Hello, xanga friends. How are you? I am fine. This week has been busier than usual. It seems that I’m twirling from one activity to the next…printing out coloring pages for the kids, explaining school work, laundry, cleaning, taking care of baby, meals, errands and a doctor’s appointment, gardening, reading, soothing crying children, etc. The frustrating thing is that most of these activities are “works in progress” which means I rarely feel as though anything has gotten done! However, I am sleeping great!
Mother’s day weekend was nice, but three of the children were sick with colds. On Sunday morning, Rich made me breakfast in bed. Ethan carried it in. The children gave me gardening tools and gloves and Rich gave me a new birdfeeder.
He also hung me a clothesline. I’ve wanted one for years and it feels so good to be hanging clothes out in the sunshine again. The smell of clothes dried outdoors is one of my favorite scents.
I’ve found Caleb breaking apart the clothespins already and had to make a loud family announcement about that. I usually begin those like this, “Okay! Everybody listen! I have something important to say to all of you!”
So, this is a picture of the side of the house. Under the porch we have 2 entryways into the basement, where the boys have their big bedroom. The swing is one of my favorite places to sit. I’m planning on planting a container of pretty flowers and I also want to put a hanging basket down there.
Here is Rich and me (from Sunday afternoon), sitting on the swing with our 2 youngest boys. I had just returned from a walk with Seth through the woods. In the chain by me, you can see the apple blossom that I picked and carried back with me. I love the smell of them.
Ethan took this picture.
Next is a picture of the feeders, as seen through the dining room window.
The circular feeder is the one Rich gave me this weekend.
We are excited that an oriole couple (orange bird in photo is the male) have been coming to enjoy the suet.
This is a picture that I took on Monday. The blanket on Seth was made by my Great Grandma, Seth’s Great GREAT Grandma. She passed away a couple of years ago but my cousin sent me the blanket for Seth. It was in Grandma’s things and my cousin knew she would want Seth to have it. When I took it out of the box, I put my face in it and cried a little. I love and miss my Grandma, and it means so much to have something special just for Seth that she made with her hands.
I planted 80 onion bulbs this weekend.
On Monday, we were outside and Ethan approached me and said, “Mom one of those onion bulbs was out of the dirt so I ate it. The whole thing.” I was speechless.
This is a ladder-style trellis I made with sticks from the woods and some twine. It is as tall as I am. I will plant vines (I have some morning glory seeds) and train them up the trellis this summer.
On Saturday morning, I went to a tag sale/bake sale at a local church. It was about five minutes from our house. I took Jacob and Grace with me. We found a couple of things, but I spent most of my money
on
CUPCAKES.
I could not resist them.
The frosting on the strawberry ones was perfect…light and creamy and sweet. I ate 2 right away with my eyes shut. The pink ones were for Grace. Not all of them, of course. I was going to buy one batch, but she wanted the pink and I wanted the strawberry so we bought both.
This next picture is for Mother of Encouragement, who enjoys and collects children’s books that were illustrated by Eloise Wilkin, just like I do. I bought this book for 50 cents at the tag sale.
The last three pictures are from my walk with Seth. He was in the Ergo baby carrier as I walked and I even had to nurse him at one point. I had a chuckle over that. Must I always multi-task?
This is a “Jack in the Pulpit”
More wild violets. I just read today that they are edible. Leaves and blossoms. I don’t know if I could eat them. It would be sort of like eating a pretty friend. 
(after I wrote this, I went for a walk with Caleb and saw some more violets. I decided to try one. It tasted sort of like clover blossoms. I agree w/Danishdoll, they would look so pretty in a salad.)
And some pretty, uncurling ferns:
Well, Ethan just walked in with my little double chinned dumpling. I must go….
Love,
~Shanda
PS, Seth says hi.
Good to be Home 
Sounds like a nice Mother’s Day! Sorry three were sick though 😦 I love the picture of Seth with his special blanket.
sounds wonderful. love the photo’s as always 🙂
I love your clothes line and can relate to all your “works in progress”:)
The blanket is beautiful!
Love the trellis, clothesline ~ and the oriole, of course!
I love this entry. (Actually, I love all of yours!) I must go look for a Jack in the Pulpit. I haven’t seen any yet this year.
You HAVE wanted a clothesline for so so long I am so happy, what a perfect gift. I agree about the smell, lately the kids have been playing outside for hours and when they come in for dinner their hair smells like the sun, and dirt, and flowers..it is wonderful, really.
