My Little Farmer

 The most willing helper for the gardening is My Anna-Kate.  

She's such a ham. She's wearing pants that I made her 3 Christmases ago and they are now so short, I guess they'll count as capris. 

Last fall she was my big helper.  We planted 100 bulbs in the orchard. 

Now there's color not only in the trees, but around them too.

I am really loving the different ones springing up. I think we'll make this an annual thing, planting 100 this year too.  If we keep it up, our yard will be bursting with color by the time she's a teen! I keep pulling all the flowers in, I love this time of year.  Flowers in vases everywhere!  

Picnics

When my two oldest were small, I set a goal to take them on a picnic somewhere new every week during the warmer months.  I was working a lot, almost always opposite shifts from my husband. I kept a picnic basket in the car with napkins, tin cups, tin plates, utensils and a blanket. I would make big batches of min muffins and individually package them in the freezer for grab and go. When it was picnic day, I'd grab some muffins, a cucumber, some fruit and cheese sticks and we'd be off someplace new.  Most of the time I did the picnics alone, but sometimes our schedules worked so Justin joined us. Such good memories.

I was going old photos and it just so happened that the place we randomly selected May 2021 was the same place we went together for a picnic in May 2014.  The last time we were at this fort, Adrian was 3 and Audra was 1 1/2.  See here: http://www.bornimaginative.com/2014/05/forts.html .

I have a mission to reinstate my old picnic idea. A new picnic spot every week.  A lofty, but fantastic goal.  Only now, I'm not making mini muffins to feed my crew. I've decided a hearty meal in the roasting pot, wrapped in a towel, tossed in an LL Bean giant bag with paper plates, utensils and a serving spoon is the better way to go with these big eaters. 

2021-bringing back the picnic. Who's with me?!

8 more

 8 more. Why not? 4 Anconas (which we haven't had before). These lay white eggs, which we haven't had white eggs in years. Plus 4 easter eggers.

The day after Mother's Day

 I know I did a wee bit of grumbling yesterday on how Mother's Day isn't all peachy around here with a change in routine. Know what feels like the real Mother's Day this year? The day after Mother's Day. I am currently completely off from work on Mondays. What did we do? Exercised. Tended animals. Had fresh eggs and homemade toast for breakfast. Then we read. We drew in our nature journals. Played outside. Had a delicious picnic. Read in the hammock. Made some paper. Hosted 4-H.  More outside play. Had a delicious dinner. Read more books. (With a bunch of laundry and household chores sprinkled in).  A day that's not so different from other days. When I pause and look at our life from a bird's eye view, I'm thankful our everyday has such beauty in what it is. I'm thankful my husband and I have collaborated and sacrificed to create a lifestyle with a routine that helps our littles thrive. The fact that I get to be home with them more than I'm away (which has gradually shifted to be this way over our parenthood journey) is a gift I'm thankful for. Today was awesome.

Thankful to my husband for putting this up. I notice my kids wearing lots of mama mades. I notice they are getting along and laughing, hallelujah. 

I also notice my gripe about this yard 9 years ago was that there was no shade out back. This maple had self seeded. I cleared around it by hand (this entire picture used to be brush), fertilized the maple with heaps of manure and hoped it would take off.  I asked my husband to put this swingset on the north side of this tree last fall (which let's be honest, he looked at me like I had three heads when I said this, but did it anyway).  See that afternoon sun?  See the north side of the tree? Afternoon shade! Specifically designed shady place to play, visualized by mama, built by daddy.  And to see the littles enjoying it is the best Mother's Day gift!  

Mother's Day 2021

I cannot pretend the whole day was roses and rainbows, for change in routine days aren't always smooth going days for this crew. But there were shining moments, and those I cling to.

(They all made these gifts for me with our neighbor. Plus Audra got me the cross box with her own money) 

There are ups and downs, but all in all, I'm most thankful I get to be their mama.

Little Girls

 

Happy (Early) Mother's Day to me!

 Well, Anna-Kate said she was going to wait. She returned from our dear neighbors with a special craft project she made with Nam.  She organized the items, Nam hot glued them.  Well, she wrapped it with Audra while I was working. I came downstairs from working remotely and Anna-Kate immediately hollered "I HAVE YOUR MOTHER'S DAY PRESENT, WANT TO OPEN IT?"  I said, "Oh, a present sounds delightful, I will wait until Mother's day to be surprised."  I no more than turned around and she had already opened it for me and presented it with a huge "SURPRISE!"  The camera was handy, I snapped a quick photo. I love it so.