Brooklyn's ballet scene.
August's duck.
More ballet from Brooklyn with a lovely pregnant woman in the audience and a sweet mother/daughter moment. I love what they create. I never cease to be amazed.
6 hours ago
I'm approaching the end of our kitchen renovation. I have yet to post pictures on the progress, because I really want to be able to show the whole finished product with some build-up of "along the way" photographs. Since this project seems like it's been stretched out over months and months (kinda because it has...), I'm more than ready to be done with it. As you can well imagine.
I'll give you a play by play of what's been done thus far.
Last spring/early summer - we ripped out the tile floors in the kitchen area (including the breakfast room and bathroom) and had hardwood floors put down. We also got rid of all the old appliances and put new ones in. And then we waited for the passing of time to magically replenish the funds in my "Home Project" account. When those funds appeared, we were ready for the second phase, which has actually been less stressful than all of last year's work.
We ripped out our countertops and backsplash, picked out a marble slab and had it installed. White subway tiles were put in for our backsplash. We got rid of our old cast iron enamelled sink and faucet and replaced it with a farmhouse sink and a very cool, modern faucet. We also got all new cabinet doors and drawer fronts and new hardware. And new pendant lights over the sink area. This past week, I put in new wooden lazy susan's in my two corner cabinets. All that remains is for the whole area to get fresh paint - new paint for upper and lower cabinets and walls - and then I can put the hardware on. Unfortunately our painter guy may not be able to do the cabinets until middle of next month. Which means I can't put my drawer/countertop stuff back in the kitchen.
So I'm still living in kitchen limbo, which as any woman knows, is seriously not fun.
However, I'm extremely grateful that I have a fully functioning kitchen!
I want to tell you today about my little DIY project of putting in the lazy susan's.
I discovered a few years ago when putting our chicken coop together with Kyle, that I really like making things. Using drills. Measuring and getting things exactly right. This probably surprises exactly no one, given my personality.
So when it came down to taking out our old, wobbly, cracked plastic lazy susan's and installing new ones, I weighed the cost of hiring someone to do it versus tackling it myself and chose to save myself a few bucks. Probably more than a few, if I'm being honest.
I found some online, ordered them and decided I'd check that off my list this past week.
Admittedly, I was a little nervous that I'd screw it up and Kyle would have to say "I told you we should just hire someone..."
But I'm thrilled to say that it seems to have worked. After lying on my back in my cabinets holding a flashlight in my teeth and measuring and drilling....They look good, they seem sturdy.
I've managed to move some of the items being stored on my dining room table back to their real home.
One step closer to a finished kitchen!
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| Back row: Rand-dad & DD Front Row (L-R): Sawyer, August, Brooklyn, Avery & Merrick Wearing Cousin Camp shirts designed by my talented husband, Kyle! |
(Technically, Wednesday - Saturday). There are currently 17 cousins if I'm not mistaken, many of whom are far too young to leave the nest for an overnighter, so the Camp Directors (my parents) said Cousin Camp attendees had to be 5 or older. The above picture shows the eligible (and extremely excited) cousins as my parents came to pick them all up!
My parents put a ton of thought and preparation into this Camp, beginning with a series of letters they delivered to each child a few weeks before departure day. Clue letters, actually. They served to get the kids excited about Cousin Camp, prepare them for what they would be doing, give them clues about the main topic of the Camp, and help the kids know what to pack for the week.
Seven letters in all, brightly colored and bearing the names of each child, magically appeared in our mailbox. The first letter offered a clue to help the kids identify the person they'd be studying this week. They were told that God had given this man a job. My kids took this clue and then sat down with their Bibles and identified every person they could find who had been given a job by God.
My parents put a ton of thought and preparation into this Camp, beginning with a series of letters they delivered to each child a few weeks before departure day. Clue letters, actually. They served to get the kids excited about Cousin Camp, prepare them for what they would be doing, give them clues about the main topic of the Camp, and help the kids know what to pack for the week.
Seven letters in all, brightly colored and bearing the names of each child, magically appeared in our mailbox. The first letter offered a clue to help the kids identify the person they'd be studying this week. They were told that God had given this man a job. My kids took this clue and then sat down with their Bibles and identified every person they could find who had been given a job by God.
As subsequent clues came, they narrowed it down to the right person:
That's August's little note above. He put it on his door.
