Day 30: What Are You Thinking?

IMG 8401 from Morning Meeting 04.18.12

31 Days of Adventure Day 30
What Are You Thinking?


"Find a quiet space (or create one) where you can take 15 minutes alone. Bring a pen a couple of pieces of paper with you (yes, we're doing this analog). Start writing." - daily email prompt

I'm not going to lie it took over a week for me to find a quiet moment & write for 15 minutes. I think that is just the nature of being a Mom. There isn't an over abundance of quiet moments. But when you get one it is pretty stinkin' glorious.

I wrote for 15 minutes. I almost didn't stop. The movement of the pen on paper was therapeutic. I forgot how much journaling helps me digest & comprehend life. I really should do it more often.

An except from this evening:

"What will this new baby teach me? What will it bring into my life? How will it break me down & build me back up? Becoming a mother has probably been the best thing God could have done to me.

It has been hard.

It has fun.

It has been a lot of work.

It has been really rewarding.

It has been extremely challenging.

It has given me lessons on love I didn't even know I needed."

//Dandelion image from Morning Meeting 04.18.12. See the whole collection here.//

Day 29: The First Step

31 Days of Adventure Day 29
The First Step

"For today, take one step toward a project you've been putting off. (You know the one.) Maybe it's cleaning out your closet or organizing your files. What about exploring a new hobby?" - daily email prompt

task item: burn photos off mac.

9 DVDs later all photos are backed up.

now to delete what isn't needed so my mac stops getting mad. 

Day 28: Childhood Skillz

31 Days of Adventure Day 28
Childhood Skillz

"Today, relearn a skill from childhood — when's the last time you did a somersault or a cartwheel? Or finger painted? Or collected rocks and coins?" - daily email prompt

Adventure Day 28 was filled with chances to be a kid again. For the first time since last June my entire family was together. Extended family members and friends joined us for the festivities as well. The crazy level was extremely high. I'm guessing we had over 25 people at my Mom's house on Lake Winneabago.

The occasion? My little sister, Becky & her husband, Andy came home from New York... to announce she's pregnant! Bring on extra crazy next Christmas!!

I'm the oldest of six kids. We have been blended together since I was seven. At this point any steps that were once in someones title have long been dropped. Since I know it is hard to keep track of big families of my friends (I'm looking at you Freund family!) I thought an info graphic may be helpful. Original 8Rs (Rieders & Repovschs) are in red. Kids are on the side of the parent they go with:

Now back to adventuring. There are two plasma cars up at the Lake House. Cadence, Kaysen, Baby & I took one for a spin. I love how having kids gives you a second childhood.

Day 27: Color Outside the Lines

31 Days of Adventure Day 27
Color Outside the Lines


"Today, draw a picture with your inner child and see the world through their lens. Draw from scratch, or find a coloring book and draw outside the lines." - daily email prompt

I didn't draw any pictures. Instead I went & looked at a whole lot of awesome artwork. Ate at a new restaurant. Had a cupcake. And stayed out way past my bedtime. I love Boneyard Arts Festival Adventures!

Thanks to Cary McClughen we tried out this new restaurant Friday night.

Daddy Daughter silliness.

Cary's awesome work.

Collective Narratives, Recollective Histories by Jason Patterson. Amazing show.

More from the Collective Narratives, Recollective Histories.

Mommy Daughter cupcake time at Cream & Flutter.

My papercut "I CU 10" displayed at Cream & Flutter.

Mmmmmmmm

ABCU by CUDO

Day 26: Reinvent Your Comfort Zone

31 Days of Adventure Day 26

Reinvent Your Comfort Zone

"Our comfort zone is constantly shifting as we grow and stretch our personal limits. We created today's adventure in celebration of stepping outside our comfort zones. Today, choose an old comfort and add a new twist." - daily email prompt 

I feel at home inside a grocery store. I know this is because of the hours & hours of time I spent in Pick 'n Saves during my childhood, teenage years & college breaks. My parents were managers. I worked in the deli. My siblings worked in different departments. My friends worked in the store. My social life revolved around who I know from the store. I even married one of the baggers.

