Tag: vacation

Thankful Thursday – Road Trippin’ the American West

The longest road trip I remember from childhood took me to Disneyland, which seemed So Far Away, though now I have to admit that the hour-and-a-half drive from San Diego to Anaheim doesn't truly count. Guy's family did real road trips: six weeks coast-to-coast in a Volkswagen Vanagon, a different route each way, every summer. … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Road Trippin’ the American West

Power Down & Play

"Wow, you really need to get away!" said Co-worker as she realized I had missed something squarely in my easy-peasy realm of responsibility. I worked frenetically up until fifteen minutes before our car drove away. While I did pull out my phone a few times on the drive, I also made a concerted effort not to … Continue reading Power Down & Play

What I Didn’t Pack

Today's guest post comes from a dear friend. Guy and I were in a church Community Group with Brad and his wife Shawn; for many years we and another few couples met regularly to discuss God's Word and pray together. We also shared a lot of life, good food and drink, service and outreach, and knit ourselves … Continue reading What I Didn’t Pack

Ritual: Cation House

One of my favorite weeks of the year is coming right up: our annual trip to the Cation House. I originally wrote this post for my friend Cara Meredith's blog during her 2015 guest post series on rituals (please go check out her blog - great stuff happening over there!). I can't wait for another week of beach-y rest, … Continue reading Ritual: Cation House

Thankful Thursday – Poke-Cation GO!

We had a long family conversation before we left on our Southern Oregon vacation. The kids wanted to bring computers and games to play during down-time. The parents wanted everyone unplugged, but mostly we wanted peace. Kids got their way this time with the caveat that they had to instantly put it away when asked. … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Poke-Cation GO!

Creating a Life

Today's guest post comes from a friend with whom I have cherished memories of galumphing through Scotland and England--drinking LOTS of tea, enjoying plays, memorizing poetry, and discussing life, love, future, literature and more literature and a scattering of theology (she was one of the first female theology students I met in college and she introduced me to … Continue reading Creating a Life

Thankful Thursday – Southern Oregon Summer

My gracious in-laws offered us the use of their home in Medford, Oregon while they're travelling (French & Italian Riviera). We had been planning a camping road-trip around college visits for Teen, but our kids gently pointed out that, ahem, as Scouts they camp all the time, and could we please not camp on vacation? Especially … Continue reading Thankful Thursday – Southern Oregon Summer

Lessons Tween Learned on Vacation

Shortcuts aren’t necessarily shorter. Our 500-mile drive from San Francisco to San Diego comes in two parts: the long, fast leg between home and the Grapevine; and the shorter-by-distance long-by-traffic leg through Los Angeles. With no traffic on Leg 1, Tween and I stopped for a quick bite almost an hour ahead of schedule. So … Continue reading Lessons Tween Learned on Vacation

Rituals: Cation House

Writ large on the walls of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Pablo Neruda’s words strike a chord in my soul: “I spin on the circle of wave upon wave of the sea.” My life has felt like constant spinning, waves of joy and laughter, wash of chaos and drama, waves of peaceful beauty. My parents’ lives … Continue reading Rituals: Cation House

Slow Down

An ordinary afternoon dog-walk around the neighborhood turned gruesome. A car passed just as I noticed a squirrel hunkered in the middle of the lane. Car 1 slowed down, paused until two cars were directly opposite in the other lane, and then blared its horn. Horn terrified Squirrel who leaped sideways under the tire of Car 2, followed by … Continue reading Slow Down