A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

~inspired by soulemama

Children are not casual guests in our home.  They have
been loaned to us temporarily for the purpose of loving
them and instilling a foundation of values on
which their future lives will be built.

James Dobson

sung by seth, age 3, and his mama

“Oh give us pleasure in the flowers today;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.”  Robert Frost

I get down on my hands and knees to smell this new bouquet of hyacinths in Grace’s flower garden, which she planted last fall.  They are creamy white, sturdy flowers, with a delicious springtime scent.

We two (Grace and I) went for a walk on Monday and found a couple slices of hard wood by the side of the trail, they reminded us of watermelon shapes, we set them up in the flower bed (behind the white hyacinths).  You can use anything to decorate a garden.

Caleb and I stopped to watch some busy ants move a tiny piece of crumb to their underground storage room.  As Caleb had his sticky hand in a marshmallow bag at the time, we decided to break off little pieces of the sweetness, for the ants.  They got right to work at it, and we know they must have thought this treat was a treasure “from above”, for sure.

The garden is young. 

There are daffodils opening up.   This one looks like it is thinking thoughtful thoughts……..

Ethan planted this row of tulips, like a gift.  I remember leaning over the porch railing to watch him dig and plant so industriously with a stick (because we couldn’t find a proper shovel). 

Sometimes, when Davy and Ethan are making homemade bows, their stick doesn’t split correctly, and it becomes a reject.  I find them and collect them against the house, as a backdrop for the flowers.  Then the boys find them again and use them as swords.  Then I find them again and put them back in my garden.  On and on it goes.  It’s a game we play without really realizing it.

 The radishes are popping out of the ground, in a row which I believed to be straight at the time of planting, and am now discovering, is quite awry.

Little Sarah’s peonies are coming up nicely, next to a metal flower.

Rich and I planted two decorative plum trees last spring.  They are on each side of the house, it is a joy to see them blossoming for us.

If you give your children a handful of bulbs to plant in the fall, and you say “I don’t mind where you plant them”, you will find surprises in the spring like I did today.

These purple hyacinths were planted in a clump, by the garage door, straight into the regular ground, not in a flower bed.  Smiles.

Down by the pond.

We stop to bounce a little.

Bending down, I see a little mud house.

We knocked, but there was no one home.

Well, friends, my feet still hurt from walking around in heels all day yesterday.  I’m currently curled up on the couch with my toes on a warm cornbag, my legs under a flannel blanket, and a cat curled up by my side.  Davy is in the room with me, throwing around plastic easter eggs.  Everyone else is busy elsewhere.

This year, for Easter dinner, my side of the family all met at a hotel in Cooperstown, NY; they do a really nice buffet there, which means all we have to do is show up, load our plates and visit with each other. 

The drive is about 3ish hours for us, and because we were busy all day Saturday, we had to drive out Sunday morning.  Rich and I were so excited about life that we woke up that morning (was it really only yesterday!?) at 4:30, so you can imagine how we are both feeling how that we’ve gone and had fun and are now back home again. 

We met everyone at the hotel and when it was time for our seating, we all filed in and settled in for some fine dining.  Ethan and Jacob were in their element, they could eat all they wanted and order root beer.

There was a children’s table in the buffet room, complete with PB and J’s and chicken fingers (among other things).

THE COUPLES:

I had seafood, lamb, and a variety of yummy salads.  I had cheesecake for dessert, and a meringue cookie.  **yum**

After the meal, we all went outside for some family pictures.  It was quite chilly, sunny but very windy. 

The whole family. 

All the men and boys;

All the ladies (young and younger)

Melissa;

Maria;

Davy;

Grace;

Shanda;

Isaac;

with my BEAUTIFUL MOTHER:

**********************************************************************************************

Rich and I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night with the children.  This morning, Ethan, Dave, and Caleb got to go swimming.

After we checked out, Rich took me to our favorite coffee shop in Cooperstown….and ordered 2 maple syrup lattes and these fantastic bagels, they were wonderful!

Rich had a fresh baked bagel with cream cheese, tomato, and pepper.  (I love how they boxed them up)

AND I HAD a bagel with cream cheese, tomato, avocado, bacon, and sprouts!!!  Oh my goodness it was SO GOOD! 

It was a nice little trip.  We got home a few hours ago.  Grace and I went for a walk together to stretch our legs after the long ride (it went by fast for me, though, because I was captivated by wikipedia history articles about the towns we were going through.  I’m a dork.)  I can’t tell you how fantastic it was to spend all that time together, as a family.  The children were constantly entertaining Rich and I with all the things they did and said.  For instance:

After Ethan went on a long technical explaination about what a persuasive essay was, I said:  “E, I really believe you would make a good teacher.  You should consider becoming a school teacher.”