The clue that gave it away for them: "He disobeyed God."
It took them only 2 letters to figure it out, but they looked forward to each letter with great excitement. The last letter included a list of what they should pack for Cousin Camp, and as soon as they read it, they each raced upstairs to begin their packing.
August, my little organized man, pulled out the suitcase from the attic, got his clothes all situated and laid everything in front of the open suitcase in neat little piles, so I could double check him before putting it all in. It melts my heart, it truly does. One of those overflowing cup moments a mother gets to cherish.
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| Suited up to go horse back riding! |
Periodically over the days they were gone, my mom and dad would send text messages to us parents. A video here or there (singing songs about Jonah that my mom had taught them), pictures, etc. We were not really supposed to call them, which did NOT sit well with me, to say the least. This was the first time my kids have ever been away from me for more than one night, and I know my kids well enough to know they would not have been upset by a phone call. I was pretty mad when my mom sprung that piece of news on me right as she was driving away with my kids, but I managed to comply and settled for texting my kids my goodnight wishes and hugs.
I was super excited this morning to get a call from Brooklyn! It made all of us very happy, even though they're coming home today!
My kids are actually on their way back from Camp right now, so I have yet to hear all the details of their days, but I do know it was at the Farm. And there were lots of crafts, projects, games and special activities. They went swimming (like Jonah). They went fishing (to see if they could catch a whale). They made S'mores (cause Jonah would have wanted a S'more if he'd known what they were). They went horse back riding (just for fun). They made whales out of balloons. They made "fish in the water" desserts (see August in the picture above). They even got to explore the inside of a whale! (It was actually a tent my parents set up inside a house at the Farm, but my kids said it was super awesome). They hiked in the woods (and fought off horse-flies). They rode 4wheelers. And they learned about obeying God when He asks you to do something.
I will fill you in more when I hear the details from my two little campers.
In the meantime, since Dorien was too little to go, we had to make sure our time at home was equally exciting. He called it his "vacation." The funny thing was, although I know he missed Brooklyn and August (because he kept asking when they were coming home), he also thrived in their absence. Kyle likened it to a plant given its own pot that just blossoms. The kid was hilarious. He chattered like a magpie, making Kyle and I laugh out loud at the things he would say. He played with Wyeth in a way that we don't often see when his older siblings are around.
In the midst of prepping for Cousin Camp this week, I managed to catch a stomach bug that literally felled me like a tree all day Tuesday and most of Wednesday. We went blue berry picking extremely early on Tuesday morning, and mid-picking, I just got sick. I barely made it home (from Lonoke) before losing it. The kids were awesome and put a movie on for themselves as I stumbled up to bed and crashed with Wyeth. I ended up losing 6 pounds in a 24 hour period, and I felt horrendous. On Wednesday morning when Kyle found me lying on the bathroom floor, unable to get back to bed, he decided to work from home. Good call. After our kids were taken to Cousin Camp, I was able to sleep more while Kyle worked on his computer and entertained Dorien and Wyeth.
Kyle took Dorien to the library where they played chess/checkers and got lots of good library books.
The days went by quickly, and we managed to fit in fun things like taking naps (that may be more fun for me than anyone else...)
Playing turtle with the bean bag, going to the pool and the gym, getting smoothies...
Eating at restaurants, playing with Tagg and Oliver and Aunt Anna...
Cuddling with Singer..
Reading some fantastic library books (hint....check out William Joyce)
And getting haircuts (by yours truly!)
Wyeth and Dorien enjoying some special time together!
Love these boys.
Eagerly awaiting the return of Brooklyn and August!
The official picture of me and Kyle from the Gran Fondo ride! My helmet seems to be pushed back a little far on my head!
Last week, we kicked off our summer break with swimming lessons. They started on Tuesday morning and go through Friday, June 12th. Only Brooklyn and August are taking them right now, and they are 45 minute lessons during which Dorien and Wyeth hang out with me and watch. Which sounds horrible, but really hasn't been that bad at all.
After lessons, we head to the gym for my morning workout, and some days, we stick around to swim at the gym pool. We went last Monday before the sun had really decided to shine full-time, and the water was unbelievable cold. My older three decided it was still worth getting wet.
Wyeth and I, on the other hand, quickly realized that it was way too stinkin cold for our taste.
