Hello all, just a quick post to show and tell some stuff in my life that’s making me happy today (except the bed wetting….stay tuned).

First off.  This awesome red knit vest.  This is the story:  Yesterday evening was Ethan’s first baseball game and one of the fellow moms that I’ve met in previous years of baseball games gave Sarah the vest.  She carried it over to me and I could tell right off by the way she had it in both hands that she loved the vest and was saying goodbye.  She gave it to me and asked if I would take it for Sarah.  She made it years ago for her daughter who is now 18 years old.  She told me she had been carrying it around with her for a while, looking for just the right person to give it to.  I’m so happy she picked Sarah!  I hugged her and told her that I loved handmade things, that I thought they were the very best, and I put it on Sarah directly.  Sarah LOVES the buttons and has already learned how to do buttons because of this vest!  Jackie told me that she remembers searching and searching for just the right color red buttons.  Isn’t that just like a crafting mom?  And if you notice, the buttons match the vest perfectly!

So.  I got home from Bible study with much to do.  We had stopped at Target on the way home and I had to put everything away.  I had also run over a bag of chicken feed on the driveway and needed to clean that up.  I sent Seth to the bathroom and put Sarah down for her nap.  When Seth was done he shut the door to the bathroom, I put him to bed and promptly went outside.  I puttered all over the place out there, down to the coop, to the pond to watch the wild ducks that we have visiting us, to the driveway to clean my mess, and then back in the house to tidy the kitchen and put the Target things away.  I was washing the table by the bathroom door when I realized that I could hear water running in the bathroom and I knew from previous experience that the sink overflows when a child doesn’t turn off the faucet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I ran over and opened the door to find it as hot and steamy as a sauna and hot water running and all over the floor.  I had half a mind to wake up Seth and give him what’s for.  Instead, I ran downstairs to discover that *gasp*, there was water coming down like a gentle rain, all over Davy’s bed. 

Sometimes when something like this happens I LAUGH.  There is NO REASON to laugh but it just happens.  I tried not to, but as I was cleaning up I could feel the laughter welling up within me.  It’s a good thing my boys just throw their towels all over the floor after bath/shower time because that was what I used to mop up the lake under the bed.  I got the giggles when I imagined what David would do if I just left his bed the way it was and he got into it that night to find it soaking.  However, I did the right thing and stripped the bed and cleaned up the water.

There is always laundry to do!

I am sooooooooooooooooo enjoying these cleaning products from Target.  Mrs. Meyers may have lost my business.  These cleaners smell wonderful.  Cucumber, Almond, Pink Grapefruit, and Mint, what is not to like?  They actually make me WANT to do my spring cleaning!

Anybody need some eggs?  One of my favorite things to do is stand at the sink and rinse them off after gathering them.  (no I don’t get this many in a day, they are just piling up)

speckles and blues

My daughter Grace is a most wonderful girl.  I took this picture when she came home from school about an hour ago.  I had just made coffee and she reused my Kcup to make herself a weak cup, and as it was brewing she told me the highlights of her day.  She makes me laugh and I love her so much.

She’s currently by my side doing her homework.  She (a devout Christian) said she’s got a test on evolution coming up and that she’s going to fail.  I told her it was always good to know what “the other side” believes.  “I don’t KNOW what the other side believes!”  “Yep.  You’re gonna fail.”  wild laughter.

(p.s.  I should say.  she never fails anything.  she just said that because she doesn’t like having to learn about evolution)

“We speak much of the duty of making others happy. No day should pass, we say, on which we do not put a little cheer into some discouraged heart, make the path a little smoother for someone’s tired feet, or help some fainting robin unto its nest again. This is right. We cannot put too great emphasis upon the duty of giving happiness and cheer to others. But it is no less a duty that we should be happy and cheerful ourselves.”  J.R. Miller

I am a nature-girl.  I adore being outside, I admire sticks, leaves, the smell of dirt.  I love fresh air and seeing my children outside in it, with their cheeks turning healthy pink from good exercise.  So when I read in my book about making nests in the woods to use as “Easter baskets”, I instantly knew we would do it. 

(We don’t normally do Easter baskets at all, so this was an amazing treat for the children!)

I gave the children instructions and made a nest each for Seth and Sarah, in order to demonstrate what they should look like.  Jacob, Ethan, Grace, Caleb, and David got right to work and were almost as talented as real birds.  Ethan gave me a serious hard time about it, but the desire for candy won him over and of course he ended up being the most creative.  He even went so far as to gather feathers from the floor of the chicken coop.

This one was Sarah’s.  I used twigs for the bottom and added leaves and dry pine needles around the top.

Grace lined her nest with moss and ferns.

Jacob’s was neat and tidy, using sticks that he snapped into the proper lengths, and pine needles to line the bottom.

While we made the nests, Sarah hurt her hand.  I thought it was heart-warmingly precious when my 7 year old took care of her.  Love.

