Goodbye Rock Beach.

Are you sick of me talking about how much I love the beach yet?

I can't help it. It's a big part of our life here.

My favorite beach in Chicago is called The Rock Beach by all the locals. It's not even a official beach. It's just a tiny strip of rocky shore that you have to mildly climb down to get to.

I heard this week they are going to turn it into a regular public sandy beach. This greatly saddens me.

I love the Rock Beach because...

Less people
Less sand. (easier clean up when you get home)
Less garbage
Great view
Cleaner water
Grill on the beach (since it isn't public)
Sea glass!

I collect sea glass.

Did you know that about me?

Honestly, the sea glass is pretty much the main reason I push for us to go there.
I love the hunt.

I get everyone looking for me. Even the boy. 

I sometimes call them my minions when I command them to collect.

3 years worth of collecting.

Then I come home and sort them by color into vases. 

It's rather thrilling for me.

Look at that view. Just lovely. 

Goodbye Rock Beach.

I'm sorry they are taking all the rocks out of you.

That made you special.

Friends.

When you live away from family you discover a special new-found appreciation for friends.

Watching Jess and company move in next door.

And when one moves in next door, you almost burst into tears you're so happy.

It basically changes everything for you for the better.

Asher Buddy Wuddy Boy.

Asher is a milkaholic. And I'm the responsible bartender.
At some point in the day I cut him off. It never goes well for him. 

For unknown reasons I was compelled to collect a mountain of these leaves.

Flips. 

Water is the only thing in the Universe that makes Asher nervous.

He usually watches other people have enormous amounts of fun.

You often feel bad seeing him sit there alone while you have a ton of fun.

The waves this week were out of this world huge and awesome.
Unusually big for the lake.

Bed-head Mohawk.

Hannah Banana Fee Fi Fo Fana.

She's entertaining. 

After a pedicure, she dries her toes upside down using the air conditioner. 

For a day she was a magician.
She performed the same show over and over about 10 times.  

She stops to rest every couple of blocks.

Hannah really loves to draw. And I think she's rather good.

The artist titled this piece "Flower World".

Sometimes she draws on her clothes. 

For a girl who has a true heartfelt love for bugs, firefly season is magical. 

Sunday.

This is what the middle part of Sunday is all about for everyone.

The 4th Day of July.

We drove 3 hours to a farm in the middle of Illinois somewhere.

We went with many friends. 

And it was awesome.

"Dramamine:  A Barfer's Best Friend."

Catching frisbee's while flying through space.

It was one of those extremely fun fun days. The kind you can't stop talking about.

Everyone had the time of their life.

First Family Vacation Ever.

We actually went on a real family vacation.

We've never done that before with just the 4 of us.

It was perfect, wonderful, magical family alone time.

Can't wait to do it again kind of awesome.

We rented a little cottage on the beach in Union Pier, Michigan.

The set up.

Sand tunnels are cool.

Private beach. Just lovely in every way.

Our little cottage had about a million millipedes. Hannah was in heaven.
P.S. These are 2 millipedes on top of each other. Hannah thinks they are hugging. Wink. 

On our nature walk. Dad randomly appeared on a log.

Random pink door on the way to the bakery.

String of Allen's.

Hesston Train Museum.

Asher was in heaven.

I loved it.

When Asher realized we had come home from our trip, he collapsed into depression and had to be carried inside the house. He was so so sad. It's been over a week and he still asks to go back to our sandy house. Edit: It's now been a month since our trip and he is still asking to go back.

Long Time No Post.

Sorry for my blogging absence. I don't have any good excuses. But I'm trying to think of one.

Anywho... about my life.

Summer is here.
School is out.
My house is always a mess.
We live at the beach.
Asher in underwear is adorable.
Hannah wants a pet snake.
I wish soda was good for me.
What's that funky smell?
I hate mice and squirrels.
A good friend moved in next door. YAY! YAY! YAY!
Went on our first official family vacation ever.
I miss my mom.

The End.

Hannah's first school project.
Sorry Grandpa Allen, your name fell off.

Mother's Day Card from Hannah.

We are big on back scratching around here.
It's hereditary from Grandma Coleman. 

I love her funny ideas. This was a impromptu puppet show.

Hannah's sculpture art.

My yoga class at the lake. I leave feeling like a million bucks.

Strawberry picking.

Jared working on his bike. It's torture for Asher to leave the little pieces alone.

A very common scene at our house.
I love when I happen upon the 3 of them doing this.

Sometimes I just hate it here. The price for 1st floor living.
This was the mom. We've have since killed her babies.
For a brief teeny tiny millisecond I felt bad. I look back on this post from 4 years ago and laugh.
Chicago living changes you.
Die Barney.

Hannah doesn't like when I disturb her playdates. This is the look I get.