Summer Loving

*not so* Lazy days, long nights, many adventures, lots of things to love about this summer! 

Our very first strawberry harvest in our backyard garden!

Movie nights under the stars

Camping close to home (this was a Halloween theme weekend)

Catching frogs (tadpoles, minnows, fireflies... the net found many uses!)

Wishing for a dog of her own

An almost complete play set for many hours of fun!

Wild Raspberries in abundance

Many hikes in search for natural treasures

Viewing life from the top of a mountain with a best friend

Adventures in bicycling.... family style  (*while ignoring the whining from unwilling participants)

Life is good, life is blessed, life is an adventure and I'm living it! 

A new twist on smores

The 4th of July was spent with family and friends at a local campground. This campground was 15 minutes away!  We have spent many vacations traveling for hours to turn around and come home.    Where we are a 1 hour radius gives us many options to explore; therefore, we are staying local this year! 

During a nightly campfire my aunt brought out smores.  She had regular Hershey's chocolate bars but also miniature resses peanut butter cups.  WOW!  So good!  You must try them.

The next night we are sitting around and my friend says "If we can do resses why not Junior mints?"  They just happened to have some....

Holy Cow!  I can't describe how amazing these were!!!!!  I don't believe I will be able to eat a boring old smore again.

The girls made an ultra smore with a hershey bar, peanut butter cup, and junior mints... a little over the top for me but they loved it!!

This got us to thinking; what else could we put in our smores?

Caramello bars, miniture candy bars... the possibilities are endless!!!

Berry Heaven

Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries Oh My! 

The strawberries from our 1 year old plants were a bit tart but with sugar or cooked up in muffins and crisps... yummy!  We picked about 3 quarts from the 25 plants.  We have many more for next year!!!!

The wild blueberries and raspberries have started producing juicy sweet berries a month early!  We have been out picking every night... somehow we just haven't had enough make it into the kitchen to cook with... go figure??  Next year we will have our plants produce and I just cannot wait!!

Another yummy product of the garden has arrived this weekend- sugar snap and shell peas!!!  Oh so good!  We have many more than we did last year (oh what a pitiful harvest of 4 snap peas) but for some reason only a couple have made it passed the front door also. 

I think it is something to do with fresh, organic produce eaten outdoors, our eager hands and mouths just cannot resist!

Enjoy the bounty of the season!  I do hope our summer crops blossom as heartily as these spring ones! 

Right now

Right now I'm enjoying....

~The bragging rights that come from succeeding in my first year of college with 5 classes each semester.... and a 3.97 GPA!!!  Go me!!!  Not bad for a 30 something, stay at home mommy of 3 :) 
~ May semester "Faith and Film course" .  Very inspirational, it has changed my movie viewing experience forever!
~Dandelion Experiments:  Kid developed scientific experiment on how a dandelion changes into a "fuzzy head"
~Homemade wine:  Love my Aunt!!!  The nectar of the Gods on a warm spring night.... amazing :)
~Crocheting:  The twins wanted to learn... lots of crocheted necklaces and banners at my house!  Love it! 
~Scooters and bikes,  Lots of walks, momma needs a bike to keep up!
~Grey's Anatomy:  Guilty pleasure... oh so dramatic season finale!!
~Blue sky and the smell of fresh mowed grass
~Finding a bleeding heart in the midst of my wild raspberries... wow!  Where shall I transplant it??
~Hubby's Garden: so glad its his this year! Growing great so far!
~Watching hubby try to find a spot for the real raspberries and other plants... went a little crazy on the Johnny selected seed website!  Hee Hee!!!!

Life is good!

I lived through the first year!

Hello friends! 

1 year ago I was a stay at home momma.  My babies were in kindergarten and I was a stressed out girl scout leader who blogged to make herself realize how extraordinary her life really was.  I knew what I wanted to do in life, I was just scared to take that step.

How a year does change things!!!  Well, not really :)  I'm still a momma, and I'm still a girl scout leader... for one troop.  The stress transferred to 5 college classes and balancing it all.  That's also where I realized how extraordinary my life really is.  There was no time for blogging, barely time for blinking!

I could write volumes about my experience, I may still do that... just not today.

Today you get the overview. I can't focus it into a top ten but here is a random list of life's little moments and changes:

~ As I loosed up the reins my kids and hubby took off!  In a good way... they are amazing!!!!  Much more self sufficient, and the creativity in this house makes me smile every day!!!

~My favorite courses all revolve around ecology... science methods (elementary education), Ecology and the Environmental Challenge, and Winter Ecology.   Fun and eye opening experiences in all three classes.  Teaching science will be my main priority.  I became fascinated with owls, and owl pellets.  I am now more aware of climate change and my part in solving the problem.  I can also make shelter out of a pile of snow...

~We found time to take the girls to Disney.  It was my first time as well.  AMAZING!!!!  So glad we went, the girls were the perfect ages at 6 and 10. 

~I made it onto the deans list for the fall semester.  5 classes and my lowest grade was an A-!!!!  Yay, after 15 years I could still make the grades.  Still waiting for this semester's grades.... uuggh!  I'm pretty sure I'll still be on the dean's list... did you know you could have B's and still have high honors... yeah, I learned that too!  Full of knowledge I tell you!!!

~Have you heard of the "freshman 15"... yeah, it really happens, and then some!  I believe it is the need for sitting to study combined with the added study power of M&M's.... but more research is needed to determine an exact cause as to why my pants don't fit anymore. 

~My garden is now in the hands of my darling husband.  He went a little fruit happy with the Johnny's catalog... 6 blueberry bushes, 15 raspberry plants, and 50... yes, 50 more strawberry plants.  We got a few veggies as well to squeeze in there somewhere.  I can't wait for the yummy goodness!!!  Thanks to the early growing season, we already have lettuces, spinach, and sugar snap peas in the garden.  Ahhh... Spring gives hope to a better growing season!  I'm still not over the tomato blight of last  year, such a sad experience...

So, there's a little snippet of life as I know it.  Totally random, crazy, busy, and wonderful!!!! 

Until next time, happy spring everyone!

Dear Santa

Yesterday, in my language arts for elementary students class, we were discussing the journal writing / letter writing genre. To emphasize personal letters the class was asked to write a letter to Santa. Here is my letter:

Dear Santa;
I have picked up the slack for you for years. This year it is your turn. My children have written you letters. I cannot wait to see what you bring since I am turning the shopping over to you this year.

Thank you,
Maine mommy of 3 very good kids

I just realized I had my 200th post!

And I didn't even know for weeks. That figures! I thought I'd make a big deal out of it. Something special...

Something special these days is that I still have time for occasionally blogging and reading my favorite blogs... trust me that's the only me time I'm getting!

I'm in the process of trying to figure out how to enlighten all of you with my new found wisdom. The wisdom that comes with going to school full time for elementary education then coming home to be a full time mommy. It's really amazing and I'd love to share... if only I can find the right words.

I will... soon... stay tuned ;)