(We have little leaves!)

Today is my husband’s birthday, and he took the day off from work so he could enjoy it.  He’s outside running right now, and his chocolate birthday cake is in the oven baking, so I have a few minutes to sit and post some pictures from our day so far.

We have had a lot of rain lately, and since we live by a stream and a watershed area, we went for an early morning (it was about 9am) walk with the children to see how much the water had risen. 

Rich carried Seth, and Seth loved being outside in the fresh air.

This is normally a regular sized stream; for now, it’s spread out way past it’s banks.

It was a wet walk.

Caleb got up on a big rock.

Grace Lillian

Back at home, we let out the chickens and they were ready and anxious to be outside after being *cooped up* in the coop for two very rainy days.  They went straightaway to the puddles, to get a nice cold drink……

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This past Monday, after I dropped Jacob, Ethan, and Grace off for their music lessons, I took David, Caleb, and Seth to the mall and bought Rich some birthday gifts.

Consequently, we went out today, so he could make returns.  LOL

Actually, I didn’t do too bad.  We only had to return a few items, and it was fun to be walking around the mall with him and just the little boys. 

(What I bought for him, just in case you need ideas, which I personally always need, because buying for my husband is so hard:  ties (he wears them to work once in a while, and to church), cologne (one of the items to return because I didn’t realize it was the same exact scent that my Dad wears!  I can’t have my husband smelling like my Daddy!)  ummmm, oh yes, a stack of new magazines of his interests, new running shorts, shirt, and socks, “gourmet” jerky (a sampler of different meats and different flavors), a cheddar cheese gift basket (crackers w/cheese is his favorite snack so I thought he would like to try different kinds from around the world), a book (the one linked at the end of this post, very interesting!), and ear buds for his ipod (also returned).  Caleb got him some practice golf balls and Davy got him golf tees.)

At the mall today, I made out pretty well, too.  I had read about a new perfume (One Summer) in the current Real Simple magazine, and I went to Macy’s to smell it.  Rich liked it a lot, and bought it for me.  I also went to the Clinique counter and made a purchase (bronzer) so I could get their free bonus make up kit. 

We ate lunch at the mall.  I had two handsome men sitting across from me.

(Actually, just this morning, I was getting Seth ready to go and when I called out for Rich, “Where did my handsome man go?”  Rich yelled from the bedroom, “I’m in here!” and Caleb yelled, “I’m upstairs!” both at the same time.

Caleb is at a delightful age, just about everything he says makes me laugh.

For instance, today (just a little while ago) I was hunting for a cake mix, he was right next to me, and I was searching and saying, “OOOOH, I hope I have one, oh yes!  I do! Here it is!!!” and he gave me this counsel: “You better pray and thank the Lord.”

I had Rich take a picture of Sethie and me, too:

It was a nice lunch, we laughed, Rich enjoyed his food, I enjoyed mine, and the boys ate like little piggies.

I looked up a poem that I copied out in my journal when Rich and I were first married.  It means so much more to me now that it did back then:

“Little Things”

Why do I love you–for the gifts you bring
The pretty things that anyone could buy?
Ah, you are more to me than breath could sing,
Than tongue could tell, however hard I try.
I love you for the thrill of your hand on mine
Can give, like fire running through dry grass;
I love you for the pregnant silence, dear,
That falls upon our souls like God’s own peace.
And for our trust at death alone to cease,
Such little things to love you for, you say?
You know what’s locked within my heart each day!
~Elizabeth Shaw Montgomery

I’m thanking God extra today, in honor of Rich’s birthday.  I’m so grateful for my husband, and every part of our life together.

P.S.  We just put the kids to bed after indulging in the birthday cake…it was so yummy!  Here’s THE RECIPE.

P.S.S. Seth said “kitty” tonight.  Sooooooooo cute!

I am feeling restful and content. 

