Summer vacation!!!!!

I LOVE summer vacation!  The kids and I stay up late, sleep late, travel, and just hang out.  It takes us a few weeks to get the hang of just hanging out.  At first, the boys fight all day, having forgotten how to be around the house and each other.  This week, they finally stopped fighting (not completely of course) and started truly enjoying each others company.  They have been playing so nicely, they don't want to even leave the house.  Which is what I like.  Home all day.

We do slip out after quiet time to swim and the Y most days.  Its just too hot and the outdoor pool just too refreshing and relaxing to not go.

I have been tending chickens (which just means watching them, there is really not that much to tend), gardening, and catching up on reading and knitting.

Our favorite new thing; a snow cone maker.  We have experimented with making our own flavor syrups.  We had a few batches that didn't turn out so great, so for now, we are using some we happened to have in the back of the pantry.  YUM!

Now, its nap time.

right now

Jeezs it's been a while.  A lot has changed.  We have settled into our home, our land, and I feel more settled that I ever have.

Right now, the dog is laying next to me and stinks.  Have to remember to make an appointment for a bath for him next weekend.  Atticus is taking a much needed Sunday afternoon nap.  Papa and the older two boys went to swim in the creek.

I am thinking about all the things that have been keeping me so busy this first half of 2012.
Working hard at my teaching job. Tutoring after school.  Little League.  Play practice.  Tumbling class for Atticus.  Drum lessons for Dash.  Yoga.  Pilates. Chickens.  Garden.

And a few links I am loving right now;

a church converted into a home

a blog dedicated to beautiful older women

A person who dislikes stupid people as much as I do, and has the ability to write about it with humor, then read it on NPR; David Sedaris

A vacation I dream of taking (with my sister and husband!)

Eclipse yoga

serpentine necklace

Nashville

Organic Dirt delivered for the organic garden!

Zucchini Flowers

Zucchini

Elias's view (neighbors land)

Me, helping out with baseball

Atticus, getting to help the team practice

Dash, ready to get out there

A new hobby?

serpentine

right now

Right now I am enjoying the most amazing sunsets I have ever seen.  The weather has been stormy, and there has been lots of rain, lots of clouds, and lots of color as the sun goes down.

I have actually gotten so side-tracked by these sunsets, that nobody is getting to bed on time.  I leave the dinner dishes as I see the light change from our windows.  They boys are equally excited by the colors, and gasp in awe as the rainbow of colors and light changes and slowly grows dark.

And here is Chance, the wonder dog, rolling in freshly seeded lawn.

He just couldnt stand to see nice black wet earth, and had to roll all over in it.  And then, of course, run into the house and shake.

Rainbow after a storm

In chicken news, they little ones are having field trips out side.  We have to get them ready to spend the whole day in the sun and wind, and they love to eat bugs and grass.  They also are using their newly sprouted wings!

Our "big" girls are a blast.  We have been hand feeding them their favorite weed.  it looks like the top of carrots, and it must taste fabulous, because they cant get enough of it.  fortunately, our lawn is mostly weeds, so they get a lot of variety.  

March so far...

February so far

Celebrating ten years of precious Elias

A ten year olds birthday 

spring bulbs

Valentines cookies

Making valentines

Atticus cut out hearts and wrote his name all by himself

Elias folded 30 origami valentines

Bright colorful flowers in the middle of a dark, cold month.

a family under the rainbow (and a little rain falling too)  by Atticus

scenes from home

We have been busy since the move, and I have not been  keeping up with the blog.  That doesn't mean there hasn't been a lot happening around here.  

Actually, it's the day-to-day stuff that I find fascinating right now.  The small moments that I know I will forget when my children grow, and when the house is quieter.

I thought I would try to commit to a little more blogging, about that every day stuff.

We'll see if that happens...  

A little weekend gaming for the big kids.

A night of homemade spa

Tea, back rubs, candles, fire in the fireplace 

a new violin 

Some silly time. Always silly time...

And a new cello! 

Chore time.  the ear protection is worn when he vacuums...

and plays the drums

Simple dinners and lunches, lost of bread, cheese and fruit.  

Nobody complains.

Our new Sunday ritual of washing all the laundry and folding all of it, while watching a movie of course!  Makes it a fun family event.

Playing dress up for real

A tennessee sunset

A progression of houses by Atticus

Lots of cuddling, maybe an illness or two...

It looked like a full moon tonight.

Smoke out of the neighbors chimney.