can I get a sunset view?

I will never take sunsets for granted.  

When we lived in our house in Haslet I loved every evening.  I saw the sunset every single day for almost 7 years.  I remember the last year we lived there I hated summer.  It was so hot you couldn't open the patio door without an oven mit.  You think I'm kidding, but I'm not.  It was one of the hottest summers on record and I was dreming of trees and shade.

Driving out of HEB parking lot tonight made me think of our current status.

House shopping.

We have months before we will actually move, but we look and explore homes all the time.

The kids wake up excited every single Saturday asking when we are going to head out to house shop.  They are just as excited as we are about finding our new home.

I have such mixed feelings about our home to be.  I want to see the sunset every single night because I am obsessed with sunsets.  BUT I want trees.  Will the trees block my view of God's beauty?  In Haslet we had no trees.  In Ohio we lived down in a valley and so the mountains blocked the sunset.  In Georgia we were surrounded by so many trees we couldn't see the sunset.  In our 4 years of adventures in other states I realized I miss the sunsets!  I missed them so much.  I'm thankful to be back in Texas enjoying the sun.  

God has led our litte family on a wonderful journey and I know he has the perfect home in store for us.  I can't wait to trust and see where he plants us in our town!

  

snappy ... our turtle for a day

Lily was pawing in the back corner of our yard yesterday before I picked the kids up from school.  She wouldn't come inside, so I wanted out to see her playing with a turtle.  Just Monday evening Layla mentione she'd love to have a turtle of her own, so I knew I had to catch this creature!

I scooped it up with a tupperware and  when the kids got home from school we created a habitat for what they called 'Snappy.'

Snappy is gigantic and we had hopes of keeping him/her, but dang what a boring life for a wild turtle.  We decided to let it go the next day.  It sure was a fun day having a turtle though.  The kids googled how to make a habitat.  They found out what turtles eat, and that they have to have an inch or so of water to potty in.  Anyway, how fun huh?!?  We're loving our wild kingdom backyard.  First birds and now a turtle.  I'm sure the turtle was making it's way down the creek bed to the lake.

Good bye Snappy, maybe we'll see you again soon!

bird eggs!

He's so excited about his most recent discovery.

No, these aren't Easter eggs!  They are bird eggs.  Hayden found them while jumping on the trampoline.  He grabbed them out of the nest and then he put them back.  

We were all nervous that the parents wouldn't come back, but the momma bird DID!  She's still caring for her baby eggs, so that wives tale about the mom smelling human scent is FALSE!  I'm happy to know this, because I was worried.

We can't wait to see if they have hatched when we return from our Spring Break trip!

spring fever and barefeet

When we lived in Texas I would get spring fever towards the end of February.

I would be ready for March to bring in warm and spring like temps.  This year after having lived in Ohio for the past two years, I am ready for Georgia to show me an amazing spring right now, not at the end of the month.  I want warm sunlight streaming through my kitchen window as soon as possible.  I saw the forecast though and it's going to be cold again this weekend and next week. :( 

We got a glimpse of AMAZING weather this weekend.  

I moved to Georgia with high hopes of warmth, but so far it's been cold.  Nothing like the Ohio cold, but still cold.  I keep reminding myself if I were in Texas it is cold there also.  It's cold all over the US right now.  That doesn't change the fact that  I can't wait to sweat again.  I got in the swimming pool 2 times when we lived in Ohio, because to me it never got hot enough to swim.  

I hope Georgia doesn't disappoint.  I have some high expectations.  Hahahaha!

Saturday we walked to the park to play.

{street walker selfie}

The kids were so excited to be outside running and cart-wheeling.

Look at those bare feet!  

Hoooray!

Today we walked to the end of our street and down a nature path to the lake.  Yes, I said lake.  We are near lakes again.  In Ohio we were surrounded by rivers.  Now we have a lake really close to us.  I had no idea about this fun path until my neighbor told me about it.  It's amazing!

Right now the water level is very low, but soon they will open the gates and we will have water to splash and play in.  Lake access so close to home is a fun thing!

Hayden loved throwing rocks and sticks into the creek.  

We followed the creek all the way to the lake area.