Rich got home safely last night at about 9pm.  We snuggled in bed and I tucked myself up next to him, with his arm around me and I talked….and talked….and talked…until he was twitching and I knew that I lost him to dreamland.  He said this morning that it was very comforting to hear me talking, like a bedtime story.  I had gathered as much, I put him right to sleep.  I felt like I could have talked for hours but I stopped myself and just thought thoughts instead.  It was so good to have him back where he belonged.

And this evening, now that we’ve had our special lasagna/fresh baked bread/spinach/fresh strawberries for dinner, I ran to the office and said, “NO ONE FOLLOW ME, STAY WITH YOUR DAD!!” and it feels so good to not be in charge, and to just sit and type and know that he is downstairs, gently reading to his little gang.   Perhaps they will fall asleep to his voice, or perhaps who am I kidding?

Random photo, a special way to make maple cupcakes:  add a tiny pool of syrup to the top of the icing: 

A work in progress.  A long time of progress.  Like, 20 years of work in progress:

It’s finally happening.  I have been working on this flannel patchwork quilt since I was Ethan’s age.  I guess I’ve loved the feel and warmth of flannel always, and one day I decided I would make a quilt of it.  I took all my mom’s flannel scraps and started cutting out rough, uneven squares with no template.

Somehow my dear Great Grandma (who has since passed away) found out I was making it, and she helped me get started doing it the right way.  She made me a template out of plastic, a perfect square, and had me re-cut all my pieces.  I shopped at fabric stores for more flannel and I started sewing it together at her house, sitting at her machine.  The memory of that will always always stay with me.  I felt comfortable with her.  She didn’t talk much, didn’t hover, she was quiet but she was there.  The fact that I am finally, after all these years, finishing the work we started together, is so meaningful to me.  It’s absolutely her quilt, too.  I love you, Grandma.

The top has been shut in a box for years.  About a month ago, I started thinking about it and announced to myself, “The top is DONE.  It’s time to just finish it.”  I had wanted it to be bigger but now I am thanking my lucky stars that it’s not.  I’m wishing it were smaller.  I am not enjoying the last steps at all….all the tying is so tedious, I can see why quilting bees were formed, honestly.  I look up after tying like four ties and I groan and think, “It’s never going to end!”

I’m dramatic at times.

But I will get this DONE and I will be so so happy when I do!

Caleb has been wanting to go to “the real” Sturbridge Village.  The last time we went, we only shopped in the bookstore for like 15 minutes and then went home.  It was a huge let down for Caleb.  The REAL village has a play center.  Animals.  Walking outside.  Water.  Barns.  ETC.  So, when the sun started shining this morning, and the little man came in to ask me, “Can we go to the real Sturbridge Village today?”  I looked at the clock, decided it wouldn’t hurt to go just for a little while, and said, “Okay.  Let’s go.”

“Thank you so much for asking me YES!”  he said, with a hug.

Jacob and I both took pictures today. 

I am always inspired by their wallpaper that they use in the houses.

For instance, I could sit here and stare at this picture for a long time.  It’s that blue wallpaper.

Then we have sights like this next one.  It kinda makes  you wonder.  Did God actually create some creatures just to make us laugh?  These turkeys were just amazing.  What’s with the long flap of skin over their beaks?  The gobbled a lot at us, and we laughed right back at them.

Caleb and Grace got to feed the chickens. 

And before I could bat an eye my big boys were handling sharp metal objects.  I want you all to know, that even though I was tempted many times, I DID NOT SAY BE CAREFUL NOT ONCE.

I wasn’t as worried about Jacob.  He was sawing with this nice man:

But, Ethan.  He was using AN AXE THAT COULD POSSIBLY EMBED ITSELF INTO FLESH.  And he was determined to chop the piece of wood down the middle.  He swung, hit the top,and the wood fell off the stump that it was on top of.  (repeat about 15 times)  Finally he got the axe deep enough in the wood and he would just lift and slam, lift and slam…..it was taking a very long time.  I wanted to say, “Ethan.  Forget it let’s go.”  BUT I DIDN’T say it. 

