The Daily Joy

Day 218 - The sweet 16th

2010-10-21T16:33:00.003-04:00

Friday, August 6
Sixteen years ago today I married the "man of my dreams" ... intelligent, athletic, tall, a hard-worker, self-motivated, a heart for God, and big hands (it's no small feat to find them bigger than mine, I might add). Sixteen years later we both certainly know more about each other's flaws, but I am still very thankful that Brad is the man I get to spend the rest of my life with.

My joy of the day was being able to spend time together with him on a "real" date. Real dates are few and far between because, well, life demands much more out of us than it did sixteen years ago. We didn't spend our time together picking up items at the nearest home improvement store, but instead had a lovely dinner at a nice restaurant, followed by a walk along the river (something we haven't done often in the last sixteen years), and a rare night at the movies. It's reassuring to know that when you remove all of the chaos, I still really enjoy spending time with my husband.

Day 211 - Holding on to summer

2010-10-21T10:10:00.007-04:00

Friday, July 30
It is unbelievable to think that school starts in just over two weeks and looking ahead at the calendar, almost every day is scheduled with something between now and when school starts. So to make the most of summer (and use the remaining punches on our punch-card), we headed to the splash park one final time. We stayed a long time and even splurged on Dilly Bars late in the afternoon. It's official, summer is the BEST time of year.

Day 210 - A little love note

2010-10-21T10:05:00.002-04:00

Thursday, July 29
Ashlyn is always giving me pictures or little heart messages, but today she left me a little note on my bedroom door ...

Day 209 - A bright idea

2010-10-21T09:51:00.004-04:00

Wednesday, July 28
There just seems to be a point in every summer when the kids get a bit restless. For the sake of saving money, I turned my attention to the storage room instead of trying to find yet another outdoor adventure. To my delight, I was not only able to find the three lite-brights and pegs I had packed away from my teaching days, I was able to get them working! Soon my restless children were spending quiet hours in the dark, creating beautiful masterpieces. What joy!

Day 200 - Breaking through the clouds

2010-10-21T09:37:00.004-04:00

Monday, July 19
Sometimes God can get our attention using the most unusual circumstances. I often find it's through my children that I receive divine revelation.

Payton looked at the sky and with excitement in his voice said, "Look Mom! God is trying to talk to someone!" Although his words were unexpected and he was referring to the amazing sunlight rays in the sky, I responded that he was right. God is always trying to talk to somebody. Then I ran in the house and grabbed the camera as a reminder that God is always trying to speak to me ... I'm just not always a good listener.

Day 199 - Bon appetit

2010-10-21T09:24:00.006-04:00

Sunday, July 18
Cooking is not my favorite pastime. It's just not something I love. If I could just stick to making desserts, now that would be the life. Although when I do make something out of the ordinary or that turns out really well ... let's just say it can be rewarding. Today I wanted to try and recreate a salad that I enjoy from Panera ... and to my great delight it actually turned out pretty well.

Day 197 - One of my favorite things

2010-10-21T09:14:00.004-04:00

Friday, July 16
Going to the beach is good for my soul and is one of my favorite pastimes. I think it must have something to do with growing up just a quarter of a mile from Lake Michigan, but I'm really not sure. There is just something healing about sitting and watching the waves, sky, and screaming kids. Well, maybe not screaming kids ... but you get the idea. (At least it is a place where it's OK to use our outside voices.) Today we were able to go with some dear friends and just enjoy some perfect summer weather.

Day 195 - Another splashin' good time

2010-10-21T08:58:00.009-04:00

Wednesday, July 14
Today we had another great time meeting up with cousins Culley and Jenna at the splash park. Usually our time together revolves around holidays, sporting events, or quick trips passing through so it was great to get some extra time just enjoying life together this week!

Day 192 - Summer lovin'

2010-10-21T08:34:00.005-04:00

Sunday, July 11
We have all fallen in love. Really. We are all in love with Culley Jo. Today it was a joy watching the kids interact, each in their own special way, with their cousin. Because she lives so far away we don't get to see her often, and I am sure from her perspective it was like meeting us all for the first time ... but she just reached in and captured our hearts once again.

Day 190 - Home again

2010-10-21T08:30:00.002-04:00

Friday, July 9
The boys made it back home again. Safe and sound. Ah, joy.

Day 188 - A loving gesture

2010-10-21T07:23:00.006-04:00

Wednesday, July 7
Ashlyn loves her daddy. She loves me too; in fact, I never knew a child could be such a "daddy's girl" and a "mommy's girl" at the same time. She is great about showing love and is very upset at bedtime if she can't spend time hugging and kissing both of us! With Brad gone this week, she has missed him terribly ... and it has been magnified since he was gone last week too. (And it has made me grateful that Brad doesn't travel very often.)

Ashlyn also loves art projects. So in anticipation of Brad's return she wanted to make him a welcome home sign. Then she decided to make one for the boys too ... and even convinced Payton to participate. They had so much fun making the signs and hanging them on the bedroom doors (the one Payton made for Brad was double-sided so he put it on his dad's bed instead). It was a joy seeing how much thought they put into the signs, choosing each person's favorite color and deciding on the decorations. Ashlyn just knew which Hello Kitty stickers the boys would love ... and she was right, the boys did love their signs (Hello Kitty stickers and all).

Day 187 - A proud purchase

2010-10-20T16:09:00.005-04:00

Tuesday, July 6
For Ashlyn's birthday, she received birthday money from her brothers (click here to read about it) and some gift cards ... and she had been itching to go shopping. What she REALLY wanted was a princess swimming pool she had seen at the store, but when we went to purchase it they were out. Instead she decided on another play pool and once we set it up, it provided hours (and days) of fun! Ashlyn and Payton had a blast playing and playing and playing in the pool. It was so fun to watch the excitement over a little pool with water on a hot day in the summer.

Day 186 - A splashin' good time

2010-10-20T15:35:00.004-04:00

Monday, July 5
Today we met some friends at the splash park in town. Not only did the kids play with the friends we met at the park, but Payton also found a friend from school and another from church to play with - he is such a social bug! It was also a reminder of how things have changed ... as I was able to enjoy sitting in the lawn chair watching them play the entire time (no more chasing toddlers all over). Wowzers! At times I am pretty sure I enjoy their independence more than they do.