All this area will be covered in water.  How cool!!

After our nature hike to the lake we decided to head to the park again.  We had hopes of kicking around the soccer ball, but the kids just wanted to run and stick their toes into the playground sand again like they did yesterday.  I can't blame them.  Soccer will be in full swing in a couple of weeks.  I'm happy they just want to relax.  

Dad and I enjoyed watching them play a fun game of tag!  We loved having the warm sun baking our skin.  I think this little bit of sunshine is enough to remind us of what is to come when spring has finally sprung here in our new state!

Oh dear, a deer!

I know this is an awful picture and you can barely see the deer in between the tree branches, but I was too slow!  We have so many deer right now.  I had to take this picture through the screen in the kitchen window.  If I go outside the deer will run away and usually the dogs will scare them.  I have counted at least 7 deer at a time sneaking into our yard, I'm assuming to eat the walnuts.  We have so many stinkin' walnuts it's insane. 

Our kids get to see wildlife every single day.  They love watching the squirrels play and even chipmunks sometimes make an appearance.  We are loving and enjoying nature this fall!

Nature Field Trip

Yesterday was a fun day for the kindergarten classes!  We went on a fun field trip exploring nature.

We touched caterpillars and all kinds of bugs.

We went on a super long nature hike through hills and along the creek bed.

I'm so thrilled I got to go with Hayden's class.

Hayden turned a rock over in the creek and found salamander eggs!  It was the coolest thing!

If you look closely you can see water lining the outer part of the leaf.  I thought is was so neato!

My very favorite thing about the day was seeing this simple little waterfall.  It was a little bit of heaven all tucked into the little forest we were exploring!  We had a great time exploring and learning!

caterpillars are taking over!

The kids are loving the millions of caterpillars in our yard right now.

You'll look down and one will be on your shoe, or on your shirt.  At first I freaked out, but then I realized they are sweet little soon to be butterflies!  See the one on Hayden's shoulder, and the two on the bicycle brake cord?

They are every where and the kids even put a few in their bug catchers they got for Easter.  It would be so fun if we actually got to see one turn into a butterfly!!  I'll keep ya posted!

little baby pine cone

I have a short walk to school with the kids every morning.  We are lucky to live very close to the school.  Every morning on the walk back home I take in the every single bit of the scenery. 

 Mornings are crazy in our house. Kids are getting ready, eating, brushing teeth, scrambling for book bags and putting on our winter gear.  Putting on the gear adds five extra minutes to the morning routine.  Heck, sometimes ten extra minutes.  

Sooooo when I walk home kid free I enjoy the quiet walk home before I beging my day of chores.

 Today I saw this cute little baby pine cone.  I can't wait to watch it grow every few weeks.  I feel like we are so busy and sometimes I don't stop to enjoy the little things.  I have a goal to be more present in the weeks to come, even with the chaos that the holidays bring.  

This little pine cone is going to keep me grounded.  Every day I see it will be my reminder!

Weird worm Wednesday

I saw this weird creature crawling on the patio this afternoon. It is creepy huh?!? I know it has to be scary when the dogs won't even mess with it. Usually Lily barks and paws at caterpillars, worms and crickets, but she wouldn't even touch this stinker!

I've definitely seen some weird bugs here in Ohio that I never saw in Texas!

Hayden came home from school before it slithered away. He said very matter of factly, "It is a horned caterpillar, mom. I saw one at school today. I wouldn't recommend touching it."

Ya think?!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

doodle bug fun

Happy Friday friends! 

Hayden and I have been outside the past few mornings enjoying the cool breeze.  While hanging outside Hayden has been collecting rollie pollies.  Otherwise known as doodle bugs or pill bugs.  I'm not sure how many names they have.  All I know is they are EVERYWHERE!

We are being invaded by them.  I am so thankful they are nice little creatures.  It wouldn't be fun to be invaded by roaches or spiders, but pill bugs I can handle!

Playing with and capturing these little dudes keeps Hayden busy for hours!

Some of the bugs are small, some are large.

Of course Hayden sets them free when he is done capturing them.

They go free until the next day and we search for them all over again.

What do you call these little creatures?  I am curious?

Happy Friday!