2012

So this is the last year of the Mayan calendar, so the world might end in December. If that is the case, which I doubt, there is a lot of living left to squeeze into the year....
For me, less is usually more so I'm not going to clutter the year up with lots of big plans and lofty must accomplish goals. Instead, I'm going to set myself a few things to guide how I live this year:
1. I'm going to value time with my family over time at work.
2. I will do my best in all things that I do.
3. I will read indiscriminately.
4. I will prefer outdoor time to screen time.
5. I will stay active.
6. I will eat healthy with the occasional chocolate and ice cream.
7. I will try to relax.
These are just guiding principles. They are not mandates. They are not goals to be reached.
Mandates, goals, resolutions are just another way to beat yourself up. They are carrots to chase and hoops to jump through on the way to the next goal. They are not a way to live a life.
If they Mayans were right, I don't want to be looking back from the end of the world wishing I had accomplished some goal. I want to be happy knowing that I had lived life.

Breakfast of Camels

Location:Canyon Run Dr,Las Vegas,United States

Camel Goes to Vegas

Location:Canyon Run Dr,Las Vegas,United States

Keurig Must Die!

Keurig is evil. They prey upon people's laziness to foist bad, over priced coffee on us. To make it even worse, their k-cups pile up in landfills where what ever comes after humanity will find them and be amazed at how primitive and backwards we were.
It is easy to make good single cups of coffee cheaply and without so much waste. Use a French press or a single cup filter. It tastes better and is better for the planet. As an added bonus, you will be forced to sit back and relax for a few minutes while your coffee brews.

Camping with Bug: The Cape with Freinds

After our successful trial camping trip, we felt confident that the family would have a great time camping with a group. For this outing PB and KP joined us, along with KP's pooch and teenage son, at Nickerson State Park in Brewster, MA.
Our biggest concern was that we would hold them back since Bug's schedule dictates our to a certain degree. Fortunately we all planned for a relaxing weekend without too much activity. We wanted to do some biking, but that was about it.
Biking did present a new challenge since we had not packed up the bikes and the camping gear at the same time. We were pretty sure everything would fit since the trailer is about the same size as the stroller and the bikes are carried on the outside of the car, but still.... As it turned out, things fit even better with the bike trailer because it folds up flatter than the stroller! Also, this time around we didn't need to pack the screen house.
Nickerson is a surprisingly plush campground. The sites were spacious and well buffered. The park was pretty full, despite it being late in the season, but we never felt packed in. The other really nice thing about Nickerson is that it is right on the Mid-Cape bike trail. To make it even better they have bile trails that link the camp sites to the access point for the Mid-Cape trail.
Our big adventurer for the trip was a cruise on the bike trail. The Mid-Cape trail is very nice. It is wide and well maintained. The views were not as pretty as we had hoped, but there were a few classic Cape vistas. The trail was busy for September weekend. There was a charity ride going on which accounted for some of the traffic. The sunny weather accounted for the rest.
We hopped off the trail at Coast Guard Beach and took the side trail down to the water. The trail through the national park was not as nice as the Mid-Cape for a guy pulling a trailer. It was narrow and windy, but fun.
Bug loved the beach. She did pretty well walking on the sand and didn't try to eat too much of the beach. Keeping her out of the waves was a bit of a chore, but her love of the water makes us happy. One funny thing she did was lay down in the sand like it was nap time. There were a few other people napping near by, so she must have decided that was what you do on the beach.
Bug was funny with the KP's little dog. She was very curious, but definitely didn't like it when the dog licked her. There was a little come here; go away dynamic between them.
It was a great weekend. We are truly blessed to have a kid who is flexible and love the outdoors!