Exploring the Bay

Lots of time enjoying the ocean this summer. playing in the cool waves after a good hike, climbing on rocks looking for nature's treasures, and today, sailing with good friends. It was a beautiful day to catch up on life, enjoy the cool breezes and watch for eagles and seals.

Happy Memorial Day! We were grateful to reflect on those loved and lost with two special people we love dearly!

35 years...

This year was filled with such blessings, surprises, sadness and so much love. Soren and the kids fill me with so much love... I feel I have grown so much in this skin and am slowly becoming the wife and mother I want to be. This year was marked by the blessing of a growing little babe in my belly, I am grateful for this third little one who is already tugging at my heart strings. The year of 35? Well, this year will be filled with more growing, blessings and love. I am excited for my next journey around the sun and feeling the power of growing older and the confidence it brings...

 Wishing each of us a year of love and blessings... May your light shine!

Thumbprints and rain

Rainy day art...

We grabbed the stamping kit, used our fingerprints and made some silly animals. I added in a little spelling and word recognition too. A perfect way to spend a quiet day...

Sometimes my favorite kind of days are these rainy, book reading, art and cuddles kind of days. And if I am lucky we even nap a little, Mama for a few minutes and then the sweet two for a bit longer... Love seeing them tucked in together...

Bliss...

A Budding Seamstress

It started last year, she saw Mama at the sewing machine and wanted to be part of the process. We began to sew a little together, first on the machine and then this year, by hand. I did not know the rhythm of it could find those tiny fingers and hands, she is not as tiny as I want to believe. She is growing each moment, taking it all in. My Mothering Day was filled with little handmade gifts from her. Necklaces, handsewn pillows and art... Such sweet thoughtfulness in all of those gifts.
 Her first sewn piece (on the machine). November 2011.

A handsewn blanket recently made for the dolls. March 2012.

 I love it, the big stitches, hanging threads and all.

A pillow for our cat Jipsee when she sleeps on my bed.

I didn't take a photo of my pillow and am leaning on it now as I write, she made it for my chair to help my baby belly and back when I sit (pure sweetness)...
Thankfully she and Kasper remembered I had asked for only one thing from them both, a big hug, and they were happy to oblige all day. I am especially thankful for the little love bug that Kasper is and excited to see where this sewing adventure takes us....

Happy Mothering Day

Sunshine :: WARMTH

Nature :: BREATH

Family :: LOVE

Such a perfect day to celebrate all the wonderful women in this world, biological mothers or not, who nurture, care and treat others with respect... So many on the trails wishing one another a happy mother's day... Thoughtful people filling the woods today. The kids and I hike in Acadia once a week, but today we shared it with hubs and it was so much more wonderful to be all of us gazing out and reflecting in together... Happy Mothering Day to each of the wonderful women in my life, I am blessed to be in your presence.

The comfort of creatures

We spend a lot of time looking out into the woods and fields watching the deer and turkeys that wander through this land with us. This year has brought so many more creatures out into the open. I think they realize we are friendly folk and have good eats, so they feel quite at home with us all.

Mr. Bear was not the least bit afraid when I did my best to discourage him from eating from my bird feeder one late night. I think he must hear my voice often on his days and knew I am harmless (the little loves have figured that out too!) and he just "hurmph"ed loudly after 20 minutes and lumbered away (kind of what Soren does after a bit of my rambling too... Hm, is there a pattern here?!). 

 We all enjoy watching the nature but I am definitely changing my habits with the kids and being more cautious, especially when I awoke at 5 am the other day to a mama bear and cub wandering around the front yard. It is an honor to teach the kids respect for nature and also let them experience such wild beauty at our doorstep...

Introducing Rocky Raccoon, a cute little monster who we see every evening...

And Miss Porky, a sweet lady who we hope will have little babes for us to watch this year...

Our cat loves to attack the skunk, raccoon and any other larger animal that dares to get too close to her family. We hope she does enough to protect our favorite livestock who entertain us daily - the chicken littles...

Welcome to Wild America!