Day 185 - Happy birthday to the USA

2010-10-20T15:10:00.008-04:00

Sunday, July 4
One of my favorite holidays is Independence Day, the 4th of July! I love that it's summer, the celebration of freedom, the fireworks, and so much more. Since Brad and the older two boys were gone at basketball camp I spent the day with Payton and Ashlyn. It was a hot, hot day in July, but we stayed cool in the air conditioned movie theater watching Toy Story 3 (something we don't do very often ... so a real treat). We really had a fun time. We also joined Grandma and Grandpa Fish for fireworks that evening. It was just great family time and a joy to be able to be together.

Ashlyn and me with our first-ever matching flip-flops

Day 181 - A perfect kind of day

2010-08-26T21:52:00.005-04:00

Wednesday, June 30
So my first week off of work and Brad had to be out-of-town on business. Nothing like 24/7 kid-duty to welcome me home! Thankfully, the weather has been amazing, and by amazing I mean the perfect kind of summer days with sunny, warm days and very little humidity ... which any good mother knows that means the kids can be outside! Today the kids spent hours playing outside on the swing set. It was like they discovered a long, lost friend. And for me it meant moments of tranquility and joy. It also reminded me why it is great having four kids close in age ... they have built-in play-mates.

Day 178 - Together again

2010-08-26T21:39:00.003-04:00

Sunday, June 27
Today we all got ready and went to church together as a family. Now that may not seem like any big to-do, except for the fact that Ashlyn and Payton don't ever remember a time that we have left the house together for church. Since the time they were one and three-years-old I would quietly leave the house before they were out of bed. So it was refreshing (and a bit strange) to get ready and go together as a family. I had to laugh to myself as we went out the door and Braden said, "That went much better with mom home." Kudos to my husband for getting four kids ready every Sunday morning for nearly four years - he's an amazing man!

Day 177 - A positively pinkalicious day

2010-08-25T21:50:00.012-04:00

Saturday, June 26
Today marked another first in our family ... Ashlyn's first ever friend birthday party, and it was Pinkalicious! I have to admit, that after three boys, it was just as much fun for me planning the party. I am so thankful that God blessed me with a daughter ~ and one who loves everything girlie.

There were so many joys that it is difficult to choose one, but among all the crown decorating, wand making, and giggles the one that takes the cake involves my son. The original plan was that the boys were going to all disappear for the girl party (Braden and Mason jumped at that chance), but Payton really wanted to be a part! I couldn't bear to exclude him from the fun, so he agreed to help serve the treats and even agreed to the terms of the invitation ... to wear something pink.

Day 175 - Blessed beyond measure

2010-08-25T07:10:00.007-04:00

Thursday, June 24
The older I get, the more I realize that relationships are one of the most important treasures in life. Although I have certainly done my part to really mess some up in my lifetime, maybe it's those gray hairs I keep finding in my head that have begun to make me realize that people (not possessions or even what you accomplish in life) are the key.

It has been a blessing to work with amazing people over the past four years! Without getting too sentimental, today was my last day at work ... and my team surprised me at lunch by inviting everyone who had ever worked on staff with me in KidsWorld. It was so fun spending time with all of these amazing women. What a joy it is to count them all as friends!

Today was also a special day because it was my dad's 70th birthday! We were able to spend dinner with my family in celebration. I have been blessed with a dad who loves me dearly and never misses an opportunity to tell me so. I can only hope that he is around for my 70th.

Day 173 - A whole hand

2010-08-24T13:12:00.006-04:00

Tuesday, June 22
My baby turned five years old today. When you are five, birthdays are a really BIG deal and she was super excited for her birthday ... she's been talking about it since Christmas. However, what blew me away was an act of generosity from Mason and Payton. Mason made a money holder card ... and he and Payton put $18 of their own money (almost all that they had) into the mouth of "Pinky the Frog Princess" for her birthday present. This blew me away. Ashlyn isn't old enough to really appreciate what they did, but I am.

Day 169 - All good things must come to an end

2010-08-24T11:46:00.002-04:00

Friday, June 18
Today marked the last day of camp. :( It was such an amazing week. The camp staff was very hush-hush about the closing of camp, even with me because they knew that I also had two kids at camp and they wanted me to be able to enjoy the experience as a parent. So I am not going to completely give it away for parents of future SpringHill campers, but it was such a joy participating in the affirmation of children!

I shed many tears today, those that represented the completion of a huge event and months of preparation, the realization that my time in my current position was drawing to a close, and ones that represented the joy I felt in my heart knowing that lives had been touched eternally.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Day 167 - Getting in on the action

2010-08-24T11:29:00.005-04:00

Wednesday, June 16
Today I had so much fun getting to try out some the activities the kids were doing at camp all week. Although the Euro Bungee left me bruised and sore, it was a blast flipping over and over on the trampoline.

The high ropes course was NOT my favorite ... but I did it. However, the zip-line ROCKS! It was also a blast being able to it with the SpringHill Camp director. I just love April and it was a joy being able to work with her.

Day 165 - The fun begins

2010-08-24T10:59:00.004-04:00

Monday, June 14

Today was the first day of SpringHill Day Camp and words can hardly begin to describe how wonderful it was! It is almost impossible to pick just one thing for my daily joy ... the excitement on the kids faces, how engaged the kids were throughout the day (it was so fun to see them engaged in singing camp songs and observe them as they walked from point A to point B), the quality of the staff that SpringHill brought to work the camp, the amazing volunteers we had from River Oaks ... I could go on and on. It was also a day that I felt relief, as months of planning and hard work came together for an amazing experience for kids. What a privilege it was for me to be a part of something so meaningful in the lives of over two hundred children. Now that truly is joy. (It brings tears to my eyes even now as I write this over two months later.)

An executive decision

2010-08-24T10:37:00.004-04:00

At some point in time there are things in our life that start out as an escape and enjoyable, but then turn into a stress or work. As someone who loves to scrapbook, I have seen this over and over in the scrapbooking world. Individuals who start out scrapbooking as an enjoyable hobby, quickly become overwhelmed with how far "behind" they get and give up due to self-inflicted pressure and stress. (BTW - this could be me, but I try not to let it stress me out that Payton is a newborn in my scrapbooks, even though he is 7 in real life.)

