summer senses

seeing :: hummingbirds and bunnies in the backyard. Girls in little bright swimsuits sometimes sunbathing, mostly running and leaping into the little pool. 

smelling :: dirt and sweat, little girls play hard.

tasting :: Chocolate Cake, I made my first ever rosette cake for a garden party thrown by my mother in law, and I thought it looked pretty and rustic, and it tasted very rich, but by far my favorite part was baking and decorating it. I can't wait to try out some new cakes and I am already planning Pip's 2nd birthday cake!

hearing :: Cicada songs. The other night we were having dinner with all of our family, and we stepped outside to search for lightning bugs after dusk, and our ears will filled with cicadas humming all around us. The girls were so excited by the new noise, they couldn't stop smiling. It was a picturesque evening of childhood summer.

feeling :: cold?!  This summer has had some wonderful cooler nights and mornings, and at times I get to wear my new sweatpants, and snuggle into a blanket. 

The other morning, I got so giddy about upcoming fall, (it's my favorite!) because it felt and smelled fall-ish in the middle of July!!

planning :: home school for my girls. In light of all of the transitions and unknowns in our life, we have decided that we will try teaching the girls at home. I am feeling both nervous and excited for the upcoming year of kindergarten and preschool for my little ones.

reading :: When Children Love to Learn general editor, Elaine Cooper, which has been confirming and encouraging. Also, I should be receiving my copy of For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaffer McCauly soon. Both of these books dive into the Charlotte Mason method of educating and I am anxious to begin exercising what I am reading in our every day life.

listening :: The Civil Wars pandora station. 
I love this song.

talking :: when our family from Osaka, Japan was here, we talked late into the nights when our kids were finally in bed. It was wonderful having uninterrupted time with them. We love and support them in carrying out the Great Commission to the people of Japan.

laughing :: Jokes, Penny's babbling and now funny sentences.

We got a library card yesterday to the library in our new town, and of course the girls found a joke book and just had to check it out. Bonus: We found one of Levi's jokes in it! Also, Levi brought Penny into our room upon her waking this morning. She wiggled off of the bed and said, "I mwan foo" which I returned with "You want food?" And she got excited and started jumping. She's communicating!

crying :: over many things silly and not. about newness and uncertainty, getting a new library card (I miss our old library community!) and missing friends, hard lessons learned and grace in abundance. 

Which leads me to ENJOYING :: Him, meeting me here, revealing himself to me continually, a time of new adventures and passions, knowing that someday I will look back on this time and it will all make sense and see I am growing because of it!

photo taken at George Washington Carver National Monument

Breakin' in Spring + pie

Ahh Spring….ehh.

Y'all might remember my last spring post,

Spring isn't my favorite.

However,

this year feels a bit different.

Maybe it's because of my thankfulness journal,

my new swimsuit,

the psycho polar vortex,

or maybe our super, fun spring break trip to Gram and Pops.

Who knows?

But, I am loving this transition into Spring!

hearing

little birds singing every morning. 

The other morning,

 Nora woke up to the "beautiful songs of birds, it was so beautiful!!"

seeing

a favorite fairy garden,

Nora and her Gram worked one afternoon on our trip to 

put together a sweet little garden for two little fairies,

Cordie Fairy and Sapphire Crystal.

feeling

w i n d b l o w n

 I am not sure I will ever get acclimated to Oklahoma wind.
(this is MO wind, but I love her annoyed face here)

dreaming 
of summer. Let's get to the good stuff!
(picture from Iowa last summer)

smelling

rain on the wet, cool breezes. 
The other day, getting into the car, Cordie asked me, 
"Mama, what smells so good?"
"Spring, girl, fresh springtime air"

sewing
my first rag doll! I'm ready to try again soon!

planning
my best friend's birthday in early April!

changing
little girls' wardrobes from sweaters and fleecy jammas 
to sundresses and swimsuits!

tasting

Berries! Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries.

we like to throw them on our oatmeal, our yogurt and granola,

or just eat them by the handful!

