Summer is in full swing – and, as always, threatening to come and go MUCH faster than we would prefer. The Mojitos & Munchkins crew has had a busy – but exciting – few months of summer so far. Check out seven of our highlights!
The Start of Summer
Gone are the days of early morning rising, running to catch the school bus, and math homework at nights. Also gone are the days of schedules and time management, activities and running amuck. This summer, our goal has been to RELAX and BREATHE. We have tried *VERY* hard to stick to a schedule-free summer, as much as possible, and are loving it! We have been enjoying lazy mornings, impromptu movie matinees, leisurely meals at completely inappropriate times, and the occasional early afternoon ice cream cone.
Completed Kitchen Remodel
After 3 months of camping out in our basement, our kitchen remodel is complete. Let me say that again, but this time in a shrieking, hands-in-the-air, OMG voice of excitement: WE HAVE A KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCHEN! We have been tripping over each other, eating like we were on a never ending road trip to nowhere, painting ceilings in the middle of the night, and generally feeling as unorganized and unkempt as one can imagine. For all of the birthday invitations I have lost and all of the bills I have forgotten to pay, please be gracious in accepting my apologies. We shared a bedroom with our son for 49 days, were without a sink for 52 days, and now have a lifetime of memories to make in this beautiful new space.
Birthday Time and Butterfly Release
In celebration of a life cut short due to HLHS, sweet Indy Reyena Thurm was celebrated, remembered, loved and cherished in June. It is hard to believe a year has gone by since I held this dear newborn and gotten to see her perfectly pouty lips. Because my young children were not able to be at the hospital to meet Indy, I was especially excited for them to share in this day. The celebration was a perfect honor and the butterfly release was beautiful. For more information on Indy, please visit the HLHS Comfort Care website that was created to help other parents enduring this tragic diagnosis.
A Bicycle Built for 5
Taking our little family on a tour of Minnehaha Falls {Minnesota} via a family bicycle has been on our to do list for a few years now. The day finally came to fruition, and it was absolutely magical. Ya know, in the magical way that involves a really fun time together, while still maintaining the status quo of tantrums and tears and fits and disagreements that come with three young children. Oh, and heat. A lot of heat and sweat. I highly recommend adding this to your life bucket list and with several locations across the US, there is bound to be a Wheel Fun Rentals location near you.
Signs From Above
Following some wonky blood work results in a routine appointment, there was a 48-hour period that left me sulking, struggling, and being a negative Nancy, to put it mildly. Then again, I don’t know that many people hearing mention of the big C leave their appointment feeling anything other than jittery. It rocked me to my core and I went to worst case scenarios pretty quickly. For those that don’t know, I watched my mom battle cancer during her three different diagnoses. First as a young child, then later as an adult. Just the word alone touches a nerve that I can’t put into words. During the unknown time when I was anxiously awaiting test results and further scans, I longed to be able to talk to my mom. Although that obviously wasn’t possible, I looked for signs that all would be well. While those signs never appeared during my struggles, as I was talking to my dad to tell him I had gotten VERY POSITIVE results back from my doctor, a single butterfly hovered nearby while I was telling him the news. Immediately after releasing the “all clear, all good” news, that very butterfly landed on me. And stayed for almost 10 heartwarming seconds. Unbelievable. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that my mom was with me during that period, and especially on the final day of testing. She sent this dear butterfly to let me know that she knows I’m ok. And that was good enough for me.
Home Sweet Home
Although I haven’t listed Ollie, Iowa as my home address since 1999, the 52576 zip code will forever be treasured as the home of my heart. Time and distance won’t change that, nor will separation from the flat plains and countless rows of corn. Each summer, as our tradition goes, our family packs into the car and travels to my hometown for a weekend of tractor rides, baby farm animals, figure 8 car races, and family. We are so thankful for this tradition, the quiet and calm that comes with the terrain, and the company that joins us each year.
Minneapolis Farmers Market
We love that the Minneapolis Farmers Market provides us with the consistently reliable vendors that we adore, but also shows us new and intriguing finds with each visit. From live music to mouth watering fruits, samples galore to breathtaking flower bouquets, locally brewed coffee to hand sewn bags, the market is a BLAST. Whether you choose to spend an hour or a day there, it will be time well spent. Our favorite finds include a LARGE bunch of fresh mint leaves for $1 (hello, mojitos!), deliciously squeaky cheese curds, poppin’ yellow sunflowers that make our kitchen bright and summery, and PastaMore oils and vinegars that we cannot. get. enough. of.
What’s Next?
Although it feels like summer is coming to a close, it’s also just amping up. The Mojitos & Munchkins family will be traveling fools starting TODAY. We embark on a road trip that will take us from Minnesota to Maine. And, because we love a good torture chamber, we thought why not drive our young family to the East Coast and spread the trip out to 8 lonnnnnnnnnnng days of travel. Because, ya know, what young child isn’t great at spending long amounts of time in the car???
1 road trip. 3 kids. 10 states. 2 countries. Countless memories. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram, or better yet SUBSCRIBE to our website as to not miss out on the moments! We look forward to having you along on our journey!
