(the cloudy sky, reflected off the pond)
Yesterday, after we somehow survived a morning of home-school, and David got home from Kindergarten, the weather was so nice that we all went outside. We went for a short walk together, for the first time in quite a while. It’s been too cold for me to want to be outside, and it is also hunting season….our property borders state forest but we do have a section of our own land that is wooded so we headed there.
The boys brought along the dog. David had his coat on wrong-side out….
When I think about it now, I laugh, but at the time I was sort of frazzled. Really, it was a walk that I wanted to enjoy in a thoughtful way, I planned to notice little things, the partially hidden pieces of nature that you have to really look for in order to see and enjoy. Instead, I spent most of my time feeling like I was in the middle of a whirlwind. There was never a dull moment with the children and the dog……the mud, the burping.
Yes, burping.
I was hearing these little short burping noises, almost like hiccups, coming from Jacob, Ethan, Grace, and David. What in the world? “We know how to burp now!” We stayed up last night burping!” “It’s fun! Even Grace knows how to do it!” “When we get home, we’re going to go downstairs and have a contest!”
I grew up with three brothers and I remember them doing the same type things, but MY BOYS? Ha ha, the joke’s on me—- just because I homeschool my kids doesn’t mean they won’t figure out how to do gross boy things. My only question is, did they have to teach their sister?
I put an END to the burping during nature walks……it was making me sick to my stomach.
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What I see, besides children, when I look at this picture, is the wonderful dappled sunlight. I notice the woods on the other side of the stream, and the pockets of black and brown, in the water.
I love this next picture because Jacob looks so happy…he and Ethan are such friends. Ethan just got a “light saber” this weekend and they’ve been playing Star Wars….they have never seen the movie but have somehow learned enough about it to use their imagination.
I spent a lot of time encouraging Caleb along and caring and not caring about him getting his feet all wet and mud. How is this possible? Easy. If Caleb accidently steps in mud=mama doesn’t care. But, when Caleb deliberately, on purpose, runs back and forth through mud (which did happen)=mama cares Very Much. He doesn’t have boots yet for winter.
Our tall, tall, pine trees offer a moment of peace.
This is a place that the kids play often. They call it “Pride Rock” after Lion King. I am almost positive Grace is thinking about Lion King as she stands up straight and tall like this. I like this picture because all of the children are in it, and they are so very busy. It’s a wonder no one fell….David especially was leaping from rock to rock with no fear.
Then I was hearing, “Mom, come this way! You have to see this it’s one of our favorite spots where we pretend that we are going through the wardrobe door into Narnia mom are you coming? This way!”
I dared to stop for two seconds to take these pictures:……… I just love the white bark…..
Going through the wardrobe door, of course, involved bending way over…”you children have no mercy”, as I put Ethan in charge of getting Caleb through, and inched and groaned my own way.
It really was beautiful and I managed to quickly snap this picture of the entrance into Narnia:
It was a short walk, and when all is said and done, I honestly loved it, I love my life with excited crazy little children who still want to tell me things and want to share their world with me. I love that David kept trying to take his shoes off, and wore his coat wrong side out, I love that Caleb enjoyed the mud and didn’t fuss because of it, I love the way Grace is sweet as sugar one moment and bossy the next, I love how Jacob is starting to get all independent and tries telling me what he’s going to do, like a test, I love how happy Ethan is, and hearing him laugh out loud, I love how baby Seth is in the way,
getting so big in my tummy that I have had to slow way down and be extra careful………..
We are a happy gang. 
Not much color here in New England any more, and these red berries were all I could find that were bright-looking:
David began lifting up big rocks, trying to find a worm….
He found one. “I think it’s dead” he said.
I sat down by the pond for a few minutes while David played behind me. The water seemed so pretty to me. The wind was making it ripple, and the trees reflected off it, so beautiful that it made me stare. I always think of water-color paintings when I look at the pond like this.
Then, I made my way to the hammock to sit and swing (very relaxing). Soon, Caleb appeared with a broken truck.
“Can you FIX THIS?” he asked me.
“Um. No. But, I’m honored that you really think I could!” LOL
Hours later, when the children were all in bed reading or napping, I had a chance to sit with some of my Christmas magazines. Here are a few pictures that I liked:
And amazingly beautiful apple wreath.
I love garlands like this pine-cone one. I also saw one made of acorns, and one made of dried apples.
