4.30.2009

Planting Day







Ryan was home today and we spent the whole day planting and working on the gardens. By the end of the day we had most of the seeds planted... and two very muddy kids. Proof it was a good day.

4.29.2009

These...



are everywhere.

4.28.2009

Travel Tuesday- Road Trip








Back when we were in college, Ryan and I (and our dog Cooper) spent a couple weeks one summer on a road trip. The three of us and our trusty tent made our way through six states and five national parks. It might have been because we spent so much time hiking in nature, but whenever I think of this trip I can't help but feel peaceful. Every memory I have seems to involve being surrounded by fresh air, clean clear water, and blue sky. One of my favorite memories was watching the sunset, which we did every night from a new location. In fact we enjoyed it so much that for awhile even after we came home we made a point to watch the sunset together.

It is so fun to reminisce about our pre-marriage/children days together. Our lives were so different then. I feel so thankful to have shared such rich experiences in those early years of our relationship.

4.27.2009

Gardens



This weekend we learned that we have a Magnolia tree here... and it's starting to bloom. Ryan and I are so inexperienced when it comes to flowers that we had to look it up. I don't think I've ever seen one up close before. They are so beautiful. Another great flower surprise.



We are in the process of building raised beds for our vegetable and fruit gardens this year. And, as we like to do, we found the most time consuming, back breaking way to build them. There is an old stone foundation on our property and we decided the stones from there would be perfect to build the walls for the gardens. So Ryan has been hammering out the stones and wheel burrowing them to the spot where we are building the gardens. Did I mention there are going to be seven gardens... he has been working hard.




And working right along side her daddy, Grace built her own garden. I'm not sure what she's growing but whatever it is needed a lot of water because she made multiple trips inside and out with the watering can (and left the muddy prints to prove it).

4.24.2009

Hammock love


Whoa am I loving this hammock. Today after everyone was down for their nap I got to enjoy a whole hour to myself. And I'm happy to say I spent most of my time doing absolutely nothing but laying around in the hammock (well and eating ice cream).

I have to laugh about my post from last night (I'll come back around to the hammock in a minute) because I totally set myself up in that very last line, "a perfect end to the day". My day definitely did not end after a drink on the deck, not even close. We had long since come in from our deck drink when we heard Grace upstairs crying in her room- she had suddenly came down with a cold and was not feeling well. We couldn't calm her down and she kept saying "I'm just sick and I'm crabby" (gotta appreciate the honesty). Her crying eventually woke Jackson up and after a few minutes of trying to get them back to sleep we gave in and decided to just let them both be up. It was a beautiful night out so I grabbed some blankets and Grace and we went out and cozied up in the hammock. I don't know if she'll remember it forever but for me, that will be one of those memories that will stay with me my entire life. Lying there together, with the warm night air blowing over us, staring up at the stars... it was one of my favorite moments I've ever had with her. Rocking back and forth with her in my arms we talked about meaningful things (future camping trips, the sounds we were hearing in the night) and silly things (like the matching star game she came up with). And we snuggled. And I really didn't want the night to end. But it did, and though I'm not sure what time we all got to bed, I do know that that was a perfect end to the day.

4.23.2009

Warm wind


When we first looked at this house, as the realtor was showing us around she casually opened all the doors and let the warm autumn breeze blow in. As we were looking at the kitchen, Grace begin to run in circles... out the french doors, around the house and back in the side door, giggling every time she passed us. I remember it so clearly because it was at this exact point that I knew this was our house. Something about that moment drew me in. I'm not sure I would have been able to put my finger on it then, but now I know exactly why that moment sold me. Today was a beautiful warm, windy, spring day, and this afternoon we opened all the doors, just like that first day here... and it was heavenly. All of us moving in and out of the house freely, Grace running around in her bare feet. Even the cats were enjoying the freedom to come and go as they please. There is just something about living somewhere where you can have the doors wide open... it feels safe and liberating all at the same time (not to mention the whole house now smells like sun dried laundry).

Ryan and I continued to enjoy the warm evening by having a drink on the deck. Not a normal occurrence around here on a Thursday night but such a perfect way to end the day.

4.22.2009

Exploring our own backyard






Grace and I went exploring today during Jackson's nap. It was a beautiful day- perfect for a walk through the woods. We haven't been able to do a lot of real exploring since everything has been covered in snow for 5 of the 6 months we've lived here. Today our walk took us on a semi-permanent path courtesy of the family who use to live here. We ended up at this little pond at the edge of our property. Grace thought it would be a good place to go swimming, "when it gets warmer". I'm not so sure about that but it will be a fun destination for our little nature walks.

