New book for a new season

MUUMs

The blackberries are on their way....

Eliot and I dropped off food for the Religious Education recognition brunch this morning at church. Of course we checked on the blackberries. The blackberry patch at our church is one of the biggest I have ever seen. Every year we collect some. Next Sunday should be a good time for basketfulls.

Really, am I ready to wean?

Being able to put  Elaina to sleep easily is a gift and pleasure. I am not sure if I am ready to give that up. She is a lot different than Ben. Well, all children are different nursers aren't they? She seems to be able to do without comfort nursing and only really wants me when she is thirsty. She likes her food and eats a variety. I want to keep her immunity up. She has only been to the doctor once when she was 2 weeks old just to meet the doctor. She hasn't had any shots yet. I was waiting to give her the few I feel she needs (I strongly believe parents have the choice when it comes to vaccinations) when she was weaned. My head of course knows the research and screams that I should keep breastfeeding for at least a year more but I am not sure Elaina and I will make it. I am not going to go cold turkey. Little one won't even be one year old till next month but the weaning process is in my head. I know it should be child led but mama is tired.....

Beautiful, healthy girl pruning my flowers. She deserves her milk but I may start cutting out daytime feeds and just nurse at night. That is when she gets her bulk of milk anyway.....

Ahh fresh herbs

Rue, lavender, purple basil, fennel, terragon and lemon balm....

The smell is sweet and spicy. A fresh end to a long week. I ended my contract position as a Special Instructor. I need more professionalism and less stress in my life. Well, that's done....

My Mother's Day...

At least they are all in the picture....

That seems to be my mantra with the kids lately. They just never seem to cooperate at the same time.

I led Children's Chapel at church again. I enjoyed discussing motherhood but it was a long day.

Library AND the Buck Creek Festival today

 

Danny, Lyn, Connor, Annika, Evan, Eliot, and Ben and I all went to the library this morning. Baby Elaina stayed home with Daddy. We were going to stop off at the Buck Creek Festival for lunch and a bit of fun but Ben was wiped so I took him home first. Evan chose to stay home too. Lyn took off with friends at the festival. Danny and Connor mainly explored the booths and the creek. Annika and Eliot had a lot of fun on all of the rides. Annika was a virtual monkey on the rock wall. Everyone was tired when we got home. It was a good day.

 

 

 

 

 



In with the new...

We finally changed out our Fall wreath. We collected new flowers and herbs from the yard. Eliot and Ben helped me take the dried plants off and add the new. The smell of the fennel, purple basil, lavender, rosemary is amazing. Why buy a fake synthetic wreath to celebrate the seasons when each year you can design one unique to fit what is growing in your yard.

Now that is how to find some cool shade...

Eliot, Elaina, and a friend made a wonderful "cave" under some linens that were drying. Since they were wet it made a wonderfully cool spot to play.

A blue candle of healing

My Annika is sick. It is testing week and it just wiped her out. Public school testing is not for the children. It is for grading the worth of the school. I am so tired of them pushing the kids so hard for something that does not effect their personal grades. She will stay home tomorrow and "oh well" about the testing she will miss.....

An epic writer in the house...

 

Annika is working on an epic poem for her talent show at school. She asked me what an epic poem actually was. Well, I explained it to her and I drug out some of the old literature books I bought at a thrift store nearly 25 years ago. I am so surprised at what she has written so far. My daughter is such a talented writer but I may be a bit prejudiced.... I say she takes after me....  :) (Not sure if my own mother would agree.)

I got this book thing under control

 

 

Elaina has been around books her whole life. She turned the pages on this regulr book easily. No ripping or anything. Such a big girl. I am sure if she found a book I was reading she would rip it to pieces though.....

Happy Monday....

This weekend was long and not as long as it needed to be. I missed the majority of my kids. Elaina is the only one who was home all weekend. Well, the kid has to eat. (She is still nursing.) Ben and Lyn spent alternating nights with their Granny and Evan and Eliot spent time with Grandma. Annika, Connor, and Danny were with their Dad. I worked some but on Saturday I enjoyed the last Spring session of the MUUMs group at church. Of course it is spelled MUUMs. It is a Unitarian Universalist church group. This Spring we read Chaos, Wonder and the Spiritual Adventure of Parenting.

I can't wait to see what the reading choice will be for the Summer.....

Happy Birthday Annika!!! 11 years old....

Wow! 11 years ago my 2nd daughter was born. It really seems like yesterday. She has come a long way. She has started a lot of different types of therapies to assist with her various challenges and diagnoses but that doesn't stop her from having her first girl get together party.

This year it is all about dragons. She got some more Dragonology games and books and a dragon calendar. Oh, to be 11 again... Wait, I still read books about dragons!