Well, this has occurred with me and this blog. Believe me, there were very tangible reasons I started this blog. I was in a funk. Somehow I had lost perspective and needed some accountability to discover the glass is half full again. That said ... when work and family life both were demanding full time hours, as the school year came to a close and a big summer event was looming at work, this blog became a non-essential compared to sleep. Therefore, I got behind ... way behind. Now when I have a daily joy moment and get excited about recording it, that quickly turns to dread when I think about how far behind I am and how much writing I must do before I can write what is fresh on my mind. As a result, I have made an executive decision that I am not going to recall each daily joy for the summer months ... it will just be the highlights.

This was a difficult realization and decision that I have come to. When I set goals, it is extremely disappointing to me when I don't meet them or if I fall short of my original expectations. That is why I have been telling myself for some time that eventually I would catch up with my blog and have tried to record (on paper) brief snippets of highlights so I could eventually write about my daily joys ... even though I am waaaaay behind. But we are all going to have to live with this decision and just find the joy in it - someday soon maybe I will be back to recording the present.

Day 161 - Last minute plans

2010-08-05T17:01:00.002-04:00

Thursday, June 10
As a last minute decision, we decided to make the most of our Steak 'N' Shake coupons and take the kids out to eat. I got such a kick watching the kids enjoy their hats ... and what excitement over making those convertible cars!

Day 160 - In good hands

2010-08-05T17:00:00.003-04:00

Wednesday, June 9
One of the biggest stresses of any working mother is knowing that your children are well-cared-for. It is a joy to know that my kids are in great hands. I am so very thankful for my June childcare arrangements and how wonderfully everything worked out to have Miss Amy!

Day 159 - Take out

2010-08-05T16:59:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, June 8
Some days you just need a back-up plan. Today was one of those days and my simple joy of the day was Chinese take out.

Day 158 - A winning bid

2010-08-05T16:58:00.003-04:00

Monday, June 7
Ashlyn has told me for some time that she would really, really like an Ariel dress for her birthday. It actually started before Christmas last year, but when she didn't get one for Christmas then the request changed to her birthday. Although I had seen it in the stores for months (and considered purchasing it a while back), when I went to purchase it for her up-coming birthday not a one could be found! Ugh. When my store shopping turned up empty, I turned to EBay. My joy of the day came when I had the winning bid. Whew. Now if it can just make it here from Hong Kong in time ...

Footnote: It arrived with three days to spare. Whew.

Day 157 - A little bit crafty

2010-08-05T16:39:00.004-04:00

Sunday, June 6
I really love to craft. Really. From scrapbooking to jewelry making, there is rarely a craft that I don't like. I also love the sense of accomplishment I receive when I complete a task. My joy of the day was completing the birthday invitations for my daughter's party. I had a ton of fun coming up with the idea and actually making them!

Day 156 - The secret ingredient

2010-08-05T16:17:00.004-04:00

Saturday, June 5
This week Mason came home from school with a recipe from a book that was read to his class. So today we made angel food cake, but not just any angel food cake ... it was a recipe for High Rise Glorious Skittle Skat Roarious Sky Pie Angel Food Cake, which includes a very special secret ingredient. Look at the photo closely, but if you figure it out shhhhh - don't tell anyone!

"Love" written backwards in the sugar three times

Day 155 - One of my favorite things

2010-07-29T11:20:00.005-04:00

Friday, June 4
One of my fondest memories of my time with my grandmother as a child was picking strawberries with her. Although I was only three, it seemed like she had the world's largest strawberry patch! Strawberries are also one of my favorite things, so for the first time ever I decided to take my kids strawberry picking this morning. I wasn't sure how it would go, but in just an hour we picked 25 pounds!!! Yum!

Day 154 - The best kind of lunch

2010-07-29T11:08:00.004-04:00

Thursday, June 3
Over the past almost four years, I have met with two other women for lunch on a monthly basis. All three of us are employed in similar positions, but at different organizations ... so the opportunity to share ideas and lift each other up has been priceless. They have been life savers on more than one occasion! Today I was able to have lunch with them, which will be the last time in my current position (but hopefully not the last time we have lunch). My life has been made richer by their friendships!

Day 153 - The back-up plan

2010-07-15T14:26:00.002-04:00

Wednesday, June 2
Today the interim director who will be taking over my position arrived and it was a joy to have her join the team. Selfishly, it was also great to know that there will be extra help with a big event just around the corner! Whew.

Day 152 - Good-bye sixth grade

2010-07-12T11:56:00.007-04:00

Tuesday, June 1
Today marked another last for our family ... it was the last day my three boys will ever be in school together. The last day of school also means "awards" day and the day finished with Braden's 6th grade graduation. Although I was very pleased with my boys and their awards, my joy of the day resulted from Mason's award for Trustworthiness and Braden's Integrity award. Parenting can be very hard work at times and regardless of my attempts to screw them up, it makes my heart sing to know that they can make good choices at school.

Last morning together at the bus stop

After Braden's graduation from South Side...

Day 151 - Time to get up

2010-07-11T23:13:00.006-04:00

Monday, May 31
The best kind of day is a no alarm clock day! Today nobody had to set an alarm clock and it was a joy to wake up without any assistance.

Work is a necessity for man. Man invented the alarm clock.
- Pablo Picasso

Day 150 - Family time

2010-07-11T23:11:00.001-04:00

Sunday, May 30
My joy of the day was being able to spend time relaxing in the backyard as a family this evening. The kids had fun playing on Payton's new slip 'n' slide and we had fun just watching.

Day 149 - Lucky number seven

2010-07-11T22:36:00.005-04:00

Saturday, May 29
There may be seven wonders of the ancient world, seven continents, seven colors in the rainbow, and seven days in a week ... but the most amazing thing today is that my baby boy turned seven years old! I am blessed to be the mother of this joy-giver.

Day 148 - Another mother-daughter day

2010-07-11T22:27:00.003-04:00

Friday, May 28
Although I was grateful that Ashlyn could attend preschool, it is a bit of an "interruption" in the day to take a little one to school for two hours. I didn't really think much of it during the school year, but since preschool ended last week we had the entire day without the demands of rushing off to school. It was just very nice to spend the day together doing everything at our own pace.

Day 147 - A visit from the cleaning fairy

2010-07-11T22:19:00.003-04:00

Thursday, May 27
One of the "deals" when I went back to work a few years ago was that we would hire someone to help clean twice a month. Today was cleaning day and I always like walking into a clean home. Ahhhh ... with only one month left in my job, I will enjoy it while it lasts.

