Thankful on Thursday

So much to be thankful for this week. Goran has had the week off. I was worried. I didn't know how it would go. But, its gone so so well. We have gone on day trips, and stayed home. We have worked together to make outings fun, and children co-operate and gotten work around the house done.

Goran is outside cooking up burgers for supper. I can here the kids in the back yard calling to each other, and Angelina talking to her Tutu. I am nursing the baby to sleep, and reflecting on the good. The good that we have, that we have made, and that we are. We're not perfect, but we are us, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Its easy to think of and write a list a mile long today. But for the sake of time, and being together, I'm keeping it short and simple.

We went to the zoo with friends today. It was a great trip. There was lots to see, animals to pet, a show to watch, and  feathers to buy.....But it wasn't the zoo that made the day. It was the kids happiness, watching new friendships evolve, being supported by my husband in so so so many ways, and reconnecting and confirming existing friendships. It was packing lunch, (sandwiches, water, cookies, oh! something healthy...carrots and cucumber...) filling the cooler, and making sure I had diapers and the beloved camera. Eating that lunch under the shade of a tree with those friends, sharing and laughing and helping one another pour drinks, pass the carrots, and sharing homemade cookies.  Driving home at the end of the day, listening to the kids laugh about the bird that said hello, and the goats that ate the paper bag. That is what its all about.

And now, without further ado: 

I'm thankful for

1. him. All he is in my life, all he brings, and all we have together.

2. a trip to the zoo that has allowed new friendship to be planted, and other friendships to bloom....

when we've been together in the past, they are like 2 ships passing through. today it just clicked.

2 amazing women in my life and a photo capturing a moment in time I will cherish forever (thanx Goran)

amazing crew!!

3. for quiet afternoons to get the creative juices flowing.

 

 

 

a sunbonnet in the making

As I sit down to finish this post, supper has been eaten, kids have rode around the block with momma, been tucked into bed, and hubby has cleaned up the dishes. The house is quiet, and breaths of sleep.

One more thing to be thankful for.

What are you thankful for this week?

Monday Memories, August 1, 2011

It was a busy day. Goran is off for the week so we have planned some day trips, and some days at home relaxing. But today was a busy one. We were off to local pioneer village for an ice cream festival. We rushed around like crazy to get out of the house with enough water to keep cool, replace a car seat, buckle up the kids, lock the doors and off we went. We went through the village and it was hot hot hot! (I don't know how those people did it dressed from head to toe in the costumes!) We closed the place with ice cream cones, and settled into the cool van for the ride home.

After a busy day like that kids are tired. Home, super, dishes, bath, and walk/bike ride. Whew. I make sure fans are on, and windows open. I kiss sweaty heads, and lay light sheets on their resting bodies. Eyes flutter, and chests rise and fall in rhythm. I hear little girls giggling....Peeking into darkened bedrooms I see sleeping tiny people, tuckered out, and peaceful.

Memories for the week. Our biggest I think was Grace riding her bike. Its been a big thing. Well over a month ago we took of the training wheels, and practice, practice, practice. Bribing. Yes, I promise her the playmobil pool she was eyeing, if she would just....

Saturday, she is balancing her bike, guiding with her feet.

"I think we should go and buy the pool today," says the little girl.

"All you have to do is put the feet on the peddles and go sweetie," momma says back.

"Ok, are u watching?"

And she goes. Feet on the peddles and biking down the street.

Go Babe' go!!!

My garden gave up a bit more this week :)

'the harvest' my hubby called it

And the kids on the train with Pappa today.

he wants to drive a train some day....

And after visiting the village, Angelina would now like a old fashion sun bonnet. I guess I'll be doing some sewing this week!!

{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".