This Moment...

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see...  inspired by Soule Mama

Have a colorful day!

This Moment...

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see...  inspired by Soule Mama

Give your pet an extra snuggle today.  Life is short, cherish the small things.

This Moment

Inspired by SouleMama

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

Surviving Teething

How am I coping with a toddler who is teething?  Not well I am afraid.  It has been two weeks of no sleep and much crying and holding during the day.  I feel spent.

 How to survive teething?  In a word --- Drink heavily!   Just kidding.   Under usual circumstances, Hyland's Teething Tablets help.  Little missy has 6 teeth coming in right now so it isn't quite powerful enough .

 Go on long walks.  Stay outside.  The fresh air does wonders.

 Know in my heart that I can survive anything.  This to shall pass and will become only a faint memory in the long memory of childhood.

Have a great day.

Why Sunday with Summer?

Summer is my last child in a line of many.  She is beautiful, bubbly, and full of life.  Since I have been down this parenting path a couple of times, I can really appreciate how short and precious each phase is.

  

Every phase has had it's beautiful moments - birth, the newborn sighs of contentment, the first smile, tooth, steps....These moments happen and then are gone, only remembered in a little compartment in my brain.

There are also the hard lessons learned.  The million books I have read and continue to read to try to parent my children in the manner that will help them thrive and become all they can be. 

Summer reminds me to get down on the floor and just be with her.  I am delighted by all her babyness.  I am delighted by her-all of her.  I am reminded that though my laundry might have become mammoth in size, that my kitchen counter can not be seen due to the volume of dishes that cover it, that this is so much more important.  

I will never get to recapture these years in my children's life.  Their job is change, grow, move forward down their own paths. 

My job is to relax.  Relish these moments.  Just be there.  Treat each day like a Sunday.  A day that is a bit slower then the rest of the week.   Time for a drive down country lanes just to look at the flowers.  A perfect summer day filled with sun, sand and the sounds of children playing in the ocean waves. A season of light and laughter.  A summer Sunday.

Have a great day.

Where does the time go?

I can't believe it has been so long since I've written.  My life often feels like a blur.  We have just celebrated three family birthdays, spent time at the beach, planned a family camping trip and made another enjoyable trek to the snow country.

Now I am settling back into our homeschool routine with a gardening block.   Tomorrow I will head to the nursery to pick up some seeds to plant and a few other flowers which catch my eye.  We will also feed our herb garden and our lemon tree this week.

We will are making these lovely tutus for a local dance recital.  It took some thought and a couple of prototypes which were not quite up to my standards.  But I think it is perfect.  The girls will look adorable in it.

Tomorrow will be the day where I won't work and will just spend time playing with my family.  Hope you can carve out some space to do something you love.

Enjoy the lovely spring sunshine!

Adventure at Elkhorn Slough

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Time to go!

 

Have a lovely day!

Food for thought

 

"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about."  Charles Kingsley

 Before kids, I felt as if I were searching for something that inspired and challenged me.  Something I was so enthusiastic about that any fears of looking silly or not succeding became unimportant.   I took different classes in college.  Attempted different career paths.  Pursued hobbies.  

The thing that I have found the most enthusiasm for is being a parent.  I LOVE being a parent.  It is the most satisfying thing I have ever attempted.  Guiding four people into this world has tested me, frustrated me and given me a greater pleasure than anything I could ever anticipated.

This period in my life is fleeting.  My little ones are growing and changing rapidly.  I watch and learn from them.  They follow their instincts.  They are enthusiastic about learning whether it is learning to walk, ride a bike or any of the millions of other things they wish to master.   They fall and get right back up.  They seek answers to their questions. They have given me a gift.  To find a passion and pursue it uninhibited.


Have an inspired day!

Road Trip!

 

We went to Bear Valley, California this week to play in the snow. 

It was beautiful and sunny the first day.  

 

  

  

The second day we woke to a steady snowfall.  It was delightful.  

Mother Nature continues to humble me with her beauty.  

My children enjoyed every moment of our trip and are already bombarding us with questions about when we are returning for more snowy fun.

Have a great day.

Reawaking the garden

It is time to start planning the garden.  The weather has been wet and cold this week.  But spring is in the air - last week it was so lovely, we were thinking about getting out our summer clothing. The birds are out and flowers are starting to bud and bloom.  

Our yard looks forlorn and neglected.  It didn't receive much attention last year as I was attending to a wee one.  We also had a rampaging mole who did a fine job of tearing up the lawn and uprooting many of my flowers.  Thankfully, the new kitty evicted the evil little rodent.

Now I have to decide where to start.   The options are a bit limited as our yard is small and it only gets afternoon sun.  We also have large playset and a sandbox to contend with.  (I am dreaming of a larger outdoor space in our next residence!)  Garden placement must also take into account marauding children who always seem to forget that the new lavendar is not some evil intruder that needs to be killed with a stick.

 My dream space will include a wall of sunflowers and a beanpole teepee.  I would love to have some lettuces, beans, tomatoes, peas, carrots and squash. A selection of herbs would be lovely additions to winter soups.  I also want to add to the native plants which currently live in the yard. 

 

The planters on our shady front porch will be needing something bright and cheery to welcome the visitors and greet us when we come home. 

I am trying to contain myself.  It is the end of February.  Surely Jack Frost will pop by for a visit (probably right after I plant something!)  I have to make sure I will have the time to care for my space.  There is nothing so sad as seeing all all the hard work wither away because I forgot to water the yard for a month.  (Some days the call of the beach and ocean is so loud that I have to leave all the work behind and go play.)

I think I will just pop by the nursery, drool a bit and try to wait a few more weeks before tackling the outdoor space.  To every thing there is a season.  I suppose I shall have be content with the season of dreaming. Sigh.


Have a dreamy day.

A walk through our neighborhood

 

The Epitome of Spring

Our Valentine Tree

Flowers from Heaven

This little Sunflower forgot to come last summer.

Blossoms for the Bees

Have a great day!

Water Therapy

 The ocean is my first love.

I lucky enough to live by the ocean.  I breathe it's clean air every time I go outside.  It feeds my soul with it's magnificent beauty.

Even our vacations frequently take us to different areas which are near the ocean.  I never tire of seeing, smelling, feeling the ever changing waters of the world's ocean.

There is nothing like it for me.

Surround yourself with the beauty of nature and you will be inspired and soothed.

Have a great day.