This Moment

Playing along with Amanda today... in her words: 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Wednesday in Photos

21/52

A portrait of my kids ever week for 52 weeks.

Audrey Princess Alicia (as she calls herself), wearing her see-saw princess outfit.

Henry eating an olive off his finger, after eating part of a dark green marker.

Father's Day Link Love

When a Father gives to his Son, both laugh.

When a Son gives to his Father, both cry.

~William Shakespeare

The time is coming for us all to give back to the providers, the anchors, the advisers, the father figures in our lives. For me, Father's Day is a little more challenging than the preceding parental appreciation day. It shouldn't be, though, because honestly, there is probably a dad out there who would appreciate every Mother's Day gift idea I have, so really, why the mental block?

Hmmmmm.

Well, I have exactly 22 days to get over myself and find something perfect that says, "Thanks for all you do."

Maybe some of these will help...

Father's Day Link Love

For the Sentimental Daddys:

• Find a photo of you and him together from yonder year and blow it up, put it in sepia, and frame it with a treasured memory written beside it.
• Have kids? Recreate a photo of you and your dad with you and your kids, then frame the old photo and the new photo together.
• Grab a blank card and a pen, take a moment, meditate on what he means to you, and write it all down... then give him the card.
• Have a new daddy in the family? Put together one of these adorable shadow boxes.
• Make him a t-shirt with a drawing you did as a kid, or the grandkids did for him.

For the Foodie or Chef Dads:

• Get him one (or a set!) of these beautiful hand-carved wooden spoons.
• Pack up his favorite breakfast/lunch/dinner, picnic-style, and take him out to a favorite spot.
• Get him one of these fruit storage thingies that are both functional and beautiful.
• Make him some homemade limoncello! (ok, you do't have enough time to make him limoncello, but you should totally start now for a Christmas gift anyway, that stuff is amazing.)
• Get him one of these beautiful handmade cutting boards (then get one for yourself).
• I still love the idea of making a recipe book out of family recipes, too.

For the Pops with a Green Thumb:

• Gather up some medium-sized smooth stones and markers, some paint stirrers or wide Popsicle sticks and chalkboard paint, or second-hand wooden spoons and paint of choice, and make him some custom row markers for his garden (you know, "Carrots," "Beans," etc.).
• Get him a gift card to his local nursery.
• Surprise him with a nifty composter, tucked neatly into a corner of the yard.
• Is there already a compost pile or bin? How about a simple compost bucket for under the kitchen sink?
• Make him a garden harvest basket bag (or three!).
• Give him homemade coupons for weeding, watering, etc.

For the Father Who Has Everything:

• Put together a Superhero Fort Kit, and give it to him on behalf of the grandkids.
• Make him this hilarious t-shirt- it's a double gift, a shirt and a nap!
• Order him an iPhone case with photos of the fam.
• Make him a meal of all his favorite foods, even if it's a dinner of all meat, a breakfast of all carbs, or an entire 5-course blowout of desserts.
• Wash, detail, and gas up his vehicle.
• Take over his usual chores for the weekend (mow, trash, cook, clean, whatever).
• Meet him at a coffee shop or his back porch with a six pack and just spend some time with him.

Whatever route you take for Father's Day, just let it come from the heart- that's all he'll ever want.

This Moment

Playing along with Amanda today... in her words: 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Out in Our Garden

Out in our garden...

...we're picking peas, green beans, yellow squash, lettuce, basil, and spring onions! Quite a success, compared to last year! It's a far cry from the beatdown we were experiencing as we walked through the garden a year ago... today, we came away with quite a late-May haul, if I do say so myself:

Wow, someone should really do something about that parsley growing in those garden paths and, well, everywhere else... 

If only 90-100+ degree temps weren't right around the corner, I'd bet we'd have an amazing comeback on our hands. I do plan on enjoying this- dare I say it?- bounty as much as I can despite it all, don't you worry.

And I do love checking in on what's going on out there... out in our garden.

Not Just Dewberries

We have been all over the place since this past weekend with goings-on that I just can't wait to share in this space. Busy, busy, busy- and quite distracted- easily describes both the Mama and the Daddy of this house lately. What an atmosphere that makes! And what a welcome distraction it was when a call from Pappy announced that the dewberries were ripe.

It was an easy decision to pack everyone up and take a break in the berry brambles at my parent's house, and this morning, we'll be having the last of the fruits of our trip over our oatmeal (a sweet reminder of the reprieve of our visit).

We went down for the dewberries, but it was so much more than handfuls of berries that we took away from those fields... because ultimately, our trip wasn't just about the dewberries. We came down for a little calm, a little more space, and a little more quiet, and in the end I just can't argue the benefit of that time spent with berry-stained smiles, woolies, cool gray skies, and wide open spaces...