Day 146 - Backyard fun

2010-07-11T22:01:00.003-04:00

Wednesday, May 26
After spending a long day on a field trip, it was wonderful just sitting in a lawn chair watching the kids play in the sprinklers late in the afternoon. And it made my week when the neighbor kids let me know how much they LOVE my back steps ... which since we have not yet completed our patio area, the steps are actually stacked cinder blocks. They thought the holes through them were super cool. Boy, I knew I liked those kids!

The sprinkler kids crew

Day 145 - Blue skies

2010-07-11T21:56:00.001-04:00

Tuesday, May 25

Today was a busy, crazy day! However, warm weather has finally arrived and I am always grateful for blue skies.

Day 144 - Better than peanut butter

2010-07-11T21:51:00.003-04:00

Monday, May 24
Even though I was away for a week's vacation, I just haven't been feeling well. An appointment to the doctor today confirmed bronchitis. So when my neighbor invited me to lunch, I was grateful not to have to think about what to make ... and her home-made egg salad sandwiches sure beat peanut butter!

Day 143 - Music to my ears

2010-07-09T09:44:00.004-04:00

Sunday, May 23
Practice doesn't always make perfect, but it sure does pay off. Since returning from vacation, I worked and worked with Mason on his piano recital piece. Thankfully, the pay-off was worth it and he did great! It is a joy to observe when my boys obtain their goals.

Day 142 - Together again

2010-07-08T12:59:00.004-04:00

Saturday, May 22
Today my joy was just being able to be back as a family again. Ahhhh. There is great comfort in all being together again.

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs,
and returns HOME to find it.
-George Moore

Day 141 - Completing a chapter

2010-07-07T23:12:00.005-04:00

Friday, May 21
Today was my baby's last day of preschool, and it was a joy being able to spend the time with her at the celebration and attend her first "graduation" (swallow, blink). Although once a skeptic, I am starting to be believe that time really does fly.

Day 140 - It's the little things

2010-07-07T23:00:00.003-04:00

Thursday, May 20
I was SURE that Payton would lose his front tooth while we were away on vacation. (And I occasionally thought about how I had not made "arrangements" in the event that did occur.) But to my surprise, his tooth was still hanging on for dear life when I returned. My first day back to reality included going into Payton's school to attend his class celebration of all the May birthdays. It was a joy to be there for the party (I love 1st grade!!!) and on our way out of the school the nurse overheard me telling Payton that we should try and get that tooth out before his dad returned from Phoenix. Well, after a quick trip to her office, Payton left the school with one less tooth in his mouth (it was tucked away in his new little treasure box).

Day 139 - Counting my blessings

2010-05-19T14:48:00.004-04:00

Today was not a day that I was looking forward to ... the end of vacation. To top it off, I was not excited about making the journey back to Indiana by myself. So it was very timely today that in my devotional (which I normally read at night, but since I was on vacation I have been reading it in the morning) the topic was on spending more energy on being thankful and giving thanks vs. always asking for help. Therefore, today I made a pact with God that unless the plane was about to crash I would only offer prayers of thanksgiving all day and not ask for anything. (Like little panic attack prayers of "Dear God, please help me face the chaos at home!!!") Amazingly, it did help my focus and perspective for the day to stay positive. And I did have little blessings along the way. One example ... as I was leaving the pool area (after a very enjoyable last couple hours in the sun) I offered the magazine I had just finished reading to a woman I passed on my way out, and in return she gave me two magazines she had just finished. (Obviously it doesn't take much for me to get excited.)

Day 138 - Another good book

2010-05-19T14:44:00.005-04:00

Another day of vacation, another good book. This time it was a memoir about an almost unbelievable life-story: The Glass Castle written by Jeannette Walls. Not only am I in awe of the incredible circumstances the author has overcome in her life, I am incredibly thankful for the boring life I have led!

Day 137 - The phone call

2010-05-19T14:43:00.005-04:00

Monday, May 17
I believe that one of the tests of a true friendship is that no matter how long it has been since you have connected, you can pick up right where you left off and never have a loss for words. My joy of the day was being able to re-connect with a friend who I rarely get to talk to. Since I was in the same time-zone (that three hour difference can be a real killer when trying to connect), I called my friend last week and scheduled a time to talk. This morning we were able to have our conversation, and our hour and twenty minute conversation seemed more like fifteen.

Day 136 - Enjoying the journey

2010-05-19T12:37:00.015-04:00

Sunday, May 16
Late in the afternoon we decided to go on a "drive" to find Canyon Lake, but this wasn't just the every day drive. What I thought might just be a boring drive on a hot day in the middle of the desert, turned out to be a wonderful adventure. For starters, we were able to venture out with the top down on our convertible rental car (something you just can't do with four kids in tow). We didn't even mind that it was pushing 100 degrees outside ... ahhh, feel the wind. Along the way, we passed Superstition Mountain, Lost Dutchboy Park, drove by an official ghost town, took the Apache Trail past Apache Junction, and entered a National Forest unlike anything either one of us had ever experienced. We completely enjoyed the topography and rugged terrain! Once at Canyon Lake we enjoyed a nice dinner overlooking the water, at the only restaurant in the area. It was a great evening adventure, with a beautiful night sky to enjoy on the return trip back to Phoenix.

Canyon Lake

The scenic views

More scenic views

When you're from Indiana, it means taking Cactus pictures

Day 135 - The outdoor experience

2010-05-19T12:20:00.005-04:00

Saturday, 5/15
Today was another beautiful day, and even with temps in the high nineties we were outdoors for most of the day. We spent most of the day with a co-worker and friend from Brad's work, who was recently re-located from South Bend to Phoenix. We started with a mildly ambitious hike on South Mountain, followed by a late brunch at a local organic farm. In the evening, we ventured to an outdoor mall called Tempe Marketplace for another outdoor dinner, window shopping, and a movie. The outdoor mall was truly amazing. I know the concept of not having a roof would never work in our area of the country, but it was very cool.

Cadillac Ranch (the place where we ate dinner)

Tempe Marketplace

Day 134 - Outdoor dining

2010-05-19T12:01:00.004-04:00

Friday, 5/14
One of the things I love most about visiting the Phoenix area ... I really enjoy eating outdoors. In fact, it is pretty much a requirement when we are picking a restaurant. Fortunately, most restaurants in this area have outdoor seating so that typically does not limit our options. It is truly a joy to be able to share these outdoor dinners with my husband, and tonight was another great evening shared with him in downtown Tempe.

