The Little Things

The kids and I recently went on a nature walk and as we were walking we started noticing the small detail of nature that we sometimes miss...

A doe silently observing us...

The spiny texture of a seed pod...

Tiny green, glossy leaves on a petite plant....

Time etched in the root of a tree...

Tiny orange flowers....

The way the light sparkles and plays among the leaves and water....

Happy and content hearts!

M is for Monster

As I venture into the realm of homeschooling our pre-K children, I have tried to come up with ideas to reinforce the letter we are studying that also let me to release some of my bottled up creative energy.

This past week we studied the letter "M". What better way to remember this letter than a plush creature to play with! I let the kids guide me in making their monster the way they envisioned. They chose all the colors, shapes and placement of the details! I'm so pleased with the way they turned out! They are so much better than if I had tried to guess what they would like!

These monsters were made with stuffed fleece, fabric scraps, buttons and glue, and minimal sewing. But you could make these with felt or construction paper as well.

The kids with their best "monster" faces. Lydia said she is a happy monster!
(P.S. Not all of our projects are this elaborate!)

A Call To Recess

"When [children] are bored or just tired of being alone, they instinctively head out for recess. And a few seconds later, Mom or Dad feel a tug and hear the words, 'Will you play with me?' This question has traditionally and incorrectly been thought of as an interruption. It's not. It's an invitation to recess. Whenever possible, even if it's just for a few minutes, accept your children's invitation to recess." Parenting at the Speed of Life: 60 Ways to Capture Time with Your Kids by Rick Osborne

For more thoughts on cherishing time with your kids read this touching post from MckMama.

This Week's Favorites

This week has been filled with pleasurable moments. I just had to share! I hope your week had shining moments of its' own!

NATURE:

**God's creative color combinations.

**Cooler days that beckon for open windows.

**Big, fluffy clouds in deep, blue skies.

FOOD:

**Blueberry Lemon Squares- (recipe to be posted soon) I had forgotten about this childhood favorite until my mom happened to mention it as she was sorting through her recipes. I'm so glad she did. How could I forget this delicious scumptiousness?

**Fresh fruit plate with cottage cheese. This has not been visited since I left home,
but this has been baby's #1 request this summer. Love it!

**Slow Cooked BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches topped with Sweet Creamy Coleslaw (with some tweaking of my own) piled on top. I always thought this sounded gross, but I've seen several recipes for it this summer and, again, the baby insisted I try it. This is a definite keeper!

**Chocolate Banana Bread- this may be the "go-to" recipe from now on!

PLEASURABLE READS:

**Kaffe Fassett's Kaleidosciope of Quilts- I love the use of vibrant color in bold patterns!

**The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule

**Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only by Beth Moore

FAMILY:

**Watching the kids "read" newly acquired library books to each other.

**Days at the park or in the back yard swinging.

**Brian getting a break in his 13 hour days for 3 whole days in a row.
His big project is almost done! We finally got a chance to eat dinner together again! Woohoo!

**Impromptu arts-n-crafts with the kids.

**Laughter and singing from the backseat; precious questions about God and Heaven.

All great gifts to be treasured!

Lost in Thought

I captured this preciousness this afternoon.
At first I was a bit saddened that he was just sitting all alone
and then it occurred to me,
it is a gift to quietly sit and ponder nature.
What a beautiful little boy!

The Lake

When the kids and I were visiting my parents last week the entire family was able to get together for a day at the Lake. It was a perfectly, beautiful day! The kids had never seen such a large body of water. We had such a great time! Here are a few photos to highlight our day.






Click here to see some more beautiful pictures my sister took to capture the day. Her pictures are fabulous!

Perfect.