American Girl store

When we told the girls we'd be driving through Denver, the first thing Miss M said was, "We can go to the American Girl store!!"  We knew such things existed, but had no idea there was a store in Denver.  

Miss A was super excited because she'd been wanting to get her doll Ruthie's ears pierced for quite some time.  The only way to do that from Orlando would have been to send Ruthie to the "doll hospital" in Wisconsin.  It's quite an adventure for a doll to make such a trip.  Apparently she would have been sent back in a hospital gown with a hospital bracelet on her wrist.  

Miss A's plans were set:  get Ruthie's ears pierced.  Miss M just wanted to wander around and fine something to spend some of her money on.

It was quite an experience:  a store full of beautiful products for these beautiful dolls.

Ruthie headed to the back counter and disappeared into the back room with a worker.  She received a 6-piece set of earrings as part of her ear piercing.

 Ruthie's back!  She looks good.

 

Examining her closely. 

 Miss A is happy.

Miss M enjoyed looking all around before choosing an outfit for her doll.

 

The boys sat down after awhile.

 

But, then Z found a wagon to pull, and he was happy.

 

The doll salon.  Fancy-shmancy!

Colorado in the fall {Estes Park}

We were so lucky to be able to take a trip back to Colorado a few weeks ago.  Our timing was perfect (with no credit to us!)--we just happened to hit it right as the leaves were at their peak, and just before the first cold front and hints of snow hit.  It was an amazing week.  We got to hike a few times, enjoy catching up with old friends and experience Fall.

My heart felt happy and my soul was refreshed by our time there. 

ode to summer

Summer is over.  It's back to school.  

I'm sort of missing the care-free days of less responsibility.

  So, I find myself drawn to seashells at the moment. 

They remind me of the beach and relaxation and summer.

I finally dug out some more photos of our vacation to Sanibel Island last summer.  The kids all look so small to me!  

We made some good memories!

Happy end-of-summer to you!

nature study.

The week has begun and ended with school.  School at home.  Again.  I have signed up again to attempt to school my children at home.  Call me crazy.  I do.  I call myself an "accidental homeschooler."  It's not something I ever thought I'd do, had no intention of doing, and didn't really want to do.  At first.  And, now, it has become part of my life that I'm beginning to really enjoy. 

Because it's becoming more "me."  When I started I had no idea what in the world I was doing, so I just did what the curriculum guide told me to do, not really knowing why I was doing it, and not really sure it's what my kids needed or what I liked.  But, I've grown in confidence over the years, and I've realized curriculms/methods that I do like and others I absolutely do not like at all!

It's been a journey.  In some ways a journey that parallels the rest of my life--one of figuring out who I am, and living out of that place.  It's not easy and takes a lot of work. 

 

One of the things I do love about homeschool is that I get to learn with my kids about the things I am passionate about.   One of them is nature!  I probably enjoy it more than anyone else, but incorporating nature study into our year has been so fun.  We took a field trip to Merrit Island National Wildlife refuge last winter.  We saw lots of things there--typical Florida gators, Spanish moss, migratory birds, and also this spider.  I've forgotten his exact name, but I call him the "Freddy Krueger" spider.  His face is scary!

This year we are studying "Botany."  I have learned so much already about plants that I never knew before.  Below, is a photo of some lichen that was growing on a tree in my backyard--it's a non-vascular plant (meaning it does not have veins/tubes to absorb water through roots).  It grows in very wet environments by absorbing water from the air (hello, Florida!)  

There are also many things I do not love about homeschool.  One of them is the fact that I can not seem to plan meals to save my life while school is in session.  Yesterday, upon my friend Sarah's recommendation, I signed up for E-Meals.  It's brilliant.  You get a meal plan and a shopping list every week.  And, there is a sale on Groupon right now.  Score!

 Fall is always a time of transition--I just have to remind myself that it takes time to get into the routine of things, and that after a few weeks or so, we'll settle into our new normal.  Little Z will eventually begin to entertain himself and stop erasing the white board while I am in mid-sentence.

In the meantime, I will "Keep Calm and Carry On."

bath time

 Sometimes the most inspiring things around me are the little people in my life.  Of course I think they are beautiful--what mother does not think her children are beautiful!?  

The biggest challenges for bathtime photos are lighting and modesty.  I'm lucky that I have big window just above this bathtub, so my lighting issues are solved.  As for modesty?  Mostly I try to creatively frame the photo just right, but sometimes I have to crop.  I cropped the third one down pretty closely.  I just loved Z's expression in that one.  It's his "cheesey" smile. 

art for art's sake

Looking for inspiration in the day to day things around me has given me new eyes.  As I was cooking dinner a few nights ago, I realized I loved the lines my zucchini was making as I chopped it up.  I pulled out my camera and began clicking away. "What are you taking photos of?" my girls asked. When I sheepishly replied, "my zucchnin?" they dashed into the kitchen to take a look, gave me their "you're crazy" expression, chuckled a bit, and went back to watching their TV show.  

I've always loved a fresh ear of corn too.  The colors and texture just make me happy.

 It was overcast one afternoon, which makes for nice lighting in my little backyard.  I've been thinking that my fir tree would be a good subject, so I took advantage of the good light, and went to work.

The detail on one little branch is just incredible!  Look at the symmetry.  Amazing.

 Black and white or color?  I can never decide.  I like them both for different reasons.

Looking down from the fir tree sits my coleus.  It's a little hot for him, but he's surviving the summer somehow. 

 I never realized the trunk of the fir tree was so interesting.  Look at the colors and shapes!  Green and brown are just beautiful together.

I'm hoping to keep my inspiration flowing.  It definitely ebbs and flows, but summertime seems to be a good time to let my creative juices flow again.  

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One of my favorite places to visit in the summer is the Morse Museum of Art.  They house the largest collection of the works of Louis Comfort Tiffany.  The girls and I have gone each summer for the last three summers, and I think I enjoy it more than anyone.  There are fabulous family & kid's programs scheduled throughout the summer and the kids come home with an amazing art project each visit.  Maybe I will post them sometime for you to see.  If you're in Orlando, and have elementary aged kids, it's a must do.  Did I mention it's free?

During our visit this summer, my friend Kelly mentioned a book to me written about Mr. Tiffany called Clara and Mr. Tiffany:  A Novel.  I began reading it last night, and already found some great quotes from Mr. Tiffany in it.  I'll leave you with those:

"Train yourselves by seeking and acknowledging beauty moment by moment every day of your lives.  Exercise your eyes.  Take pleasure in the grace of shape and the excitement of color."

"Art for art's sake, we say, because beauty blesses humanity with a better life."