And I’ll tell you what, this boy was proud when he finally split that piece of wood.  I am thanking God, sincerely, with all my heart, that I just stood and watched and did not get in the way of something that ended up being a proud achievement for Ethan.  He smiled and breathed and we walked off (while he bounced), listening to him talk, making plans to split wood at home.  He knows he can do it.

Mr. Caleb, who had a very nice day.  And happily wore his sneakers on the wrong feet the whole time.

And that was that!  A short trip, because we have a membership and I didn’t feel bad about just doing a little bit this time.  Besides, we were hungry and ready for some lunch.  All that chopping wood works up quite the appetite.  We ate out together and then headed home.  I picked up stuff for lasagna at the store to make Rich an extra nice dinner…..I’ve been on my feet a lot today (feeling better finally!!) and it’s nice to be at the end of a beautiful, full, productive day.

Well, I think Rich has the children to bed for the night (an early bedtime for all!) so I better go relax with my man.

Thanks for stopping by!  Much love to everyone~  Shanda

A few weeks ago, Ethan came up on a Math lesson in which he had to use a calculator.  We didn’t have one, so we made a quick trip to the Family Dollar store downtown.  We found our four dollar calculator and then browsed around a little.  I was so pleased to come across the “inspiration” section of the store, it didn’t take up much room on the shelf mind you, but I did come away with some lovely little pieces to display in my house.

One of the things I’ve been trying to do for the last year is put Scripture in every room of the house, on the walls.  I remember when I was a little girl, seeing my parent’s little plaques with verses & Christian quotes or mottoes on them, and I would read them without really even thinking about it, but looking back I can see that they made a difference in my little soul. 

A handwritten verse written on an index card will do.  I like propping those up on my kitchen sink or tucking them into a picture frame or mirror.  But I also like the more permanent look of an actual framed piece.

I was so pleased with what I found at that store, at such great prices!  When I came away from the Family Dollar of all places, I carried away with me a bag of Scripture verses to hang on the walls of my home.

The three smaller ones were only ONE DOLLAR EACH!!  They say:

FAITH, We walk by faith, not by sight.  I Corinthians 5:7 
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.  Proverbs 3:5
In everything give thanks.  (the rest of that verse:  FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD in Christ Jesus concerning you! 1 Thess. 5:18 It just blows me away, quite simply.  How often do we wonder and sigh, “I just don’t know what God’s will is for me right now”…. there it is, in plain words, God will is for us to be thankful.)

The 2 middle sized ones were three dollars each.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Romans 12:12
You have made known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.  Psalm 16:11

The largest one was 5 dollars.

God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need you will abound in every good work.  2 Corinthians 9:8  (did you notice how many times the word “all” is in this verse?  The other word I love is “abound”…   God is GENEROUS.)

Can you believe a simple errand to the FAMILY DOLLAR gave me such spiritual joy and blessing?  I love how God operates.

So, anyway.  Thanks for your encouragement and loving notes here.  Things are going well, however I got up this morning so very sapped of energy.  I have a doctor’s appointment at 10 to get that Rhogam injection so I’ll complain to her a little and see what she has to say.  Probably something like, “Hello you are pregnant with your seventh child and expecting way too much of yourself go home and get on that couch you ninny.”

And one big praise to share:  Last night Ethan had a guitar lesson and so I left Jacob to babysit.  I was sad and worried about leaving them but I knew he would take good care of the children and it was better and safer for them to stay home.  I was gone for an hour and 45 minutes.  During that time, Jacob had something awful happen.  SETH BLEW OUT HIS DIAPER.  He called me.  I said, “I’m sorry you’re going to have to change it.”  He said, “I can’t.”  I said, “Yes you can, get Grace, she can help.  And call me when you’re done.”  A few minutes later he called to report on how disgusting it was, how he had changed the diaper but also had to change his clothes, how terrible it smelled, etc, (meanwhile I am just dying of the giggles on the other end)…..”and”, he said, “as soon as I was done Seth fell right off your dresser.”  (that’s where the changing pad is)  “But, he’s okay, he’s here with me and smiling right now.”

