

As a kid I used to laugh so hard at that story and, of course, I would giggle as I would antagonize Grandma every opportunity I had when keys were nearby and possibly exchanging hands.  Just like clockwork I’d hear, “Michael!” and it would be followed by a re-telling of the story and I’d giggle even louder.

Tonight I did my part to help keep this story living on for future generations… Just like I already have many times with both of the boys.  Each time I can hear her say “Michael” in my ear and I smile even bigger.  It’s one of many awesome little moments in life that remind me of her – and I’m thankful for each of them!

Thanks!!!