announcement!

No,I am not pregnant.

Now that we have gotten that question out of the way,I would like to say that today I realized something!

There are no people wearing diapers in this house.
And there are no people using potty chairs,either!

No poopy potty to empty anymore.
Or, pee-y potty.
This should go in my portfolio.
HAS TAUGHT 4 CHILDREN TO USE TOILET.

What???????
No Mom portfolios??
Well, watch me!
If I want a MOM portfolio, there will be one.

I will make it happen.

Or is portfolio even the right word?

Oh,bother!

good-bye!

~pilgrimama

an adventure in the forest

Yesterday we went on an adventure to the forest.

We went in a caravan of friends.

• It went something like this.
• Arrive,get everyone settled by the water.
• Gather food around the fire pit.
• Children,(guess what?) start feeling hungry.
• Feed children p,b and j or pb and "honey"sandwiches. Or hardboiled eggs, or pesto and tomato sandwiches etc.Share food all around.
• Play in water some more.
• Heat rice dish over fire.
• eat some more
• children play around and babies are snuggled into the double stroller for naps
• Go walking to pick berries.
• Try to keep small people out of poison ivy while picking berries.
• Berries are abundant!
• Get POURED on and everyone is all wet and cold.
• Remember campsite has food and picnic blankets and all kinds of stuff all out and getting wet!
• go back to camp and clean,clean,clean! Feed people again!
• play in water a bit more and help small people with bathroom needs
• pack up cars and grownups eat dark chocolate for sustenance
• little ones eat fruit leathers and bars and eventually fall asleep
• my pal and I listen to Raffi and search out "Baby Beluga" and sing it together.We are such moms!
• Get home. Boys rush to get ready for an outing with neighbor and Chelsea has come down with a fever.
• Good,good times!

Now to wash all that wet clothing today!
~pilgrimama

settling in and coming back!

We have been doing a whole,whole lot of settling back in.
To our regular routine,to being on a gentler rhythm than we have been in a long time because of preparing for Lee to travel(him working long hours), him leaving and us helping out at his job where we could, then the wildness surrounding his return, which is too exhausting to write about at present, except to say that it involved illness, long trips, and me getting stranded far from home.

This week,when it finally looked like a return to normalcy was possible, a heat wave struck, leaving me rather blown away by our unairconditioned upper apartment. Think warm,dry air or sticky heat enveloping the home=not conducive to Productivity.

Then the gas tanks went dry on me. Wow.
No way of cooking either.
More scenarios too complicated and exhausting to write about.

Anywhoo, all this to say, posting on my ol' blog has not been a priority!

But I feel myself coming back.... I may be back to writing and feeling myself soon! Yay!


~Pilgrimama

lee returns

My sweetheart has returned from traveling far,far away! Thank-you Abba Father!
(I think part of me always prepares for the worst when Lee travels.)

He brought me/us coffee beans (we both enjoy good quality) and wooden beads,among perhaps more practical goods.

I am glad to not be filling in for him at work.
I think he is glad to be back as Captain of our nest.

We are both really behind in sleep.
I should be catching up trip laundry.

I woke up and realized the bridal shower I am planning to travel to with a friend(in whose wedding I am in)is  tomorrow and I have no preparations made. As in,AT ALL.
Heh,heh.

If only my headache would totally leave and I could shake this awful tired feeling...

Must sign off.....

a list re: the last couple weeks or so...

In the past two weeks or so:

• helped 3 loved ones get on planes and fly far away
• had lots of guests in and out
• have one visiting cat staying here
• worked most days out of the house for short periods-hopefully this is almost over!
• gotten sunburned
• taken the crew to the pool on half price day
• met up with friends!
• helped the children set up two times with a lemonade stand
• visited some friends' church and met interesting people
• gone to a farm and worked in the art room making pottery
• hosted a swap party and potluck dinner
• finished a large poster on the fruit of the Spirit
• taken the children to hear the Declaration of Independence read on the Fourth of July as a history lesson
• figured out new stuff all by my lonesome!
• taken 3 of the children to a celebration at our local co-op
• laundry
• and more.....

If I do say so myself,this list is not too shabby.
Today I took Squirrelgirl to do errands while the oldest three were gone to the woods with friends.
We were getting hungry and I thought about being my usual,practical save-money self and then decided to have a little date with my tyke.

We went to a new Carribean restaurant I have long wanted to visit.
And ordered a "batido". And an empanada.

All was well until Squirrelgirl spilled our "batido" everywhere!

Alls well that ends well, as the lady sweetly helped me clean up the mess.

Which leads me to the present, and lots of housework and an iced coffee...

Happy Wednesday!