A moment to breathe

We live in an area rich with green space.
So much so that I practically have to pinch myself sometimes
because it's Right. Here. at my suburban doorstep.

I frequently take advantage of all the serenity on my morning walks with a friend,
but it's a little less often I get my family out there with me.

So it was my Mother's Day request.  They were excited.

We hiked.  For like a whole mile.

There was a little competition for who would get to the little shelter first.  Ahem.

In the end, one got to the shelter first.  One got to the lake first.
One smelled the flowers.  (And took pictures of them.)
And one (God bless him!) ran interference.

We even discovered a geocache we weren't looking for.

And I got my favorite Mother's Day gift.

 

Set in our ways

It's easy to think that teenagers have little time for tradition,

with all of their activities and friends.

(The activities and friends deserve another whole post, but alas.

When you're doing them, there is little time for blogging them.)

This boy may have turned Sweet 16 in September

(^^^see, he has his own apple named in his honor)

but he is not too old to ask to go to the apple orchard.

He wanted to pick his own honey crisp apples,

because "the little grocery store ones just aren't as sweet."

The people in the front where you pay said the honey crisp were gone,

but Ben was not to be deterred from scouring for stragglers.

The big ones.

Ben also volunteered to go to the pumpkin patch with me.

And no one wanted to be left out of the carving.

Bethany reminded me that we had plans most evenings during the week,

so we needed to carve them on Tuesday.

Lee used to be the back up scraper outer,

but now that his services are no longer needed for that,

he provides the entertainment.

I have to have my own pumpkin to carve.  Always.

Ever since she was tiny, 

Bethany has been our leaf stomper.

Or smasher.

Whichever, it's undisputedly her job.

It's a given that some of them will come right back at us.

You know what's awesome?

I was in the middle of putting this post together when she came in

and asked me to make chocolate chip cookies with her.

Could she have done it herself and let me finish what I was doing?

Absolutely.

She didn't have to.

I'm so thankful the big kids love their traditions too.

Sunday evening happy sigh

This mom's heart was happy tonight

to see this girl back in the kitchen.

She has been busy twirling flags and rifles

practically 24/7 for the last month,

and it is amazing!

But we have barely seen her.

She had three blissful days off, 

and finally had enough down time to start living a little life with us.

Of course, she was making cookies for color guard tomorrow, but I'm good with that.

She headed downstairs and started playing with her brother.

(Note the consistency between the Sunday night kitchen and the Sunday night family room.

Cleaning up can wait for Monday.)

You just have to love him, right?

They got out some Wii games I haven't seen for a few years.

Girlie, you are doing some big time work these days.

Please remember that message on your shirt, OK?

The Creativity Project: Red

When I saw the red theme for this month,

I could not even imagine what I was going to do.

Then I was somehow reminded of my "stash".

Back in the day, the kids and I used to craft it up for Valentine's Day.

Eventually, they were over it.

And I suppose I was over the mess.

But today, "red" sounded like a good excuse.

I've purged most of the stash, but I saved a few things that had exceptional potential.

The funny thing is, I had never really enjoyed the creative process

for the photo opportunity that it was.

I mean, of course there were a few pictures, 

but mostly there was glitter glue.
I was right there in the moment where I belonged.

So today, I enjoyed the little details.

And wouldn't you know,

Bethany came in and wanted to know what I was doing.

She got to work.

The girl has style all her own I tell you,

with these grown up, capable hands.

She was so fast that she was done before I had barely even noticed.

And then she was off to do her thing.

By the way--our creativity was fueled by these. Because yum. And red.

The Creativity Project is a group of photographers posting monthly according to a theme.

I can't wait to see what the others have posted.  They have so much creative energy.

Maybe somebody lives somewhere warm where there are flowers???  A girl can hope.

Maddy is next in the circle.  Be sure to go see what she's been up to.

We would love to see the red in your world on The Creativity Project Facebook Page!