A Little of This, A Little of That

 If you know me, you know that I can't stay in one spot for very long, so I planned a day trip.  I had always wanted a solo trip to run the Manistee River Trail/North Country Trail Loop.  This loop is in northwestern Michigan, and I make the drive to run these trails several times every year.  The day started really chilly, but I warmed up after a few miles, and really warmed up around mile 7 when I started following bear tracks down the trail.  The icing on the cake was a bee sting to my right butt cheek at mile 11.  Despite all of that, the day was gorgeous and I had a great time.

Emerson and her roommate, Leah, were also enjoying their day at Northern Michigan University.  The weather can swing from one extreme to the other up there in the U.P., so when times are good, you have to take advantage of them!

Another weekend brought another Equestrian Team meet.  This time, we took the camper and planned to spend the weekend there.  And this time, Greyson was all in.  After helping out the previous weekend and getting to know the girls, he required no coaxing to spend the weekend at the fairgrounds. 

Alayna and her team had another great weekend of competition, and they came away with enough points to advance to the playoffs.  They were all very excited to show off their medals!

While we were horsing around downstate, Emerson was at a NMU football game in Marquette!

Just like that, another weekend was in the books.  Back in class on Monday, Emerson and Meadow had fun coloring Em's hair.  

I spent Monday morning running trails near home, where it is always so peaceful and quiet.

Nash decided he wanted to run for Student Council, and although the competition was fierce, he came away with the win!  I think the promise of a Cheetos party for the class was the deciding factor!

And George? George was really settling into the farm, not caring at all that he was the only horse.  He didn't even seem to mind sharing his morning grain with the goats!

Horsing Around

 The second week of September was another packed one!  After weeks of preparation, Alayna's first Equestrian Team meet was upon us.  Before heading to the fairgrounds, though, there was another order of business.  Blaze and Rainy, Alayna's first two horses, were being retired and the farm who had taken Penny offered their pastures to our two horses.  Blaze and Rainy were loaded into our "new" trailer, along with George, who was on his way to the show.  I think our two geriatric horses were excited to be heading to greener pastures together.

And then it was time to head to the fairgrounds!  We had no idea what to expect for the weekend.  Alayna, though, seemed to fit right in. 

Friday night was eventful!  George had his first taste of mints as a treat, there was practice for events, and a bath for George before bed.

While we were tucking into our own beds for the evening, Emerson was burning the midnight oil with friends up in Marquette.

Saturday morning was an early one, and our farm was giving Charlotte's Web vibes as I fed the goats, ducks and chickens before heading to the fairgrounds.

Alayna could not have been more excited for her first competition!  There was so much still to learn, but she was taking it all in stride, and her teammates were so kind and helpful.  The day was jam-packed with the highs and lows of competition, a midday bath for George because he really likes rolling in his own poop, and I have to say that our team stole the show with their flashy outfits later in the day!

I might be a little crazy, but I agreed to sleep in the horse trailer with Alayna on Saturday night.  Her teammates were all camping at the fairgrounds and she didn't want to be left out.  While I was in bed by nine, she snuck into the trailer at nearly 11!

Sunday morning arrived, and it was quite chilly!  I was up early, and was rewarded with a breathtaking sight of the foggy pastures at the fairgrounds.

Day two was just as packed as the first, and that morning chill eventually gave way to much warmer weather.  George got a fancy new hairdo for the day's competition, and Alayna really impressed us in the speed events!

Nash had had a very long weekend, making friends and riding bikes around the park, and opted to go home early with Nana.  He passed out almost instantly in her car!

In a blink, it was Monday again.  Emerson was back in class, learning how to french braid.

Owen had FaceTimed me from Walmart in North Carolina over the weekend when he had decided he wanted to learn to cook food in his room rather than heading to the Chow Hall for all of his meals.  I had set him up with all of the basics: pots and pans, spoons and spatulas, and few ingredients for some easy meals.  His first attempt, however, was unsuccessful and quite funny, if only to me.

We were soaking up as much as we could of what was left of summer, and Nash spent his afternoons searching for eggs in the yard and riding his bike in the setting sun. 

875 miles away, Owen was taking a sunset stroll on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

Hello, September

 The beginning of September brings with it Labor Day Weekend.  And what do we do for Labor Day Weekend? We head to the cabin.  Now that the kids are getting older, it's hard to round them all up at the same time.  So, while Emerson drove down from Marquette, Jason headed north with Nash and Greyson, and I stayed home with Alayna so we could pick Owen up from the airport on Saturday morning.  I am so thankful for the Find My Phone App so I can keep track of my kids, wherever they are!

While we were home waiting for Owen to arrive, I got in a nice long run and Alayna got in some horseback riding with friends.  Although the weather was still quite warm, the first signs of fall were appearing.

And then, just to add a bit of stress to the weekend, Greyson tested positive for Covid. After two weeks back to school, there were a lot of cases of Covid flying around and it really was just a matter of time that one of our kids brought it home.  This was perfect timing as he was already at the cabin with family, and it was going to be a full house very soon, with Em's roommate, and boyfriend, and Jason's parents.  Thankfully, no one seemed phased by the Covid exposure, so the weekend just went on as planned.

On Saturday morning, Alayna and I headed to Detroit to grab Owen from the airport, and then turned right around and drove straight up to the cabin.  By lunchtime, we were reunited and it felt so good.

The weather was perfect all weekend, and we had lots of fun in between all of the end-of-summer chores that were on the list.  Of particular funniness were the matching swimsuits on the guys!

Monday came all too quickly, and we sent Emerson back up to school, and the rest of us headed home.  Greyson thankfully kicked Covid to the curb and I spent the evening listening to Owen play tunes on the piano.

Early Tuesday, Jason took Owen back to the airport and sent him back to Camp Lejeune.  It's always hard saying goodbye to our boy, but we were planning a visit to see him in just a few weeks!  And then, it was back to farm life.  We tried out a big round bale since we were feeding three horses, and they seemed very happy with the endless supply of food!  

Josie was busy doing Josie things, but don't try to pet her because she's actually an attack cat!

And those sunsets continued to dazzle us, disappearing behind the tall corn well before actual sunset.