Post 242: Playing Hookie

Over the weekend the boys and I played hookie from everything-- church, dinners, social outings, bills, showers--everything. So we could work on the floors I have been complaining about for months.

By noon The Babe was turning into a crank so we decided to pack up and head to the park for lunch and some much needed time on the swings...all work and no play...well, you know.
The Babe was a bit skeptical at first. He had been strapped down all day (highchair, jumper, exersaucer, repeat) and he was ready to feel the wind in his...hair?
Mr. Mom.We had a lovely little lunch in the park. Then it was on to the swings! The Babe was not so sure about it...

Once he got going he was a giggle machine. He LOVED it. He has been on the swings a million times but is so surprised with the outcome EVERY. TIME.We swung, blew bubbles (which he is completely not interested in yet), and swung some more until it was obviously nap time . I'm not sure who had more fun, The Babe or me and The Husband! I am glad we have a good excuse to act silly in the park and not seem quite so crazy..

(my head doesn't look that huge in real life....really)

Post 228: Hello Frog

This little tree frog hung around my back door all day today and sang me a song or two.

Many days living in the woods and fighting off the rodents and bugs make me feel like I'm camping (not in a good way). Some days I wonder what I have got myself into...then pretty little frogs sing to me, the owls hoot and all the pretty wild flowers send their sweet scents through the windows....and that reminds me why I did this.

Post 219: Waiting for Peonies to Bloom

Ever since the peonies quit blooming last summer I have been anticipating there reappearance. I love them. The way they look the way they smell, reminds me of childhood. Sitting on the cool cement porch, the hum of the neighbors radio, the smell of mom baking mixed with the sweet scent of peonies <3<3
I was playing with the new camera and the zoom lens the other day, seeing if I could catch anything interesting. I live in the woods but it seems as though all of the insects and animals were hiding. The pup did manage to chase this squirrel up a tree and I got a few sub par pictures. It wasn't until after I put the pictures on the computer that I noticed the baby squirrel!
I have been impressed so far but still have A LOT to learn. I refuse to have such a nice camera and use it in automatic mode...I actually took this picture from INSIDE the house. pretty awesome huh?
And I am posting this because we have these little purple flowers growing all through the woods. They are quite pretty and fragrant but I am clueless when it comes to identifying flowers. Do any of you happen to know what these are called?

Post 172: Oh My Peonies

My lovely flowers!
Peonies are my FAVORITE and they make my heart happy! The owners did a fantastic job with flowers around here. Every two weeks I get a new kind of flower blooming :D
Too bad they were not able to keep up with the vegetable garden...It is my project for next year!

Post 167: I love this place.

It is such a beautiful morning, it makes my heart happy. Puppy Gus and I enjoyed our breakfast on the deck the morning watching the world go by. I am in love with this place.

Oh! I have to share what the husband and I saw out the bedroom window Monday morning. At first glimpse it scared the heck out of me.

I wish I would have caught him with his feathers still fanned out, he was beautiful!

Post 33: Yo soy playero pero no hay playa... (p.s. giveaway sneak peak!)

It was a beautifully hot day...the kind of day that would be best spent at the beach....but I am land locked in Illinois. So, I do not have the beach but this is what I do have :)

I almost smashed this guy when I went into a panic thinking a spider jumped on me!

Isn't it the tiniest thing you ever saw!?!
These guys hang out in my back yard above my deck, so, we were seeing a lot of each other the past few days. This is my second round of robin babies this year! They left today so I could take the fire hazard down ...again (the nest was built on a light)...haha it seems to be the real estate of preference for the neighborhood robins. (Sorry for the poor quality pic but they didn't like me getting too close).It was so funny because this baby bird would sit with it's head out his nest and his mouth open like this for a very long time...I wasnt sure if they were catching little bugs or what...

Then.....

Yum. Aren't the colors beautiful?!

Nothing like a cool salad on a day like today! (I only wish I had grown all these lovely vegetables myself!)

The sun was beating down I could almost feel in weighing down my shoulders. The air is heavy and humid and the smell of grilling chicken and peppers filled the back yard. When I closed my eyes I almost forgot I was in the Midwest. *sigh* I am in need of a tropical vacation...hehe

I also took some time to work on my GIVEAWAY. Here is a sneak peak! I will be posting my giveaway sometime tomorrow so don't forget to check back!!