Ok, so Brooklyn only lasted a few minutes.
August turned into a caterpillar under the water fountains.
Wyeth was incredulous about this!
Dorien, just chilling during a swimming lesson. I love this kid. Today, he observed to me (while at the swimming lesson pool) that the white chairs at both pools are different. The gym pool has hard white lines, but the swimming lesson pool has bouncy lines on the chairs. What an observant kid! He said he prefers the hard white lines. He tends to fall through the other ones.
Here's Brooklyn reading to her little brother, who absolutely loves this. He loves books and adores being read to. Especially by his siblings.
So far, our summer has been lovely. I'm trying to make it special, because I remember summers as a kid being just wonderful! We've been able to swim more at the pool simply because I don't have to watch Brooklyn and August like a hawk like I did last summer. This lets me play more with Dorien and Wyeth in the water without losing my mind. Trust me, four kids at a pool is no picnic. We're making progress, though! Last year, I wouldn't dream of going to the pool without Kyle.
As a special treat yesterday, I bought S'more fixings and we made them for dessert using our gas burners! Why don't we do that more often? It worked just as well as a campfire (minus the bugs!) and was delicious! I even bought lemons to make real lemonade and I think we've eaten our body-weight collectively in watermelons and canteloupes. Once we are able to go blue-berry picking and stock up on those, it will truly feel like summer. There's nothing like a good sweaty morning stocking up on fresh picked blueberries. Fabulous!
If you read my post yesterday about the Gran Fondo, you might recall my mentioning that I experienced the benefits of drafting with a pack of fellow cyclists for the first time. I also mentioned that for part of the time, Kyle and I weren't in a pack, but off by ourselves, and that I enjoyed this too.
Riding on a bike for 4 hours gives you plenty of time for contemplation, and I took advantage of that time. I found myself thinking about the whole principal of drafting and riding in a pack versus going at it on your own. As is so often the case, there are clear parallels between cycling and life.
Cycling is very often a solitary sport. I think partly that may be due to the long hours that it can demand - hours which not everyone is able to give up. Cycling can often be a very communal sport, too. People love to meet up for big group rides. I know of so many different groups that meet up at all different locations, days, times...the longer the training ride you need, the nicer it can be to have a buddy!
One of the main benefits of riding with a group is when you form that line and begin to take advantage of the benefits of drafting - slipping into the airstream behind another cyclist - which allows you to maintain significantly higher speeds at a fraction of the energy expenditure. The person leading "pulls" the pack until they need a break at which time they peel off to the left and then find a hole in the line to slip over into. Meanwhile, the next person in line takes their turn. Theoretically everyone benefits. Faster speed, less energy.
There are times, however, such as in triathlons, when drafting is illegal. You are required to maintain a certain distance between yourself and the next cyclist and you have a set amount of time in which to pass other cyclists or you'll be penalized and potentially disqualified. Triathlons are excellent for those who are comfortable going at it alone.
I think that's one reason I find myself drawn to them. It's an internal battle more than anything.
I love that it pushes me. It's also scary because you're faced with all your weaknesses and are forced to come to grips with yourself on the grittiest level. What are you made of?
It's the question that emerges on a really long run, on a hard struggle up a hill, at the end of a long week, in the middle of the day being the mother of four children.
Those of you who know me well know that I fly solo more often than not.
I choose to home school apart from any type of group. I prefer to do independent Bible studies outside of group settings. I don't often join things. I am not a people pleaser.
I am far more apt to make a decision that goes against what everyone else is doing, not just to be contrary, but because I don't care what everyone else is doing if it isn't what's best for our family.
On that bike ride this past Saturday, I enjoyed riding by myself for many miles, battling the headwind and seeing what my body was capable of handling.
On the flip side of that, I would be a fool if I didn't notice that there were huge advantages to riding as part of that larger group on Saturday. It was good for me to really FEEL the difference. One tangible difference between riding solo and in a group is that on your own, you're always pedaling. Unless you're free-wheeling down a hill for a second, most of the time, your legs are spinning - working. In that line of other riders, slipping through the air stream, you actually find that doing the same amount of work makes you go too fast - you bump up against the next rider - so you let off the pedals every now and then.
Life is very much like this. There are times for you to go at it alone, and there are times to be part of a larger group - both to contribute and to benefit from its advantages, the give and take.