I enjoyed lunch outdoors the first day at the resort restaurant overlooking the first hole of the golf course (I took this picture from our balcony).

Day 133 - Lost in a good book

2010-05-19T11:46:00.004-04:00

Thursday, 5/13
One of the main reasons I look forward to vacation is because I love to read! It is something I completely and thoroughly enjoy, but rarely have time for on a day-to-day basis. Before I left town, my mother and friends gave book recommendations and even loaned me books for my trip. I came well-prepared with a variety of genres to choose from. Yesterday I made my selection and decided to begin with a book my mother recommended: The Covenant by Beverly Lewis. Today my joy is that I finished it! Now onto the next selection ...

Day 132 - Peace like a river

2010-05-19T11:04:00.004-04:00

Wednesday, 5/12
There is joy in just being lazy on vacation. I did feel a little guilty when I woke up at 10am (1pm Eastern), but not too much when I realized that we didn't get to our room until midnight (3am Eastern). To precipitate even more laziness, the resort has a lazy river. Frankly, it is much easier to say "it is well with my soul" when experiencing peace like a river than when the sea billows are rolling. Today was truly a lazy day ... and much needed rest for my soul.

Day 131 - The escape artist

2010-05-17T16:18:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, 5/11
It really is an art to organize and orchestrate the arrangements, packing, and schedules of four children when leaving to go out of town. I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say it's complicated. Therefore, the relief and joy to finally be in the air after all the planning and preparation really can't be put into words. It just can't.

Day 130 - The joy of fine arts

2010-05-17T16:01:00.006-04:00

Monday, 5/10

My joy of the day was attending the Concord Art Show and All School Band Concert. Although the boys are still young and just starting out, it makes my heart glad that they can participate in the fine arts. It's just that crazy dreamer part of me that wants my kids to be able to appreciate and participate in the arts too.

Braden's shoe artwork

Mason's Nativity scene

The band concert (I know, I know ... where's Braden?)

Day 129 - All is well that ends well

2010-05-17T15:53:00.002-04:00

Sunday, May 9

You know how you have to work double to get ready to go out of town? So maybe there are some people that can just pack a bag and leave, but I had double the amount to get done both at home and for work just to get ready to leave town. As a result, I spent all day working in the office on Mother's Day. (However, it really didn't bother me because I knew that I would have time to relax in just two days.)

When I did finally make it home, Brad had a very special dinner planned and went all out with steaks on the grill, loaded baked potatoes, and much more. Mason even made brownies to go with our strawberries and angel food cake because he knew how much momma LOVES brownies. All in all, it was a great ending to a long day!

Day 128 - An agent of change

2010-05-17T15:21:00.007-04:00

This week I received a package in the mail. Brad joked that it was my Mother's Day present ... and I knew it was a joke because the package I received earlier in the week (that he also said was my Mother's Day present) was my order of Kirby replacement bags for our vacuum cleaner. To my surprise, when I opened the box it was a bottle of syrup. That's right. Syrup.

Now the back story: At least a year and a half or two years ago (I can't even remember) I contacted the makers of Hungry Jack Syrup. I loved the convenience of the shorter bottle and how it fit into the cupboard, but they went and redesigned the spout. The "new and improved" spout was much wider and the "easy pour" feature was so easy that my kids would flood their plates with syrup because it poured sooooo fast. I was so frustrated that I now had to supervise the syrup pouring, that I decided to actually contact the company - which I think was a first for me. (I was sure they did this intentionally so we would waste more syrup and as a result have to buy it more frequently!) I even went to the store and bought out the last of the old design ... then, ultimately I had to start refilling the container. I even had to dig it out of the trash once last summer when the babysitter threw it away when it was empty. (This is probably too much information, as I do realize this is now sounding neurotic!) Honestly, the last few months have been so crazy that I gave up on refilling, so we've just been using a tall off-brand that I have to store in another cupboard.

Now after all this time, the company sent me a bottle with their new and improved "no drip cap" redesign and coupons for a future purchase. In hopes that I will reconsider using their product. We had to leave to go out of town, so I haven't actually tried it yet ... only time will tell, but I was impressed that they took my advice to heart. Just call me an agent of change.

Day 127 - The good news delay

2010-05-14T14:51:00.007-04:00

Friday, 5/7
Yesterday Braden came home with good news - his artwork was selected to be in the annual school district art show. However, it was bitter-sweet as Mason choked back tears when he said he didn't get a note home. Mason loves art and has a natural ability for art. And, amazingly, he has had artwork in the show every year, so he was naturally disappointed. However, when I came home today Mason ran all the way home from the neighbors and I could tell he had something important to tell me. He excitedly told me that he received a note that his artwork had been selected too! It had been my prayer last night that the note was just delayed ... so it was my joy of the day when it actually came.

Day 126 - A good news day

2010-05-14T14:50:00.003-04:00

Thursday, 5/6
Today I received some really exciting news. This summer I am hosting a very cool summer camp at work and we have over 75 full scholarships to give away. However, I have been feeling stressed about the logistics of getting the word out that we have this incredible opportunity available. It just seemed that I was encountering road-blocks along the way. However, today I received word that we have approval to send home info at the two elementary schools that are near our location! This brought on a whole new set of challenges, but at the same time it was a huge answer to prayer and my joy of the day!!!

Day 125 - It's all about the clothes

2010-05-14T14:49:00.003-04:00

Wednesday, 5/5
For some of us it starts young, the obsession with clothes ... and shoes. I knew we were in trouble when one of Ashlyn's very first words was "shoes" - and the boys can't seem to understand why she gets excited over gifts that are clothing. Really?!? We got the brochure for Concord summer camps this week, so it shouldn't have been a surprise when I asked Ashlyn if she wanted to go to her first basketball camp and the first thing after "Yes!" was describing in full detail how she could wear her Notre Dame cheerleader outfit. Nice.

Day 124 - The gift of time

2010-05-14T14:48:00.004-04:00

Tuesday, 5/4
Today I received the blessing of more time. My day didn't actually grow more hours, but instead of spending half of my day in meetings, I was blessed with time to work on some tasks and get more accomplished. A blessing and a joy.

