three day weekend

So we had a full three day weekend! How about you?

Yesterday, our last full day of vacay, we went hiking. We drove wrong once, didn't find the trail we wanted next, scoped out another trail that was way long, and finally settled on a 4 mile trail.
We encountered lots of poison ivy and lots of steep windy trail.
Squirrelgirl is really into caterpillars and she got her sweet fill of them!
We turned back when she needed carrying-we headed out much later than we'd hoped and we are having hot weather again so carrying a 3 and a halfish child was not our idea of fun!
Plus we were hungry.
And Lee needed to check on his bee project.

We went to the park and grilled our hot dogs and drank large amounts of oj.

I came home and lay near the fan and took a nap.

Sorting and packing winter clothes, folding laundry, washing dishes occupied my spare minutes.

I topped it off with a spoonfull of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food.

Lee and I were exhausted!
                                            ~pilgrimama

I feel so blessed tonight,

The children are playing on the rope swing.

We have a fire going in the backyard with marinated fish roasting.
The breeze is lovely,the trees are softly swaying,the mulberries are ripening.

I just had a piece of toast with jalepeno cheese(the very last piece in both bags,bread and cheese).

The grounds here at ye olde Sonhouse place are looking very nice from all the hard work being put into them. Our housemates downstairs help with lots of that!

The house is quite clean. I'm sorting out the winter and outgrown clothes and packing them off.
Today I'm cleaning and fluffing up beds in the boys' room.
Good stuff!
I just feel very thankful to God for allowing so many small blessings.

I pray we can share liberally!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

love,  

~pilgrimama

describing an evening

Tonight Lee and I went to dinner at the community center.
It was A Feast!
Meatloaf,cucumber salad,mashed potatoes,warm rolls,spaghetti and fried pies for dessert.

Then I helped clean up and we lounged outside visiting.
Until the volleyball started.
We girls went off and stopped by friends on the way home for a bit of girl time.
Then some reading, bedtime rituals like praying and hugging.
Now it's me,the computer and the small Squirrel.

Hope everyone we love had a growthfilled day. May you always grow in the Spirit of our Lord Jesus!

                                                       ~pilgrimama

snail mail praise

I am a fan of the snail mail letter. I like to get them. I like to send them. I like to write them in a chair, on the bed, or under a tree (but not with green eggs and ham,please leave me be..) ,well you get the picture.

I am doing some organizing around here,making a letter writing drawer for the small fry, an art paper drawer set up nicely, stuff like that and trying to get a package ready for a special friend.

Yesterday,while thrifting, I found a card organizer folder for putting in cards that you will want to send out organized by month. Yay! I have my very own letterwriting drawer as well, and this was just the thing to help me organize.

So this morning I organized my letter-drawer and it is a great feeling!
Now if I could find a cute little organizer for embellishments....

Then I made granola.
And supervised chores,crafts, and fried fish.
And now I need to go read storybooks to the tribe.
Be well!

Love,
         ~pilgrimama

hi there blog!

Hi there!  So I've been unblogging... or not writing or unwriting..um this is getting confusing right?

Anyway, tonight I feel like maybe I should dip my toes back in.
I have lots to say.
That's not the issue.
Real life has been full. My energy has been a bit low. Hence no posts!

Tonight I had the evening free while Lee did child care duty. I went out with friends for tea in honor of a birthday.
I ordered hot chocolate. It came with whipped cream and drizzles of chocolate syrup. A very decent sized mug of it too.
Now I am home having some of the dinner we prepped before I left.

I am thankful for:

1. honesty
2. humility
3. sunshine after storms
4. storms
5. my sweet children
6. Squirrelgirl's art
7. a fairly tidy house
8. hot chocolate
9. friends,of the really good sort
10. text messaging

 May you feel the love and presence of God in your heart tonight!
                                                                        love,
                                                                 ~pilgrimama~

happy late Mother's Day!!

my lovely family

Happy belated Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is not huge to me. I get my mommy highs at unpredictable times...

I suppose I could celebrate being a mom more.

I asked for the gift of time this year.

I was blessed with that for sure.

Lee-babe, you did a great job on that end!

Chelsea planned ahead and bought me a gift the day before-sweet girl! One of the rare occasions she had money on her and the freedom to spend it-and she spent most of it on me and her sister. We could all learn from this, I suppose.

Lee gave me peppermint patties( a favorite of mine) and a new can opener.

I didn't need gifts but that was sweet.

I look around me often and realize how deeply blessed I am.

Lee and I planted our windowboxes that are on our deck. And did lots of other maintenance jobs (mostly Lee)!

It was a sweet day in all its quietness. A good day.
                                                               ~pilgrimama

letter to a teacher



the surprise gift basket

Dear Sunday School teacher,
Thanks for being a friend to our family.
Thank-you for all your hard work.
Thanks for going out of your way to do sweet things for us, being our family in the Lord.

You are a real friend.

We liked the surprise basket you brought us,filled with peanut butter eggs,that must have been hard work!

We are so happy to know you!
                                  ~pilgrimama

Ps. Thanks for not sending the children home from class with a lot of junk crafts! That is so nice!

cute bread pictures for you!

orange bread shapes made for Easter breakfast by my lovely neighbor,who invited my tribe to help her...





see this cute bread nest