Happy Mother's Day and More

• Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.
• The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness
• Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother. 
• That best academy, a mother's knee.
•  The lullaby is the spell whereby the mother attempts to transform herself back from an ogre to a saint. HAHAHA!!!! I need to sing more!
• The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. 
•  I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.
• Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love.
• No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you - life 
• And remember that behind every successful woman......is a basket of dirty laundry

 No one can say my children aren't creative.  

 After a bit of a burn on his face, Pippin had to wear heavy-duty sunscreen on his face for a bit.  I can't say enough for Organic Healing Balm that I had picked up at Costco. The stuff is awesome!

 And just how would you get rid of your couch?

 Swimming Wading in April, we just had to do it.

 I attended an awesome homeschooling convention, and found so many great books!  Do check out:
Mary's Books, particularly In the Footsteps of the Saints books, AWESOME reprints!! Also St. Augustine Academy Press  They have a gorgeous book on the Mass for children... and adults amongst otehr things!

 I'm delighted to see that Boy #6 is showing interested in Chivalry.

 Lambie has graduated from size 1 to 2 to 3 and now size 4 diapers, only used when inside.  She stays out most of the day.

 We had a field trip to America's Best Flowers, it was a beautiful place with a really great demo in which the children could participate.

 The older children had a lovely place to enjoy each other's company.

 They encouraged even the littlest ones to do everything by themselves. They just loved it.

 They came home with pansies, bean seeds and other things. It was just a really great program.

 They had a scavenger hunt to find things, Kili wasn't able to write words so he drew what he saw.  My 2nd leftie :D

 We picked up 8 basil plants, though might have to get more, love that pesto sauce!

 We were given 8 giant cabbage plants. These produce the best cabbage, very large but tender as all get out.

 Prepping for a shelter shed for the animals.

 What beats a gigantic pile of sand?

 It's that time of year again, lots of outdoor activities and field work.

 Does every 16 year old buy get wound up in chicken wire or is it just our specialty?

 Our neighbors gorgeous peacock paid us a visit. Usually we just hear him and he sounds like the Snipe from the movie "UP" (great moving by the way, we really enjoy that one)

 Poppy is going to be a mouse in the "Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"play. Working out a costume.

 A bit odd, but I really liked this tree, whatever it is. there was a whole row of them in a parking lot at Joann Fabrics/Burlington. Aren't they lovely?

 Another mouse attempt.

 Not sure how much the lamb weighed in this picture but today she is 3 weeks old and weighs 10 pounds, that's gaining 2 pounds a week.  She eats everything... and LOVES my roses. WAAAAHHH

 Lion costume for Merry who is going to be Aslan.

 The shed is going up-up-up.

 The lamb found her favorite spot, right behing Jesus, very good place to be.

 Just playing in the fields.

 The first morel mushroom of the season.

 Sam found a ramp, a wild leek.

 Frodo's milk cow (thin because she had been very ill but is now thin but thriving) was found in MY BATHROOM. Seriously.  This cow truly thinks she is part of the family.  I will spare you a photo of the plop on my floor. Thankfully I was not home at the time and my awesome boys had it cleaned up and aired out before I even got home.  They scored.

 And here she was waiting by the back door to get back in again when we drove in the driveway.

 Marigold playing ... I don't know... Joan of Arc?

 Bilbo is going to be an ogre in the LWW play.  His mask has since arrived. We won't cut his hair until after the play as he has great hair that can be done ogre style.

 Eleanor is older Susan and has a couple dresses to choose from.

 The newest calf.

 Just a deer in the road.

 Sam brought in over 5 pounds of morels. This is when we get to eat like kings :D

 Just too cute.

 Pigs are fattening up.  The milk cow keeping an eye on the big pigs.

 Planting the basil and spinach.

 Gandalf the rabbit

 NO JOKE, it was 88 degrees on May 5th... we had to go to a local lake.  It was absolutely lovely. There is always  breeze here so it was really nice.

 Frodo is exceptionally comfortable with his 4 footed friends.

 Frodo holding the mini green houses on the back of Sam's truck.

 Said green houses.

 Putting wire up for some grapevines.

 Reality

 After being told, "I'm posting this on the blog."

 We're hoping to beat our giant pumpkin record: 1203 pounds.  They like it warm so hopefully these little green houses will help them on their growing way.

 Wound of the week. This week features Rosie who stepped on a stick in the woods and got a terribly gruesome cut and needed 6 stitches.  Super glue just wasn't going to cut it, no pun intended. She's off her foot for 2 weeks.  *shudder*

Poppy on the morning of her First Holy Communion. She can hardly wait!