We made the nests on Friday and the children had a difficult time waiting until Sunday.  When the day arrived, and we got home from church, I quickly changed my clothes and ran down to fill each of their nests.  I told Rich to bring them down in about 10 or 15 minutes.

I think I was just as excited as they were. 

I almost jumped up and down as I watched them walk to me.

Caleb and Sarah sprinted to their nests.

Seth found a rabbit in his.  When you press the rabbit’s paw he sings “Jesus Loves Me”.  The look on Seth’s face was priceless.

Jacob cracked open one of the Easter eggs in his nest.  It was filled with jellybeans.

Caleb made his nest-creation on a big rock….he was thrilled to find lots of candy.  Since early spring is gray and colorless, I added artificial flowers to each nest. 

Little Sarah carefully bent down to gaze at the wonderful treats left for her.

She also had a singing bunny. 

Ethan found Peeps, chocolate eggs, and jelly beans.  Candy always makes him smile.

Grace’s nest was the hardest to get to.  She was hidden away under a bush, so sweetly, like a little gray rabbit.

This is my very favorite picture of the afternoon.  Davy, with his jacket, bare feet, and blissful *eyes-closed* expression as he enjoys a piece of chocolate.

You can almost hear him saying “mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm”.

Grace and David were neighbors.

Back in the house, the children got right to work eating up their candy.  Ethan was sick by the end of the day.  None of them have any self control. 

Crazy teenagers!  How I love them.  (proud mama)

Even the dog got an egg.  (a hard boiled one).

On Monday morning, my Mom called me just to chat.  She was on vacation with my Dad in Georgia.  My husband Rich was home with me for the week and had already offered to send me away someplace if I so desired.  (For every busy mom needs a getaway now and then.) I hadn’t given it much serious thought until Mom said, “You should come down here with us!”  We both laughed about it, but after I hung up the phone, I still didn’t give it much thought.  That is, until my Dad called me right back to also give some encouragement to join them on Jekyll Island.  It made me so happy to know they wanted me to go.  I found my husband drinking his coffee outside by the pond, we talked it over, and he made the travel arrangements for me.  I was on the plane that afternoon at 3:30, arriving at Mom and Dad’s hotel at about 9:30, pinching myself every now and then, wondering if it was all a dream.

There were two main joys of this trip.  The first being the island itself.  Jekyll was quiet, and with little commercialism there was no choice but to slow down and enjoy the simple attractions that the island offers.  There was a historical aspect and stunning nature to explore.  (Perfect for my personality)  The ocean was waving, the bike trails were long and plenteous, the quaint shops so full of unique treasures, and the only “chain” restaurant was a Dairy Queen, which we visited each and every day.

The second, and most important joy, was the chance to spend quality time with my parents.  I naturally felt (as aways) comfortable, young, and safe with them.  We made a perfect “parents and grown daughter” combination, made strong because of our thirty seven year bond of friendship/family love.  I found myself imagining Rich and I taking similar trips in the future, with a cherished grown up child or two able to travel with us.  My parents raised a family of five children, and I think there must be a beauty in having grown children, as it enables the parents to rest in knowing the very busy parenting years are over, and yet still nurture family bonds, only this time with adults, and with the absence of the other siblings (something very rare in the growing up years).  My parents love to spend quality time with each grown child and their families, and they have very special relationships with all of us.

So yes, it was especially dear to have a turn with Mom and Dad. 

Mom and Dad have been to Jekyll Island many times and I have never been at all, so they had the joy of showing me their favorite spots, and I had the joy of seeing so many new and exciting sights.  We were together all the time.

I loved seeing all the colorful flowers and green grass.

I loved seeing and hearing the ocean.

My beautiful mother……….

Pictures of dear Dad and Mom. . . . . . . . . .

My very favorite memory of the trip was the night “Duck Dynasty” came on over and over.  We were in our hotel, happily tired out, and I got on the bed with Mom in the middle and Dad next to her.  The three of us sat there together leaning against the pillows with our legs out on the bed, Dad watching his favorite show, and Mom and I reading.  It was all so cozy, and we talked only when we felt like it, for well over an hour.  I just loved it so much.  I kinda sorta felt three years old again. 

At the Dairy Queen, for our nightly ice cream treats.

Dad always always gets chocolate.

 P I N K N E S S

I got on a bike for the first time in probably 20 years.  We each rented one and spent a morning riding all over the place (about 13 miles total).

Dad and I at breakfast the first morning.

A view of bamboo through an old red window (in the museum), I was thinking of my 10 year old son, who is fascinated by bamboo and wants to grow some.

Yeah, I took a picture of a dead jellyfish.  Mom and I found it washed up on the shore and thought it had a beautiful design.

The peaceful sand dunes.  Turtles lay their eggs here every year.

We spend time by (and in) the heated pool at the hotel. 

