Wordless Wednesday: Beach Day

Taken at Indiana Dunes State Park last week.

Lessons From a Facebook Fast

 (Pictures from the kids' Washington DC bike tour)

Today marks 15 days without Facebook.  I will confess that I had reached "heavy user" status.  It was time to step away.  And now that I have reached the end of my self-imposed hiatus, I am wondering how to better use social media in general.  So I thought perhaps my little blog here would be a good place to "think" through what I learned from this experience.

Firstly, I must say it was not a social media fast, just Facebook.  I continued to post pictures on Instagram because I have found a nifty little app called Chatbooks that will turn my photos into a darling little paper book and I no longer have to worry about how to get them out of my computer! They automatically send me a book every 60 or so pictures.  And it is $8 a book, cheaper than printing prints, finding an album or scrapbook!  Also, I continued to use Twitter as it is so boring that I only check for weather and local news.  I only have one friend who post there, and I love hearing from you if you are reading this!

What did I learn?  Here is where I will switch to bullet points!  I love bullet points!

• I am not really addicted to FB.  I did not pine for FB.  After the first couple days, I did not think about it except when an occasional email came about a birthday or picture notification.   This made me hugely happy.  I was worried that I was becoming dependent.  
• FB really does add both good and bad to my life and I need to figure out how to eliminate the bad and keep the good.  For example, I did not miss the DRAMA, the political mud slinging, the bad news.  I actually did not know that Mohammed Ali had died and I did not know about the FL shooting.  My husband told me of both situations and can I tell you how wonderful it was to learn of these things from him and not a newsfeed.  (Not that I was a fan of Mohammed Ali.)  The takeaway will be that I need to unfollow anyone who shares things on my newsfeed that I do not want to see.  Unlike and unfollow will be my motto!!  
• I need FB to keep up with certain family members, as it is their "thing."  That is OK.  It is not mine.  I would totally quit FB, but for these dear people.  
• The nicest thing I learned is that those who really matter to me, sought me out and we kept in contact through blogging, texts, emails, Twitter, Instagram.  Thank you, dear friends!  I love you, too.  
• I found more time to read.  I was in the bad habit of getting sucked into reading all those little FB posts, saving them to read later, instead of reading books.  Gasp.  I got a lot of reading done in the past two weeks.  

Therefore, I am going to log into FB in a few minutes and get to work "unliking" and "unfollowing".  I am not going to put the app back on page one of my phone.  I buried it deep.  I am not going to get notifications ringing for every little thing.  I am taking control.  If I find it is not going to work, then I may just ditch it.  

Now, for Instagram and how I am using that nifty app, Chatbooks.  I have my setting on private, so if you want to follow me (jennlyhoo), just ask. I will warn you, I post a couple pictures a day during the summer with all our activities that need to be preserved in a Chatbook!  

OK, so all this makes me wonder, what are your thoughts about Facebook?

UPDATE:  I logged on to FB and after a few moments got that feeling of "in your face" and just yuckiness.  I asked myself,"Why am I here?"  Really there is no reason to be there.  It is all a giant time-suck!  

A Surprise Get Away for Two

When sweet grandparents take your kids away on a vacation to Washington, DC, and your beloved takes a day off to make it a three day weekend, what else is there to do but escape to our favorite park? And on top of it all, the weather at the lake was in the 60's with no rain in sight, while it was 90 degrees at home.  Unbelievable!

I cannot remember the last time we slept in a tent, but we knew we needed to make it work if we wanted to stay budget friendly.  One night was probably all the tent camping that I can take.  But it was such an amazing feeling to be waking up at my favorite park, knowing we had another full day ahead of us.  It was totally worth the effort and the walk to the bathroom!

We had a wonderful whirlwind trip, as the pictures show.  And, we get to go back for a longer trip in three short weeks!

Something to Think About

Savoring June

Today is the first full day of having all three of my children on summer vacation.  This summer is all booked up with good activities: band, worship arts camp, VBS, a trip to DC with grandparents, an overnight amusement park trip with their youth group, the state fair, a family vacation at the lake, and hopefully many spontaneous trips to swim, bike, and doctors, dentists, driving practice, a few lazy days of reading for fun.  Oh my!

The time will fly by.  My oldest starts his senior year on July 27th.  July 27th!! We are on the final countdown to college.  He takes the SAT this Saturday.  The college visits are woefully overdue. We need to add a few to our summer plans.  This does not leave much downtime for us.

Therefore, I am going to make a real effort to savor the quieter moments of a few days here and there. It will be enough, but not all I crave after a busy school year just finished.  It will be enough, I must remind myself.  Just as I brace myself for the long winter, I must prepare my heart for the busy summer.  I tend to default to quiet days at home.  These are more precious to me in the summertime. I do not know how many I will have this summer, so I must remember to savor each one.

Official Start of Summer

It is officially summer now that Memorial Day has passed.  I feel we were so blessed to be able to get away for a fantastic trip up to our favorite lake, Lake Michigan.  We were so fortunate to have Friday through Monday in our favorite camping cabin near Michigan City, IN.

I love camping cabins, especially when they have a private bathroom, a splurge!  There is no real kitchen, just a sink, small refrigerator, and microwave, no worries.  I am not there to cook.  There is one sleeping room with two bunks. The best part of the cabin is the front porch with the picnic table. It has just enough room to set our folding chairs and drink our coffee each morning.  Awww, blissful.

The tidy campground itself is family owned and operated, which I love. They keep the grounds well maintained.  The pool is the main attraction for our kids.  If they did not have one, we would probably look for another spot, it is so important.  I love the laundry facilities myself.  I was able to wash three loads at once while they swam.  That means no big laundry to do when we get home.  Yay!

This being a holiday weekend, the campground was full.  That was to be expected.  It was still nicer than going to the state park with literally 10,000 others trying to get to the beach.  After doing that for years, we are now a little wiser!

This year, we did go to a very lovely beach a little farther east, only 20 minutes from our cabin in New Buffalo, Michigan.  We were able to park close and enjoy the beautiful day with fewer "friends." There we have gone since before we were married, but not often with kids, as the state park beach is closer to Grandma.

In closing, here are some pictures from our weekend below.  I never tire of the beauty up north.  You know it is a good trip when you get home and start searching Zillow for a beach home.  Sadly, it is not in our budget, but it is fun to dream about.  We get to go back in July, September, and October.  I will be content with those wonderful gifts!

Us in the cabin.

Michigan City lighthouse

National Lakeshore access in Beverly Shores, IN. 

Grandma joined us at Deep River Park in Hobart, IN.

New Buffalo, MI 

Bloom Where You Are Planted

It is perhaps the most wonderful time of the year when all is blooming or about to bloom.  It seems the grass could not be any greener and cannot grow any faster, too.  There is an almost constant hum of lawn mowers about.  We are no longer in survival mode.  We thrive!  (Well, try not think about the allergies this season brings!)

Tomorrow our home learners will have reached day 180, which is always a great day.  They have loved their online school.  Each has grown in ways that have surprised and delighted me.  God blessed our efforts beyond my expectations.

We are looking forward to some time off but the kids will be very busy with a couple trips, camps, a youth group overnight outing, and band camp for the oldest.  The few weeks of summer will go quickly.

It is a time to grow things, ride bikes, read for pleasure, swim, create, and enjoy all our blessings.  It is blooming time for plants and our own lives as well!