Weekending...

My MOST favorite place to be.

It's late, and all of my boys are sleeping.  The Largest and the Smallest in their beds...and the two biggest Hoolie boys are camping out on the porch in their tent.  Good times.  I am up with what has become my traditional cup of "calm" tea to try and convince my restless legs to stop running marathons and go to sleep with the rest of my body and household.  It's become a nightly routine for us.  A date with the quiet, and preparation for what's to come, methinks.  It's been awhile since I've been up every few hours in the night.  Almost four years, to be exact.  But my body -- she is remembering.

My first gift of flowers of the season.  Dandelion Days have begun...

Tomorrow marks the 39th week of this pregnancy.  Crazy.  In some ways I feel like my butt has gotten a little bit kicked with this baby...but in other ways the weeks have flown by the fastest this time, as well.  Only one more week - give or take - with a baby kicking and moving within me.  Just a few more days, and then maybe never again will I feel that growing and expanding - that stretching and the sharing of my body with another.  It's kind of a bittersweet feeling, really.  I am sensing the closing of a chapter, and it makes me kind of sad.

So, while I joke and tease...and while I truly do feel ready to meet this little one face to face...
I am also trying to slow and really savor these last few moments of having her within me.
And I am savoring the time with my family of "just five," - before we morph into something new...something really great....but something different than what we know right now, as well.

Change always makes me thoughtful.
It always makes me sentimental and reflective.
So, that's kind of what I did this weekend.

I took it slow.  I was reflective.  I enjoyed my Loves.  I watched.  I listened.
And I was present...(when I wasn't napping...)

Beets are in the ground.  Ooooh, the bending...
Excited for steamed beet greens, beets for juicing, beets for pickling, and beets for sharing.

We took it slow and simply.  No Epic day trips, and no crazy adventures.
Just us as a family being together.

My little broody hen.  I hear ya, Sweets.

On Friday, all three Littles and I went to the Midwife together and then out to Chinese for lunch.  My own sweet Mama gave me twenty bucks for Mother's Day - which I told her was crazy, because I'm not her mother - but there was no discussion with her.  So, I told my Loves there's no other place I would rather spend said money than on their favorite food and on having a little date with the tri-fecta of boys and me!

Ransom went down for a nap at Grampy and Grammy's after this, and my two big Hoolies and I extended our date until we had to get Kev.  We went to a sweet little movie together, we hit the Dollar Store, and we went and petted (and almost bought) a baby goat at Blue Seal.

Oh my word.  The cuteness.
I was oh. so. very. tempted...

Then, after we picked up Daddy from work, we drove down to the river and let them fish for a bit while we waited for Ransom to wake up.  Five bass later...and we all agreed that it was a love-o-ly day.

Peepers in the air.
Sounds of the rushing river.
Sitting on the bank and watching my Loves doing what they love to do...
Dee-lightful.

And Saturday we vegged.
I highly recommend it.

Sleeping in, a big breakfast, and a whole lot of simple puttering around the house.
Sometimes it's nice to do that.

The boys rode bikes, built a bonfire, played on the swingset, chased the chickens, and just ran wild and free, while Kevy and I checked some things off of our "to-do" lists, stopped for a fireside picnic, did a little bit of mowing - trying to get this show on the road -, a little bit of gardening, and little bit of getting things in order for summer...and for London's debut...

Daddy and his big helper Ransom putting on the trailer hitch for Grampy's old boat.

And, then we ended the day with ice cream for supper.
Oh, yes we did.
First time in my career as a Mama...but it won't be my last.
Fo Sho'.

And the day was topped off with with baths and tenting out on the porch.
Sweet and simple - joy in the small.
And for all of it, I am thankful.

~ Weekends of sunshine, and of being outside.
~ Counting down the days...feeling like Christmas.
~ Bonfires and chicken sausages.
~ The smell of smoke in their hair - and dirt on their feet.
~ Working in the garden.
~ Bare feet - grass stained and running wild.
~ Ice cream for supper - and little boy delight.
~ Chickies roaming free.
~ Dates with my boys.
~ Fishing success.
~ Sweet little movies and candy...
~ Healthy baby, healthy Mama.
~ Naptimes.
~ Simple suppers on the back porch.
~ Bedtime prayers - and kisses on my belly.
~ Cozy coffee mornings - and hanging in our p.j.'s.
~ Brother friends tenting outside.
~ And sharing the same bed another night because the younger had a scary dream.
~ Popcorn and conversation in bed while the rest of the house sleeps.
~ Restless legs, a quiet house, time to think.....

#5066-5085 ~ My Joy Journey.