I thought of Grace as I took this picture of a pink horse.  He was still pink from being colored on Easter Sunday. 

Sand dollar

“A naturalist, whose heart held a love for nature in all its varied forms.”  I loved the wording on this plaque in one of the cottage gardens.  Cecily must have been a kindred spirit.

One last picture before I had to leave on Friday morning.

Today was my first full day home.  After all that vacationing, I had no qualms about jumping right into the swing of things once again.  I ran errands with Rich, I’ve done four loads of laundry, gone grocery shopping, made a huge dinner using all new recipes from a cookbook I bought on Jekyll, completely cleaned out the fridge with Grace’s help, and most importantly, did a lot of loving on all my attention-starved children.  Rich took great care of the family while I was gone but of course I was missed a good deal because of my own very charming personality and pleasant ways.   

It is now almost 10:00pm and I suppose I will go to bed soon.  As I drift off to sleep I will think about the happy days I spent on Jekyll Island.  I will remember the precious faces of my parents and will probably even hear in my mind the sounds of the ocean, Dad’s drumming, Mom’s laughter, and the quacking of that funny duck we heard.

It was a wonderful vacation in so many ways, and for it especially I am, at this moment, thankful.

I saw the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean this morning, 7:13 am.

I took a plane ride to Georgia on Monday, unplanned and spur of the moment.  I chatted on the phone with mom that morning and was boarding a plane at 3:30.

So crazy! 

Yes, my parents are here on vacation and welcomed me with open arms.

Rich is home taking care of the children.

I’m going on a bike ride this morning with Mom and Dad.

it’s been years!

 “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one.  I died, and behold I am alive forevermore……”  Revelation 1:17

“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing to His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.  Amen.”  Hebrews 13:20

“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him.  Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”  1 Peter 1:8, 9

After a few family pictures outside, we all piled in the vehicle and when to church for the most glorious Sunday of the year. Pastor’s sermon was edifying, joyful, moving.  Jesus died on the cross and rose again and the evidence is overwhelming…..and our God-given faith works in our hearts to let us know the truth, and we are deeply thankful.

My eyes filled with tears as we rejoiced together in song, and in the good words of Scripture, that tell us what we need to know about Him.

Toward the end of the message, one of the brothers was so moved that he quietly clapped his hands as an “amen” after almost every proclamation, emotional and smiling. 

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian,
  Lift up your voice and  sing
Eternal hallelujahs
  To Jesus Christ the King!
The Hope  of all who seek Him,
  The Help of all who find,
None other is  so loving,
  So good and kind.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with  me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You  ask me how I know He lives?
    He lives within my heart.

After church, we went to Crackerbarrel for dinner and then came home for Easter baskets in the woods. 

It was also my husband’s birthday.

highlights of the day

*Sarah in her pretty dress.

*Caleb trying so hard to play “Happy Birthday” on the piano for his Dad.

*Looking around at all the faces in church as we sang worship songs.

*The way the little ones kept feeling my new dress (it was a light, thin dress over a sleeveless shift)……all during church. 

*The boys in their matching blue shirts, the tall ones so handsome, the young ones fresh and cute.

*Grace looking like a little lady, tripping around in a pair of very low-high heels.  She said she was never wearing them again.

*Rich, all depressed over his age.

*Sarah’s joy in unwrapping a golden egg and finding chocolate.

*The church service and the preaching.

*The children’s faces and the nests in the woods.

*The dinner at Crackerbarrel.

*My heart trying so hard to let go of the non-essentials, determined to enjoy my family and make the day special for Rich. 

{this moment} – 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

My French friend, Soline, had some fun putting together a box of goodies for me and my family.  I remember her asking me for my address a little while back, but was totally unprepared for such thoughtfulness.

What fun, to receive mail all the way from beautiful FRANCE!  A place I only dream of visiting!

It was so interesting to look at all the french words.  I took French in school, and my son Jacob takes it now, and it amazes me that I actually have an internet friend who lives in France (she reads my blog).  She wrote me the sweetest letter, in English.  It was perfectly and delightfully worded.

Sarah Joy immediately claimed these little French dolls.

A children’s book; so sweet.

Candy

Perfume and little toys

Finger puppets

tea set

Animal decals; with a sticky back, I plan on mounting them in rows on pretty scrap paper, and framing, for Seth and Sarah.

I put the the tiny things she sent us in this old drawer that I have hanging on the wall.  The chickens she sent are my favorite.  There was an army man for Jacob, a car for Ethan, and a little blue satin rose.  Grace took a very small box to her room, gold, with a picture of sewing things on the lid.

Little bottles of French perfume.  I love that the green bottle is called “Nature”.

What a treat, I smiled and laughed over every little thing, like a child at Christmas.  And, I am smiling now.

Thank you, sweet sister in France!  God bless you.  You truly gave pleasure to my whole family.

“….whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”  Philippians 4:8