this and that and a little bit of singing

Quotes from our morning reading:

 

 

 

"Mother, Mother!  Here I am, Mother!  he said to the big thing."

 

"..he sailed off through night and day and in and out of weeks.."

 

"I never took a bath--even if I was dirty.  I kept lizards and frogs and snakes in the tub."

 

"For Gracie, a quiet home was the best home."

 

*******

 

 

 

Seth and Sarah were the last ones to get physicals and they were done yesterday.  The two of them together were so cute, I had such fun watching them get their check ups.  Such innocence and adorableness galore.  And, I tried something new with the shots for Seth.  I didn't mention them at all and let them just happen.  He didn't make a peep.  It was as easy as getting his ears checked. 

Seth is average in height and weight.  Sarah is tall for her age (!) and skinny.

I've come to realize that the late afternoons are going to be the busy time of day.  Yesterday David and Caleb got off the bus, ate bagels and got right into the car to go with me to the schools.  We dropped off Grace and then went to the playground until Ethan's soccer meeting.  It turned out to be a beautiful late afternoon together.  They played for hours out in the bright sun.  I looked through a magazine and then pushed the little ones on the swings...magical....

you'll never know, dear, how much I love you

 

 

 

Jesus loves the little children

 

 

it's sunflower time...

 

 

I went out to gather the eggs this morning and took this picture of the happy sunflowers in bloom.  They are growing right by the front door steps and I've been guarding them from the boys all summer.  It looks like there are three but there are really only two.  The first one was chopped off by a fighting boy with a stick and it grew back with two flowers instead of one! 

 

and two more, smaller sunflowers, down the path a little

Amanda and I went to the fall Brimfield show this weekend and I bought this old nesting box there.  I love it, its heavy and worn and someone already left an egg in it for me. 

 

 

I had two showers today.  On my way back to the house with my shirt full of eggs the skies opened and it started to pour.  I was drenched by the time I got back home. 

 

 

My Mom collects buttons and she will be thrilled to know that Sarah found my stash in her closet.  It turns out that she, too, loves buttons.  She sorted out all the pink ones and has been playing with them for days.  Before naptime today, we covered an old heart shaped box with pink glitter to keep her baby buttons in. 

 

 

 

***********

 

Summer breezes so softly blowing;

 

In my garden pinks are growing;

 

If you'll go and send the showers;

You may come and smell my flowers.

 

Old Garden Rhyme

the books:
1. Are You my Mother?  by P.D. Eastman
2.Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
3. What a Bad Dream by Mercer Mayer
4. The Great Gracie Chase Stop that Dog! by Cynthia Rylant