“I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.” Ps. 118:17
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD. Ps. 27:13-14
(a couple of verses that got me through a really rough 2 days last week)
Isn’t that first picture pretty? On Friday evening, I cleaned up the kitchen and grabbed the bowl of leftovers for the chickens…..the kids were busy so I left them in the house and stepped outside to walk down to the coop. The evening was as noisy as a country evening always is–birds, frogs, and every other wild creature, blowing wind, tree sounds that there are, lovely, peaceful sounds. My eyes were instantly drawn to the dimming sky, all but this one small cloud which was glowing bright with the setting sun.
After I gave the chickens their leftover macaroni and cheese, shut them up safe, and gathered a shirt full of eggs, I walked back to the house to leave the eggs and gather up Sarah Joy.
We went back to the pond and sat for a while, to enjoy some time together.
We saw some frogs and heard so many sounds of them calling and singing. A bird whizzed by us into the bushes, Sarah picked a closed dandelion and tasted it. I laughed.
The next morning was SATURDAY! Happy day! What did we do first…..hmmmm, oh yes. We drove to the next town over so Rich could rent the Bobcat for the day. We went to Agway to pick up supplies and ordered a load of dark brown mulch for the flower beds around the house. We went to our favorite country store and ordered a couple of Adirondack chairs. Can’t wait until we get them! I called some numbers for a kitten for Grace–still no luck in that department.
After the mulch was delivered, the kids had so much fun spreading it around. Especially David, he said he felt like a Real Worker.
Davy had a ball game that afternoon.
Of course, with 2 little-littles I cannot just sit and watch the game but do a thousand motherly duties.
Rich took the pictures. Then he went off and left me so he could play catch with Jake and E. I didn’t mind too much because they need the time with him, too. I got to talk with another mom which is good for me, to be social and make new friends. Kim ended up helping me carry stuff to my vehicle after the game. Very nice lady.
This picture says SO much. (Notice: Me, still attempting to wear jewelry and bright colors for my husband, Caleb leaning on me (he’s HEAVY!), Sarah with yogurt on her nose b/c I missed, her hair pretty that she kept pulling off, Seth with no shirt (it was hot in the sun), Caleb’s very dirty hand, the sticky sugary soda, the vein popping out on my neck and the Ready Wipey in my hand.)
Back at home (and by the way, Dave’s team won)….
Grace is writing a book! It’s about Horses!
Our pretty pond:
Rich cleared some land by the garden shed/chicken coop/playhouse for Shan, to make room for the fenced chicken run. He did a great job and even cleared a better walking trail around that end of the pond and into the woods. He took down a lot of briars so we could walk down there easier.
I was inside the house for a little while, to make dinner (hamburgers) and little Caleb fell asleep on the couch.
Later, the children roasted marshmallows. Seth even joined in, which was nerve wracking for me, but he did it!
Jacob was shooting his BB gun…shooting the stems and tops off of dandelions.
Davy found the smallest turtle ever. It was so cute!
I was holding it, and Davy got close and grinned with his happy marshmallow face.
Does Sarah like it?
Not really. It gave her the creeps.
Jacob also likes shooting tadpoles and fish in the pond.
I have handsome boys.
We walked over to where Rich cleared the path and I immediately found trilliums, a wild flower.
I was looking for lady slippers and wondered if these are the leaves to them. I think they are.
It’s pretty muddy out there. All in all, it was a very filthy weekend for us. LOL Seth lost his shoe and sat right down in the mud to put it back on (which he did, all by himself)….smart boy.
Rich got the bobcat stuck and he and the boys had to pull it out with my vehicle.
When Rich was finally done we sat on the lawn together and watched Davy entertain us. He was so dirty that we made him jump in the pond, which was cold, but he did it with a smile and a yell. We all laughed.
Sethie’s dirty shoes:
Rich moved my garden up by the house for me. We are looking forward to working in it.
I absolutely loved our working-playing-getting dirty weekend. Rich was so content to be out of the office and outside, getting to work with the Bobcat and playing a lot of ball with the boys. He didn’t shave, and wore dirty work clothes, let his hair go, hid his work phone, and had a twinkle in his eye all weekend.
Last night he stayed up late watching a movie with the kids. I tried, but I was falling asleep on couch so I went to bed. As I went, I turned and looked at them all piled up on the couch together…my family…these years won’t last forever when we are TOGETHER, and I try to remind myself constantly, to hold on to these days with delight and joy.