I’m just so proud of Jacob.  He did the filthy job and did it well.  (Rich didn’t change a diaper until he was a Dad, I imagine there are not many 13 year old boys who can say they changed a dirty diaper.)  I could just cry.

Also, Grace learned how to thread my sewing machine and has been busily sewing a little quilt out of her old t-shirts.  She sits there sewing,  like a little lady.

And Ethan this morning made waffles for everyone.

Yeah, I’m gonna cry.

H E L L O   F R I E N D S:

I’m sitting here, still feeling weak and tired, but slowly getting better.  I had to go to the local (happily, only five minutes away) hospital to do my 28 wk. glucose testing this morning so that I can get my Rhogam shot later on this week.  I saw a sign in the lab office that said, “Happiness is when your blood work is done” and I agreed, especially because this time they had to stick me twice I was so dehydrated.  (I’ve got a mug of water by me as I type this……)

Rich and the children are all better but it is taking me longer to perk up, I think because I am pregnant and was already tired out to begin with.  Rich had to leave this morning for a business trip and will be back on Wednesday night so that was making me all tense yesterday, the later it got in the day the worse I felt about him leaving.  He worked so hard getting things as ready for me as possible; did loads and loads of laundry, cleaned out my vehicle, worked outside, went to the store, took care of the children so I could rest and nap…..and what does he get in return?  A crying & sad wife.  His birthday is next week and I sure hope I can think of some ways to show him how much I love and appreciate his love for me and the children.

We had wonderful weather this weekend, I think the temps reached 70.  Needless to say, I still managed to get outside once in a while, and it sure was nice to watch the children play and to feel the sunshine on us.  Rich even took a nap outside on the picnic table (out of reach of chickens, lol).

Before I put up the pictures of our outdoor adventures, let me show you the reversible smock again.  I’m so happy!  One of you nice ladies left me a comment a few posts back, explaining how the pattern was supposed to be…..sure enough, I ripped off the ribbons, crossed the back panels, and tied the straps together on the shoulders and now it looks perfect!  I had *a little someone* model the smock for us…….then I took it right back off again because Rich was alarmed. 

Pattern for Reversible Smock

Rich and the boys did a lot of cleaning up outside and started a fire to burn junk and stuff.  One of the things to get burned was Our Christmas Tree….so long, tree of December beauty and delight!  I’m so glad to have you off my driveway getting browner and browner.  Rich and the boys enjoyed watching it burn.  Hot dog, anyone?

Ethan and Seth enjoyed a little hug in the sun, on the end of the slide.

Rich and I watched as Sethie walked through mud for the first time.  He really didn’t react to it at all, I think he was concentrating more on his destination, the chicken coop.

Rich gave all the boys buzz cuts, except our exception, CALEB, we let him grow hair because his actually stays in place nicely.  Rich and Caleb got to go get their hair cut together on Saturday.  Rich said that Caleb sat as still and quiet as a mouse and then he got to have a Dark Green lollypop.  Dark Green Things are all the rage here, it gives David and Caleb something else to argue about.  When we set the table they always yell, “I want the dark green plate! (or mug! or bowl!)” 

We did a lot of resting and reading this weekend.

We got a really tiny egg on Saturday.  We all laughed at it and Rich said it wasn’t worth laying.

The creamy white one is an average size, the brown speckled was so small, I saved the shell and Jacob fried up the miniature insides for a snack, and he said it tasted really good. 

By the way, the April issue of Food Network Magazine has 50 ways to prepare eggs.  I snatched it up.