Day 123 - A multi-cultural lesson

2010-05-14T14:22:00.008-04:00

Monday, 5/3
Today Ashlyn was sharing that a new friend at school didn't talk very much. Having just met his mother when I was on door duty, I tried to explain that they spoke Spanish at home and that he was learning a new language. With that, Ashlyn responded that he came from the country of Spanish. Without really trying to correct her, I just said maybe he was from Mexico. She quickly replied, "Or China!"

Day 122 - A bright future

2010-05-14T14:21:00.007-04:00

Sunday, May 2
My joy of the day was attending my niece-in-law's college graduation party. She is a wonderful young woman and has a great family. I enjoy being around people who know how to laugh and enjoy life. This also says a great deal about my nephew, because apparently he has good taste.

Day 121 - Family time

2010-05-14T14:20:00.005-04:00

Saturday, May 1
A little over a year and a half ago my sister and her family made a move, which put them just over two hours away ... which compared to the previous 10-12 hour drive it took to see them, it almost feels like they moved to town. Well, maybe not to town, but we certainly get to see them more often. Today was one of those opportunities, where they were in town and my joy was being able to spend the evening catching up and just hanging out together.

Day 120 - Girls just want to have fun

2010-05-03T18:35:00.002-04:00

Friday, 4/30
My joy of the day was a fun night out with girlfriends, because the truth of the matter is that girls really do just want to have fun.

Day 119 - Thanks, Mitch

2010-05-03T17:38:00.002-04:00

Thursday, April 29
My joy of the day was that it only took five minutes to renew my automobile licenses. Gotta love those automated self-serve machines. I really am not sure who to thank, but in the past few years that process has really, really improved ... no more waiting in line for an hour just to renew. Whew!

Day 118 - The award goes to ...

2010-05-03T17:20:00.005-04:00

Wednesday, April 28
Today Brad not only took the boys to the doctor, he made dinner too. I'm sure it wasn't his joy, but it sure was mine.
The man deserves a gold star!

Day 117 - Something borrowed

2010-05-03T12:16:00.003-04:00

Tuesday, 4/27
Today was one of those days ... the kind when every recipe that I thought I would make for dinner was missing just one ingredient. That kind of day. But thanks to the kindness and generosity of my neighbor, I was able to complete my recipe and save myself a quick trip to the grocery store!

Day 116 - Some fresh air

2010-04-27T22:45:00.002-04:00

Monday, 4/26
When my to-do list is longer than my arm, I often lose sight of priorities and well, let's just say getting some exercise doesn't end up at the top of the priority list. However, today I chucked it all in favor of going on a walk with my neighbor. I did feel overwhelmed later knowing I didn't have as much done, but the fresh air was wonderful ... and catching up with my neighbor was great too.

Day 115 - People that count

2010-04-27T22:44:00.006-04:00

Sunday, 4/25
I am finding that many of my daily joys stem from relationships. Friendships. Spending quality time with others. Tonight our family spent time with some good friends and I find that just hanging out with friends is so good for my soul.

It's not what we have

IN OUR LIFE,

but WHO WE HAVE

in our life THAT COUNTS.

-J.M.Laurence

Day 114 - A happy ending

2010-04-27T22:10:00.002-04:00

Saturday, 4/24
Today I woke up early (after a very short night) to the sounds of the pouring rain ... on garage sale day! Thankfully, the day was more cloudy and overcast than rainy, but it still wasn't the best day for a garage sale. Needless to say, by the end of the day I was very tired and ready to just relax (honestly, I was ready for a nap by 10am). After the kids went to bed Brad and I had a date night (aka - movie night) in our now almost finished basement. It really put meaning to the phrase all's well that ends well.

Day 113 - Finding humor in the mundane

2010-04-27T21:25:00.006-04:00

Friday, 4/24

Today was final prep day for our garage sale and that meant a lot of work and plenty of chaos. Late in the evening we were still pulling items out of our storage closet. Brad's brother and sister-in-law were over for the evening and were even helping to carry items down to the garage, throw things away, and occasionally even agree to take items off our hands. In the midst of the cleaning and organizing I found a box of old cassette tapes, which I showed to our "guests" and took some trips down memory lane trying to remember song lyrics. However, when I suggested trying to sell them in the garage sale, the idea didn't go over well with my significant other (not that they would be a good money-maker). Just minutes later ... Brad was trying to give away my never-been-used photo printer. I had a good laugh when his brother pointed out a willingness to get rid of a new photo printer, but not our 20-year-old cassette tapes. Sometimes humor in the midst of chaos and not-so-fun tasks can be a really good thing. And by the way, we are still the proud owners of some really great cassette tapes.

Day 112 - Refunding the difference

2010-04-23T08:52:00.002-04:00

You know the phrase a day late and a dollar short? Well, today I defied the odds with that one. Monday I did some personal spring shopping at our local Kohl's department store, even though I did't have a coupon. I know it's a bit reckless, but it was the only day out of a few weeks that I had a block of time to myself and I needed it for me (plus, I had $20 Kohl's cash that was ready to expire). At home I had a coupon that started mid-week, so yesterday I quickly stopped by the store to see if they would adjust the price of my purchases. Not only did they honor my percentage off coupon, but most of the items had new lower sale prices ... so with the price adjustment, that quick trip into the store saved me $60 - plus I received $20 in Kohl's cash for a future purchase. I may have been late, but a dollar saved is a dollar earned!

Day 111 - Tag team effort

2010-04-23T08:38:00.003-04:00

Wednesday, 4/21
Today was one of those days where I looked for the joy. Thankfully, twelve hour work-days are not the norm for me ... and my heart goes out to everyone who puts that in on a regular basis! With that in mind, my joy of the day was that in the morning Brad finished putting the veggies in the crock-pot for me and had dinner on the table for the 30 minutes I was able to be at home. Thank goodness I'm not in this alone!

Day 110 - Better late than never

2010-04-23T08:24:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, 4/20
Tonight was kindergarten round-up for my baby. How is this possible?!? And I inadvertantly double-booked myself with a meeting for work. Ugh. Ashlyn was not happy when I told her I wouldn't be able to take her to round-up, so I promised I would come before it was over. The reality is that I should have learned by now to never make these kinds of promises because meetings NEVER seem to end when they are supposed to. When the meeting was over I put on my Super-mommy cape and flew across town to the school (without being reckless, of course). Although late, I made it there before the tour was over - whew! After four kids a tour isn't really necessary for us (it would have been easy for Brad and I to skip that part), but it is new to Ashlyn ... and my joy of the day was her delight when I arrived and she said, "Mommy! You came!"

