the children clean out

ugly journal covered with buttony circles cut off an old tote-end result =not bad

The children cleaned out today. And we have quite the closetful of things to donate to a benefit yardsale now! And some filled bags of trash-hip,hip,hooray!

My children amaze me. They don't seem to worry about the things I might worry about as they clean out. They don't seem to worry a lot about the future, about whether there will be enough, about how sparce their bedrooms might seem of toys when their friends come over.
They just happily clean along, getting rid of anything that they no longer have an interest in.
They don't seem to worry about tomorrow, don't seem to have a big temptation to hoard.
The end result is quite lovely and fresh looking.

I am amazed, convicted, inspired to trust our Heavenly Father more,just like them!
But I guess that's nothing too surprising.
Afterall we are told in the Word to become like little children .
I have four teachers right in my house!
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A note for you!
Want a fun candle scent for summer get-togethers?
I found Strawberry Shortcake scent on my store shelves recently! (It looks like Betty Crocker brand).
Yum!

           xoxo,
      ~pilgrimama

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!

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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