Eight years together.

That day you asked and I said yes, it seems like a life time ago.  Seemed then like we would be old eight years from that moment.  You're mom screamed when she saw the ring, my mom lead me around the house by the hand showing off that sparkly rock.  We dreamed.

We dreamed that in five years we would be expecting our first.  We dreamed that we would be neck deep in church work.  We dreamed that we would have two sons and a daughter.  We dreamed of raising those three kids in our cute, itsy-bitsy house.  Mostly we dreamed of life together.

Nothing has gone according to those dreams.  We were expecting baby number one just nine short months after we were married.  We sold our house before the arrival of baby number two.  We never made it to having three children and we only have boys.  That line of work we dreamed of is taking on a whole new life of its own.  Mostly nothing in life has followed those dreams of ours.

If you ask me these past 8 years has blown those dreams out of the water.

My loves.

197.  Restful weekends just me and them.

198.  Singing in the car together.

199.  Bouncy frogs for little boys to catch.

200.  Boy filled excitement.
201.  Family walks in the woods.

202.  Capturing Daddy son races.

203. Silly moments.

204.  Kisses and smiles.

205.  The same blue eyes.

206.  Boy treasures because these boys are my treasure.

One last summer fling

This is what family days are all about...

Kickin' back to simply be.

This week the weather was in the 80s, since we always try to end the summer with a trip to the ocean.  A trip that we hold off on until all the tourist have packed there bags, and it's just the natives.

I love it for the simple beauties, the smell of salt and seaweed, and the sound of waves slapping the rock.

The boys love it for the rocks they find, the rocks they skip, and the potential of sea critters that might be found hidden on the beach.

 Gifts #207 - 215
~ Waves smacking the rock beach.
~ The plop rocks make as they fall to the ocean floor.
~ The cheers of joy when a rock actually skips over the top of the water.
~ Being able to stand back and soak in all there joy, slowing to see.
~ Holding little boy hands on slippery rock so I won't fall.

~ Remembering them when they had the beginners waddle.
~ Watching them scale the boulders.
~ Soaking in the last of summer's warmth.

~ Going home slightly "sun kissed".

The world of boys

Our wood arrived.

For the boys it was just like going to the movie theater.

Only better, after most of the wood was unloaded they got to climb up and help move that last few logs.

You know it's a good day when Laughter says, "This is the best day of my life."

Gifts 193 - 196
~ Seeing the excitement of life through the eyes of little boys.
~ Knowing my house will be warm through the winter.
~ Thankful for nice old men that let little boys get some hands on experience.
~ The sound of fall blowing through the trees while a summer sun beats down.

Simple dates

Really, honestly in my heart of hearts it's a simple life that I want.

I want to grow my own food.
I want to preserve it every fall, and let a full pantry bring my heart joy.
I want dirt in the crevices of my fingers during the summer months.
I want vivid flowers growing all along my house.
I want to sit in front of fires sipping tea as the snow falls.
I want the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through my home.
I want quiet moments with my boys.
...Most of all I want this last one.

I feel as though just last night I was holding a small purring little bundle of life while still feeling the pain birthing him.

In reality that little bundle is now six.
In reality I have felt the pain of birth twice, and both babies purred.
In reality six years have passed from the night I became a mother.
That boy who birthed me into motherhood already knows how to read and write, and he can make himself lunch and breakfast.
While my baby can now make his own bed, set the table, clear the table, and dress himself.

Because time slows for no one I covet those quiet moments when it's just me and them, one on one.  I know how fast they pass me by and I know that as each moment passes they become more and more rare.

The moment captured perfectly by Laughter.

So this morning when I could barely open my eyes as my Laughter sweetly caressed my face I knew I couldn't miss those few moments with him.  As I dragged myself out of bed he suggested we have coffee together.  And so we did.  Just the two of us.

Gifts 187 - 192
~ Days off.
~ Early morning snuggles with my baby who really is almost five.
~ Making coffee while Laughter chatters away as I catch about every third word because I'm so sleep deprived.
~ Sitting at the kitchen bar letting the dark warm liquid bring me out of the fog.
~ Smiling as I listen to what's important in the world of four year old boys.
~ Cherishing moments that are fleeting.

First week of school

September 2nd kicked off our school year.  As much as I love the camera I am not one of those totally on top of it mothers who has a cute little sign marking the first day of school and what grade there child is entering.  I kind of wish I was, but am still proud of myself for at least marking the first day of kindergarten, which after all is the life changing childhood moment.  From that day on the child will forever have some kind of responsibility, it begins with the ABC's, but ends with a job to support themselves.  Yes I am proud of myself for capturing that moment, but really is the first day of first grade that life changing.  I don't think so...or at least that's what I tell myself to stave off the guilt of forgetting to take a picture marking the beginning of a new school year...

Kindergarten photo.

This year looks entirely different from last year because we are officially a homeschooling family.  Man of the woods in first grade and now Laughter is going through a preschool program his brother and I did a few years back.

In our school we drink coffee, sit at the kitchen table, and listen to instrumental music while we learn.

After two days we're still alive, and even still like each other.  Even more importantly each of the boys seemed to have retained what I taught them.  Here's to a great school year!...I hope...

Does an over-the-shoulder-day-before-school-starts photo count as a first day photo?

Corn maze

It's when the fall list begins that we know it's time.

August always brings a "To do list" of things we need to get done.

The list looks something like this:
~ Buy, split & stack the wood.
~ Clean the chimney.
~ Go through the house and make sure it's winterized.
~ Figure out what clothes the boys need to keep warm.
~ Pick apples for homemade apple sauce and some cranberry apple pies.
~ When will the corn maze be ready for us to conquer?

Turns out our favorite corn maze opened for exploration the same week we made our "To do list".

With the sun beating down on us, four maps, a toy car and a camera we set out in a field of corn.  90 minutes later we emerged on the other side feeling accomplished.

And soon we will be back for some of these...

Gifts 182 - 186.
~ Sunny, simple days.
~ Family fun just down the road.
~ Little boys and there cars.
~ Passing on some map skills in a forest of corn.
~ Looking forward to what is to come-baked apples, crisp days, & a full pantry.

Fort Knox & Celtic celebration

It seems like life is full of crazy these days.  The few days we have as a family are that much more important.

We know if we were to stay home on these days it would end up like this:
I would try and catch up on laundry.
Strong man would find something outside to do.
The boys would play here, there, and everywhere.
At the end of the day when I pull the covers up as I wondered if I really spent time with my family.

And so when life is full of crazy we have learned the few days we get to to be just the four of us the best thing to do is to go.

On this day we headed on over to Fort Knox, something we do once a year.  The boys had been begging to go and it's a cheap family date.

The boys explore, and imagine the adventures that could happen in this place.

When the awe and wonder begins to fade we usually call it a day and head home, but this time we some how ended up in Belfast enjoying the festivities of the Celts.

Log throwing.

Music playing.

Rock skipping.

Rain falling as we quietly drove home.