(these [Nine] Moments)

Yes, once again... a little bit of Thursday for Friday! 

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

 The clouds, the mountains, the water -- my son and I :: Thank you Reji for capturing this moment.   

 Pro Cycling Challenge :: fun to walk to the end of our street and see this!

Early Sunday morning walk :: I would have missed this if I stayed in bed!

Avi's smash up of downward dog and a head stand :: "namaste to each other", he says.

We turn the corner to come home and find a llama grazing alone in front of the nearby elementary school :: I love our neighborhood. 

 We went to the Carousel of Happiness for our lovely friend Lola Mae's 2nd birthday. To say Avi was nervous is an understatement. "Go outside", he said, clinging to me and mama, when we asked if he just wanted to sit and watch his friends go around and around. But when we got home, he made a Carousel out of his own animals and rode them around and around :: I LOVE this kid!!

Morning chicken chores followed by strawberry picking -- all with his baby :: Did I just say I LOVE this kid? What a good papa he will be someday!

 Avi LOVES blueberries :: just not with his cereal.  

 A little water, sand, mud, clothes :: why not? 

A balancing act

As I have stepped into the classroom again, I haven't had much in the way of spare time to spend here. Just today, my lovely asked me if I had a chance to look at the four emails she send/forwarded to me. "I've been busy being a parent and an educator", I said with a smile.  Ignored emails, blog posts left to linger in my head, overdue library books, dirty floors, late night bedtimes (for me... as I write this now, everyone else is sleeping)...... and I haven't even given an assignment that I have to bring home to grade. At least there is clean laundry and time to sit down every evening for our family meal. 

So please be patient with me as I learn to juggle the added responsibilities. I know where my priorities are - thus my spare moments are given to my family (and the laundry)! And after that, you can look to find me here... just not as often!!

Oh and by the way, this decision to be in the classroom again is: 

big breath in..... eyes closed....... pause...... slow out breath... smile. 

Nine (this moment)s!

Yes, I know it's friday, but I'm having a little bit of thursday for friday. For those of you who don't know, I decided at the eleventh hour to teach again this fall. I started on Monday and that is partly the reason you haven't seen much around here. I hope to soon post about my decision to teach. In the meantime, here are Nine Moments!!!

-- Avi a little timid in the petting zoo. Mama leads the way! Thanks Jim and Paige for the invite!!

 -- The things you never knew existed until you go to a county fair. Who eats this stuff?

 -- Sand, Dirt, Mud... the natural progression. (taken by Michelle - our new and loved nanny).

-- Plum season!!! 

-- Gluten Free Plum Ginger Crumble  almost gone.

-- Folks Fest at Planet Blue Grass!!

 -- Making shade at the Folks Fest. 

 -- Avi's harvest of tomatoes and purple beans.

-- The chicken and feta didn't come from our sunless garden, but everything else we had for this dinner did!! 

then.and.now: seasons around the coop

number.ten

But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day.                                                                                                                           ~Benjamin Disraeli

   

Inviting you to join me in my Monday ritual with your own then.and.now

(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. 

If you're inspired to do the same, link your 'moment' in the comments for all to find & see.

  Joining  Soulemama          

nine

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

This week's treasures include:

 -- Harvesting... more to come!

 -- Sharing a little watermelon after a late dinner with these marvelous friends/neighbors.

 -- Why not take a run through the sprinkler in your pj's after doing chicken chores?

 -- Chickens and their gracious eggs.

 -- Last year, this tree gave us hmmmm, six? apples. This year... Woot!!

 -- These two sharing a snack after a bike ride.

 -- Despite the lack of sun in the garden, our kale harvest has been non-stop!

 -- "Wear Ema's gloves"

-- To know and love this little dreamer.

What are you treasuring this week? 

little hands, big help!

Cooking with kids is an adventure I love, when I'm in the right frame of mind. For me it requires lots of patience, a willingness to open to "yes" and the ability to relinquish control over the final product (and who am I kidding... I must relinquish control over the process too). A few weeks ago, in such a space, I got some assistance from my best little helper. We raided the pantry and made some delicious gluten free energy balls. The beauty of these is that the final product is delicious without perfect measurements. An ideal snack for 2 year olds to make. Avi was awesome in the kitchen - measuring, scooping, pouring, mixing, and tasting. I love to see him feeling helpful and important ... he shines with pride as he does his "work". (p.s. I love our learning tower for exactly days like this).

What are your favorite adventures to do with kidlets when you are in the right frame of mind?

then.and.now: eight years

number.nine

But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day.                                                                                                                           ~Benjamin Disraeli

 

My nephew Gage - 2004

   

That same sweet smile - 2012

Inviting you to join me in my Monday ritual with your own then.and.now

(this moment)

A Friday ritual. A single Two photos - no words - capturing a moment from the week. 

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

If you're inspired to do the same, link your 'moment' in the comments for all to find & see.

Joining  Soulemama

Nine

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

This week's treasures include:

-- These beauties ... growing to the next size but still baby feet.

-- Lately, I've been consumed by wanting to live near the water... then I came across this quote on someone's blog (was it yours? let me know so I can link)...

 "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus

Ruminating so obsessively about being someplace else, I almost missed the beauty in the moss growing between the flagstone in our front yard. I miss the water, but I do love where I live. 

 -- Plans to climb a 14er (14,000 foot mountain) with my Mom and siblings to celebrate her  70th birthday were thwarted when she sprained her ankle and knee five weeks ago. So instead, we did this...

 -- ...and this. This game ties our family together and has for many generations. Here Avi getting his first taste of Euchre from his Uncle Rick and Uncle Gene. 

 -- Uncle Gene's whiskers.

 -- Our vacation rental included a treasure map. 

 -- Our visit to the county fair.  Making Grandpa Berner Proud. 

-- Two weeks ago, a tired Ema at her wits end (as the going-to-sleep-process was once again weighing heavy on us all) drags the futon mattress from the spare room into Avi's room. And this is how his room stayed...

  -- ...until Sunday, when Avi and I took the crib apart together, using "tools" and the futon became his temporary big boy bed. The going-to-sleep-process is down from 3-4 hours to 15-45 minutes! Woot!!! I guess he was ready!