What a wonderful week this has been! I have been wanting to journal more on this blog in addition to all our fun pictures (as if the pictures don't say enough already); so here is my first journal entry, hopefully something I can keep up on more often than I did on Xanga.
Wednesday was a fun day because we got to get together with the co-op people and celebrate Chrissie's and Natalie's birthdays at the Tafts'. Jana, of course, made delicious homemade pizzas and a darling cake with M&M's, and we got to fellowship with our dear friends from this group. Rich and Jana have done an exemplary job of cultivating a thankful spirit in their children, especially when it comes to birthdays.
On Thursday Kyle took the kids Mother's Day shopping for me, and they brought me back a beautiful hanging basket and a ton of lavendar columbines to plant! What beautiful flowers! Now who wants to dig me a place to put them?
Elijah turned FOUR Friday, and what a special day we made it! When he woke up, we put on his favorite video CARS (watching TV is a special treat at our place, especially TV in the morning before chores) while I made Elijah's favorite breakfast, waffles with strawberries on top and birthday sprinkles. Faith and I did all his morning chores for him as long as he kept a good attitude. My dad Papa Culley showed up and surprised Elijah by joining us for breakfast; he can do that kind of thing now that he's RETIRED! Papa furthered the surprise by taking the kids out to see Monsters Vs. Aliens while I ran some errands with Gabriel. When Eli got home, he was surprised to see some new Lighting McQueen bedsheets on his bed with the CARS soundtrack on his pillow. After that Papa took the surprise a step further and blessed Mommy by mowing the lawn and weed whacking for me so that Kyle could spend his time with the family. (I am truly so thankful for me family!) When Kyle got home from work, we took Elijah to Chuck E Cheese per his request and then out for pizza and salad. We concluded our evening with Kung Fu Panda and sent one tired four-year-old off to bed with lots of birthday love.
By the way, Elijah's birthday, May 8, falls on the same day as my good friends' Brittney and Beth's, so HAPPY BIRTHDAYS, friends! I love you both!
Today we hosted Elijah's birthday party, and what glorious weather we were blessed with! It was supposed to rain, so we were extra thrilled to be able to party outdoors! We kept the party very small, which is HARD for me to do. But it was lovely! I will be posting pictures ASAP, but let me tell you that it was a success! Elijah chose Disney's CARS for his theme, with ice cream sundaes; and although it was meant to be small and simple, I just could not stop decorating!!! You'll see what I mean when those pics go up.
After our guests left, Dad, Debbie, Manesseh, and little Luke stayed later for a quick dinner of barbecued chicken breast, french fries, and a strawberry spinach salad. We got everything pulled together, and the last of our company left; so Kyle and I got to enjoy a rare evening together. He surprised me by making me strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, for an early Mother's Day gift.
I do truly have a sweet family, and maybe we are corny because we celebrate everything and every occasion, but we enjoy these times tremendously. We love people, and we love fellowship. I am a very thankful wife and mother tonight especially.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
More Spring Things
Here we have been celebrating Spring in every way we can think of. Kyle has been getting his fruit trees and berry bushes ready to go. We also strung a clotheslines; we got the idea from Martha Stewart to make it easily removable. It's all play to the children. And speaking of children, what is Springtime without dirty bathwater?
Spring Things!
ROMANCE!!!
It's been pure romance around the Engelson place since the sun has arrived! (Yes, Washingtonians, that yellowish orb in the sky does emit heat.) This is truly a wonderful time of year, and I have to make myself come in and go to bed at night when I really want to stay outside enjoying God's beauty! What a wonderful gift we have been given that we are part of this masterpiece of life! I love this season, everything from fresh-cut lawn and planting gardens to dirty feet and brown bathwater, from earthworms to butterflies, and especially croaking frogs in the evenings. We have been working our tails off outside this year, turning our yard into a little oasis. We have planted a sunflower hide-out for the kids (PLEEEASE GROW!!!), a vegetable garden, a few flower gardens, an herb garden, plus more!
Above we have pictures of Faith and her gardens of which she is very proud! I thought I would end with this children's poem by William Wordsworth. I love our collection of poetry books illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa and would reccomend them to anyone.
Daffodils
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd-
A host of golden daffodils
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I, at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed-and gazed-but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude:
And then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils.
It's been pure romance around the Engelson place since the sun has arrived! (Yes, Washingtonians, that yellowish orb in the sky does emit heat.) This is truly a wonderful time of year, and I have to make myself come in and go to bed at night when I really want to stay outside enjoying God's beauty! What a wonderful gift we have been given that we are part of this masterpiece of life! I love this season, everything from fresh-cut lawn and planting gardens to dirty feet and brown bathwater, from earthworms to butterflies, and especially croaking frogs in the evenings. We have been working our tails off outside this year, turning our yard into a little oasis. We have planted a sunflower hide-out for the kids (PLEEEASE GROW!!!), a vegetable garden, a few flower gardens, an herb garden, plus more!
Above we have pictures of Faith and her gardens of which she is very proud! I thought I would end with this children's poem by William Wordsworth. I love our collection of poetry books illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa and would reccomend them to anyone.
Daffodils
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd-
A host of golden daffodils
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I, at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed-and gazed-but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude:
And then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils.
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