Cookies. I can’t wait to fill my thumbprint cookies with my own homemade jam that I made this summer.
A short-armed gingerbread cookie, with pretty paper wings, tied up with a bow of twine. Love it.
Last year I glittered things. This year I think I’ll hang pinecones on the tree without glitter. I’m partial to the natural look. I gravitated toward anything old-fashioned in my magazines yesterday, oranges stuck with cloves, brown baskets filled to the brim with nuts or pinecones, evergreens with a simple ribbon or bow, cinnamon sticks tied with raffia, bowls of fruit, candles everywhere………and the recipes, which mean good smells of cookies and gingerbread coming from the kitchen.
Jacob and I sang through “Who is He in Yonder Stall” yesterday. He sang melody, and I sang alto. How wonderful to have a child who can hold a part!
“Who is He in yonder stall at whose feel the shepherds fall?
Tis the Lord! O wondrous story! Tis the Lord! the King of glory!
At His feet we humbly fall, Crown Him! crown Him, Lord of all!”
In the busyness of the season, I pray that Jesus is never far from my mind. He truly is the reason we celebrate, and worship in such a meaningful way, at Christmastime. I’m so utterly thankful that I know Him, my precious Savior. “And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at His birth.” Luke 1:14
Good to be Home 
I found another box of old (’98) Victoria magazines in the attic yesterday so last evening after the silence decended I leafed through one of them. Along with the magazines there was a book of homemade gift ideas. So fun right at this season and I’d totally forgotten them!
Happily frazzled day to you and yours.
You were out in shirt sleeves?????Hard to believe it when we are snowed in under a fresh blanket this morning!Up to the windows here.I also love that little gingerbread man with the wings…sweet!Burping, is it?Ah yes…I remember those days well. I had a remedy for ending the armpit frips when I finally tired of telling them to stop..They had to do them for 15 minutes straight! It was suddenly not so funny. I don’t remember any more excessive armpit noises after that.A mom has to do what a mom has to do.:)Have a good day, my friend.xoOne more thing…Love the banner!!!!!!!!!
My old magazines are still at my husbands house…..but I may go by there and get them while he’s at work today!! (grin) I’m going to TRY to make a garland out of the magnolia leaves and pines cones from my yard. 🙂 I’ll let you know how it ends up.
That’s awesome that your son can sing the melody part with you!! Cool!
Your posts always relax me,Shanda. I love the picture of Grace on Pride Rock. I can see my Meghan standing the same way. I’m still trying to figure out why you couldn’t fix Caleb’s truck….Isn’t it wonderful that our children believe we can fix anything!Of course all the pictures were great. Have a wonderful day!
Pretty header! I love the soft glow of the candle mixed with some Christmas cheer. :o) We’ve got to get together one of these days!
Shan, love the post and pics. Have a great day, I love you.
Thanks for taking so many beautiful pictures – I felt like I took a morning walk myself as I read your entry. I loved that first picture of the clouds – it looks like a painting. I loved the entrance to Narnia also. What imagination.
sounds like a lovely day with the kiddos! That first picture of the water is so cool…I never would have thought to take something like that from that angle 🙂
ahhhhh it was nice to go for a walk with you!
I hear where you’re coming from with your boys. Sometimes I get so exhasperated with mine because they act like such boys!! Then I realize that is what they are supposed to be but it’s kind of like a battle inside of me to be ok with it ALL. I like that your kids imagine in the woods with rocks and trees and all, that’s way better than movies and video games (although those are fun sometimes too).
Loved the nature walk with your happy children! I am wanting to get at some of the decorations in the garage…but need my husbands help. It is too dark and difficult at night though…so I will have to be patient The first picture is so pretty, like a painting.
It was gorgeous yesterday. The sun is pretty today, too, but not quite as warm.I loved all your pictures. I know your kids keep you hopping, but they keep you happy, too.
Love that first photo of the clouds in the water. Did you photoshop it to get the impressionist look, or was that just the way the picture turned out? Beautiful. Giggled over the burping story too. I (sheepishly) remember the day my cousins and I held a farting contest. I think that is even worse.
Beautiful pictures of your walk through the woods. I especially enjoyed what you had to say about each picture. The apple wreath is gorgeous! I love it! Have a wonderful day, my friend!