Day 109 - Door duty

2010-04-19T23:08:00.005-04:00

Who would have ever thought that my joy of the day would be doing door duty for Ashlyn's preschool?!? But it was today. It was perfect weather and I just love greeting those cute little preschoolers. The last child to be dropped off was a little late, and as I helped her out of her vehicle and into the building she informed me that she was late today because she had to go change into a "warmed-sleeved" shirt. I just love language development. Recently, when referring to something that happened last night, Ashlyn will say yester-night ... gotta love it!

Day 108 - Finding a classic

2010-04-19T23:06:00.003-04:00

Sunday, 11/18
Braden and Mason both received gift cards to Borders for their birthdays, so today I took them to the store to shop for new books. I really enjoy going to the book store, so this was a treat for all of us. My favorite part of our trip was browsing through the Newberry Award books in the 8-12 year old literature section. There I saw many, many favorites and found myself excitedly trying to tell the boys about them (even though they were not too excited to hear about them). It renewed my desire to read a chapter book aloud to my kids, so I purchased the very funny and kid-friendly Mr. Popper's Penguins to read aloud to Payton and Ashlyn. Not only was this my joy of the day, but it was magnified before bedtime as they were just as excited to listen. Now they can't wait for me to read a chapter each night and (surprise, surprise) the older boys want to listen in too.

Day 107 - For the love of books

2010-04-19T23:05:00.004-04:00

Saturday, 4/17
I love books, but I really love children's books. I have quite the collection of children's literature; however, for the past five years many of my books have been in storage. Today my joy came not just from re-discovering my books, but the excitement my kids had as we started sorting through them. I could barely get them off to bed over their excitement ... and they can't wait for "rest" time tomorrow so they can spend time reading!

Day 106 - A creative field trip

2010-04-19T23:03:00.008-04:00

Friday, 4/16
Today I went on a field trip with Ashlyn to Pottery Schmottery, which is a paint-your-own-pottery studio. Most of the kids were pretty much done painting their mugs after 30 minutes, but after two hours of painting ... Ashlyn and I were almost finished with our projects. Apparently, we both share an attention for detail and now have a hobby we both enjoy!

Ashlyn's mug masterpiece before

Mommy's spoon rest before

Once we receive our finished pieces I'll post those pics too

Day 105 - My bleeding heart

2010-04-19T22:42:00.003-04:00

Thursday, 4/15
It was another beautiful day - sun shining, birds chirping, flowers blooming and ...
Oh, my Bleeding Heart.
It's absolutely gorgeous. My joy of the day was being outside with my Bleeding Heart while catching up on some yard work.

Day 104 - Barefoot in the grass

2010-04-19T22:26:00.003-04:00

Wednesday, 4/14

My joy of the day is really that simple - walking barefoot in the grass ... and those few minutes were wonderful.

Day 103 - Just call papa

2010-04-19T12:10:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, 4/13
Today was officially back to work day and was a very busy one at that. Between work, after-school errands with the kids (including a much needed haircut for Braden and grocery shopping), and a meeting in the evening that went until almost midnight, it was definitely my joy of the day when Brad suggested that I just order a pizza for dinner.

Day 102 - Snuggle puppy

2010-04-18T23:05:00.004-04:00

Monday, 4/12
I just love the books and songs by Sandra Boynton. Especially when my kids were toddlers, they loved them too. This morning just made me think of the Snuggle Puppy song ... after a busy week's vacation, Ashlyn really slept in late. So late, that after the boys were on the bus for school I went back to bed for some more rest time. When Ashlyn finally woke up she came and joined me and we had our own "snuggle puppy" time. I cherish these moments because next year she will be on that big yellow bus heading to school with the boys and these special times will be past.

Click on the green box with the triangle to hear Snuggle Puppy.

	Sandra Boynton & Michael Ford - Eric Stoltz - Snuggle Puppy .mp3

	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Day 101 - Dining outdoors

2010-04-18T22:54:00.005-04:00

Sunday, 4/11
Today we stopped somewhere near Toledo for lunch and we were able to eat outside. It was sunny and warm and wonderful! It was the perfect way to break up a long drive and definitely my joy of the day.

Day 100 - The life of a lizard

2010-04-18T22:18:00.007-04:00

Saturday, 4/10
Today was our last day in the Smoky Mountains, but before we left town we got in one last hike. Although it was a bit cool outside, it was nice and sunny. So while Brad and the kids went on an adventure hopping from rock to rock, I found a nice big rock and enjoyed sunning myself like a lizard. Oh, joy!

Laurel Falls

Good-bye Smoky Mountains

Day 99 - Making memories

2010-04-18T21:52:00.004-04:00

Friday, 4/9
Today was an action-packed day with fun times at the brand new Titanic Museum in the morning and the Dixie Stampede (Go NORTH!) at night, but in between the two events Brad took Braden and Mason on a "strenuous" hike that included rock climbing Chimney Rock and I stayed at the cabin, which included fun in the hot tub, with Ashlyn and Payton. All in all, today my joy was being able to spend the day making memories with my family.

Day 98 - Taking an oath

2010-04-18T21:03:00.003-04:00

Thursday, 4/8
The national parks have a junior ranger program, where kids earn a Jr. Ranger badge by completing an age-appropriate booklet of "assignments" - along with a couple of other requirements, like attending a ranger-led program and picking up a bag of trash in the park. Today it rained, and rained, and rained ... which was a blessing because I was very sore from hiking, but it also allowed us to attend a ranger led program on the Most Dangerous Animals in the Smoky Mountains (which was GREAT) and the kids were able to complete their junior ranger program. Payton and Ashlyn were especially excited about earning their badges and so proud when they were sworn in as junior rangers and it was announced over the loud speaker. It was a joy to observe!

Day 97 - Surprises of nature

2010-04-15T23:31:00.007-04:00

Wednesday, 4/7
Today was another great day in the Smoky Mountain National Park. Next to the Chimney Top picnic area where we ate lunch, there is a beautiful river with big (and little) rocks. The kids loved climbing, jumping, and exploring the area. One big surprise there was we heard a cracking and looked up to see a large tree fall down across half of the water. Now we've always seen fallen trees on rivers, trails, and in nature in general, but this was the first time any of us had ever witnessed one actually fall down. And to top it off Payton was out in the water on a rock when he looked up to see it falling towards him. Thankfully the top of the tree was still at least 10-15 feet away, but afterwards Payton said, "I saw my life go before my eyes." Brad and the kids ventured their way out to take a picture with the fallen tree.

