sometimes the best plan is no plan

We went down to the lake this morning to enjoy some donuts and quiet after a busy week.  They were good sports and wore the dresses I asked them wear just in case there was a good photo opportunity.  When we got there, there were people and photographers everywhere with the same idea, I guess.  The little one cried and didn't want to be a part of any activity organized by her mother.  Daddy got frustrated when our peaceful morning turned to crying and crowds of people.  I was deflated because I really wanted to snap just a few photos of my girls in the serene setting.  Finally we all just gave up and ran to the other side of the docks to the little area to play in the sand and splash in the water.  As my girls splashed without shoes, dug in the sand and watched boats pass by, I saw their true spirits.  Their dresses dipped into the cool lake water and their hair glistened in the soft morning sun.  This was the morning we hoped for.  The shift in plans and expectations was good for us all!

Bless you!

This morning as I was madly putting together lunches and getting backpacks ready for their final day of the week, I sneezed.  Now normally, a sneeze would just go unnoticed amongst the flurry of activity that happens from 6:45-7:15am during the weekdays, but today, my sneeze was noticed.  It was noticed by the curly-headed toddler making her way to the bin of Legos in the middle of the living room.  As she was walking by the kitchen and heard my sneeze, she said, "Bless you, Momma."  I stopped in my tracks, absolutely astonished by her words.  Not only were her words new but they were meant for someone else.  I had forgotten that a toddler's words can extend beyond "I" and "me" and "mine."  I was truly touched and moved to tears by this sweet gesture.  Little moments like these are the ones I don't want to forget and need to remember when things get crazy.

Homemade Guacamole

I love the way a few fresh ingredients combined, can make the tastiest treat.  Homemade guacamole is one of our favorite fresh foods.  My kids love to help make it and be the expert "taste-testers" when we are tweaking ingredients at the end.  It is super easy to make and perfect with chips, tacos or on top of chicken tortilla soup.  

Here is our recipe for Homemade Guacamole:

-about 4 avacados, diced

-1/2 red onion, finely chopped

-10 cherry tomatoes, chopped

-1/4 red pepper, finely chopped

-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

-handful of fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

-the juice of 3 limes (give or take some depending on your taste)

-a few pinches of coarse sea salt to taste

Mix the ingredients together by hand more or less depending on the thickness and chunkiness desired.

Enjoy! 

distractions

via The Handwritten Word

Ahh, sometimes little quotes like this put everything into perspective at the end of a long day for a mother.  Just when I thought I had to clean up, unpack, fold and put away all their things, we sat down and played a game of cards instead.  After all, even though I think I can't wait to do all those things, I know these kids won't wait either--they grow up far too quick.  

the flowers

The flowers this time of year erupt with the tiniest bit of rain and cooler weather.  Well, these farmer's flowers had some extra TLC I am sure.  Nevertheless, it is a wonderful time of year to be outside and drink up nature's treasures before they fade into winter.  

There is a wonderful pumpkin patch, goat-feeding, tractor-riding, flower-picking place not to far off our beaten path that we like to visit each fall.  On this particular trip I only had #3 along.  It was her first experience in rows of lush flowers.  She looked at all the bright colored blooms with great delight and then took off running down the row as fast as she could.  Flowers whipped the sides of her head as she raced by under the warm morning sun.  By the time I caught up with her, her shoes were stuck in a puddle of mud and she was wiggling her toes in the cool earth.  A little dirt never hurt his kid.  She got away before I could get the muddy shoes on her squirmy feet.  It was pure joy for her that morning even though I was a bit of a wreck chasing after her.  Thank goodness the dirt and flowers were so kind to her fair skin.

small-town pace

Just when Fall erupted like a bang and we were flung in far too many directions, we skittered away to one of our favorite places to enjoy one last taste of carefree days.  This time it was just my middle, my mother and I.  We visited beloved family, drank up the cooler weather of autumn, picked lots of apples and vegetables from my aunt's garden, visited lots of outdoor markets, hiked in the woods in search of woodsy treasures, spent long mornings at the local coffee shop, played cards and just enjoyed the slow, small-town pace along the North Shore.

Each time we go, I hope for this different, slower pace to rub off on my children.  I want them to remember the delights nature offers, the joyous feeling of picking something out of the garden to fill our dinner plates, the pleasures of simple card games played at the long salvaged wood table at the coffee shop with family, the coziness of an imperfect little cabin on the lake and taking time to breathe the fresh air of autumn.

woodsy treasures, a crown of ferns, pink dahlias at the market, hot cocoa mornings

time for knitting, picking up lots of beach glass, throwing the stick for the dog, pine cones and birch bark to make a fairy house

apple picking, apples fill her shirt, donning a new hat for cooler weather

"This is my favorite spot in the world, Momma."  "Do you want to know why?...because I can see all the way right and all the way left."

Sweet September

September is the gateway to lovely autumn. It signals the start of a new season marked with cool mornings and beautiful clear blue afternoons.  While these changes aren't nearly as drastic as other portions of the country, they offer hope of a reprieve from the summer heat.  The feel of a cooler north wind, darker mornings, and shorter evenings create a sense of eagerness in my soul for a gradual seasonal change.  Young children run wild with untamed excitement when the breezes turn cooler and outside play is more inviting.  

Yes, sweet September offers us such lovely gifts.  Happy first day of Autumn!