Blueberries for Sal

Today we went on our much missed family outing. Since Craig has been working crazy hours, we have not be able to go on our weekly family outings, much to Deirdre's chagrin. However today was the perfect day to do one. We've been in our new home for a week now and we are settled - so now let's go on an adventure! An adventure inspired by her favorite book, "Blueberries for Sal."

And off we went to the Pungo Blueberry Farms in Virginia Beach! It was a lovely family friendly place (restrooms, sheltered picnic areas, cold water, and wagons to help you carry the little ones around). The farm was also family owned and the really cared about their farm and its patrons. They even had a cute play blueberry figure! I will so come again next year!

The kids were in heaven, despite the heat. Deirdre actually picked some while singing a song about a blueberry gnome named bill whom was protecting her from the blueberry troll name grimace.

Jonas just ran from bush to bush stuffing his face. He was wild and having so much fun. We did not care how many berries he ate or how far he tarried, he was loving life and will surely remember this experience for years to come. Family fun.  

Bonne Nuit, Mes Amies

Corners of our home: The Great Room

I have to say when I first walked into our new house, the reason I immediately fell in love with it was due to the 'great room'. The 'great room' is to the left when you walk in the front door off the foyer. Instead of having a separate den and living room, our landlords combined the rooms together into one HUGE room. It is just such an open space, and I love it. 

In our last home, which I also loved, we had a separate living room and den. I converted the living room into our playroom however. Much to my dismay though the rooms were closed off by a wall so the whole space seemed much more boxed in.  

(Disclaimer: these photos as all photos, do not do this home justice. You have to just come see this yourself!) 

In this house we now have our playroom...

Family room...

Library/Music/Secretary Nook...

I have had this for 5 years now and its still one  of my favorite things. 

In one room!


I apologize for the photo quality but we had lovely busy day- and I did not have time to snap some photos when the sun was out but I will update these when I do. Not only did my car not start this morning on the way to church but we went out to lunch with church friends, had to fix the car afterwards, and then attended a divine birthday party this afternoon! Phew. However I must say that the party was one of the most laid back and fun parties I have been too. I loved being able to let go and be with people that my children and I can be ourselves around without judgement. 


At any rate, I am going to start working on a tutorial for some reclaimed wooden blocks. Once my gnome tutorial is published, I can also post my rainbow toadstools tutorial. Due to the similarities and publication rights, I think its best to wait. :) 


Our sermon today was very convicting and challenging, in a good way. I have to says its the first time I have heard a balanced and sound sermon on biblical familial roles where a wife's role was treated with dignity. Way to go TK. 

Daily Verse or Quote: 

Ephesians 5: 8-14

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

   “Wake up, sleeper,
   rise from the dead,
   and Christ will shine on you.”




More of our eat in kitchen...

And our kitchen...

DD's table setting station. Tonight she set the table without asking and put her dirty dishes away! 

Introducing Our New Home

Well I am back from my respite my dear friends! I must admit that I did miss the internet, not the TV so much, but most definitely this space. Soon hopefully we will be getting rid of their TV altogether. This week has just re-solidified why we do not need or really use it all that much. The only reason we still have it is really for Craig. After a LONG 8 hour plus night shift, he likes to watch his TV. And I totally support that. But I digress...


As mentioned before, we are moved! What a crazy and blessed experienced that was. We had so many lovely people and dear friends helping us. We began at 8am and we were done and mostly unpacked by 3pm. Seriously I am so indebted to these dear souls. The love Craig and I felt on that day will stay with us for years to come. 


Our move was across town, so we are still in VA. I can see the James River from my window and I am walking distance from my old university. The house we are in belongs to our church friends. We are renting from them for the next three years. While we could have bought a home this move, we could not have bought the kind of home that we'd be happy to own. So we are going to wait and save for as bit longer and then hopefully in three years we can find our forever earthly home. But truly we are so blessed as it is and in the end a house is temporal and just a dwelling. I'd prefer to pin my hopes on something greater than that. :) 

The new house however is stunning. I cannot lie, it also is huge. 3400 square feet and tennis court in the back yard huge. The poor kids get lost in it and this it too much room for us, so we won't be using it all really. But I am not going to complain. I plan on filling this house with friends and family as often as I can for as long as we have it! I also want to begin a Waldorf homeschool co-op this Autumn, so this place will be perfect if that plan comes to fruition. 


At any rate I will leave you all now. The kids are fabulous. We are having no regression issues and they are both sleeping happily in the same room (photos to come). We have found our rhythm and routine in this new place and I am in love. See you all tomorrow! 