I like all the action in this picture….Jacob beckoning to me, Ethan getting his dog some food, Grace walking down to the boys, and Caleb sitting with a sweet smile.

M A R G A R E T   T H E   P R E T T Y   H E N

First frog caught this spring, first turtle caught.  The boys got them while I was napping and saved them for me to see when I got up.

Speaking of frogs, we are beginning to hear the call of spring peepers!  So exciting!

Sister helping by retrieving the wayward baby boy.  His bare feet do not slow him down.

Wintergreen leaves in the woods, I like to bend down and pick one, and chew on it….yum!

H I C K O R Y   T R E E S   H A V E   S H A G G Y   B A R K

Ethan and I found a nice sweet hickory nut by the stream and ate it up, cracking it between two rocks.  Then, we decided to find the tree so we could eat some more.  We found some nuts, but sadly, NONE of them were any good.  It was still fun, though, and we learned things together.  The woods were warm and smelled of crispy dry leaves, and pine.

Rich was playing catch with the boys at the end of the day on Sunday and I couldn’t resist taking Seth out for a picture of my husband, and my five boys…….

We weren’t feeling our best, and I was mostly miserable, but looking back on the weekend,  I see and remember good memories, anyway.

Please pray for Rich as he travels, and for us as we miss him and wait for him to get home again.

Happy day to you all and thank you for stopping by!

And the Lord
shall guide thee continually,
and satisfy thy soul in drought,
and make fat thy bones:
and thou shalt be like a watered garden,
and like a spring of water,
whose waters fail not.

Isaiah 58:11

On Thursday afternoon, Rich came home early and grilled us steaks for dinner.  As we ate, Grace confessed to me that her stomach had been hurting all day long, and she couldn’t finish her dinner.

Round about 8pm that night, Rich and I were both violently sick with the stomach bug.  The same stomach bug David had last week, which is going around at his school, and at Rich’s workplace.

Grace was sick, too.

So was Jacob.

So was Caleb.

All night long, we were all running to the bathroom.  I had not been so sick in a very long time, and being six months pregnant it was awful.

Yesterday Rich and I spent the whole day surviving…….Ethan was healthy so he was in charge of Seth when we could not get out of bed. 

Rich was able to get up and out to the grocery store in the afternoon, to get us Gatorade, popsicles, and ginger ale.

I was so lonesome and sad for my Mom that even though I thought she was at work, I called home….when she answered, I cried.  God knew I needed her (she was home for a little while after an appointment and then she was going back to work later that day).  I’m so thankful for my Mom.  Just hearing her sympathetic voice made me feel better.

By the end of the day, my stomach was settling down.  I had to do some laundry because Caleb’s bedding and all sorts of towels were dirty and couldn’t sit and fester.  I did the laundry, and scrubbed the most-used bathroom.

We slept better last night.  Ethan is sick now, and on the couch.  Rich is happy and up and full of energy.  I am not.  I am exhausted and weak, so I will be laying low this weekend.  The other sickies have recovered enough to actually want scrambled eggs and sausage for breakfast but I didn’t set foot in the kitchen.  Grace and Jacob are the chefs this morning.

Happy First Day of Spring!  What a wonderful thing to think about today!  God is good, wonderful, & amazing!

Back to the couch I go, to my family, and my little pink washcloth that I am crocheting.

(I have been deliciously inspired by this blog lately.)

Inspiration is one thing….actually doing what it is you are inspired to do is quite another thing altogether.  I’ve been bitten by the sewing bug, who knows how long it will last, but I have patterns coming to me in the mail, and in the meantime I found a free print-off pattern online for a reversible smock.  It won’t fit Sarah until she is a year old, but the project was so simple that it was a good one for me to practice on, before I try more challenging ones.

