nuggets: bits of the season in photos and words

My kids had their last softball game tonight. Well, the last before the championship games. By some miracle, they landed on the same team. So Andy and I have spent many many days sitting on tinny, shiny bleachers rooting earnestly for number 1 and number 6. They like the team dugout cheers, sunflower seeds in the shells and that heart-thumping hope of bat to ball.

The season began with puffy coats, woolen hats and down blankets and recently, suddenly gave into flip flops, bare arms and sunglasses. Summer announced herself about as subtly as my Ruby announces her distaste for olives. But we’re Montanans. We know there are a few sneaky cold snaps coming up. And we know olives are an acquired taste.

nuggets.

:: Someone has to keep a watchful eye on all those pregnant does out there. Willie Bear is happy to take the job.

:: We hiked and searched for morels with no luck. But the lack of luck was not do to a lack of effort.

:: We went to Red Lodge over Memorial Day Weekend. To visit Andy’s mom, to ski with friends. At the last moment the kids and I didn’t grab our gear because it looked like Beartooth Pass wouldn’t open. But then it did. It was a bummer because I really wanted the kids to experience skiing up there but we made the best of it by putzing around in all that snow.

:: I’ll never ever not be gobsmacked by wildflower season in Montana.

:: A little sale in the shop for the dads. Through June 9: Use code PAPA for BOGO 50% off everything in the Father’s Day section. Custom GEO work: order by June 7, everything else order by June 11 for Father’s Day delivery.

:: I peeled off from the family to go for a quick run and Ruby asked to come with me. Four miles later, I concluded she’s the best running partner ever. We stopped for wildflower spottings, to dip our head in the creek, to hold plank for a minute. We chatted about baby elk, 3rd grade tests and thrift store shopping. There are things I miss about having babies and this right now is my next new favorite. My pals, growing up and stretching their legs and hearts.

:: We are getting ready to travel to Orlando for USA Jump Rope Nationals. Margot has worked hard for this for years now as well as worked to earn money to pay for this expensive trip. Goodness Thank you to all of you who purchased her dog toys! She earned enough to pay for her plane ticket. Here’s a peak at her singles routine during Regionals. She was bummed about a few mistakes but it still earned her first and a spot to compete at Nationals.

:: We got four new chicks: Squash, Tina, Mindy and Apricot. Thankfully the puppy has chilled out since this photo was taken.

We’re practicing for summer’s honeyed pace. And it will take some practice as we’ve pushed ourselves to understand our limit this spring. We need more down time than we’ve had, less places to be. It gets harder as the kids get older and have their own things that are, well, their own things. But we all agree that DIY boredom is our favorite way to be together.

Happy Hump Day out there.