“The best way to prepare for the next stage in life is to relish the one you are in.”
Good to be Home 
what a beautiful weekend Shanda. i loved all the pictures of moments in the weekend….so much fun finally getting to be outside! looks like time at the baseball games is pretty busy for you having to look after the littles..i’m glad that you were able to find another mom to talk to….i’m sure that mom/lady talk is refreshing for you every so often 😉 so glad that rich was ‘all yours’ all weekend..looks like you all had a great time. love thos pictures of the girls with their dad. such precious memories….and man is grace getting tall!
Aw. Looks like a great weekend. Love all the pics!
I loved this! What a treat to get to be (in a small way) apart of your lovely/busy weekend. It’s such a neat idea for a post.Things I specifically liked about this post~ 1. The picture of Grace perched on the edge of the table, working hard on her book.2. Davy holding the turtle… made me laugh… the looks on Davy and the turtle’s faces are so funny!3. Beautiful little Sarah looking like a big girl in her swing.4. Your garden plot!! It looks pretty without anything in it, I can’t wait to see it looks like in a few months.5. The picture of Rich and the girls. You can just see the love they each have for each other.6. The last quote.7. I also like that you do things specifically to please Rich (the bright colors and jewelry).You’re a good momma Shanda, and an inspiration to me
I loved this post. I felt like I was having fun with all of you! We had an interesting weekend as well. It involved traveling and taking our time. I am determined not to rush these days. I love you and the ways you share your life to encourage others. I know your life isn’t perfect, and I appreciate your transparency. It is SO good to know that I can find the Father in muddy kids and time spent with these dear ones. Thank you for sharing!
Love the dad/daughters pictures 🙂
Looks like a wondeful, tiring…but wonderful weekend for you 🙂 I love how green it all is!
What a lovely lovely weekend! It’s such a nice feeling when husbands are home and ignore the phone…a rare treat for us wives who like to see them just enjoy the family! hope you have an equally wonderful week!
I am just about 10 years or so ahead of you, my youngest is now 12. I find myself daily trying to slow down the years! These areprecious times that you are documenting. (but I know there are some REALLY tough days mixed in with all of the fun) You willbe so glad that you have written these words and taken these photos. Your family so precious and you are such a good Momma!
What a wonderful weekend! We did a lot of the same–working outside and getting really dirty!
Good for you, happy you all had a nice weekend together! Liked all the pictures my favorite was David with his tiny turtle its not every day you see pics like that! ~Amanda
Love those weekends where so much gets done and some times it’s good to just get all dirty! Like that quote as well!
Hello Shanda, I loved all the pictures. All the family fun. All the sunny days! But honestly I loved the one that reminded me of my husband…the one of Rich. It made me miss his work days at home with the children. The work smells. The sawdust on the ground. His tool bag hanging off his hips. Ohhh how I miss him!~Cinnamon
I know exactly how you feel. I wish the days would slow down and stay forever. Love that last quote you put up….so true.What a wonderful weekend. I really enjoy seeing pictures of your property…it’s so beautiful!Enjoy your week. Happy Monday to you. =)
What a nice family weekend — wow! I bet that pond was cold!
Love the quote at the end. So true. Adorable picture of Sarah and the little turtle! What a doll. Looks like a fantastic weekend. I love the picture of Grace sitting on the picnic table – all that lush greenery around her. Just beautiful.
I have tears in my eyes…..so beautiful, everything.
I am always struck by how incredibly beautiful it is around your home! All that green! Every season is a delight. So glad you had this wonderful weekend after the hard weeks of illness. Rich looks like a big handsome happy boy…I am so sure this weekend was good for your hardworking hubby. I loved seeing pics of you out with everyone, and all the messies that go with that! Sarah is cute even when spooked by the turtle. Darling flower dress. Grace is so graceful and beautiful, what a pic of her working on her book! Your boys have to be a joy to you!
What a great weekend!! Love it all. Knowing that you are happy makes me happy because you are just such a sweet, genuine, nice person and you should just be happy. That’s all. : )
Beautiful, just beautiful, pictures and an even more beautiful family!!! You are blessed!
Wonderful weekend indeed. 🙂 Love all the photo’s. Thanks for sharing them with us. You always make me smile!