Many blessings from mine to yours, 

Nicole 

PS: My tutorial is getting published! I am quite excited! I will let you all know when is comes out and where to find it! 

New Home

We are safe. We are moved. We are settled. We are blessed.

We also do nto have internet until saturday, so that is when the blog and photos will return. 

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Life is quite wonderful and we are having no issues. 

PS: The kids LOVE their new shared room! 

I've lost my third arm!

Phew...see I was right my friends I have been being sporadic! This however is a good thing because it means I am making great progress on the packing front. I have to say, minus feeling a bit icky last night (bad food maybe?), all has been well!


Last weekend we painted the children's new room. Craig and I have decided to room our son and daughter together for the next three years. In our new home we have 4 rooms. Two of which are small and the other two which are huge. One being the master and the other being the "room over the garage" aka FROG. 


The major factor leading into this decision was the sheer size of the bed sets we have for the kids. Since both were given to us free of charge,  you better bet we are most definitely going to use them and save our pennies. However, due to their dimensions and the dimensions of the other two rooms, the full sets will not fit into the smaller rooms. Fortunately they do both fit in the FROG with ample room leftover! Score! 


Personally I really quite like the idea of our kids rooming together. It is almost like we will have a traditional nursery room (as seen in classic movies like Mary Poppins and Peter Pan) where all the children, regardless of sex, share a room until their teen years. Plus Deirdre is ecstatic about it. I am sure there will be some adjusting but I am not worried. as with all things in our home we just flow with the rhythm and make do one bit at a time. No need to fret unnecessarily. 


So after making that decision, I began dreaming up an idyllic Waldorf "nursery" room for them. Trust me its going to be a lovely room, I promise to show you when its done. However the FROG had flocked wall paper in it. When Deirdre first saw the room she said it looked like a bear cave! Off the wallpaper came, and last weekend we painted  (as well as sanded and primed) the walls and ceiling. The color I choose was "Free Spirit" by Olympic. Olympic is a zero VOC paint with a green seal. Since this paint was going in the kids room my conscious would not allow me to not use a low VOC paint. 

I truly adore this color-plus its gender neutral and peaceful. Perfect for the kids. I would love to have posted before and after pictures for you but alas I HAVE LOST MY CAMERA. I know... I know. It really is my third arm. I have torn my house asunder looking for it. I have reopened boxes. It is nowhere. 


The only conclusion I can come to is that I left in my car and it was stolen- or- that it is so far lost that if I do find it won't be for a long long time. And if it is truly misplaced, tehn that would be very odd for me since I always keep it in two places. Next to the computer or in my purse. Seriously. So after a week plus of not having it and tearing everything apart, I am going to cave in and get a new one. If I do find the other one at some point I will just sell it or give it to my little brother as present. Luke tends to get my hand me down cameras anyway- and he loves it ;) 


I was thinking about getting nicer one than I had, however I really love my Nikon CoolPix. I seriously get awesome photos with it and it only cost me $90. We will see though. I will be getting one before Saturday so I can photograph the move. 


We will see though. Please keep us in you thoughts and prayers through the move. I am one stressed cookie! 

Bonne Nuit, Nicole 

~Old un-shared photos form 2 weeks ago~

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual birthed by Amanda Soule aka SouleMama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . .

Deirdre loving her chicken Faline. 

Elsa Beskow, a love! (and a friend's giveaway)

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”~ Emilie Buchwald

Until we get through the move on the 30th, I will be blogging sporadically. So from now until August 7th, please don't worry if I am not on here daily anymore! Once I am back, I will have TONS of crafty goodness, new house projects, and Waldorf homeschooling ready to share with you. I mean summer is a time to relax, right? *Nods head*


In spite of this terrible heat wave I have been busy inside. I've discovered twitter, pinterest, flickr, and so much more blog crafty inspiration. I am quite enthralled. 


On this inspiration hunt I saw this blog "Jump into a Book". As a teacher by training I obviously believe reading is necessary, essential, and endless rewarding. My children and I read constantly. We have so many books in our house that I can't count them anymore. 

Among them are a few Elsa Beskow books. Elsa was a Swedish author and illustrator from the late 1800s. Her books are so well done and magical. Her books truly are timeless classics. I rank them up there with Joyce novels and well that is saying a lot for me. 


Right now Jump into a Book is giving away a set of ALL 19 Elsa Beskow books. I encourage you to enter it. These books will surely enrich your children's lives and help them to develop a lifetime love of reading.