I made it yesterday evening, in fact.  It was that easy, and didn’t take much time at all after I figured out that the incorrect tension on my sewing machine was caused by a bundle of fuzzy lint caught in the bobbin compartment!  You should have heard the moaning and groaning I did, trying to solve that mystery.  But I did.  *whew*

The smock is done with a pale blue material on one side, which has pink rose buds all over it.

The dress itself was made for me, over 30 years ago, by my own mama, who loves to sew.

The free pattern was a little wrong, however.  The neck ties were supposed to be long enough to knot, just like the bottom ties.  I had to sew on a thick green ribbon, so that I could tie it in place.  For this reason, I want to try to make another one, and extend the pattern/fabric so that it looks right.  This does not look right to me, a fabric knot and a ribbon bow on one baby back is a little too much, IMO.

For the other side of the smock I used this sweet vintage material, found in a box of fabric that I bought at a yard sale years ago.

I had little boys hovering about me, as I took the pictures this morning in the yellow morning glow of our living room.

I can’t resist including a picture of this one.  He is as soft and yummy as he looks.

 I’m sitting at my desk in a dark house, it’s just after six and the children are all still sound asleep.  They are sleeping a little bit longer in the morning because of the time change, so I hope to have a good hour of quiet before the day begins.  My husband left for work not long ago, he has a big day today so I will be praying for him a lot.  He sure looked handsome…with dress pants, dress shirt and a sweater vest, and a suit coat over all.  He always looks so attractive to me in his best clothes! 

This morning a friend of mine is bringing her two children over for the day.  Grace will have a girl her own age to play with, which will be wonderful….and Jacob and Ethan will have a boy their age to play with, too.  Everyone will be happy.  These five children get together almost every week, I feel so blessed to have Christian neighbors nearby, with children for my for my children to grow up with.  I imagine that today, even though I will be responsible for eight young ones, it will be easier than I think…the weather is so nice that they all plan on playing outside as much as possible.

Yesterday after schooling time I was hit with exhaustion, but I knew I would be disappointed if I did not enjoy the day, so when Seth fell asleep for his nap I took a blanket, some ice tea, and a new Country Living magazine down to the pond.  Caleb was also napping, it was relaxing to lay in the sun, listen to the wild birds singing, the chickens scratching around the pond, and Jacob and Ethan laughing and talking a mile a minute, over at the play set.

Random comment about magazine:  Did anyone else notice the family with seven children in the April issue?  It was fun for me to see….such a beautiful family and home, and there were plenty of inspiring pictures.  My favorite was the one with the mama and *a girl on each side of her*, and she was reading to them on the sweetest & coziest little loveseat.

The sky was brilliantly blue yesterday, I noticed it several times, and how beautiful it was.

Here is big Jake, with one of the chickens.  I think this one is Star-chick-un.  (their funny nicknamey way of saying chicken)……..

Jacob made me smile yesterday at school because he had to write a list of 8 things he would take with him to a deserted island.  He read his list to me:  cake, a camera, a videocamera, food, matches, “me lad”, blankets, and a gun.  “Me Lad” is Ethan; his brother, best friend, and all-time side-kick.  Grace overheard but said, “I’m glad you didn’t pick me because I would have been BORED.”

Later on during the day, I hung some clothes out on the line.  I made my own laundry soap yesterday.  No, I am not trying to mimic the Duggar family, but I did get the idea from them, and then another blog, and I admit….if you dangle an idea in front of me and tell me *it will save money* and *is easy* than I am all for it.  It was FUN to make, and FUN to use, and it did a good job!

Seth was awake and he watched me hang the clothes.  It was one of the highlights of my day when I saw him frozen and staring with amazement at those clothes, dancing and flapping in the wind.

Our hammock is on the porch so Grace and I gave Seth a little swing.  I love this picture, and the way his eyes are crinkled and smiley, and his hands gripping the ropes.  He would not lay down though, he kept sitting up and we would push him back down again…which ended up being just as much fun for him as the swinging.

