Nailed It!

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It’s hard to believe that fall is here, that magical season when the air turns crisp, trees ignite with color and Amazon packages begin stacking up on my doorstep higher than the piles of leaves in my yard.

While many Americans traditionally think of autumn as the harvest season, in my house it’s primarily the birthday season.

That’s because my wife and I were foolish enough to have both of our children during the busiest holiday stretch of the year. I guess we were thinking, “Hey, we only have Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas on the calendar. How about we throw in a couple of kids’ birthdays too? That will give us something to do if we get bored between back-to-school and New Year’s Eve!”

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Fowl Fame and Forgotten Roads

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My family and I once drove six hours to look for turkey tracks in the middle of Illinois.  No, we’re not super dedicated turkey hunters. We were searching for a forgotten road. These turkey tracks, in fact, are almost a hundred years old and embedded in concrete. They are part of the folklore of America’s fabled highway, Route 66.

In 1926, the federal government commissioned Route 66 as a national highway, running from Chicago to Los Angeles. In the early days of the highway, road crews paved a section near Girard, Illinois. Before the concrete dried, a turkey wandered across the wet road and was forever immortalized as a Route 66 celebrity.

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The Pursuit of Happiness

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Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

There are few things more American than a small town 4th of July parade.  Cars decked out in crepe paper.  Folks lining the streets waving flags.  And candy.  Buckets of candy.  

Have you seen how people throw this stuff out?  It’s like chumming the water for sharks.  Once the feeding frenzy begins, it quickly escalates into a full-out candy apocalypse. Six-year-olds claw past each other like a piece of Starburst is the last food on earth.  It’s like Lord of the Flies meets Willie Wonka.

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Firefly Faith

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Photo Credit: Erik Karits

The first fireflies of summer always catch me by surprise. Take the other night,  for instance.  I was out walking the dog around dusk when I saw it, just a greenish yellow glimmer out of the corner of my eye. 

Wait, I thought. Was that really a firefly or just light reflecting off of something in a yard? I stopped, stared and waited.

Af first, there was nothing. Then, the glow flickered to life, a tiny lantern flitting around the bushes. There he was, the first lightning bug of the season! Summer was here at last!

There’s something magical about a lawn full of fireflies. Maybe it’s a reminder of the wonder of childhood or simply the beauty of God’s creation that takes our breath away if only we will stop long enough to notice.

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Attack of the 50 Foot Air Mattress

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Photo Credit: Alex Moliski

Never set up a brand new tent at a campground unless you’ve tried it first at home. This is especially true if you’re setting it up at dusk with your spouse. There’s just too much at stake. If things don’t go well, you’re going to end up sleeping in your car, driving home or threatening to feed each other to the bears.

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Zoo Rescue

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Photo Credit: Sian Cooper

If you’re babysitting a toddler, a trip to the zoo is not a bad way to kill a morning. Strap them in a stroller, see the animals, grab some ice cream and call it a day. Easy peasy, right?

At least it would be unless you accidentally lock the child in your car. At that point, your day becomes not so easy. Unfortunately, that’s what happened to a poor babysitter I met one morning at the Indianapolis Zoo.

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