...but it was certainly argued when it was time to go home!

Thanks for having us, Mimmy and Pappy- even though our visit was quick, we got the most out of it.

20/52

A portrait of my kids every week for 52 weeks.

Audrey in plaid, watching the kitty roll around on the floor.

Henry and his bedhead curls, eating oatmeal.

Right Now

Right now, I'm realizing I didn't take any photos this weekend. Not a one (so please to enjoy this beautiful sunset from last weekend, which was slower and much less stressful).

Right now, I'm thinking back over all we did (and didn't get around to doing), and coming around to the fact that this week will probably be just as much of a blur... this Monday for sure, anyway.

Right now, I'm taking solace in some peaceful music and my trusty cup (newly thrifted and a sunny yellow) full of hot coffee in this peaceful hour before the babies get up.

Right now, I'm hoping that everything that needs to be done will be accomplished, in keeping time with our grand plan (ours or the bigger Grand Plan, either one).

Right now, I'm making lists, checking e-mail, making phone calls, and wishing all a Happy Monday.

So, Happy Monday.

This Moment

Playing along with Amanda today... in her words: 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Last Year...

Last year at this time, our Bubba was crawling but not walking (yet), my beautiful new teapot was still intact and providing tea every morning en lieu of coffee, the kiddos were spending every morning hour outside before temps climbed well past 90 degrees, and there was only one active attention-seeker following visitors around the house.

This year, there are two forces to be reckoned with every day (for visitors and family alike), we have been enjoying consecutive days of average or below-average daily temps that allow us to be out and about all day long, and coffee has returned to its rightful place in our morning routine.

A truly simplified look at the changes that have come with a 12-month cycle, but an eye-opening look (yet again) at how fast time flies... and wow, how time flies.

I can only imagine what mid-Spring will look like in another year....................................

BUBBLES.

Daddy set the bar kinda high this past weekend when it comes to bubble baths... I'm not sure if we've ever had over 12 inches of bubbles at bath time before.

It was, as you can see, amazing.

I'm not sure if an average bubble bath will ever be good enough again... for any of us!

19/52

A portrait of my kids every week for 52 weeks.

Audrey in her shades, wearing a sweater despite the 76-degree day.

Henry through the slats in his crib, sleeping soundly.

Right Now

Right now, I'm loving a weekend that saw-

-an early start, the hubs at the co-op and me in the kitchen with the kiddos, prepping a Brunch of Appreciation for the amazing, strong women in our families.
-an afternoon of short naps, business around the house, and an early dinner off the grill, followed by the biggest, most amazing bubble bath time ever (I'll share pics soon).
-a Sunday morning kid pile wake-up, the best scrambled eggs, and a slow and peaceful afternoon.
-fresh flowers picked by loving little hands and delivered to my doorstep.
-Vietnamese noodle soup for dinner and the kids' first Boba teas (priceless).
-a blazing, fiery sunset grand finale, with the sounds of frogs croaking, the roadrunner cooing, and Henry singing himself to sleep with a version of 'Jingle Bells' done completely like a monkey.

This weekend saw me completely overwhelmed with the beauty of this life. The good and the bad, the peace and the stress, the alone time and the surrounded moments- the good stuff. A weekend that left me feeling appreciated, loved, and refreshed. Wishing all the same amazingness at the beginning of your week, too.

Happy Monday.

Happy Happy...

Happy happy Mother's Day to my Mom-A-Lee, my mother-in-law, my grandmothers (by blood and by fortune), my mommy-friends, and the mother figures in my life. But mostly, happy Mother's Day to my kiddos- if not for you, I would not Be.

This Moment

Playing along with Amanda today... in her words: 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

SSSsssssss(nake)

Note: rattlesnakes, like most other venomous snakes, can still
inflict damaging if not fatal bites even after they are 'dead'
and should be handled with caution and care- if handled at all.
These kiddos were never near the head while investigating our
specimen, and after inspection this snake was laid to rest
in a safe, kid- and dog-void place... and all hands washed, of course!

I found my first real live in-person rattlesnake today, which is weird, because I've lived in Texas almost all my life and it feels like I should have encountered one before now.

But nope, first one today while I was cleaning up our brush pile at the back of the yard. I'm so incredibly glad I found it, and not my kids or my dog. Oh, poor rattlesnake... I hated to kill it. Such a mighty icon of our area, such a great rat-killer. If only it weren't venomous, or we had acres and acres and I could just relocate it far away from Home... but no. It had to go.

We did, however, show it some due respect. It is, after all, an amazing animal.

(I'm still feeling a little buzz of adrenaline typing this, even hours after my encounter... there's nothing like the sound of that rattle when you're not expecting it!)