4.21.2009

First blooms, sleeping babies and quilts



Now there's a random post title. I really couldn't narrow down a topic I guess. So... I think I'll start with last night when Jackson, for the first time in three days, stayed sleeping after we put him to bed (Well by our standards anyway. There were a few short rock/nurse back to sleeps but we consider that normal around here). The three days in a row before that he woke up a half hour after we put him to bed, and no matter what we tried, we could not get him back to sleep. So then we would bring him downstairs to play and by the time he got to bed for good it was usually 10:00. Though it was fun to give him some one on one time with the both of us (since that really never happens) we both started feeling like we were being robbed of our evenings. Last night though, he was finally back to himself again. Which was great, but it took me awhile to be able to relax because I kept feeling like any minute I would be called to duty. Thankfully though, I never was, and I eventually settled into working on Grace's quilt. I'm pretty excited about it too because after months and months of pondering about the design, I finally figured out what I want to do. And what's really great is it's way easier then the original pattern I was going to do. Now hopefully I'll be able to move a little faster then the eight months it's taken me to get to this point.

And finally to the flowers. These are our first flowers to blossom here. I just think they are so beautiful. And such a cheery addition to our kitchen. Can't wait for more.

4.19.2009

My new favorite book



I am in love with this book. Really. I could read it all day. I got it for Jackson for Easter but Grace and I have been reading it every night before bed. It is just so sweet. And it makes me want to get a sheep. Not sure that's what the author intended the message to be but it really makes me want one.

4.18.2009

A perfect start to our weekend...


1. A hammock
2. Dinner on the grill
3. A glass of wine

4.17.2009

Farm Streaking


This is the second day in a row I've turned around to find a pile of clothes and Grace running around with nothing on. The hardest part for me is to eventually make her put them back on. I don't want to be the one to stop all that fun. It looks so freeing- tossing off your clothes like that and skipping around in the warm spring sun. Tempting even. But, being the semi-sensible person I am, I better just leave the streaking up to Grace. I guess that's another joy of parenthood, to watch your kids try all the crazy things you won't.

4.16.2009

Our Day... Part 2





This afternoon (after Jackson woke up from the longest nap ever) we packed up and went to the park. It was our first time exploring this park and I can already tell, this is going to be one of our spots for the summer. It has a lot of trails to explore, a swimming beach, fishing dock, and a great playground- which is where we spent most of our time today. Although more specifically, we spent most of our time in the sand on the playground. Especially Jackson, he couldn't get enough of it. There is something to be said for putting your toes in hot sand for the first time of the year. Yes, today definitely started to feel like summer.

Our Day...Part 1





Grace and I had so much fun this morning running around during Jackson's nap looking for budding flowers. They are starting to pop up everywhere. It's kind of like a flowering surprise party around here, being that we know nothing about them. Love it.

4.15.2009

Night Ramblings




Though I'm normally a pro at changing diapers on sleeping children, last night I wasn't so lucky. After failed attempts at singing back to sleep, rocking back to sleep, and nursing back to sleep, I finally gave up. Jackson was awake.

So, there I sat, functioning just a notch above sleepwalking, watching as Jackson proceeded to play and explore as though it were 1 in the afternoon instead of 1 in the morning. I can't help but wondering... right at that very moment, how many other moms (and dads) were out there doing that very same thing. Up in the night, in a foggy haze staring at a wide awake baby. And I wonder, where do we parents find the patience and gentleness to be awake at times like this? Of course there are plenty of times when I don't have patience and gentleness in the middle of the night, but when I do, where does it come from? Did one of my parents ever sit up playing with me in the night- somehow planting the ability in me to pass it forward to my own children? Does this mean that Jackson now has the ability in him to someday patiently get up in the night with his own baby?

I guess I'll never know. But it would be nice (if this is something that has to be done) if all the awake parents and babies could at least do it together. It might be kind of fun, like a big slumber party. Though I guess if I am wishing for things, it might be smarter just to wish for sleep.

4.14.2009

Travel Tuesdays- New Zealand








I can remember so vividly stepping off the plane in New Zealand... so early in the morning it was still dark, and already I was in love. It smelled different, the air felt different... and I could tell, even through the dark night, it was beautiful. There were so many wonderful memories from this trip; dancing all night in that silly bar, the night spent on that small ship, skydiving and screaming my lungs out, hostels in all their glory, meeting other travelers from other countries. But perhaps the most special thing about it for me was that it was my first real experience of the world. My first exposure to the kaleidoscope of adventures one can have on this great planet of ours. And it was in this tiny little country that my love of travel was truly born.