Wintering

 

Wintering.. one of Londons favorite things. 

This is my first photo shoot using my new IPhone recently gifted to me by someone special and I’m obsessed with it. 

We woke up this morning to a glistening landscape and a little girl with a craving for snow cones and snow cakes and snow smoothies and anything and everything laced with snow.

Her and Ray romped and stomped in the snow mounds until their little snouts froze solid. 

Mama was able to snap a few candid shots between shoveling and salting and fixing things that ol’ man winter toppled over while we slept.. he truly thinks he’s funny. 

With frosty bones and ice laced lashes 

we nestle back inside. 

a teakettle; a tin of spice

on the table warm apple pie

whip cream dotted noses

deep belly laughs keeps us warm

******

London leaps out into the front yard 

which has become her slothy stage;

followed by Sweet Baby Ray,

her pouncing parade

*******

a band of angels fell from the sky

and left their imprints upon London’s stage;

to be spied by passerbys

Fun Nite Art, Dolphin in the Sea

A few weeks ago I enrolled London in a art class, where the kids learn to paint a dolphin in the sea. I know she is still a little young for such things, but it was her first experience with something of just hers. You can imagine her excitement when we later discovered her bestie Kitana was also enrolled. They stuck together like glue and had a sweet time with paints and Panara Bread yummies.

Bonnie and Devin took off in the van, and the rest of us loitered around for 2 hours, taking our turns at peeping in as we impatiently bobbed around the door to catch a glimpse of her masterpiece, and trying to blend in as much as we could as to not get asked to leave the room for the second time. ha

My little artist had more fun just being by Kitana's side than painting, and wasn't too pleased with her final piece. I think its beautiful just as a mother would. No matter what though, her artistic tank was nourished and her wall in her room is a bit more arty.

Much thanks to Panara Bread and Fun Nite Art for helping these little artists along...

xoxo

Autumn love

Fall is that one season that can warm you up despite the chill in the air, its bursting with life even though the trees and grass are half past dead..  The season that always seems so much kinder, more mellow, and seems to make afternoons last, even though its time is so short. It's the Earths explosion before the silence of winter, a promise kept, a brand new year, another turning of a page, or a whole new chapter for that matter! A chance to wipe away last years mistakes and start with a new slate.

The coldness let up just enough for us to get out and capture the peak, the leaves were falling like rain in some parts, and the sun drenched paths were completely covered in oranges and reds. The memory of the sound of that crunchy hike should last me all winter! I hope you get out and get your autumn shower before its too late. Happy October, and beyond.. <3

in which reminds me of a poem I wrote a few years ago.

Alas! Once again I come alive

to breathe the chill in the air

and admire the miracle of Orange, Red, Green & yellow

swirling amongst me, as if summoning me

like a ghost within arms reach

I wake to the crackles beneath my feet, as I walk

for my soul has been in a slumber

I accept the riches of the golden sky

dripping mounds of patchwork leaves

splashing us with laughter

as I soak in the breeze

nature's masterpiece in brilliant bold

creating a magical tapestry of autumn madness

branded in my memory

indefinitely...

but soon Autumn will fade away

as I fall into a slumber once more

like a withered crop

I descend from my mountaintop

as if reaching life's final stage

beyond the iron gate

my Jack O' Lantern will blaze

for this will be farewell

till the chill in the air returns

and I can breathe once more

next Autumn's eve..

Sweet Corn Festival

a day to jump out of bed and herd the kids straight to the car. the first fall fest of the year and its life or death! sweet corn dunked in butter and salt and pepper to taste, strawberry ice cream for the screamin demon and a forever wished for sprite from the boy who had none.
another fall season barging in on us, handing us many opportunities to get out and keep those traditions alive.
me and nev got hung up in the halloween booth in awe over the beauty (and the prices)! and the realization that our favorite season is smacking us right in the face..swoon
i entered bum in a corn shucking contest and he got right up with the kids ready to compete for whatever corn shucking was. After one head of corn, he left the line insisting on a small break. lol, who's the unschooler here! we opted out and moved on to bigger and better things, like jumping on a hayride and watching the old bearded men cook over the fire, and lusting over fresh homemade sour dough bread that we were $2 short of buying. its all good though, we left happy with ice scream splattered shirts and corn in our teeth, win!
here's to a perfect sunday afternoon and being thankful to live in a place where there are seasons!

 “But then fall comes, kicking summer out on its treacherous ass as it always does one day sometime after the midpoint of September, it stays awhile like an old friend that you have missed. It settles in the way an old friend will settle into your favorite chair and take out his pipe and light it and then fill the afternoon with stories of places he has been and things he has done since last he saw you.” 

Family Camping

this was our first time camping as a family. the kids scattered as soon as we got there and found other earthlings to harass as mama got stuck unloading the car and putting up the tent, (figures)! five other families we didn't know were there for the camp too, everyone got along, and london had a doppleganger! the only way to tell them apart was the color of their shirts!

denver found a boy his age that he called 'the blue boy' because the top of his hair was dyed blue, so denver constantly stalked and interrogated him about what he knew about super mario brothers and the wii system itself.

i think the blue boy and his family were pretty relieved to see us pull away at the end. (shrugs). i bet so did the big lady who sat next to us at dinner and he immediately pointed out to her that she had a 'beast of a meal'. TWICE! its that moment you have to get up and walk away cause you cant hold in the laughter any longer. my poor guy has a way with insulting people in the most innocent way. smh. 

nev got befriended by a little 5yr old korean kid, he stuck to her like glue! when he could'nt find her, he would come to me and just say 'where she'? haha he was so cute! yep, trent, family of 5.

we had an awesome dinner cooked over camp stoves, and banana boats roasted over fire for desert. watched the sun go down as the kids did a skit about the constellations and denver and london were made into kings and queens. night hike in search for owls and where i lost my phone and one child. both were ran back to me by fellow campers in my moment of panic, i don't think i'm ready to do this alone quite yet. 

it was enough fun to last us for a while, but I am glad to be back home in my own bed. and I have a notion everyone's going to bed early tonight!

Aaah, summer - that long anticipated stretch of lazy, lingering days, free of responsibility and rife with possibility. It's a time to hunt for insects, master handstands, practice swimming strokes, conquer trees, explore nooks and crannies, and make new friends.