“Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalms 107:8,9
“The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth forever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” Psalms 111:2-4
To Be With Christ
“In this world I have had many of God’s mercies and comforts, but their sweetness was their taste of Divine love and their tendency to heavenly perfection. What was the end and use of all the good that ever I saw or that God ever did for my soul and body, but to teach me to love Him, and to desire to love Him more? O my God, love is your real and special gift. All good is from you. Come into my heart! Dwell in me by your Spirit of love, and I shall dwell by love in you.” Richard Baxter
After whipping the house into shape in the beginning of the week, I am slowing down now, and coming back into a routine, after our vacation and return home. The weather is lovely. Fall is definately in the air, the days are bright with sunshine and the color that accompanies this vibrant season. The children and I are trying to spend as much time outdoors as possible, and I took all of the pictures here in a few walks that we enjoyed together.
Rich has been away since Monday and this week has been long without him. I’m determined to still enjoy each day to the fullest and we’ve managed to have a nice week, the children and I together:
music lessons (Monday and Tuesday nights)
dentist appointment for Jacob
grocery shopping
laundry (Jacob hung one load out on the line for me, and I smiled to see his completed work–he did great!)
Jacob also mopped my kitchen floor!
meals (tacos, spaghetti, pizza)
reading
listening to music and sermons on the ipod
coloring
flying kites
schooling
baking cookies
cutting the boy’s hair
walking
picking bird berries and crushing them to make pulp and juice (the kids did that all on their own, although I was the one who showed them how they could strain the berries to get the juice out)
catching frogs and toads and lizards
On our walk this morning, we came across a small brown bumpy toad. I picked it up and showed it to Seth, who was riding in his baby carrier on big brother Jacob.
here he is, taking it from me;
He immediatly held it as tightly as he could;
it wriggled it’s little paws;
it tried to get free;
I was squealing with laughter and Seth didn’t know what to think.
I’m sure the toad had to take some time to recover after that experience!
Jacob got tired half way through and I had to take Seth from him. But, I thought it was so fun to watch him carry his baby brother.
Grace has a pinecone, we think they look like wooden roses. By the end of our walk she had quite the collection of things, carried in the front of her dress, which she held up like a big pocket.
We found some little hard fuzzy balls on the ground in the woods and collected them. Grace and I thought they looked like little doll’s peaches. So, I put some in a mushroom bowl;
We saw lots and lots of mushrooms, all different kinds;
Here’s E, with his dog. We stayed at the stream for a little while. It’s quite low but still fun for the kids to jump around and see things, like crawfish.
Thanks for stopping by my site today….I hope you all have a wonderful day~ Love, Shanda
Good to be Home 
Am I your first comment? Yay!WONDERFUL PICTURES, and I hope the rest of the week flies by until Rich gets home! You are such a great wife and mom. ❤
P.S. Your “fuzzy balls” reminded me of some PRICKLY balls I have discovered growing on a tree in our back yard. It turns out we have chestnut and walnut trees!!!
Your walks are wonderful — between you, you see so many interesting things!
I just discovered last weekend that I have a pecan tree on my property. 😉 My little heart thumped-thumped with joy and ideas at all the things I can make!!! :)Your nature walks are always so wonderful….I’m so glad that you include your subscribers in the sights!! 🙂
How pretty, I love fall. What fun times!
What a wonderful walk. I love the froggy and baby photos:) Glad you are having a good week.
How beautiful all the flowers, leaves, and tiny things are that God has made…and you found and enjoyed! We get our taste of the four seasons from you, and enjoy Fall best there with you. Sounds like a full week. So happy to hear of the enjoyment together. I know you will love it when Rich walks in that door. No wonder your kids are good with nature and animals…they get started early! That is so funny and cute to see Seth’s reaction. Sweet profile pic of you and Seth.It is hot here today!! My David goes off on a train journey by himself tomorrow! Will you join me in praying for his safe travel and finding his connections? Thanks, Jenny
@ABAHM – of course I will pray for him!! Thank you so much for asking me and letting me know about his trip. I hope he has a wonderful adventure! xoxox, Shan
Your profile picture is perfect and beautiful, I love it. And the “nature walk” looks like a wonderful fun outing. Where do your children put all the treasures they find? My oldest son always has treasures he MUST keep and can never part with but those sure do add up fast!
you have a beautiful family. i love the pics of seth with the frog, i bet that was funny to watch.
I always look forward to my visits here. I enjoy looking at your beautiful photos and hearing what’s been going on. I’m glad Seth didn’t try to EAT the toad!
I feel like I just had a small taste of heaven. Thank you.
Love your pictures of nature!! I don’t know how you can’t see the Creator in all that is so beautiful in His world during the fall season.
love the new profile picture 🙂 from the hotel? it’s beautiful. the walk looks lovely, it’s turned warm again here in NC, I can’t wait for the leaves to change. hoping for a drive to the mts for a day in a few more weeks when the leaves change more.
I so enjoy reading your posts and looking at your beautiful pictures. In a fast paced world, it’s so nice to read your posts and enjoy the special moments you take time to journal. Have a good day.
I love it when my 2 older boys want to carry our youngest around in the Ergo. It so warms my heart to know they adore him as much as I do.
