messages from the womb

I don't know you yet but you seem to have quite the sense of humor.  Despite only peeking at you once, I am amazed at your little personality...or perhaps you are just confused like your siblings.

finale

finale [fɪˈnɑːlɪ]: the temporal end; the concluding time

This month marks the finale of school for my big girl.  Next year she will attend a much bigger new school with new teachers and friends.  We look forward to new memories ahead but definitely lament the conclusion of wonderful years spent among kind and nurturing teachers -- just what her little soul needed.  We are ever-grateful for the happy school memories!

peaches

We recently dashed away for the day to a little country town known for its peaches.  Peach trees are perfect for little ones because they grown small and squatty.  Their limbs hang low with the weight of the ripening fruit and enable little hands to reach up and pluck the beautiful fruit from the trees.

The color of these little beauties was so vibrant against the overcast skies and lush green landscape.

The sweet fruit was piled in a box and into the mouth of my eager little picker.

After filling an entire box full I had to entice my little peach picker to leave with the promise of bakery goods in town.  She would have picked many boxes full if she could have.

As it is, 13 pounds of peaches are going to have us eating peach everything for weeks.

I am so happy that my once non-eating-peach-kid now loves the sweet fruit!

Just in case you love peaches as much as we do, here is a recipe for peach cobbler!  It is tasty and super easy to make with kids!

• Fresh Peach Cobbler
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3 cups peaches, sliced
• 1/2-1 cup brown sugar, for topping
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

1. 1
   Melt butter until slightly brown Pour into an 8-by-12-inch baking dish.
2. 2
   Mix sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and milk.
3. 3
   Pour into melted butter.
4. 4
   Do not stir.
5. 5
   Cover top of batter with peaches.
6. 6
   Do not mix.
7. 7
   Cover top of peaches with brown sugar.
8. 8
   Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Cinderella Shoes...

On a recent shoe shopping adventure, these were the shoes my children picked out for themselves.  Cinderella shoes?  As much as we have tried to steer clear of the princess mania for little ones, it has somehow infiltrated their world.  The glittery high-heels didn't leave the store with us and these two were quite disappointed.  They seem to think they can run and play in these crazy shoes...

Sometimes it is hard to reason with two insistent little souls.

divine breakfast {mother's day}

I am not much of a breakfast fan.  Having never really enjoyed the selection of breakfast foods out there, I typically forego the meal all together or eat something unrelated to the typical breakfast foods.

But this...

 this seems to be calling to me.

via

Wouldn't this be the perfect simple breakfast for a special weekend?

French Toast with Fresh Berry Sauce

recipe from www.OnToBaby.com

PART 1: The Berry Sauce

Berry Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups mixed berries – blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries

1) Melt the butter in a heavy medium skillet over high heat.
2) Mix in sugar.
3) Add berries.
4) Stir until sugar dissolves and berries are heated through, about 3 minutes.

PART 2: The French Toast

Ingredients for French Toast:
French Bread
3-5 eggs (depending on how much you are making)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1) Slice desired amount of bread.
2) Combine eggs and vanilla extract in bowl, whisk until blended.
3) Dip bread in egg wash on both sides.
4) Fry until cooked, both sides.
5) Finish by sprinkling with powdered sugar and drizzling with berry sauce.

Even if you weren't served breakfast in bed, it would be a fun meal to make with children.
Fresh and homemade, it sounds like an absolutely wonderful way to start a special day!

rain

We have had the luxury of rain lately.  My kids can't get enough of it and beg to play outside when it falls lightly from the gray sky.  Rain seems to have the same effect on them as snow....excitement, wonder, bundling up and pure joy.  I am happy to let them slosh and play in this beautiful element we so rarely see.  

old fashioned thanks

No matter what kind of teaching one does, it is bound to impact little lives.

Thank you wonderful teachers...

who touch our lives daily

who gently guide them

who naturally nurture them

who teach through experience

and who love children.