Snow

{They are building sledding and snowboarding runs}






{Eating snow as usual}


{Snowboarding}





Yesterday I had my camera with me on my little trail walk and I couldn't stop taking pictures.  It was the most beautiful winter day I have ever seen.  Snow covering every last twig, I felt like I was on another planet. Later that night when I tried to upload my photos somehow they had all disappeared.  Today was beautiful too, but unfortunately most of the snow on the trees had already melted.  Oh well.  We still enjoyed it.

Let's Stay These Ages Forever

At "recess" today these three decided to see if they could run around the driveway 100 times.  But first- warming up with jumping jacks.

Butterflies and Summer

{The "Red Spotted Purple" butterfly}


{Grace's beautiful hairdo to help attract butterflies}




{awww... the pool}



We are spending some time learning about butterflies as the school year is coming to an end.  It is something everyone is enjoying and I hope our interest continues through the summer.  In the very least I plan on picking it up again in the fall (when we tag Monarch's with our homeschool group).

One day Jackson came and told me of a butterfly that he thought might have actually been a fairy.  "It was blue and very special and I got a really good feeling when it was near".  Later we were able to identify it as the Red Spotted Purple.  Though I still think it is very special and it really might be a fairy.

While it is not official yet, the feel of summer is here.  Hot weather, the "pool"... we are spending most of our time outside.  A few days ago Nora found a toad in her playhouse and spent a good hour playing with it.  She talked about it nonstop as she was going to sleep.  Then first thing the next morning she went out to look for it again.

I am looking forward to summer break as much as they are I think.  As much as I love homeschooling it is so wonderful to have the freedom of long summer days.

Winter Returns

We didn't mind.  Well they didn't.  I didn't mind spending another day by the fire.

The Snowball Factory

A Winter Picnic

Tonight's Performance

"The Fisherman's Daughter"
(Stage made possible by Ryan's cribbing)

Home Again

Soon I will get up all the pictures from our annual up north vacation with my family.  But for now I will move on to being home.  It feels good.  Really good.  I love our July vacations and I am so grateful for them.  But I also love the slow, summery month of August.  There is usually not much on our calendar, a lot of food coming out of the garden, and (hopefully) plenty of sunny days for playing or just being lazy.

{ a play in progress}

It was such a fun surprise to come home to a garden full of food.  Tonight at dinner all three kids gobbled up roasted beats, tomato/cucumber salad, green beans and fresh peas and cucumbers.  I know they would have never eaten half of these things had they not helped grow them.  Yes I love our garden- it is health, happiness and even therapy all rolled into one wildly growing patch of earth.



I think it's important to note that not pictured in this photo are the fish sticks that went with all of this homegrown goodness.  Sometimes after spending all day gardening and then magically turning that garden into part of a meal I need some help with the rest of it.  Baby steps.

Weekend Highlights

~ Enjoyed radishes, lettuce and kale from the garden everyday
~ Spending the majority of the weekend in the garden with the whole family
~ Going to our friend's Summer Solstice party (where the kids ran threw sprinklers, jumped on the trampoline and ate way too many treats)
~ Started working on Jackson's quilt (it was the first time I've used my sewing machine since Christmas, I missed it)
~ Captured the tiniest frogs (toads??) from our driveway, they were everywhere
~ Got a glimpse of another beautiful sunset

Sunday Morning

Plays, Plays and More Plays

We have had an exciting week here as Grace and Jackson were called back to the 2nd audition... and then on Friday we found out that both were cast in the play!  Grace as the role of Aesop and Jackson as the roll of the bull.  They have had two rehearsals already and really, really seem to be enjoying this wonderful experience.  All that being said, the next month and a half is going to be pretty crazy for us with four rehearsals every week.  Hopefully it continues to be a fun and exciting sort of crazy.

Back at home we have a lot of plays going on as well.  This one, by Jackson and Nora, was called, "How Baby Lion Killed the Dragon".  With a title such as this it probably goes without saying that it was exceptional.