The Nature in Me

Something about getting moving in a nature setting does me so much good.  My whole body tingles as my blood fills tiny little capillaries in my fingers and toes.  Walking on a tread mill is good, but a hike through the woods or around a lake is better.  Yoga actually does this for me too.  I love moving.  My body loves it.  Sometimes, when I have been still for a long period of time, I forget how much I love moving, and think I could just sit forever.  Then someone, maybe a child, maybe a hiking partner, maybe Mr.Sunshine, gets me up and going.  Recently, we took a walk around Long Hunter State park outside of Nashville.  My Dad was visiting and took these pictures. Thanks to him, you can see I exist.  Unfortunately, you have to take my word for it that he exists.    

My children love moving to, as most children do.  And exploring, and doing exactly what they are asked and told not to do.  Like walking in the mud.  Dash went straight for the furthest, muddiest, part of the beach.  And in less than a minute, he sunk into the mud, and was stuck.  I hopped from rock to rock to help.

Dash told me quietly that he was very angry at himself, that he knew I had just said that if anyone gets muddy or wet we would have to leave.

I had such sympathy for him.

He was exploring, 

never meant to get stuck.

I remembered a time my boot had been stuck in the mud, 

and I had fallen into ice cold water, 

and my brother had to carry me all the way home,

shivering.

And I remembered when my boot got stuck in the snow, and my sister and brother could't find it, 

and I had to go home missing one boot.

My brother probably carried me then too.  

We did not find it until the snow melted.

Elias helped Dash, instinct told him to go get Dash's boot, and help him put it on.

We moved on, and walked and enjoyed moments of quiet reflection.

Atticus had one "melt-down"

He warned me.

He said, "Mommy, I am melting"

He just couldn't go on.  He wasn't tired.  He just couldn't move one more step.

Dash immediately came to his side, just as he did when we

were hiking the in the Appalachian trail.

I don't know what he said or did, but somehow he got Atticus to keep going.

the day before the day

I just can't believe that after 7 months of being a stay at home mom, tomorrow, I return to work.  I am a mix of emotions.  I like work, being with others, accomplishing something, earning money...and, I love staying at home, cleaning and organizing, quiet, cooking and baking, my own schedule.

sunlight streaming in the bedroom window

sunlight in the kitchen window

Chance in the sunlight

Atticus and Chance, good friends

Right now, I have the feeling that it will be good to be back to a schedule, good to walk my children into their classrooms where they so want to be, where they are so loved and taken care of by their teachers and classmates.

The boys made these photo collages of themselves

view from Elias's bedroom window

Dash and Atticus sitting by the fire 

So, today I will spend getting ready for tomorrow.  And hopefully the effects will be long-lasting.

 We were out in the woods for a while
yesterday.  The boys have a fort, and they wanted Grandpa and I to see it.  It is a magical place, where little boys imagine they are anywhere, and they can be anybody.  It is where the children want to play for a very long time.  It is the best place for them to play, unstructured, inhibited only by their own minds, and maybe sometimes, the weather.  It is a crazy maze of trees and vines, thick enough for the boys to climb on them and swing on them.

 A place where dreams and reality blur.  An earthly and heavenly place where boys talk to things only they can see.  Where trees and vines become buildings, ships, airplanes, castles, dragons, animals...

A place where they hardly notice the adults are there, but when they do notice us, they invite us into their world.  It is a place I can remember from my childhood.  I am just one step away from the magical land they live in.  My boys take me there, all I have to do is take their hand and follow them.

inside and out

inside

There was not as much holiday baking as last year, when I made the fabulous Buche de Noel, cookies, crescent rolls, etc.  But, I did manage to squeak out a chocolate cake for our solstice celebration.  Atticus may have helped...

It was dark and beautiful.

Elias has been busy.  I don't think he left his room for two days, except to eat and use the bathroom. 

He created little animals and characters and even invented a game to play with them.

I surprised everyone on Christmas eve with some peppermint bark

And of course there was music

Out

And I am dreaming of the summer garden.  So much work to do in the spring.  But, for now, I just observe my little piece of the world as winter unfolds.

Home

On the trip home, Elias and Chance slept together.  Chance needed a lot or extra attention, he was nervous.  So was Elias. It made a perfect match. The first night in out "new" home, Chance slept next to Elias.

 Although there were boxes to unpack, children also needed to be fed.  Of course, oranges became orange peel boats, complete with candles...

Never a dull moment.

Slowly, our house became a home.  The corners of the home being decorated with new lights, 

The kitchen

 For now, a rocking chair sits in the kitchen, and it is always being used.  

These dark days, it is nice to have lots of candles at hand, and the kitchen is so cozy.

New and old chairs for the children to sit in and read, or play card games.  Our rooms feel so big and the light so bright.  I like our home better now than I ever did.

New canisters in the kitchen, new thoughts about how to organize, organize, and organize some more.  No more baskets full of junk, no more things that do not have a place.

Pink lights because Wade and the boys think white is boring

And, because Christmas is almost upon us, before the last box has been unpacked, the lights had to go on the tree, and the fire lit...

And we can do that, because this is our home.

Friday Foto 12-16-12 and 1 day

4 days. keeping it in perspective and remembering what is calling us home

I woke up in a panic.  Must get it all done, I can't believe its Wednesday already.
Then I calmed down, I have three whole days to get it all done.  It is possible.

But I should get the oil changed.

And I should go hunt for some Christmas presents.

And Atticus needs a new coat, and the boys uniform pants.

But the house must get packed.

And there are still five people to feed and a dog to walk and dished to wash and children to clean.  Or dishes to clean and children to wash.

Then I calmed down and went to make breakfast.

Wade was panicing.  There is so much still to pack!
I assured him I have a plan.  And I do.  The non-essentials are all packed, today the coast and shoes we don't need for the next week, the clothes we don't need for the next week, all the laundry is to be done, some errands run.

Tomorrow, all the bedrooms finished, and the kitchen packed.  Tomorrow night through sunday we will be eating out.

That is my least favorite part, packing up the kitchen and not cooking good healthy food, but eating out and not really knowing what is in the food we are eating.

To keep things in perspective and remember what is calling us home;