When I found the cafe inside the County Market on campus it instantly became my favorite work location. My comfort zone. And then confrontation occurred on Day 26 of this glorious adventure. The following notice was left on KYT's windshield:   
 

  

I posted the photo along with this status update on facebook:

 

And then after Cadence went down for her nap I made a phone call. To the manager. I pretended I was talking to an old manager at Pick 'n Save, Scott Backus, to calm my nerves. Comfort zone exited.

He told me his overzealous Receiving Clerk had put the note on everyone's cars that morning. He had removed the others himself & didn't know anyone had left with one. Obviously I'm not the target market they are having issues with - students are. 

In the future I am to let the service desk know if I'm going to be in the cafe longer than two hours. However, I don't think this grocery store will stay on my list of comfortable places to work.

Day 25: Choose Your Own Adventure

31 Days of Adventure Day 25

Choose Your Own Adventure

"Every day we face various situations and circumstances that allow us to choose to take action (or take no action). There are the safe and comfortable choices (e.g., having our favorite cereal for breakfast).

There are choices we make out of habit (e.g., driving the same route every day to work). And there are choices we make that feel riskier and have an element of the unknown.

Today, we challenge you to choose adventure. Write your own story today." - daily email prompt

Outcome of Choice Change #1

1. Yesterday was a full work day for me. I start my work day with a Morning Meeting. I head to Lake of the Woods in Mahomet armed with my camera & create beautiful photos. Instead of going to a spot I had scouted out over the winter I went to a new one. I ended up on the shores of the lake surrounded by flowers & butterflies.

Lesson Learned: Nature will never disappoint.

Blank form to fill out for Choice #2

2. Quarterly Sales & Use Tax Return. Not something I would call fun. Most days I decide to take no action on business nuts & bolts. But today since A. I was prompted to take action by this little 31 day experiment & B. Our quarterly Sales & Use Tax Return is due Friday I sat down for some quality time with the Illinois Department of Revenue. After two hours & multiple cookies to motivate myself to keep going I completed the form. The end result: I owed the State of Illinois ONE DOLLAR!  

BUT I did create myself some color coded, understandable directions for next quarter. I'm sure I'll be thanking myself in July!

Lesson Learned: Completing difficult tasks is more rewarding than completing easy tasks.

Final Location of Choice #3

3. During work day lunches Jarrod & I will take a walk. Yesterday we took a different route than normal which also completed one of my errands for the week. Watch out! Multitasking. After lunch with Jarrod, instead of hiding out in a cafe & checking email, I headed over to Illini Grove Park to sit & breath before a client meeting. 

Lesson Learned: Sunshine is magical.

Open road of Choice #4

4. My final off-beat decision was the choice to take the two lane highway to go pick up Cadence rather than the Interstate. 


Lesson Learned: Always keep your windows down when possible.

Make Art Retreat II Review

From March 15th to March 18th a group of us took in art, made art, talked about art & ate art in south eastern Wisconsin. A fabulous retreat if I say so myself.

The mix of work & play was just what I personally needed.

Work

• We had our first workshop during a Make Art Retreat. It was on square foot gardening & conducted by Leslie who works for A Back Yard Farm in Minnesota. Very informative.

• I took & edited photos

• I started the first pagination for Adventures with Ranger Roy: Yellowstone National Park. 

• I helped Miss Leslie with her upcoming book the pauses between. Which by-the-way was just fully funded via kickstarter. Yeah!!

Play

• We ate at the Safe House

• Saw G. Love & the Special Sauce

• Walked around downtown Milwaukee

• Had interrupted sleep

• Enjoyed a Friday Night Fish Fry in Wisconsin

• Played at Calumet County Park

• Chased after Jarrod with a camera while he was running 20 miles (!!)

• Watched the ice melt off Lake Winneabago

We visited a total of four locations during the weekend. Each location is represented below by a photo. You can see all the photos that were taken here on flickr.

Homewood, IL

Evening in Milwaukee

Morning in Milwaukee

Weekend at the Lake House