Spontaneous

These last few years some of our best family adventures have been those that we've decided on right beforehand. One of the many reasons we love having a camper is that it is always waiting outside, packed full of almost everything we need, and ready to be hitched up.

Zac was getting a little anxious to get into the woods for a weekend, especially in anticipation of my departure for ALMOST FOUR WHOLE DAYS next week. So we had one of those very spontaneous..."let's go camping" weekends!

Somehow, on Memorial Day weekend, we had the entire campground to ourselves...awesome!

I think they were actually dancing while running...so happy to be out in the woods.

See that face?? Little camper found an old truck...in the woods.!

Just what we needed!

And of course, with camping, we usually have biking. This girl is EVERYWHERE on her bike!

In the creek!

Eyeing our next adventure.

And, well.....there's no denying it now. She's a hippy kid.

Enjoy.

Happy and Busy

Busy playing in the rain with umbrellas and stomping in puddles!

Busy creating.

Busy lounging.

Busy cooking.

So many wonderful things going on at our house these last couple weeks. 

Maggie and River are very much enjoying this summer break spent at home. They are especially enjoying their couple mornings a week when Mommy heads off to her office and Molly, our nanny for the summer, comes over! Although our family is juggling a lot right now, we are a happy bunch!

The Wedding Barn

Zoo!

We thought it was about time River visited the zoo!

Mother's Day 2013

I'm one lucky mama. My family appeased me with a back-roads photo drive to search for barns today. 

And boy did we find some beauties....

And I got to spend the day with my very favorite people. 

My husband, my daughter and my son are the reasons I'm a mother and celebrating that today!

 Happy Mother's Day!

Pouring

Now as a mother of two I'm reminded more than ever that our children guide us in their own learning. If we trust them, if we allow for open ended exploration...they do amazing things!

Enjoy.

This might not seem like a big deal to you...

But to this mama...!!!!!!

I have been taking Maggie to story times at our local libraries since before she was one year old. She has always attended to the entire story time, but when it came time for any music or movement... she was always  content to be the observer. I've worked with many different children with similar temperaments, but as a mother this was difficult for me. Especially, when we'd come home and she'd act it out safely in her own environment. I didn't want to see her hold back, but at the same time, I've gotten to observe her grow and learn so much by simply following her own pattern of development.

Because, the child who sits back and observes misses nothing!

At her parent/teacher conference I was given pictures of the day she set up a stage and danced the nutcracker for an entire audience of teachers and peers!

This feels monumental to me, having watched her caution and hesitancy with joining into large groups over the last four years. 

So as I watched her stand up in an instant and just start doing the hokey pokey at story time...well, obviously I pulled out my camera to document.

Enjoy.

Some Recent Goodies

This hot weather has us happy, happy, happy!

And dirty, dirty, dirty!

I literally have to drag them into the house each evening.

(Oh yes, and River's hair...awesome.)

Papa found a children's table in the desert and offered it up last time I was in Boise. 

I had been thinking about putting together a table in River's room that could serve as a train table (with the anticipation of getting him a little wooden train set for his birthday) and activity table. 

I spent a couple days sanding, staining and painting, and am quite pleased with Papa's find, a little fixed up!

Roo loves it too!

(And Boston loves River's bed)

Had I mentioned fires?

Because nothing is better than late evenings around the fire visiting with friends!

Well, that's about all the goodies I have for now! Until next time! Enjoy.

Hiking

Busy little thing...that boy of mine!

Enjoy!

Feeling A Lot Like Summer

Well, it's not officially summer yet, but it certainly feels like it here in Moscow...
This weekend is one of the most anticipated weekends of the year on the Palouse...

first market and RenFair weekend, and it looks as though we are going to have amazing weather!

Maggie can't wait to celebrate spring in a very summery way...lots of time outdoors later and later into the evening, biking everywhere, and whole days spent home with Mommy and River.

I'm sure I'll have some goodies to post after this action packed weekend, but until then...here's a glimpse of Maggie enjoying some of this wonderful warm weather!

Maggie and Friends on the last day of Preschool!
It doesn't matter that Mommy is still finishing up school, according to Maggie---it's officially summer break!

Evening fires...and of course, smores.

Summer is all about evenings outside playing with friends.

Finishing up Mommy's spring projects...with power tools!

The "flowers" of her labor! Her pots of bulbs have finally bloomed. She's been anxiously waiting on these  flowers since fall!