School, school, school

There is something new here. All three kids in school! A bit belated as school began over a month ago, but here are some first day snapshots of all:

These changes are exciting. Ava is onto her last year at middle school. And after two years of homeschooling, Rowan began 2nd grade at the elementary school. Lilla is going three mornings to a sweet little nursery school. All this back to school has me inspired to finally go back and finish up that degree after all these years. With everyone in school this year, I might just be able to carve out enough time to do it.

Oh fall!

It's that time again. Super beautiful but bittersweet all in the same breath. I almost can't take it.

Finally, a new bathroom

Slowly but surely projects are finished around here...


Far from perfect,  I'm just happy that it's useable. Still needs some more painting. I think I'll go back and paint the wall above the bead board. With a mostly white bathroom, I'm thinking the wall color could be darker.
This little cabinet which gives us some much needed storage. By the way, this is how the bathroom looked in the earliest stages of renovation:

Garden glimpses

Last month

Here are a few belated glimpses from our trip to the Cape:

Quintin and Lilla at Nauset Beach. Their smiles were matched with squeals of delight as they dodged in and out of the coming tide.

Creative dives off the dock. I remember this from my own childhood when my siblings and I would have contests for the best can opener, cannonball...or even Nestea plunge. I loved watching the big cousins reconnecting and coming up with the same summer time games that I used to play.
The classic Chatham parade for the 4th. The whole town ( and people) get decked out in red, white and blue.
Hanging out with my sweet niece and nephew. I met Spencer for the first time! Look at these two...I just can't get enough of them.

And a group birthday celebration for all the June and July birthdays...Lilla, Sophia, Quintin, Dave and Mor Mor. Lilla received this pretty dress-up skirt and set about to twirling right away.
I hope we can sneak in another quick trip this summer.

Hello again

With summertime in full swing, the computer has become a very low priority. It's been weeks since I've posted here, emails regularly pile up in my inbox and I haven't kept up with the various sites I usually visit. While a break from the computer has been great, I miss this little space. Plus, I have a backlog of things I wanted to share here. At the top of my list is my little one's 3rd Birthday. Yes, Lilla turned 3 last month and we celebrated her day with friends and family, water play and carrot cake (by her request).

With her mile wide grin and friendly nature, Lilla is a joy in so many ways. It's been fun to see how many common interests we share...she loves cooking and gardening and dresses that twirl. She'll happily join me for a yoga session or paw through fabrics at the store. Happy Birthday dear one...I can't wait to see what this next year holds.

The outdoor classroom

On days as picture perfect as the last several have been, I'm so grateful we homeschool. The books, papers and meals all come outside. We can sit and soak in the fresh air and beauty...and completely avoid that torturous feeling of being stuck inside on a beautiful day. Oh, I remember that feeling all too well from childhood, looking out the classroom window and wishing I could be out there.

So we read, wrote and explored out of doors. Between watching the new bird build a nest, seeing our monarch caterpillars grow and building bridges at the creek, there's plenty to learn.

This week

Some works in progress here and there. One side of the kitchen: getting closer!
The other side: not even close.

A new veggie garden fence:
Not much visible happening yet...but the peas are up, the asparagus, potatoes, onions, carrots, lettuce, kale, and herbs are in. The weeds aren't even out of control yet!

A picnic lunch:
Under a perfect blue sky.

Hope your week is lovely!

Toddler craft

If you're like me and you have a prolific abstract painter in house, you probably wind up with reams of painted paper. What to do with all these delightful bits? Some end up on the wall as is ...others become gift wrapping paper or cards. This time around, Spring time inspiration struck and we decided to cut them into all sorts of butterfly shapes- Eric Carle style. Now the wall is covered with a mass of rainbow hued butterflies. Maybe we'll add some flower shapes too. And to complete the scene she painted a few of those classic egg-carton caterpillars. Easy, messy and good times!

I've noticed Lilla's imagination really blossoming over the last few months. She comes up with little stories about the butterflies, dolls or whatever she might be playing with. It's so fun to listen in on these sweet conversations she makes up between the characters. I've also enjoyed watching her speech develop. The other day as I weeded the garden she said "look the dandelions are having a party!" (yes there are that many growing in my yard) Then the next day when we had snow flurries (sad but true) she said "the snowflakes are dancing!" I love my sweet girl!

Green gifts

Just a few glimpses of things making me smile inside and outside my door today. I love how lively all the fresh spring growth looks on gray, rainy days. Is it crazy that I wake up each day excited to see what new things might be happening in the garden? Sometimes I'm rewarded with little surprises as last fall's hastily set in perennials and bulbs come to life. My garden is small and simple, but Spring still makes me feel like a child on Christmas morning- anxiously waiting to see what gifts the earth has to offer.

I hope to steal a few more moments to come back here soon.

Signs of spring

OK, I've had enough with the snow day pictures. Spring is officially here and for the moment the snow is gone! But since we've been known to have March/April snowstorms, I won't get my hopes up too much. For now I'm taking in the latest star to the landscape scene- snowdrop blossoms.
And maple sap! Though a very small scale operation with just a few taps hooked up, the kids are nonetheless delighted to fill and down a cup of the slightly sweet 'tree water.' And our little tree tap came in handy on the day our hot water heater was replaced and we were without water.We had a beautiful weekend full of outdoor play: swings, sandbox digging, biking and romps up the muddy, mossy hill. Now the rain's coming down and it's misty and cool. Refreshing!