Even if you wouldn't define yourself as a loner, even if you are an extrovert who prefers to be surrounded by people, the reality of life, especially motherhood, is that much of it is done by yourself (not counting these little people who are our children). The hard bits, the dirty bits, the pure work that motherhood can be - it's like the triathlon part. You might wish you could "draft", but you just have to dig deep and do the job you have to do. And it hurts at times and strips you raw of all you thought you had, and you think, dang, I did NOT take in enough "nutrition" today. Where are my Gu's, my energy gels? I'm dying here!!
About that. As followers of Christ, we are never truly alone. Just as I believe I'm never truly alone even on a bike in the middle of nowhere. Being a mom 24/7, I am never without the "nutrition" I require to complete the job. As an athlete, when your body absolutely runs out of juice and you hit the wall, it's called Bonking. As a believer, you never have to bonk, because we have constant access to the power of God which fuels us more substantially, more thoroughly than any energy gel or electrolyte tablet out there. I find, too often, that when I reach my limit with my kids, what I failed to do was "supplement" my personal limit with the abundant stores of grace, mercy, kindness, humor and peace that come from the Holy Spirit. Whether I chose not to have a quiet time or prayer time, or what, it's no different from being unprepared on a run or ride and just running out of juice.
Since we all are required to perform solo for at least part of the time, be prepared for it. Fuel up with the spiritual stores offered to us by our Creator and Maker. In Isaiah 43, God says, When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
Our waters and rivers may not be the same as each others, and the levels that are treacherous to us may be different, but thankfully, God doesn't specify a certain water level or river depth. He just says, YOU. When YOU pass through. Your stressful day doesn't have to be the same circumstances as my stressful day to be worthy of His intervention. Just know that He is there to be called upon. His promise holds for each of us who are called by His name. He is our Savior, on our solo days, no matter what.
He also gives us a body of believers designed to function as a team, a pack, so that we may experience the benefit of both leading and following. Our journey doesn't have to be a full out energy dump every single day. In fact, when I over-isolate myself and get super snappy at Kyle and the kids, it's probably because I'm not taking advantage of that body of believers. Or if I am, maybe I'm leading instead of benefiting from the slipstream. All of the work, none of the drafting. How dumb is that? Worse, even, than just flying solo.
There are undeniable benefits from spending time with my fellow believers, my fellow moms, my dear friends. I realize that now as clearly as I ever have. It doesn't change who I am as a person or my desire, need even, for solitude. But if Christ has established a body for the purpose of functioning better together than apart, I'd be pretty unwise to take part in that process.
Isolation can definitely be a good thing...after all, these thoughts I share with you are ones that I mulled over while alone on my bike. However, even I need the boost from the shared journey experience. There's no shame in riding together, no loss of honor in reaching out for companionship on these daily journeys of ours. Truth be told, I'm honored to be sharing the journey with many of you, and the struggles you share make my own a little easier. I hope knowing that it's a struggle for me, too, puts you in that slipstream and eases your efforts.
This past Saturday, Kyle and I participated in the Arvest Gran Fondo - a 67.8 mile bike ride around Central Arkansas. The ride began downtown outside the Spokes- Orbea Main Street shop and then headed out of town into places I had never seen before, and may only see when taking this type of an organized ride in the future! Definitely not places I'd ever ride on my own.
This ride was a first for me. The first organized ride like this I've ever done, the first Kyle and I have done together, the first time I've ever ridden with a pack and experienced the fun of drafting and the LONGEST ride I've done to date (previously, 23 miles is as far as I'd gone). With the rain we've had lately, I've ridden outside very little, so I felt ridiculously unprepared to ride 67.8 miles. In fact, beforehand, Kyle told me there was the option of a shorter ride of 50 miles. I had pretty much made up my mind that we would be doing 50...I just couldn't see how I'd be able to ride 70 with the amount of time I'd spent on a bike (not nearly enough). Except that on the morning of the ride, we realized it wasn't 50, it was 37 miles. Hm. That's a heck of a lot shorter than 50. Weighing the two, there was really no question in my mind - we were going all the way. It wasn't a question of whether I could do it. I just WOULD do it. That's all there is to it.
