{this moment}

{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. -Soulemama

Thankful on Thursday

Going to try to keep up with Thankful on Thursdays. Figured we are all tired by the end of the week, and could use a reminder how good life is. It could be a list, it could be one thing. Today I have a list.

Today I'm thankful for

1. surprise visits that brings joy all around.

 angelina's gr1 teacher. a complete surprise. one of her favorite people.

seeing her so happy gave me a lump in my throat, i had to stop taking pictures and turn away to wipe my eyes

2. a day at Nana and Pakas for my little ones to run and play and swim. And a bucket full of fresh veggies.

the biggest zucchini i have ever seen

3.  the promise of fresh-smelling, line-dried sheets to crawl into.

its is 9pm. they are still drying. i am addicted to crawling into krisp, clean, line dried sheets now

4. new shoes brought with luv from far away that has someone thinking about walking.

she can take them off too

5. hope for what I thought was a lost cause.

yes, this is from my home garden

What are you thankful for today?

Waves of Change

The waves of change are coming in.

 Its been slow and steady. A wave comes in, moving the sand and driftwood, leaving a new and different picture. It looks almost the same, but its not. I feel it. Different patterns in the sand. I am trying to hold back the waves....but how silly is that? So I try to keep the sand from moving. That seems just as silly, and I'm loosing that battle as the sand slides through my fingers each time a wave comes crashing in. The familiar is getting washed away as quick as foot prints in the sand. Leaving a new and fresh path to walk on.

He who attempts to resist the wave is swept away, but he who bends before it abides.~ Author Unknown

 Do you have any great wave quotes to help me through this changing time?

Monday Memories - July 25 2011

A quick post to document our pretty good weekend. I wasn't expecting it to be very good, and was disappointed  when plans got changed a bit. In the long run, I'm glad they did as we spent a great weekend together as a family, working together, listening and helping. And we had great fun!

bee beard

my dad helping a volunteer put on her beard

the winner of the competition

my mom in the fashion show - it was like a thousand degrees that day! She was a great sport!

take 3: 'grace look up so momma can get a picture of everyone.' who was I kidding?

i luv this happy baby!

bbq with friends

all sitting so nice at the table

but one asked to sit on the grass....monkey see monkey do!

twirling

I think this might be my favorite from the week. My beautiful girl!

Cheerios on the Wall

Its been that kind of week. It is HOT. Temperatures in the high 30s and with a humidex of 40+. Angelina hurt her eye and we were off to the eye doctor, and I babysat for 3 days. Goran is on afternoons, and acquired the stomach bug we all had. Well, for the heat, we finally gave in and turned the AC on. It low, but provides a bit a relief. Angelina's eye is healing and eye doctor wasn't worried. But he did an eye exam and she is one step away from glasses. He suggested bringing her back in a year to check again.  Last night we were talking about her eye and I was explaining when I go glasses, she asked "Why did you need glasses? How did you hurt your eye?" She thought she needs glasses soon because she hurt her eye. Quickly, everyone at the table reassured her it was nothing she did, it was just the way her eyes were. And Goran, took some Gravel and slept for the most part of 24 hours, got up the next day and was feeling so so so much better!

The heat. Its hot. We only just the AC on Wednesday night, but Sunday was hot, hot and every day has just got hotter. There was a pattern through the day, and not much got done from 10:00am-7:00pm, because it was so hot. The kids swam, I went in with them, we all napped, got up groggy and sweaty, hung around a bit, and as the evening came in we would all perk up and energy would come in again. 

But last night a very dear friend came, with her children. She brought veggie chillie loaded with corn and peppers, and black beans with wraps and cheese on the side. I didn't have to cook, and there was something for everyone. It was so so good! (She left me the left overs :) I finished the meal with watermelon and ice cream and we headed outside, pool side! My friends children, twins (a boy and girl) are between Angelina and Grace in age. We have been friends for as long as the children remember, and they all play well. Her children talk about Bryna when he was 'Baby Bryan'! Anyways, we headed out, and the children played, and swam, and jumped and laughed and us momma's talked. That is what we do. C is one of those friends its comfortable with. She's got 10 years on me, but choosing to have kids later in life has put us in the same place in life as me. She is sweet and kind, and a friend I truly treasure. We have both had hardships in our lives, but come through whole and in once piece, being stronger then before. We can sit and talk about things for hours, or we can sit and quietly, both lost in our own thoughts. Once we sat side by side on the couch, staring unseeingly at the TV, kids playing all around us, while we worried about Abby in the hospital with pneumonia. We chat over dishes, she was there when our last baby entered the world and came countless time with meals for my family while I recovered from birth.

So we sat and watched the littles in the pool. We sat lost in thought, we sat and chatted,  I showed her how to backwash and 'shock' the pool and we discussed technical camera terms and took pictures. We sat in comfort in being together, equals on the this journey of motherhood, enjoying what we had to give to each other. A perfect way to spend an evening.

