of anchors and encouragement; somethings

Something Blue: I'm nearly finished painting Joe's room. He has not moved in yet, but the poster of Neil Armstrong already shouts that the room belongs to him.

The boys and I returned from a long, long journey Friday evening. I was exhausted, but not overwhelmed. I was so thankful to come home on a Friday with three days ahead of me to get rest, process laundry and chat with my husband, whom I missed horribly.

Our trip was long and lovely, stretching and straining, fun and adventurous. I had an overwhelming sense of thankfulness of everything "home" when we arrived.

All of these things, they are my anchors, they encourage me to press on towards a life of beauty and joy of cultivating home.

And I'm sharing on a little meme over at A Mother's Journal, what is encouraging to me today. It's just what I want to tell you about.

Something Old: I'm getting a lot of use out of these sweet little garden shoes these days. They make me happy just looking at them.

Something New: at our Classical Conversations practicum I purchased a new stack of books. I've put them in their own little pile so that I can work my way through. Last night I picked up Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea"... I like it already.

Something crafted; I've been dreaming on this TeePee along time now. Our trees have allowed me to collect branches all winter and now the building begins. Crafting + Gardening = Happy Me.

And something borrowed: Another longtime dream, my little sunflower house! And the Sunflowers are popping up happy to be growing, I'll be looking for straw to put on the floor of the house and I hope this house draws in boys and birdies alike.

Funschool Day 2 Part B

Builders Building....did you ever see such a wonderful platform on which to build a great track? This is in our basement, and the space serves us well. The boys use it for lego toy displays, sitting on and coloring or as of today, building a long track. We are just spoiled here.

"I know Mom! I've got a great idea. I'll build a little town right around the track. I'll get the Lincoln Logs!" This building was invented by little boys, indeed.

Concentrated architect working on the outer track.

The trains are all set and staged, lego men strategically posed in there too. Gotta love mixed medium.

Not too old to play with (or maybe just stage) these "old" tracks. Trains were the passion of this boy for no less than 4 years. Good memories for me.

( I cannot wait to pain the basement a bright cheery color. Looking for a color that will brighten without much daylight...any suggestions, Please?)

FunSchool Day 2

 

Our Tuesday Funschool was a field trip out to Ice Harbor Dam Visitor Center. It was really a great trip, but I wasn't permitted to take a camera inside so these are the only photos I have to share. In the visitor center we were able to read about the Salmon life cycle, watch some films and see some salmon headed toward the ladders. We didn't see any fish on the ladders so we'll go back this summer or fall when they're thicker. Fun trip!

 

 

Going to the Green

This week is funschool all the way. Monday consisted of an exploratory hike, into new territory for us.

Pill millipedes (sow bugs) were EVERYWHERE, this quickly became the topic of all conversations and studies. We wondered at why there were so many on the trail, what they eat, were they arthropods?

And treasure...

The West part of town

Chilly Joe.

A log, covered in pill bugs.

Joey lovingly nicknamed the sow bugs "A.T.A's," All Terrain Arthropods. (At home we learned they are Isopods.

Pill bugs and soft gun pellets....always a treasure.

Joey's pet A.T.A.

A white-tailed deer, not too shy.

Eli brought home a cash of bugs.

A homemade terrarium for our bug friends, complete with lots of decomposing leaves, new leaves and lots of moisture. Just the right habitat for pill millepedes.

Sketch Something near the Ocean....

A day for this Mama to remember...

A day for this mama to remember just how blessed I am to have my brood about me, altogether now (I sometimes forget they'll someday fly away *sigh*)
A day to see the sweetness in these ones.
A day to see them through all the busyness.

A day for finding beauty, (everyday!)

for seeing how intricately we are all made,

a day for treasure hunts.

Receiving wildflowers from a grinning 7-year-old makes my heart surge.

Watching these little feet explore makes me think I'm doing something right, just maybe.

Getting sweet messages from my 9-year-old and kisses from a kid who adores me...could he know how much this means to me?

Can your heart break, being so very full? Could it burst? What on earth do I do with all of this love?

And the sweet man who made it all happen....boys yes, and a sweet, sweet Mother's day.

Sunflower House

I've been thrilled, of course, to get my hands dirty and prepare for this years' garden. We got the sod in our yard, and this freed me up to work in my little garden spot. A big part of my garden this year is situating things in a kid-friendly "come on out to the yard" inviting way. So I've planned a few things to get my boys outside this year.

Have you ever been to a house whose yard draws you outside? You just can't stand to sit in, because the flowers, trees and birdies call to you? This is my goal...to get that kind of yard. I have a long, long way to go.

My first plan is to let my house be uncomfy. Yes, you heard me right. I'm going to turn the air conditioning off and make this house as hot-sweaty as I can to get those kiddos outside. And then the rest....

The boys and I have planted a Sunflower House. The idea is to plan Sunflowers in a shape which encloses so the kiddos can play underneath them and sweet morning glories overhead. The boys and I have planted and now we wait.

Updates coming....