The fallen tree

At Newfoundland Gap

Although it was great fun at the picnic area (minus the slip I had off a rock - ugh), my joy of the day later in the evening on our way back down from Newfoundland Gap. We spotted a group of tourists taking pictures along side of the road, and sure enough ... it was a bear jam! Not wanting to miss out on the fun, we pulled over and were able to see a mama bear with her yearling cub. We all were very excited over our bear sighting. My only regret was that I didn't have a better zoom lens on my camera.

Not a great photo, but proof of our bear sighting

Day 96 - The great outdoors

2010-04-15T22:52:00.010-04:00

Tuesday, 4/6
Do you know what the perfect location is for four noisy, energetic kids? (For a hint, read the title again.) Yep, the great outdoors. They can run and jump and use their outside voices, which is completely appropriate. My joy of the day was watching them enjoy their freedom to thrive in the great outdoors.

1st day hiking in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Our family at Grotto Falls

Ashlyn walking behind the falls with Daddy

And after five miles of hiking, she's still running...

Day 95 - The rest stop

2010-04-12T22:46:00.003-04:00

Monday, 4/5
Today was a BIG travel day ... over 530 miles and four states. However, it was a beautiful day and at one of our stops in Kentucky we were able to let the kids run and play football. It was a wonderful 20 minutes and definitely my joy of the day!

Day 94 - Encouraging words

2010-04-12T17:31:00.003-04:00

Sunday, 4/3
My daily joy resulted from a loving teenager who provided some wonderful words of encouragement (after witnessing a difficult situation I had to endure). It was also good reminder that there isn't always a direct correlation between wisdom and age.

Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
- Proverbs 12:18

Day 93 - Crossing items off the list

2010-04-12T17:24:00.004-04:00

Saturday, 4/3
Sometimes joys are simple - sometimes they almost go without notice - sometimes they can hardly be called "joys" because they are more like work, but for this Type A, Make-A-List Kinda Girl there is joy in getting a great deal accomplished. Today was one of those days (thank goodness or there might not be a vacation).

Almost back in the saddle again

2010-04-12T17:07:00.003-04:00

Some of you may have been wondering if I've been unable to find my joy ... or if I went on an adventure to find it. We were away on vacation, which was also a technology vacation for me, as I was told we would not have Internet access (although we did discover spotty coverage). Nonetheless, it was a vacation from everything ... even my daily blog. I will catch up eventually (because there are some great joys to share), but just wanted to inform those who may have thought I'd given up on this resolution that there is more to come.

Day 92 - A place for everything

2010-04-02T23:50:00.003-04:00

A place for everything, everything in its place.
-Benjamin Franklin

When the basement remodel started, all the toys that had been in the basement made their way upstairs to the kid's bedrooms, but most of them landed in Mason and Payton's room. And since that time, their room has pretty much been a disaster area (I didn't take photos because it's not a memory I'd like to keep). Ugh. However, today we took the toys all back downstairs and found homes for everything that we are not going to sell in the garage sale this month. Oh, the joy to actually see carpet in their bedroom again!!!

Day 91 - Nothing to joke about

2010-04-02T23:34:00.006-04:00

Ahhh, April fools. I enjoyed reading the entirely false article that Google put out today about changing their name to Topeka. I also had fun pulling a fast one on Braden when I had him convinced that there was a two hour delay ... right before the bus pulled up. I would have also enjoyed typing up a completely ludicrous blog about how it hit 80 degrees here today in northern Indiana, except that it is completely TRUE. Who would have imagined?!?
(But gotta love it.)

Day 90 - A parade to remember

2010-04-02T23:21:00.004-04:00

Today was Ashlyn's Easter parade at school. It was short, but definitely something I will always remember. Each year at the preschool, the students make special hats out of wrapping paper and decorate them with all kinds of interesting embellishments, then they invite the parents to come watch them march around the room to music. After their little "parade", they line up and sing a few simple songs. Since it was an Easter parade, it was only fitting that Ashlyn wanted to wear her Easter dress from last year. It was a joy watching her have so much fun marching around the room all dressed up ... and then to hear her voice loudly singing fearlessly for all to hear. Priceless.

Day 89 - A dozen and a decade

2010-04-02T23:00:00.005-04:00

It's official. I am now the mother of a twelve AND ten year old. Something about that is beginning to feel old ... or maybe because I am now one of those parents that says they grow up so fast. Braden and Mason were both born on March 30 - two years apart to the hour. They seem to like it, but maybe it's just that they don't know any different. My joy of the day was how much excitement they had giving each other gifts that they purchased with their own money. I love my big boys.

Day 88 - A little bit of "sunshine"

2010-04-02T22:38:00.002-04:00

My joy of the day for Monday this week has actually probably been my joy already numerous times this year, but I just honestly never had the guts to post it. I know someone will probably feel the need to give me a lecture - oh well. My joy was 10 minutes in a tanning bed. After being quite down in the dumps for months (and reading an article on the importance of getting Vitamin D and the difficulty to get enough through vitamin supplements), I made the decision near the end of January to start tanning once a week. My goal was not to actually get a tan, but to get some much needed Vitamin D and fight off the winter blues. And amazingly enough, I think it has helped!

Day 87 - My better half

2010-03-29T11:40:00.003-04:00

This is a really busy week for me - six nights in a row of activities, four of which are commitments for work, and planning parties for two birthday boys ... and to top it off I am not feeling well. Where is the joy in this you say? Joy in the fact that I'm not in this alone. Thank goodness I married well.

Day 86 - A productive detour

2010-03-29T11:13:00.006-04:00

I have been searching area stores for hiking shoes for an up-coming trip to the Smoky Mountains, with not much success. So when Brad suggested we quickly stop at Bass Pro Shop on our way home from Chicago in order to pick up one last item for Braden's birthday present, I made a bee-line for the women's shoe section in hopes that I could find hiking shoes in 10 minutes or less. Fifteen minutes later ... I had found my shoes and was on the way to the check-out. Whew! It is not only the joy of the day that I found them (and so quickly), but potential future joy to have proper shoes for hours of hiking.

Amazingly, they actually look kind of cute too...