Wow… you take beautiful pictures! The look on your baby’s face when that toad was wiggling… priceless! Too cute!
Your toad pictures made me squeal!! What a great mom you are to encourage those experiences! I can’t bring myself to touch such things, although I would fully allow my kids to. Never grew up like that… a whole new world! Seth’s expressions were so cute… what a cutie you have there, Shanda!!Welcome home, by the way! I need to catch up on your previous posts to see how your vacation went!Hope the rest of the week flies by until Rich comes home. I know what it’s like to be without your love and best friend for so long… it’s hard! Sounds like you’re making the most of your time! Good for you!!
I like the new profile pic, great lighthing! So cute how he knew to hold it lightly, and how Jacob was holding him in his carrier.Today a friend stopped by to visit and she was telling me how she has no yard, no front yard, no backyard, she is usually so busy with things to do in the home that she only takes them to the small park down the street once a week..if that. I thought of her when I was reading your blog today, I love how you know how blessed you are, how you get out in the woods as often as you can and teach your kids to love nature by loving it yourself.Love, Jo
wow I can tell Seth didn’t know what to do with the frog 🙂 I love the shot of it jumping towards his mouth 🙂 I also love the little “peaches” in the bowl 🙂 Imagination is such a cool thing 😉
I love the last picture:) Sounds like you have had a enjoyable week! Thanks for sharing us such wonderful pictures and memories with your family.
I LOVED THE PICTURES OF SETH WITH THE FROG…we have been going out side everyday too. I love New England this time of year! Jason and I found the BEST play ground that I have ever seen and we have been there twice this week in the evening and we all love it (and there is even an ice cream stand around the corner) Oh we have also went hiking at the state park by your house and went to the look-out (a little SCARY with Naomi)….ps went to Tarnows Garden center and have started stocking up they have there great deals right now (remember, just reminding you) Have a Awsome day Rich comes home….do your makeup and put on a pretty outfit 🙂 I love you
I’m glad you had a nice week. What a happy reunion there will be tonight, when Rich comes home. I hope you have a great weekend! Love you, Lish
Beautiful post, Shanda! -So uplifting, so encouraging and most of all so honoring to our Lord Jesus! Thank you for the refreshment this morning. I love Fall! I love your pictures! Seth and that frog is hysterical! I love this…. “I’m sure the toad had to take some time to recover after that experience.” -you’re right! He’s probably out there right now on little froggy crutches. :o) Some day, little Seth will be out there with the big boys, holding up a big slimey frog for all of us to see. :o) PS I’ll e-mail you about that get together. I was telling Mary about it. She smiled so big and said, “I would LOVE to see Grace!” And of course, Matt would love to see his kindergarten pal once again. Then, we have all these new little people to meet. :o)
Never a dull moment in your life!!
Shanda, I love reading your blog. I like the view into your world. 🙂 I just want you to know I still read it (though I am a bit behind). We recently had to get dial-up because of where we live, and it is painstaking to leave comments on blogs now! It takes forever! So, I just wanted you to know I am still here even if you don’t hear from me! I love your pictures and the words you always seem to perfectly place around them . 🙂 I really do have the intention of calling you some afternoon. Perhaps today will be the day!The picture of Grace as the Fall Fairy (by my declaration, of course!) is BEAUTIFUL. I can’t wait until my girls are old enough to stand still for mommy’s pictures! :)Much love, friend!!!
Hello Shanda! What a GREAT mom you are, letting baby hold a frog! I don’t know if I could do that. Happy fall in New England. Think of you often, I know we are both very busy moms!!!
love all your fall pics~ the b&w that looks like a snowflake.. how cool is that!! God’s creation never ceases to fascinate me.seth is too funny w/ the frog. love your walks around there – thanks for taking us along. maybe we can do it in real life someday. *wish* :)have a great friday shan~
OH MY HEART!!! I loved the toad pictures… priceless!! I don’t think I would have even thought to let my baby hold a toad (probably because I wouldn’t hold one either!)
We dearly love you and your entire family. Group hugs from CA.I’m so glad for your entry quote. I pray the essence of that psalm every day. The overwhelming benefit of God’s love that He places in our hearts is phenomenal, believable, credible. Day by day, we become more like Him as we abide, dwelling on His goodness.I have little time lately to visit our xanga loved ones. It’s early Sat, so I’m fitting you in, a fulfilling pleasure.I did a double-take while scanning the text and pictures. In the listed activities, this stood out – “picking bird berries and crushing them to make pulp and juice (the kids did that all on their own, although I was the one who showed them how they could strain the berries to get the juice out)catching frogs and toads and lizards”Followed by the pictures of Seth tightly holding the toad, my mind read, “picking frogs and toads and lizards and crushing them to make pulp and juice.” LOL It created a bit of suspense. What would happen to the toad? As you later stated, it would need to recover from the trauma.A lovely post. You are so energetic and creative! Lots of love -Bob
I really enjoyed looking at all your beautiful nature pictures today! I also LOVE to visit your site just to listen to this Chris Rice song… 🙂 I’ve been reading for quite a while but haven’t left a comment before today. You are a real encouragement to me; I only have three children, but I can relate to some of your experiences, and you’re always so real. Thanks for sharing!! Lisa