Ethan replied, “But what would I do during summer vacation, how would I provide for myself?”

Me:  “You could get another job.  You could teach summer school.”

Ethan, groaning:  “I’m not sure.  Summer school, I imagine, is probably full of students that don’t do well during the regular school year.  They probably wouldn’t want to be there and wouldn’t care about learning.”

Rich, bursts out laughing, to me:  “I went to summer school once to make up two classes…………”

Ethan, overhearing:  blushes and laughs  (oops)

And,

Seth, to Caleb (who wasn’t wearing a shirt in the hotel room) “Is that your belly button?”

Then, Seth, turning to Papa and lifting up his shirt, discovered with great surprise “Oh!  You have a really good belly button!”

Now Rich is bragging about his belly button constantly. 

Yes, it was a good little trip for us.  Back here at home, our pond work is almost done.  I just can’t wait to show you pictures of the property when we have it completed.

Oh, and we also ordered new chicks!  Stay tuned…………………………..

Happy Monday, friends!

Found:  One small and sturdy wooden stool.  I found it today, and as it was sturdy and useful, I snatched it right up, at the local thrift shop.  On the way to the car, I decided I would also paint it.  Having never painted furniture before, I was pleased and excited to find such a nice “first” piece to work on.  Seth and I drove to the Hardware store next, and in no time at all, chose the perfect shade:  Benjamin Moore “poolside blue”.

I put on my apron, went outside to the picnic table, kept the newspaper down with rocks, and got to work. 

Like most adventures, this painting project was not without mishap.  I shook the lid right off the can.  (my mistake, I didn’t put the lid on tight enough after the first coat)

But, the final results were truly satisfying.

We think it is very pretty.

And best of all, the littles won’t have to tip the trash can upside down in order to reach the bathroom sink anymore. 

1.  A perfectly perfect for me, new shirt. 

2.  Thia, I found the first spring violet yesterday!

3.  A framed quote found at the store, waiting patiently for me. Love at first sight.

4.  A snippet of homemade lace, pinned to a basket for some quick and easy prettiness.

5.  Sarah and I tried on our Easter dresses.

Scared Stiff

Sarah Joy stepped daintly outdoors with her trusted mother, holding her hand, to see what Papa and Uncle were (noisily) doing Out There.  And before she could bat an eye, she was sitting on Uncle’s lap, buckled in tight, riding on the Loud Thing.

Uncle told her everything she needed to know about what he was doing, and he started off as gently as possible.  After all, this was a manly man big machine, in the midst of so much dirt and mud, and quite unlike anything Sarah could even imagine.

She didn’t cry.  She just scowled, she thought about it, and she didn’t move much, while her family grinned from the sidelines.

Papa took a video and Mama snapped some photos.

We wonder, will she want to go on it again? 

“No!” she says, emphatically, every time the topic comes up.

However, she is proud of herself, that she tried it, once.

I still need to make a birthday cake but I thought I’d sit and post some pictures of what we woke up to this morning:

snow falling on the last day of March, Happy Birthday to my husband!

His brother Jason is here with us this weekend, along with his wife Mary and their four children……I made french toast, sausage, and homefries for breakfast, as the birthday man requested.  Then, while everyone was eating and talking, I slipped away outside to take some pictures of our last snow fall of the season (we hope).

These poor little daffies could hardly hold up their heads because of their heavy, cold hats.

I stood underneath a dark, thickly branched pine tree.  It was dry under there, and peaceful.

Standing under another tree, I thought of Joanna, and her pretty embellishments she has done with some of her nature pictures, the swirls….these branches with their red buds added swirls to this photograph.

Jason is assuring me that it will all look nice when he’s done re-digging our long pond.  This is the project that my husband rented the heavy equipment for.  They are making the pond deeper and adding a jumping/fishing dock at one end.

Rich and his brother, Jason.  Soon this place that they are standing in will be full of water again. 

The morning snow has melted and it’s a muddy mess outside at our place. 

(Incidently, my boys were all so sad about the loss of their favorite bullfrogs out of this pond as it drained.  Jacob and Ethan spent some time trying to save some by throwing them into the other pond.)

A picture from inside (although I have gone out twice…to the store and then out with Rich as he ran errands for the Project.  He bought me a vanilla chai!)

Their Daddies are brothers and you can tell, huh?  Caleb and Chyanne could be siblings.  They are both six years old.

Mary (my sister in law) is out with some of the girls getting ingredients for dinner.  She generously asked to cook for us tonight, hurray I have the night off!

I do have to go get that cake mixed up though!  Here is another picture of Rich and Seth (that I took yesterday).  Happy Birthday, honey!

Much love to all my friends!  Do take the time to say hello, won’t you? 

A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. (inspired by soulemama)