{this moment}

{This Moment} - A SouleMama 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. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

a sliver of silver lining! have a great weekend. 

Trying to Find That Silver Lining

Its not the summer I planned on having. My garden has bombed, and Goran is working the inconsistent rotating shifts. There is mounds and mounds of work around here needing to be done, which I often find I am doing with my 4 littles 'helping', while Goran is working the opposite shift. We've managed one camping trip together, but I've gone camping on my own with all 4 kids twice as well, and I'm feeling disconnected from friends it seems I left behind when we moved. Things with family only seems to get more complicated, and although I try so hard, it seems I'm loosing out and the one hurting.

I'm trying. I'm looking. For the silver lining. Its hard to find.

I watch the babies splash in the pool, and call for me to watch as they try new things, different things, and learn. Diving under water, happily jumping in, and floating on their backs. I even join them on occasion...as the baby luvs the water as much as the rest of them

 

I enjoy a birthday dinner with my very bestest friend, with the only bowl of fresh snow peas my garden has given us.

I snuggle the baby in and nurse her to sleep while she still lets me. Its not often anymore, as she knows the world around her is for the taking.

and whats better then nursing your baby at the park? doing it with your best friend :)

 And camping. They luv it all. Sleeping in the trailer, smores around the campfire, and afternoons on the beach.

 

 

this - my dad 'swimming' is a big thing. I think he did it just to play with the kids, as they has asked him. Makes my heart melt! So glad I captured this!!

There's the last bit of our lives in a nutshell. Every now and then, there is this sliver of silver lining, and then it slips away again. I'm gonna keep looking, and keep luving my babies, and the ones who luv me.

{this moment}

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo (or video) capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Visit SouleMama to see others’ {moments} from the week, and if you have a {moment} you’d like to share, leave a link in the comments here for all to find and see.

Leaving the Nest but Sticking Around

Before I begin I want to apologize for some of the poor quality photos....that flash is so blaring.....but u will see the sun can be too!!

We noticed this momma I think before she had eggs. She made a sloppy nest in a tree along the  path beside the garage. She flew into the window a few times as we walked by and spooked her by accident. It became apparent quickly that she had something in there....

The kids remembered every morning, and we would go to take a look. I lifted each one up to take a peak, and Miss Morning (as the kids named her) was great. She never left because of us, and took good care of the wee ones she had.

She got to the point she couldn't sit on them anymore. Here these is 2, but I was so sure she had 3 at one time....I kept warning the kids that one day she would be gone, and the babies too. And one day they were gone.

A few days later, the kids called me over to the ceder trees, saying they had found Miss Morning and the babies. I was doubtful, but came to take a look. These tow were waiting for her to come back from somewhere, and fly up higher in the tree to get away from us.

We had a one point seen 3 babies and her, but she scooted out before the camera got to my hands. So the last one is her 3 babies, lined up on the branch.

As the days have gone by they have gotten further up  the trees to the point we couldn't see them anymore. And from there we have only seen them coming and going from the trees, and hear them calling the low long morning dove cry.

So so glad I am years away from my babies leaving the nest :)

{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. See Soulemama to play along. 

 

Strawberries 2

We go strawberry picking a few times a year. Once a week until they are gone. So today again, off we went with my 3 big ones in rubber boots and baby in sling. They picked good, and fast, as we had a time limit. Even Bryan picked half his basket full (last week he had one...and it was green!) Once they were done I told them they could pick a handful to eat!

strawberry stained fingers - and rubber boots.

And is there anything better then picking strawberries, and then a snack of those berries?

 

 

And as promised, Klara doing one of her new things. 

 

 

 

She pushes it around with her feet, all over the main floor. We've had to put a chair in front of the steps :) She smiles, and is proud, and can get off by herself. She is growing so so fast!!

Happy Wednesday! Hope you day has been fantastic!

Garden 3 - Beating the Bunnies

This is not as it sounds. Although I let Duke, my great defender, out one morning as I saw a bunny eating my snow peas for breakfast, he was so busy checking out behind the shed where the chipmunks reside, the bunny was alerted of the danger and darted away, leaving Duke none the wiser (and me very frustrated). Please don't get me wrong. I didn't really want him to hurt the bunny, just scare it really good, so it wouldn't come back!

Maybe I should back up here and explain.

I thought my garden must be very dry, with lack of rain, as my snow peas didn't seem to be growing. My mom said she had snow peas already. My lettuce seemed to be having a hard time getting off the ground as well. Quit literally. I planted beans, and was happy to see them growing well. But then one morning, they weren't growing. What? I stood there looking at this stubby stem with no leaves on it. Well, where did it go? My mind began to think. I walked over and got close down to the my snow peas. AH! They have been chewed on! They were growing, or trying. It took about 1/2 a mil a-second to realize it was bunnies, and another 1/2 to wage war with those bunnies. How dare they eat my garden!

So, my mom generously donated some chicken wire, and I spent a day and evening out there erecting my fence. I used tent pegs around the bottom to secure it to the ground so those bunnies wouldn't think of going under. The night I was out there, swatting mosquitoes all hunched over banging the tent pegs in the ground with a hammer, Duke was out with me, running all along the perimeter of the yard fence, sniffing, and sniffing. He could smell them!

tent pegs from the $ store!

I am happy happy to report, that combined with the fence, my fancy solar garden lights, and Duke spending lots and lots of time outside, there garden has remained bunny-less. And with that great news is the greater news, that my garden grows!!

remember that tiny rhubarb plant?

 And not only does it grow, tonight staking my tomato's I saw babies. Tomatoes that is. Flowers on the potatoes and snow peas, and carrots and lettuce, really growing!!

 

So take that bunnies!