It's been a long time since I felt this feeling, the fall over. Since I was a fearless kid who didn't give a thought to slamming onto the floor and torquing my back. Let's be real, that mat was stacked high. Might need to flatten it out with each session to be able to fall over better. Or not fall? This is probably a thing where I should have enough core strength to not even have to kick up at all, just rise the legs up, bent knees. Lot of work ahead.

Is it snotty of me to say that I don't understand people who don't value the exquisite beauty of early mornings? Whether it's sitting alone with first coffee to plan, driving in the dark for a workout in an empty gym, or hearing the first squeaks of the regulars starting their endless trips to the feeder outside the kitchen window - it's a feeling I crave every evening when I hit the pillow. Can't wait to wake up and feel the hope of another day.

Some early excitement from the 7 year old pouring over cards and setting them into protective pages. Lots of questions and of course “oohing and ahhing” over the cool stickers and stamps 😍

Our cards from Greece were sent in an envelope- some postcrossers like to get cards in envelopes and some like to see some of the travel marks and postage on the card itself 🙂 What makes this envelope of cards even more special is this cool wax seal that Hara added - it’s now inspired me to offer our own seal as an option for our kids when they start making their own postcards!

YUM, Greek food! Hara explains in her final postcard all about Greek cuisine which focuses on dairy, fish and vegetables and chicken, all procured locally, of course! And YES, olive oil is KING in Greece. How wonderful to know how Greek people truly eat (and not all like eggplant, Hara only likes it in this Moussaka) - I think we just might have to have a day where we make and sample some Greek food to honor all these informative postcards we've been sent from one of the most

Snow in Greece? Wow! Who knew there were northern enough places that there are actually ski resorts in Greece? Did you know there are about 6000 islands contained in the country? Our kids will be so impressed to know that this is why Greece has the most coastline in the Mediterranean! And another fascinating fact is about the reason behind so many homes being white in Greece - it's not just because white helps with heat deflection. In the 1930s there was a cholera epidemic a

This beautiful scene is postcard sender Hara's favorite place on mainland Greece - Meteora. Yes, another instance of one of our English words having its foundations in the Greek language! Created by erosion and not volcanoes 60 MILLION years ago, monks later decided they could get closer to God if they climbed these rocks (no equipment, eek!) and at one point there were 24 monastaries perched on these formations! And yes, Hara (and her Mum) have climbed the "modern" hundred

Yes, that's right, this is the first of FIVE postcards sent by incredibly helpful Hara from Greece. I am so deeply grateful that she put this much time and energy into sending our kids such detailed information about her home city in one of the MOST beautiful countries in the world. Postcard # 1, featuring the amazing ancient citadel the Acropolis and the Parthenon, built over 2460 years ago! Almost unfathomable that this temple still exists! And the legendary story about t

Our sender Joe is from Manchester (I grew up near Manchester, New Hampshire, named for this city in England) but he sent this postcard for Liverpool! I’ll be asking the kids if they know any of the Beatles (recognize their statues on the card?) or their songs. Thank you, Joe, we will be diving in on Manchester and Liverpool! Ps check out the stamps!

Here’s an almost 50 year old postcard, one sent to the grandmother of two of our students for a first wedding anniversary! How special is this? I hope this one inspires some proud research and sharing!

We live close to Birmingham! Well, not the original Birmingham, which is the second largest city in England, ours here in Alabama is a little different! But it was named for Charlie’s closest city, and CADBURY chocolate hails from that area! Good thing I don’t live there, it’s my most favorite chocolate- we will have to celebrate learning about Birmingham sampling Cadbury chocolates 😍

4-5 hour school days and free lunches for all? How different children experience their schooling in Finland compared to American kids! Thank you Kanerva for this card, the kids will LOVE reading that they can see Santa year round and read outdoors at midnight in Lapland in the Arctic Circle! Also look at that cool stamp 😍

Have to say, practicing at gym somehow gives me extra core strength. Only because I don’t want to keep falling out of this OVER and OVER in front of people :)

Asta sent this beautiful card showing off some of the most notable parts of her beautiful port city! While I bet our kids will love seeing the Liseberg amusement park I am hoping they’ll really appreciate an ancestor of the Vikings helping them question why we Americans still have “Columbus Day” as a national holiday 🫠 Thank you, Asta!

Such a special card, this one is sent from a cousin of two of our students! She’s a wildland firefighter at the park and shares some interesting facts to start us down a rabbit hole in August when we start class. Thank you, Jessie!

Helen is one of our very first eager senders! She understood the assignment to the point she asked our kids questions - so do YOU know what film Alnwick Castle was featured in? I’ve included a photo of it to see if it jogs your memory! Our kids will be investigating all the landmarks Helen has included. This is the beauty of this project and postcarding, I’ve discovered this wonderful community of people who love to share what matters their lives - sometimes it's places, som

Our first card arrived in the second week of May! Our sender Charlie shared that Edinburgh is a city of STEEP hills and there were a lot of American tourists! This card shows the "memorial to mark the containment of Covid 19 and the compassion and resilience of NHS healthcare workers" Thank you, Charlie! We will be sending ours back to you when class begins in August!

Actually, baby steps. It’s never been shocking or a big deal to see other people’s “progress” photos, heck, I’ve take a ton of photos for people. Sometimes in full workout attire, sometimes down to the undies. Whatever they’re comfortable with. But this is my first time showing all this skin, even though no one sees this blog - yet. I do love my quads showing some definition and my delts tying in, I was yearning to be close to this last spring and it felt so far away. So the

This garden contains all the plants that have miraculously lived through my periods of neglect. Survival of the fittest, baby. You’d never think my dahlias, all lush and robust, were looking like barely covered mushy bulbs in February. All those “goners” have given me another chance - and I’m not going to let them down this year. Who knows if it’ll ever have that cottage garden look out there but I’m plugging along, moving plants when they crowd each other and hoping it all c