A Bundle of Myrrh

Living Seasonally

I’ll tell you, Summer, not my favorite. But even so, every time it rolls around, I get a case of the Summers. And every Summer for the past 5 years I always think, this Summer I’ll relax and read and we’ll get outside! I always forget that Relaxing and Reading are easier said than done and honestly, Outside? Did I just say that? This Summer has been very different. It’s been cool and there’s been a lot of rainy days. Some days felt more like Fall than Summer. Glorious! There’s been less sprinkler and pool days, not as many popsicles on the porch but we’ve gotten to the park and have enjoyed a lot of salads, fresh fruit and ice cream!

We only had one ice cream cone left in the box, which at our house, will not do. So I DIYed it. Here’s an Ice Cream Cone Recipe for anyone else who doesn’t want to run to the mini-mart for another box of cones.

         

Giving Thanks

For the greatest thing about Texas: Blue Bell Ice Cream!
For Cool Summers
For Rain and Ideas for rainy day fun:

For Big Sisters
For Detangling Spray

Thinking Deeply 

“Christians should have wells that cannot dry up or be exhausted even if their generosity is poured out like water into sand.” Martin Luther

 Turning Pages

First of all, it’s always fun to open a book and find what I’ve used for bookmarks….it’s also very telling. “I’ve just finished a Reese’s, let me use this to remember my place.”

I must have been in the bathroom this time, Zestfully clean of course.

Aww, an old note from a babysitter after watching Gerhardt marks my prayers for my children.

I’ve finished TWO books this Summer! Kisses From Katie and All Fun and No Joy. I wasn’t sure if I even knew how to read an entire book anymore so that feels great. Up next: Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta

There’s something very rewarding about reading, starting and finishing a book. I line them up like little trophies and smile at my great accomplishments.

Establishing Rhythm

 

I laughed the other day when I sat down to work on my “Summer Schedule” and realized it’s almost the end of July. Being gone from home for nearly a month can make the Summer wiz by a bit faster I guess. But here I am, with my schedule pondering where time to read, time to play outside, time to relax, time to do all those summery crafts on my Pin board can be squeezed in. There’s been hardly any napping since the big girls are home and the middles want to be awake doing what the bigs are up to. Summertime Rhythm is always fuddled. And that’s ok.

I’ve tried keeping to some list of chores for the kids. Remembering to let make them do it is hard for me, but little by little we’re getting on the chore bandwagon, each year I find more the babies can do and I get to sit back and evil laugh.

The big girls asked me why they “have to do all the work”, I told them because I’m the wicked step-mother and I like to make them suffer.

Cultivating Simplicity

I’m so happy to have had Phil’s help in purging our storage room. It’s uncluttered, organized and we can walk around in there finally! I’ve been purging purging purging much of the excess in our home. I love feeling lighter.

Creating Beauty

 

This is probably only beautiful to me, but I’ve managed to keep an herb garden alive for most of the Summer! Thyme, Basil and Mint. And I’ve actually been using them in recipes! Well, the mint is for my nightly Mojito but I do make it from scratch so….”recipe.”

Nurturing Hearts

 

The big girls continue to memorize the 10 Commandments with Explanation and I watch the Middles listening. I know they’re taking it in and one day they’ll just come on out with it. I like watching how Lily’s little mind is blooming, she’s starting to connect dots and ask more questions. She knows that the disciples were “Fisher’s of Men” and that Daddy is a “Fisher of men”, but she asked him “Daddy are you a “Fisher of Ladies” too?

After Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, the Church Calendar is pretty sparse. Then the end of July hits and it’s one day after another, the weeks are full of great saints to teach.

Nurturing Senses

We made Summer scented playdoh last week, Orange, Raspberry, Coconut, Vanilla and Mint. Lily made this creature and wanted to know “if I would put it on the computer so other children could make one too”. I told her I would, so here you go:

Nurturing Hands

 

Phil took all the babies fishing at our pond last week and came home with “Pets”.

Meet Mia and Bryan. Both of whom have survived for a whole week, congratulations to them!

Nurturing Bodies

After eating at a Mediterranean restaurant in Texas Phil decided he really liked Mediterranean food. So that’s been my challenge this Summer, eat more mediterranean!

Also, look who got a BUZZ!

I mean, “Look who got a Buzz fool.” You have to talk tough when you have a buzz.

Cutting boy hair is something I’ve worried about for centuries, even long before I had boys I thought about how on earth I’d ever cut boy hair. Well, I don’t do it well, so I bought clippers. For the Summer, it’s great. 5 minutes buzzed and done. I was only going to subject Ephraim to this because his hair is thin, straight and makes his head look like Jupiter.

He hated every second of it but after it was done and we were all swooning Gerhardt had to have his done too. A tradition is born, Summer Buzzes for all the Boys! Um, not sure what we’ll do for Fall, Winter and Spring.  

Tending The Earth

Phil took the 3 big babies camping and fishing overnight last weekend. He brought home plenty of fish for lunch the next day. The boys helped him bury the fish corpses, such a boy thing to get to do.
Ick.

There are so many things I’m really happy that Phil does with our babies. This is one of them. There’s also the camping, the fishing, pretty much everything outside. He’s such a good Daddy. He also has nice muscles!

Capturing Time

 

   

 

   

This entry was posted on Monday, July 21st, 2014 at 1:35 pm and is filed under Daybook. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.