Remember a few weeks ago I made an apple pie on a drizzly cold day?

It was the best my crust has ever turned out.

I must share this pin that helped me out,

and this week I am thinking raspberry and blackberry pie, mmm!

 Happy Spring!! 
Now go make some pie!!

autumn senses (here's to hoping)

Ha! Despite the disgusting heat, 

I know that it should be fall!

Here is why...

look at those burnt yellow leaves!

seeing :: Halloween costumes at Wal*Mart... and pumpkins everywhere!

talking :: about how Mama is going to make Wonder Woman, Superman, and Minion costumes for her littles.

smelling :: fires and fall spices. 

feeling ::  an actual cool breeze, which to me symbolizes summer as over, even if days are still rather warm. Summer in Oklahoma feels like there is a constant hair dryer being blown on our town, so I welcome a slight drop in hot, humid temperatures.

reading :: just finished The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and it was awesome, intriguing, a book that had me laughing out loud, crying so hard I made my girls worry, and wishing I wasn't so callous about the hard things that have happened and are happening to our world. The movie comes out November 15th, and I can't decide whether to allow many strangers to see my ugly cry face, or to wait till I can blubber in my own house. 

listening :: to The Oh Hello's per usual. Check out the violinist's sweet mustache, reminds me of my Grandpa Brown.

teaching :: letters and sounds to "Nordie". We are also reading this book on Fairies, and making them houses outside.

planning :: sweet baby Pip's 1st birthday!! Swings, balloons, and of course, chocolate cake! 

crunching :: leaves!! At the park, in our backyard, around the church. Cordie even gathered a bouquet of yellow leaves at the library!

tasting :: Zucchini Bread, reminds me of my mama!

Autumn Zucchini Bread

recipe from my mother, makes about 2 loaves.

1 c. sugar

1 c. packed brown sugar

3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

a dash of cloves

--mix together--

then add

3 beaten eggs

1 c. oil

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups zucchini, shredded

pour into loaf pans, Bake @ 325* for 1 hour,

then 350* for 15 minutes. 

Enjoy warm with a nice spread of butter over the top and a cup of coffee!

Happy Fall everyone! I hope it cools off soon!

it's spring, blerg.

Spring is my least favorite season.

Seriously, I don't get very excited about spring.

In fact, I almost dread Spring,

because to me, Spring = Tornado Season.

(WHY did the Lord send us to the middle of Tornado Alley??)

So, because I have been a very negative person this past week,

and because Spring doesn't always "blow", (hehe, cheesy pun! okay... I am a dork.)
here are the senses I am experiencing that help get me through spring.

Seeing: Flowering and budding trees 

     The way white peeps through the still bare forests, sigh* well done, Oklahoma.

Smelling: rain, chilly rain. Ahhh...

     They can't even bottle the scent. They try, but it's nothing like the real thing.

Tasting: Hot coffee

     It's so nice when the mornings are chilly and a steaming cup of coffee just gets you going.

    +plus!+ it's the season for CADBURY CREAM EGGS! Boo ya!

Hearing: The Weepies 

      Some music just helps set the tone of the season.  Nickel Creek and Phoenix are trusty 
      companions too.

Feeling: Cold, warm, then hot, then freezing, yes, let's build a fire. 

      Seriously, the  weather is crazy, I know. But when I get to start my morning snuggling 

      my girls, then playing outside in the warm sun, even shed some layers, and end the day

      cuddled up with my husband on the couch, it's a good FANTASTIC day. 

the older girls finding their favorite first flowers of Spring.

Here's what I want you to take away from this post

Tornadoes = bad, scary, boo hiss

Spring = tolerable... okay, maybe a little, ... tiny bit... fun?

Snuggling = great past time 

Eden = a dork with good taste in music

What helps you get through spring? and if you love Spring, um why?