last day for b

thursday was bennett's last day of pre-school for the year.

 hooray for the start of summer vacations.

and hooray for an excuse to get some updated pics of this guy.

 this sweet boy LOVES school!

his sister does too, but for b it's different, tangible, infectious.

 we are so proud of you dear boy.

for all you are learning.

for what a good friend you are becoming.

for the start of this journey.

speaking of journey, i thought i'd share this idea i saw on good ol' pinterest!

you buy a copy of the graduation gift classic, oh the places you'll go by dr. seuss.

have each teacher through high school put a message in it.

i loved that idea!

(now to hunt down ella's past teachers so i can do the same for her)

hooray for the start of the start of the end of year school celebrations.

and hooray for more time for this little boy with superhero underpants.

it's crazy how much these little ones change in a year!

check-out b's first day of pic next to his last day.

so big...and so much more hair!

thankful tuesday, 6/4

• mama and baby stripes, snuggles and sleepies
• our big backyard 
• dear friends around the picnic table
• small group reunions and our 13 children 
• two wheeler success for e
• summer's first heat wave and too many ice cream cones
• book club bling and twinkle with the girls
• spanish simon says with ms. laura
• "we were suppose to be camping" fun with friends
• spikey haired b
• pool fun with anya
• jesus calling devotions with the kids
• summer planning
• the ingall's plumb creek adventures
• stationary
• teaching the kids how to eat a cherry
• end of school year preparations
• jane's sweet sweet smile
• baby girl bloomers and ruffles
• forgiveness and how friendships deepen after a few tears and hurt feelings
• mud pie play dates 
• peonies

we were suppose to be camping...

we were suppose to have gone camping with some friends over memorial day weekend.

but the rain, cold and more rain kept us home...big big bummer! 

so we decided to have a weekend of 

"we were suppose to be camping, but we can still have camping fun!"

on friday night got together with our camping crew to

 have chili, watch a movie and eat s'mores.
super cozy, fun...and LOUD!

you can't have camping without tents!

wes lead the charge to make these simple a-frame tents for some living room camping.

aren't they so fun?!

flashlights and lanterns are always a camping essential,
so we got crafty and made some pretty paper lanterns.

camping always includes a pancake breakfast around the campfire.
ours was around the dining room table.
a pancake 1st for jane...welcome to the breakfast club baby girl!

a camping weekend is always good for a nature walk and bug hunting.
so we made some terrariums and dug around for bugs, spiders and caterpillars.

we were bummed not to camp, but we made the best of it!
"we were suppose to be camping, but we can still have camping fun!"


here's a link to the tent diy if you want to make ones for your littles.
we have already taken them out to the yard for cozy picnics and afternoon reading.
 they fold up super easy!

i would totally recommend the terrariums.
 these are living little habitats that my kids are having lots of fun with.
we keep ours outside and the kids keep adding little friends to it.
 they love check on them, and are fascinated when someone moves out...or even better moves in!

happy camping friends!

memorial day bits

a few bits from our memorial day...

a day filled to the brim with thankfulness for our military men, women and families

 and for all they do and sacrifice to protect the freedom of this great nation we hold so dearly.

this little star turned 6 months old!

a photo shoot for all the girl scouts in town to be put in
medway's 300th birthday time capsule.

(ella is in the front row, near the middle)

a gorgeous day to march in the parade with all my little daisies.  

bennett hopped in along the route to join us - he was so excited  to join the
fire trucks, bagpipes, floats, soldiers and all the scouts!

a fun afternoon and cookout at home

with my mom and brothers.

games, mario brothers and all sorts of silly!

it definitely felt like the unofficial kick-off to summer.

i hope yours was just as fun!

six months old

brimfield

a gorgeous day thrifting and swooning over chippy painted treasures at the

brimfield antique fair.

 

 

and here is what came home with us.

just a few things to make this house feel  more like home.

note: if i had my way that blue bike up there would have come too, but alas there wasn't room.  note to self: next time bring a roof rack...or maybe rent a uhaul!