A Dozen Eggs We Won't Be Eating!

The count is in...12 eggs total in three birds' nests in our yard! Peering through the deck slats, Maddie counted 4 eggs in the barn swallow's nest. Mommy bluebird is sitting on 5 eggs (and they are blue)! We were very sorry to have disturbed her tending to her eggs when we opened the bluebird box. There are 3 eggs (I think) in a nest we just found tucked into the corner of our arbor, hidden by our Wisteria. I don't even know which bird formed the perfectly round twigs, but it's most likely a Robin's nest. So, there you have it! We have a bird sanctuary right in our own backyard.

Not only that, but just a few short weeks ago, my hubby built a waterfall/pond for us to enjoy, complete with water plants and goldfish. After looking at the design of one at our local nursery, he built it in two weekends. It helps that we live in limestone country and can simply pick up rock anywhere. It beats buying flagstone at $4 a piece! Take a look at our lovely new addition to our backyard. It's not a pool, but at least we have a water view!

Maddie Moments

One morning a few days ago, I came into the kitchen after finishing my hour of shower and primping. It was extremely quiet which is very unusual when one has a constantly chattering child like Maddie. I was just wondering where in the world she could be when Maddie nonchalantly appeared in the kitchen. Instantly, I was suspicious. "Where have you been?" I asked. "Putting something away in Nick's room," she answered. "Oh," I said as I turned to make lunch. After a pregnant pause, Maddie confesses, "And, then I accidentally started messing with Nick's stuff." Yep, I'm sure she could hardly help herself and just tripped into checking out the things in his room...quiet as a mouse she was!

Just Chilling Out

School is out, and I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. Why in the world did I think I would suddenly have MORE time to blog with my kids at home? I barely have time to check my email anymore and can hardly check my favorite blogs. I confess that when I look at my bloglines once a week (that's about all I can achieve), and I see that there are 7 new posts, I simply refresh. I don't have the time to read them all. So, I apologize to all of you who've been wondering why I've slighted you with no comments!

I really thought that once school was dismissed, life would move to the slow lane. Unfortunately, it's crazier than ever. My teens flew out to Washington state this week; I have one child left at home, and I'm still running! Adding piano and swimming lessons to our already existing gymnastics practices has most certainly contributed to summer madness. So, why do I believe I'll get more accomplished at home with Maddie following me around? Why do I think that I will be able to get to those books on my shelf and do some in-depth study?

You know what? I suppose the answer is maybe I won't get to all of that, and perhaps that's perfectly fine. The best possible thing I can do this summer is spend time with my children while they are home. I need to lay down that concern that I'm not accomplishing all that I want to "do" and simply enjoy "being" with the ones God entrusted to me. At times, this is challenging because so many things beckon to me. My quiet time may be short; my blogging may be sparse; my reading may be less, but if my time with my children is meaningful and we are building better relationships, I believe God would be pleased.

I'm going to chill out this summer, spend time with my family and fit in the rest as I am able.