It’s hard to believe that it’s mid-November and we can still go outside with bare feet. The children do, and no wonder, since I picked several pairs of wet shoes up off the yard as I walked around this morning.
When I go outside, and as I sit here with the window open, I can hear the stream down below. It’s rushing-rushing-in a hurry. It has swelled up and over-flowed it’s banks again. I asked the boys to go look, I could hear their excited yells and wasn’t surprised when they begged me to “come see it”. I think the stream is part of our family now. Doesn’t moving water seem alive?
After I took some pictures, I made them go to the house to at least put warm jackets on.
I am sick with a cold. I have dark circles under my eyes and I walk around with my mouth open. It felt good to sit outside in a lawn chair in the mild and humid November morning, wrapped in my favorite black shawl with a bunch of tissues tucked in the waist of my pj’s and a glass of water by my side.
Caleb and David played so well. I think they were happy to get outside for some fresh air. David climbed a tree and hammered on a piece of wood. Caleb was busy playing with toys and getting in and out of his bubble car. He wore little boots this morning, boots that each one of my boys have worn in their turn.
Grace, Jacob, and Ethan went exploring. They were so happy to be outside having an adventure.
I could hear my wind chimes.
I watched my bird feeder and had a few chickadees visit. I re-filled their supply of food. Jacob and David stood with seed in their out-stretched hands, to try to get some friendly birds to come near them. I watched and wondered how they could stand still so long?
The sun is shining now. It’s going to be a beautiful day.
Good to be Home 
I cannot imagine standing in that water, it must be cold!!! You and Rich are providing your children with a dream childhood! My brothers and I would have given anything for a stream like that!
What a beautiful piece of heaven you have for yourself and your children to explore and dream on… I love the pics of the water! I am a water girl! 🙂 Seeing your photos tugs me back into wanting to live back in the country and on land. I am torn between the city life and country life! 🙂
More great pictures Shanda! Hope you guys have a beautiful rest of your day.
It is a beautiful day! Thanks for the call. I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. Rest and relax. I hope to see you on Sunday.
I love this post Shan. The pictures are awesome. One of them makes it look like Jake and Ethan are walking on water! Cute!
a beautiful place you have to call home. Hope you feel better soon!
What a wonderful Thanksgiving this Thanksgiving will be as you are in your new home, and have your beautiful children around you. My own heart is overwhelmed with thanks for all the ways God has blessed me and my husband. I look at our home and our property and the ways he has provided that went above and beyond all I could ask or think, and I am full of gratitude. I know you feel the same. Happy Thanksgiving, Shanda!
Lovely day, lovely photos! Do you live in the south? (We DEFINITELY can’t go out without jackets, let alone be barefoot.)
Hope you feel better quickly.
I LIVE IN CONNECTICUT!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
You are so blessed to live on such a pretty piece of property. Your kids are living a wonderful life, being able to go explore and walk and play in the pond and stream. I bet it sounds wonderful. I love the sound of a stream. I pray that you feel better soon, take care of yourself. Make yourself some chicken soup and just relax as much as you can. If I lived close, I would come help you out! Love, Tara
It is way too cold for that here! I am COMPLETELY SHOCKED!
Get feeling better soon!
Oh, you have green!!! I love green. I got kind of hooked on it when I lived in British Columbia as a kid. The desert is not green… but at least the weather is barefoot mild most of the winter!Thanks for nipping in to say hello. Your photos are so gorgeous – I’d come back to see them, even if your blog wasn’t as descriptive and evocative as it is! :)Hope you feel better soon!:)~Nettie~
Beautiful pictures! I love, love, love your property. I am hoping one day to get a place out in the country like that. I know my kiddos would grow and learn so well with fresh air and more outside exercise and exploring! Is yours a wrap around porch? I am a sucker for wrap around porches!! Ahh to sit out on the porch and enjoy nature! BlessingsMelodyP.S. I have a cold too. Hope you get well soon! The stuffy nose, black cicle look is not my best look! 😉
lovely = )
No problem! Stop by any ole time 🙂
I have a cold as well and it is the pits. I absolutley love your house and land! That is my biggest prayer request that God would provide a house with room for our horses and for the kids to run. We haven’t been so lucky yet. We are still in a 3 room apartment in my parents backyard. Maybe someday.
Thanks for stopping by
Jessica
Wow! My in-laws live in CT (New Haven, I think) and I never knew it was that nice there! You are very blessed to have such a beautiful home/property.
What LOVELY pictures! I am really loving black and whites more all the time. Thank you for sharing.
Beautiful pictures!
You are so blessed with such a beautiful home. Your kids will never forget their good times there.
I saw you left a comment on my sisters xanga, and i was curious and read your xanga….I was deeply moved by all you wrote. You seem like an amazing woman of God.
I am 25 years old, I have 3 children, Adia 3 1/2 Lennon 2 1/2 and Ian almost 1…I’ve been married for 5 years on the 25th of this month. And i just dont know how you do it, you seem so happy and carefree. I’m sitting at home almost going insane….Somedays i jst dont even want to be around my kids. I love them so much, but the constant whinning i cant handle.
I did want to tell you i got alot out of what you said about praying for friends, i feel like i dont have any friends, All the ones i do, are married but DONt have kids, and it seems like after awhile they dont ever come see us.
I would love to talk to you more, you seem like a woman i could get alot of wisdom from.
I unfortualty dont really have a xanga, just one my sister set up for me so i could read hers, But i do have a MYSPACE.
My name is jaccalyn Korv
My email is rockstars_wife@hotmail.com
I would love to hear from you.
Oh, your day sounds wonderful! I love your pictures, and your house, well it looks like home to me. Thank you so much for this post. Love, Beverly
Oh wow! I didn’t know you had five children!! I guess I was judging “the book by the cover”….according to you picture- you don’t look like you have five kiddos!!! (LOL) Your property is BEE-YOO-TI-FULL!!! What a wonderful place to live. 🙂
Have a great weekend. -Cass
What a delightful post…I just shared it with my daughter who is busy working on a college project due this afternoon. She wants to be able to bring her children up in a place like yours some day.How candid and vivid your words were…creating scenes and sounds in my mind. AND then your photos…LOVE all of them! The one of the guys “walking on water” is pretty cool
Stunning photos…I am simply amazed! You truly are a talented lady. But what strikes me the most about your blog is your enjoyment of everyday life and your continued joy in your growing family. It reminds me to enjoy the here and now in my own home, and find the beauty there as well. But you have to admit it’s not too hard finding beauty with a property like yours!You are blessed!~Christal in BC, Canada