• Drove home today and I am relieved to be back. It was a very difficult trip for me. I don’t think the kids will ever want to go hiking with me again. I killed them with mountains and heat and humidity and bugs and also mountains. I also really struggled to keep myself grounded. I…

    August 1
  • There was a bit of a mental breakdown today. I have been trying to make everyone around me happy on this trip and it just hasn’t worked. Robin hated me for making her hike up two mountains, Billy didn’t seem to want to hike with us at all. I felt like I was bringing Siggi…

    July 31
  • We went into Asheville today, which was a lot of driving for a hamburger and poking around in shops we have no business being in. It was a little disappointing. But we came home and made bouncy balls and grilled up some pesto pizza and Brett even got a modest fire going with some damp…

    July 30
  • I hemmed and hawed and fretted over whether to take out the SUP and use it at Lake Santeetlah. I haven’t used it much and I’m not confident with it, plus there were a lot of people swimming where I wanted to paddle. I was so self conscious. But I did it (no thanks to…

    July 29
  • Today we went for a short hike up Black Balsam Bald. We watched a storm rolling in toward us for the whole hike and ALMOST made it back to the car without getting caught in it. What is a hike up a mountain without getting caught in the rain?

    July 28
  • Another year older. We went on a short nearby hike to this waterfall, where the girls and Siggi and Brett went for a swim. We played my new board game that Siggi gave me for my birthday called Wingspan. I won! Then we went out for dinner at a stream-side restaurant in town with great…

    July 27
  • Our latest adventure. Long day of driving followed by lots of trees, an outdoor deck, a hot tub, and the best friends a girl could have.

    July 26
  • Another day, another voyage. I tried so hard to pack everything into my day just like I tried so hard to pack everything into one little backpack. It could be that it’s almost midnight, but I’m tired. Hit the limit. We’ll see how this next week goes.

    July 25
  • Billy finally got his car back today after hydroplaning over a month ago on June 17. We have gotten so used to living with just one car. It helps that I work at home and he works overnights. I am so glad I won’t have to drive the same car he did right after going…

    July 24
  • Here’s the end result of the bedroom door painting exercise. I didn’t love the idea of doing it in the first place, but the joy they got out of it made it worth it, and I love the creativity they put into it.

    July 23
  • Billy had the idea to let the girls paint their bedroom doors however they wanted, so I bought them some paint, laid down some tarp over the floor, and let them at it. I went out for lunch with Myrna while they were still working and they were done by the time I got home.…

    July 22
  • I did this today. I asked the stylist to cut at least four inches off, which she 110% did not even come close to doing. It’s like she just got tired of working on it. She snipped next to nothing. Also I thought she rushed the coloring. I think the color would have been more…

    July 21
  • I have a lot to think over in the next few weeks. Trying not to get too overwhelmed. Grateful for my closest friends. And Pinot, who manages to find all the places.

    July 20
  • I’m sad this plant has died, but it was inevitable. It’s time for a change.

    July 19
  • The last several days have felt overwhelming. So much going on, so many delicate balls up in the air. I mostly just want to put them all down.

    July 18