The good news is that apparently all the other training I've been doing lately (tri-specific weight lifting, running and swimming) carries over into cycling fitness, because I found that overall, it was pretty easy. Now, our average speed wasn't 25 miles or anything. More like 17mph, so we could definitely kick it up a notch next year. But with my inexperience on long rides, I wasn't about to kill myself and have to be hauled out by a rescue vehicle. You should always have gas left in the tank.
I had a little left.
The Gran Fondo means the long ride, or the endurance ride. They have them all over the country, and I think one thing they're known for is really good food. This one is known for that, in any case! There are two pit stops mid-ride with delicious treats and beverages to refuel you (bananas, pancakes, apricot/rice balls, pickles!, pickle juice!, containers of watermelon) and lots of food set up at the end to reward all that endurance!
One of the best treats at the pit stops was the Leiva's coffee brew that Geo and Alana offered the cyclists. A cold coffee/chocolate milk combo that SO hit the spot. In fact, without Geo and Alana, Kyle and I wouldn't have ridden at all. They sponsored us. We were honored to be out there spreading the love for their coffee!
I wasn't able to take many photos on the ride, but I actually stopped and turned around to take the one above. This enormous tree had shoes slung all over it! I'm sure there's a story and I have no idea what it is, but it was an unusual sight worth capturing. Look close - there are hundreds of pairs of tennis shoes draped over its branches!
Here's Kyle, me and Alana Leiva at the second pit stop. We had ridden 50 miles at this point! For the first half of the ride, Kyle and I rode together, but not really as part of a larger peloton. Which was ok with me, because I was just enjoying riding, period. I'm also quite happy to ride alone. This says a great deal about me as a person...
Around mile 40, we somehow formed a pack of random people and stuck together for probably 25 miles. As I said earlier, this was a completely new experience for me. I quickly realized that yes, there are some lovely benefits to riding close together in a line and drafting. You can maintain high speeds with little effort! It was so much fun!
If you've never ridden on a really long ride like this, there are elements of it that may not sound fun. Hours upon hours of sitting on a hard little seat pedaling and pedaling, up and down hills, through puddles, the occasional gnat flying into your mouth (true story), dogs running up and acting like your leg is their dinner, sore muscles...but that's just one aspect of it. All the other aspects of it are absolutely amazing.
For starters, anytime you embark on something like this with a bunch of other people who find the same thing really enjoyable - there is a sense of camaraderie that is quite special. Whether it's fellow runners or fellow cyclists - you instantly form a bond with these people. They get this part of you that many others do not. They don't question that you want to spend your time this way. They love it, too.
So there's that. And then there's just being out in nature. I am not what I'd consider a nature person. I hate bugs, particularly mosquitos and I don't like being hot or sweaty unless I'm working out (as long as I'm wearing work-out clothes, bring it on). Put me on a bike, though, or on a running path, and everything changes. I am able to truly soak up and enjoy God's beautiful creation. On a run, you see things move past you at a slower pace, but you still find yourself exploring new paths, roads, parts of the state you would otherwise never see. On a bike, you increase that exponentially as the increased pace increases the territory you are able to cover in the same amount of time. Riding through back roads, country lanes, up and down hills that undulate like a wrinkled quilt...glimpses of other lives and stories unfold as you ride by. I saw a rooster perched on a fence, crowing his lungs out and it made my heart so happy. I said hello to barking dogs, smiled at strangers, waved at cheering kids, chatted with other cyclists I'd never met. But mostly, just observed the quietness of a Saturday morning. Felt the cool breeze drying my sweat, listened to the hum of the wind zipping past my ears, took in all the lush green forests and later, undulating fields as our path took us on a meandering journey through farm land.
It was a blissful 4 hours when no one asked me for food or to do something for them. I didn't have to play Solomon and decide who gets to play with the toy they all want. All the stresses and daily wear and tear and frustrations of motherhood just fell away, like old scabs. I healed on that 70 mile ride. My body worked, my mind stilled, I prayed and praised God over the miles, exulting in the world He'd made that I was able to so thoroughly soak up and enjoy.
In many ways, it was a state of bliss. Of grace. Of release. Of escape.
Yes, I worked hard. Especially towards the end when I needed more fuel, but didn't have any.
And even that is a beautiful thing - you experience the mental part of what challenges endurance athletes. You could quit. Lots of people would. But will you?
