The kids and I had such a nice time this morning (and afternoon!)...we headed down to the creek and actually got an early enough start and didn't have anything else that we had to do, that we were able to go down there without feeling like we had to rush back after only a half hour or so. On the way, we discovered ripe blackberries and picked about a pint which we brought back later and ate with vanilla ice cream for dessert after lunch. We played at the creek for about two hours: Wolf was covered in mud very quickly and throwing rocks contentedly just about the whole time; Delia fell right away and recovered after awhile; Delaney and Berkley hiked up into the dense wooded area that is the hill right up from the creek (they were pretending they were explorers like the kids in the book we're reading: Swallows and Amazons). It was so peaceful and lovely and perfect. Nobody was fighting (okay a little screaming when Delia fell but that subsided pretty quickly!) and there was no rush. It really was how life with kids should be. I'm working on getting there more often.
Farm Mama
I'm having issues with weebly tonight so I published and am starting another post with more pictures...
Amy, Oliver and Avery came over for a lovely visit a few weeks ago...poor Avery may never want to come back after piercing her foot on a stray nail from the coop when she thought she was just playing on an innocent slip and slide! Amy reports she is healing well, and I think they are still willing to come back! It is so great having cousins so close by!
I actually got over my squeamishness over crickets!! I could grab 'em like a pro!
Ok, at the risk of being obnoxious...please note Keith's fish and MY fish! Who wears the waders in this house:)?
When GG and Papa visited us a few weeks ago, we decided to take our neighbor up on the invitation to come fishing. It was such a fun time...the fish were biting left and right: we even lost a pole to one of them in the pond!
GG and Papa took all the kids to the creek themselves...is that baby heavy on your back, Dad?! They had a grand time it seems...and Mom and Dad are convinced we need to start a business: www.slateRus.com!
Just a few random funny pics here:
I have been out of the loop here a bit. There's been a lot on all of our plates: Keith has had a frantic month with trying to complete everything for his class and get those "ladies" in their house! The chicken coop is coming along well (just needs a roof) and the chickens seem to be quite happy in there. They are so peaceful to watch all day as they busily peck through the yard, and every evening at dusk, they faithfully troop up the ramp and roost up high, ready for to be locked up for the night (you know those ladies...lights out by 9, doors locked or the coyotes will call!). Though it took us a few nights to realize they would go in by themselves...watching us (3 kids and Keith and I) round them up to grab them and put them in the coop was pretty comical! They seem to have grown quite a bit eating all those bugs out there!
I've been preparing for and just finished performing a fairly intensive monologue from Willow Creek Church called "This New Day". It was great fun to perform Sunday and at the same time a great relief to be done because of the requirements of the script. It really is a blessing to get to be a "drama mama", especially when it's at our church and can be a ministry as well.
The kids are thriving...missing Keith a little bit these days as most of his free time has been pretty well consumed with sermon writing. But, they are patient with the situation; it seems they understand that this is just a difficult month. Wolf is walking all over the place now and prays at dinner. He stays with it the whole time! He'll peek to see if he's still supposed to have his head down and then he'll pop it back down for a bit and check again in a few seconds. Very cute! Cordelia's famous line lately is delivered after she she balances herself in some precarious position, "Dis dangerous, Mommy? Dis dangerous?" Yes, Delia, very dangerous! (Usually not:). Berkley is beginning to learn lots of letter sounds and learning to write his letters and numbers, and Delaney is thriving in all her subjects, but most especially reading which she really seems to love. We all finished listening to the Chronicles of Narnia on c.d. done by Focus on the Family. They were excellent! If you have or have not read the books, these are great all around! If you have never had any introduction to Lewis' Narnia, it's about time you started reading. They are incredible.
Okay, here's some pictures...that's what you're all here for anyway, right?!!
Pictures from Old Settler's Day...yes this was all the way back in June! Hey, it's not August yet! I'm only a month behind! This is one of the kids favorite traditions of summer...capped off by the State Fair in August. Yes, it does appear Berkley is sticking a glow stick up his nose.... Delia is with her best buddy, Anna and Delaney is with her best buddy, Mackenzie.
Couple of pics from the bake sale...it went great! D. is continuing to try to raise funds to sponsor a child for a year.