I prefer simple things, myself. Don’t know if you’ve been by my blog to see the greenery with twinkling clear lights hung in my interior doorways. Jesse’s birthday is Thursday and, after his birthday, I’ll add the festive red cardinals, white doves, pine cones, red berries, etc. to the garland.Oranges stuck with cloves??? You know what? I remember my mother and I (I was in junior high school) sat in the living room one year making those. Night after night of poking cloves into oranges until our thumbs tips ached! When she died (1983) I took them as my own. They are still in my house, and still have some fragrance. They were made, ummmm . . . over 40 years ago! Man! I’m really old!!!!I finally found some boots for Annamarie at Target yesterday. I was getting concerned because every store was out of her size! Now she can schlep through the snowy puddles with the rest of us!I enjoyed *your* walk!
I thought that first shot WAS a painting at first! Love the tall pine tree shot ~ straight up ~ awesome.
Love your new header with the green and red Fiesta! WOW! That’s pretty! I feel like I have been at your site for an hour, because I had to catch up and see all the photos and enjoy the happenings of your family. Your Thanksgiving looked yummy indeed! I enjoy the beautiful world as seen through your eyes. Thank you!
such beautiful pictures! i love the picture of grace on the rock,with the others all around her! i am sure that is what she is thinking,she is standing just like the lion on lion king!
I do love the reflection of clouds in the water, and love the kids finding their own door to Narnia, their own Pride Rock. I remember being “little” and making my own places from Anne of Green Gables, Little House, all the children’s classics I loved. Imagination is a beautiful thing.I was leafing through some old magazines just this morning to come up with things to try for the holidays. I finished my ornaments (need to take pictures) and am just up for more inspiration. I really like that apple wreath.
What a wonderful post! I enjoyed going on your “walk” with you. I love that garland in the book you have on the mantle. I hope you have a wonderful day!
I loved your description of the walk with your children. The wonder, the burps, the mud, the imagination, ….. Kids are so wonderful and sometimes exasperating all in a matter of moments, aren’t they? What a good mama to walk and explore with them. A beautiful post as always. 🙂 -Maria
I like the pictures of the kids. Burping???? How funny. My boys drive me crazy with their noises too. Thank you for taking us along on your walk. Here in Tx we are in the 60s. AHHHHHH how I miss the Ct air! Have a good day.
I don’t know why I can never see all your pictures. Oh, well. I’m sure they are just so gorgeous. I do LOVE the new header. Did you see the new huge oval platter at Macy’s? Wow, it is big! I was shocked they didn’t have any chocolate yet; I was going to buy it for Christmas gifts. Oh, well! I did snag some scarlet napkins for my Christmas table of the clearance table. It sickened me to see the Evergreen Presentation bowl only $25. With the deep, deep discounts last weekend, we could have had it for around $15. I could have thrown up.
This concludes my Fiesta Update for today!
~whatever!
Going natural sounds lovely – we have tons of pine cones and the children love to gather them for “fire starter”, we usually keep a basket by the fireplace, sprinkle them with cinnamon or pine oil adds a lovely warm scent to the house. I like the pine cone garland idea!
I love your photography. Besides the family photos, which are always fun, I particularly like the first shot (looks like an oil painting) and the two of the white trees! Good job!
i love the pics!i am making thumbprint cookies too, only with store-bought jam. make sure you snap some pics of those!
I haven’t been out in our woods lately — afraid I’ll get shot at!! Love your pictures and all the fun things your children do (well, maybe not the burping!) — I love that you can sing duets with your son — enjoy it now because he probably won’t always be able to sing the soprano part!!! A few months ago I sang in a quartet at church with our son, his wife, and my husband — it thrills my heart to hear my children sing for the Lord!
Love the nature pics and I am “jealous” they are right outside your door. 🙂 You really have some beautiful property near your home. The kids always make me smile in the pictures. You can just see their bright minds and imaginations at work! Glad you had a good Thanksgiving. How is the wallpaper removal going? I had quite a bit to take down in our old house. I found the wetter, the better. In other words, the wetter I could get the paper with sponge and remover gel, the better the paper came off. Ugh. What a job. Hope yours comes down easier than ours did!
Thanks for taking me along on your walk,and I enjoyed looking through the magazines with you…Were we drinking hot tea too?
This post was refreshing to me with all the music and stories of your day. I loved all the things you loved from the magazine. Love you, Lish
I thought the clouds were done in a photo program to make them look like they were painted, I love how it is a reflection and God did the “painting”!
The gingerbread with wings was my fav. so so so cool!