My beautiful porch was a PIG PEN after the winter of neglect, but Jacob did a good job cleaning off the clutter and lining up the shoes.  Then Ethan swept it. 

Seth wanted to go explore…..he was so funny going down the hill a little too fast.

I had to get up and go get him back.

Caleb wanted to play on the front steps with his trains and Seth was determined to get one of those trains and run off with it, he was being a stinker and knew just what he was doing.  He would grab one, turn around, and start to run.  Caleb would say, “He wants to go THROW IT IN THE POND!”  Grace and I were with them, and we tried giving Seth his own truck, trains, and cars, but he only wanted Caleb’s.

I had to leave the house at 2:45 yesterday, for a conference with Davy’s teacher.  I had Jacob watch Caleb and I took Seth with me.  Seth and I went to school, and he held my hand as we walked the halls to Davy’s classroom.  Seth’s cuteness was stopping traffic, “Look at the BABY walking!” “He’s SO CUTE!”

David’s teacher had so many nice things to say about him.  She said that her favorite thing about David was his imagination.  She told me a little story about David playing outside with another student who he doesn’t normally play with….they were swinging together and were having the most wonderful time pretending that they were over the ocean, and telling each other what they could see.  She told me that most children seem to need to BE entertained, but that David was able to play, and imagine, and entertain HIMSELF.  She showed me his journal, and read it to me…stories about snow ball fights, fighting with golden swords, ice skating with his friend Emily, and so on.  She loves his art work and drawings and has encouraged him so much that he now wants to be an artist, and believes that he IS ONE ALREADY.  She opened my eyes once again to the very special and unique things about David.  She knows that I plan on homeschooling him starting next year, and she smiled and told me that she thought it was great.  I left with my heart feeling full and happy with my sweet seven year old.

We went home together and then David got to play outside, too.  I went out after a while to see what they were up to. 

Ethan had found their net at the bottom edge of one of the ponds and so he, Davy, and Caleb were all extremely focused and busy catching the first slimey critters from the ponds.  They were excited to see me coming, “David just caught a tadpole!  With his bare hands!”

They had a system going.  Ethan used the net to catch things and Caleb would take them and run them back to the collection bucket.

He had a tadpole in each hand. 

After he dropped them in the bucket, he showed me his muscles.  He knows they are small (I overheard him tell David, who thinks HIS are BIG).

Davy, at the pond, in the last of the sunshine for the day.  He ended up coming inside for dinner wet from waist to toe.

On the other side, was Ethan.

During all this time, Jacob was in charge of dinner and was busy inside, cooking….shrimp scampi (from a box, we buy it at Costco), and pasta.  He set the table with matching fiestaware and lit a candle, too.

A lovely day, watching all my boys enjoy God’s great big world….I didn’t realize until the end that I didn’t get any pictures of their pretty sister.  So this post is basically about “me lads” (to borrow Jacob’s expression). 

Hope you all have a wonderful day today!  Love, Shanda

Hello friends,

What a glorious spring day we are expecting to have today!  My energy level has increased dramatically, all because of the sun and the weather forecast.  I am looking forward to a nice morning of schooling with the children, and then spending the rest of the day cleaning, airing the house, and playing outside.

I’m sitting here, chuckling to myself because of this blog post.  Last week, the children came rushing into the house asking for my camera.  When they came back, there were several wonderful pictures for me to see.  We had never seen this sight before…..Our Chickens In A Tree.

If that’s not amusing enough………

I grew up watching Sesame Street and when I saw the pictures I immediately remembered a song that I had heard and enjoyed as a child.  Do any of you remember it?  I found it on Youtube (what an amazing place youtube-land is!) and figured out how to include the video here, so you (and our children) can listen, too.

Grab your nearest baby/friend/loved one/stuffed animal and enjoy the song!  I have Caleb and Seth here with me, and I’m about to play the video for them (Several times, no doubt.)

Hugs and Love, and thoughts of springtime to each one of you~

Shanda