I can see why you loved the blanket, sentiment is lovely.
Fun pics. Sweet stories. Thanks for the break!
Your double chinned dumpling! LOL! I think a few violets to garnish a salad might be quite lovely. I just love the “doin’s” at your house!
I had to chuckle at the eating violets..that is one thing my girls love to do. They nibble as they walk, they are actually not too bad. You can eat any of the flowers in the violet family – including Johny-jump-ups, and pansies. I loved seeing all the photos and I just posted a bunch as well. I totally understand the business…it does seem like that saying is true – a mother’s work is never done.
Love You!
What a great homey post! Accented with a sweet yellow house with clothes waving on a line. That is the sweetest pic of Seth peeking out from the blanket made by his great great. Good find at the tag sale, I love that! Have a blessed day, Jenny
I absolutly love the pic of Seth with Grandmas blanket..thanks so much for posting it! I bury my face in just about everything i find of hers.It takes me to her sun porch with all her plants,and where she kept all the toys for us. I used to lay on my back in the sun and look up at all her plants and think i was in a jungle. :0}
i LOVE the picture of You and Rich on the swing with the boys.. cute!
Love your nature pictures!! (I’m trying to focus away from the CUPCAKES). Glad you got a clothesline. I too agree that clothes smell wonderful dried in the fresh air and sunshine.
I loved reading about your weekend. How funny about Caleb breaking the clothespins…boys always think of ways to create new “things”.
Enjoy your day!
I LOVE the picture of Seth with the blanket!! It is one of my favorites!!
I agree with you about the fresh clean clothes scent! I have been hanging clothes on the line since it’s been warm enough to do it! So glad you got your clothes line!! 🙂
There’s just something about clothes out on a line that makes a house look so fresh and homey. I love my clothesline! My sister just made us a salad with violets on it and it was so pretty. The violets just sort of blended in with the salad, I couldn’t really taste them. But the purple was a pretty touch. Sounds like you had a lovely weekend. I always enjoy reading your posts, thanks so much for sharing. =)
hey Shanda! love this post about the everyday things in life, AND the little, simple pleasures along the way…the clothesline is awesome; that’s something I have on my honey-do list for this spring! lovely pictures; have a great week!♥
My mother used to mix dandelion leaves and violet leaves in salad for us. At the time, my sister and I gagged over the idea, but now I’d like to do the same! I’ve heard about some people freezing violet blossoms in ice cubs and using them for special drinks, which I think would be beautiful.Love the blanket for Seth. My great-grandmother passed away when Dasha was six months old, and I cherish the blanket she crocheted for my little girl.It’s such a special keepsake, and what a wonderful way to connect generations!I envy you your clothesline. Sun- and wind-dried clothes–mmm, nothing smells better in the world!
Ethan eating the onion bulb!! That is GREAT!!
Can’t believe the hats and long sleeves you have there 🙂 it’s in the 90’s today and short sleeves feel way too hot ~ what wonderful nature you have there! and kids too 🙂
That picture of Seth is so so precious. The lighting is perfect. Your trellis turned out great Shan! I’m glad you’re doing well. I love you, Lish
I love the picture of Seth with your great grandmother’s blanket, the light is so soft and warm looking. 🙂
Hi, Seth!I love ferns. The uncurling phase is fascinating to me and VERY pretty!Nice pics. Congrats on the clothesline. I’m envious!
What a wonderful weekend it sounds like. Your pictures are wonderful as usual:)
There is something so cozy about a clothesline! I also love the scent of my clothes that have dried outdoors!I didn’t know you were a Eloise Wilkin fan!!!!!!I adore her illustrations! I am always on the lookout for her books. I had the four seasons big book for our son, Lukas…but gave it to him for his children.:(It was only right that he have it back.I read an EW illustrated book to my grandson tonight before Bible Study. It’s the one about God. There is a picture of the moon in it…and I asked him what it was over and over because I love to see his ducky lips when he says “moon”.:)
What lovely pictures of you all. I could just imagine you walking around outdoors, nursing no less What a creative way to use sticks. You’ve encouraged me~ Cinnamon
I have so many violets in my yard. Who knew I could be eating them and saving $ on my grocery bill. :0)
They would be great as a garnish.
Hello, I love the picture of Seth and the blanket, what came to mind was “heavenly sunshine!” He is adorable!!