Not a chance. It's when you dig deep and say, yep, there's more to pull from.
I've got this. And you pick it up a notch. And then you cross the finish line and there's the satisfaction of knowing you went further than you've gone before. And you look forward to the next time.
Thank you, Geo and Alana, for giving Kyle and I the chance to do this!
We love you guys so much!
Our new chickens are funny little ladies. There are 6 Light Brahmas and 5 Auracana-Americanas, and they have decided they don't like to leave the chicken hen house. I'm not sure why, because their little run is a nice place, too. Perhaps because we've had almost non-stop rain ever since they were moved into the coop - they simply don't want to venture out in case it's raining or storming, as it usually is!
Lately, we've taken it upon ourselves to acclimate them better to the outdoors. We check on them several times a day, haul them out of the coop and try to get them to act like chickens! Peck something! Eat a worm! We have discovered that they love mulberries, and our mulberry tree has produced a record crop this spring. While the kids eat some for themselves, they toss some to the chickens too.
We're also trying to get them used to having us around them. Some are more skittish than others.
I tried to entice them outdoors with some mango peel and nice leafy compost scraps!
I was reading on a Backyard Chicken forum that others have had this issue, too. Apparently, I'm not the only one with agorophobic hens. My next trick is to block access to the henhouse and make them spend more time in the run and outside. They will obviously have access to their food and water, but there's no reason I can see for hunkering up inside all day. It's not like that box is air-conditioned! Plus, their nesting boxes are getting mites, which happens when they don't take their dirt baths regularly. I suppose, in their defense, it's difficult to flop around in dust when it rains every day.
They are not laying yet. I'm expecting eggs towards the first of July. The Light Brahmas lay brown eggs, but the Auracanas will lay pastel colored eggs. I'm ready!
In typical Memorial Day tradition, we spent the past weekend at the Farm, although it was a smaller crowd than usual! Josh and Lauren just added their fourth child to their family (a girl, Hazel, born May 18th), so Lauren stayed home and settled in with her newborn. Chad and Melissa and their kids were getting over a stomach bug and decided not to risk spreading anything around. Mom, Dad, Jeremiah and Rachel trickled in on Sunday from a wedding. It was pretty quiet.
There was no shortage of 4-wheel vehicles, both large and small, however, and at any given moment, the kids were begging a grown-up to give them a proper trail ride. Fortunately, Aunt Rachel was game for hauling the kids around...a lot. Thanks, Rache!
Josh is still dealing with incredible back pain with some ruptured disks, so we all helped with Sawyer, Gage and Ruby.
Gage and Ruby, above, hung out by the campfire before the mosquitos drove us indoors.
Ruby and Wyeth. Ruby is 5 months older than Wyeth, and the two of them actually hung out together a little. Wyeth, we discovered, loves ALL THINGS FARM. He was fearless and game for anything.
He loved driving the little 4-wheelers, although I don't think he ever connected his pressing a pedal down with the movement of the vehicle...it seemed to him a happy accident if he moved.
He loved the dogs, the puddles, the grass, the balls, the wild outdoorness of it all.
He was one filthy little blond baby by the end of each day. And he could not have been happier.
There's something utterly beautiful about a fire in a field on a summer evening.
Kyle and I were determined to stick as much as possible to our training schedule, so we headed out in the woods Sunday morning for a trail run. Singer joined us for the run, and we had a few 4-wheelers leading us around for part of the time. We ended up running a little over 3 miles through the trails, and it was one of the most beautiful, relaxing runs I've ever had.
I'm training right now using heartrate zones, and I was supposed to run staying in Zone 1, which is basically a really really low heart-rate (between 120-128) and it is, for me right now, incredibly hard to run and stay in that Zone. I kept checking my Garmin and having to slow down further and further. I've never really run trails before, and I found the experience of running amid the trees and varying terrain, jumping fallen logs, skirting poison ivy very calming. I did have a Pandora station playing that matched the mood perfectly, and I felt like I could have run all day. There's one area of the trail that we call the Enchanted Forest (the picture above). The path is thick with pine needles, the trees tower above you and everything is hushed. You would not be surprised at all if a fairy (or Big Foot) appeared before you. It's my favorite place in the woods, and after listening to the constant noise generated by all the kids, the serenity it afforded was like a balm to my soul.