Angelina with friend - goggles and all

 

on her climber - she climbs for hours every day!!

'fixing' his lawn mower. he is such a boy

 

my garden

My heart is heavy when it comes to my garden. All the best laid plans, the rototiller,  planting, watering, weeding, composting.....
1st it was the tomatoes looking 'thirsty'. Wilting and dry. Water didn't help. The plants hung heavy with green tomatoes ready to ripen, but one by one they died. My squash have flowered, and 3 baby butternut squash wait, ready to grow full and ripen and the plants has begun to do the same. The potatoes, and today I notice the spinach as well. I have read it is all because of the walnut tree. Juglone is in the roots, leaves and shells from the tree, depositing it in the ground, slowly killing my intolerant plants.

I have a sickening feeling in my gut ever time I think of the winter, buying frozen veggies from the freezer department in grocery store. All the time and effort, and money, gone. I suppose I gained experience and I learned from all of this. Next year will be better. But this is not what I wanted for my family for the winter and it makes me sad for so many reasons.

the cheerios

So yesterday I ended up cleaning up Klaras cheerios off the high chair, off of her, and off of the floor. I didn't know I had missed a spot.

those 2 tiny dots where the wall meets the ceiling?

took the paint off, they did

It seems when she sent the bowl flying some went flying to the opposite wall going down the stair. When I came home and saw them I thought they were wall plugs, but didn't remember ever seeming them before. Upon closer investigation I realized, and it make me smile.

Whats made you smile this week?

It has taken me all day to blog this post. As the best usually take me all day, between children and babies, and hubby, and meals, and laundry, and dips in the pool. Its about downloading pictures, and trying to find all the right wordS. But by the time the kids go to bed, I proof read, slip my pictures in, and adding the 'captioning'.

I always smile when I click "PUBLISH POST". 

Monday Memories - July 18 2011

the beginging
The weekend started out good, with a funny feeling in my tummy. Liturally. I was hoping, fingers crossed, it was just excitement. For what you ask?

{Drum roll}

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

Yes I'm one of them. One of those people who have been captivated by the books, and movies alike. I haven't ever stood in a midnight line, although would have luved too. I've bought all the books, usually the morning after they came out, and seen all the movies within the first week. Movie tickets were bought in advance,  for 10:30 Friday night. Kids to bed, I showered and dressed, and kissed hubby good bye as the excitement grew and the feeling in my tummy.

This was and end of era.

Kristyn and I met at a theater in between. We have see the last 3 together. We chattered with excitement, and giggled like school girls waiting for the movie to begin. At one point I mentioned I might get sick....we both laughed.

The movie was everything I had hoped it would be! I laughed and cried, and held my breath. I clapped and cheered with everyone in the theater! Its funny, I've read the books, and know how it ends, but I was still waiting to see what would happen. It was good, and I can't wait to see it again.

There was something else about it all. Painted toes nails (with the stickers!), hoop earrings, a touch of make up, and dressed in an outfit that made me feel good. I luved it!!

And as much as I luved being away, and being me, I luved coming home, to my family that makes me me.

the middle
And Saturday began way to early with a alarming voice beside my head "Momma, I threw up!" (it was still dark) Goran was up and taking care of it before I really knew what was happening. But when the sun rose, and we got up one by one, I realized my tummy had not been excited, as much as sick. Angelina and I both, all day Saturday. She snuggled in her bed, rising occasionally to see what was going on, but  retreating each time to her solitude. Me, I rested in quiet corners of the house, keeping one eye half propped open for signs of danger, and making sandwiches a few times to feed hungry tummies. I was thankful for nap time, and when Goran came home, and for bed time. I sighed going to bed that night, knowing tomorrow would be better.

the end (of the weekend)
The sickness was worth the Sunday we got. Although it was poor Gracie's turn,

she lay around the house like this, like Angelina and I did the day before

and because of it, I washed all their bedding and they got to go to bed in line dried sheets.

 we ended up having a great day. We got some important stuff done around the house,

out with the old .......

....and in with the new!

hubby spray painted the old numbers, so they look shinny and new!

 

 and someone's very 1st popsicle

and some great family time in our tiny 12ft 28inch deep pool.

 

she adores swimming! laughing, splashing and kicking

 and what would a swim be without some milk?

pretty toes

and even Grace joined us, after seeing what fun we were having! (this is a post swim pic, taken by Goran)

So we really did get a bonus day. A good family day, where we pooled together, helped each other, and got lots done. Memories I am so happy to record, and will joyfully read over and over!

Not all Monday Memories will be like this I'm sure! Some days maybe just a picture with a few words, but a good way to start anyway!!

How was your weekend?