Before and after...school

Well, we did it.  Another school year down.

It's bittersweet for me.  I love the summer, the long days, staying out late, 

sleeping in, slowing down, exploring the neighborhood, 

staying in swimming suits all day, and "mom's school".

But I have to admit, I really like the structure that school provides. 

 I'm pretty sure, come mid-July, I'll be ready for my schedule.

 I took photos of the Little Nies on the first day of school, 

and on their last day of school.

They are cute, and I am glad they are mine.

Claire Elizabeth, 7th grade:

Jane Bronwyn, 6th grade:

Oliver Christian, 4th grade:

Nicholas Jones, 2nd grade:

And Lottie for good measure:

Happy Weekend!!!!!!

Need more patience?  I do too. (Spiritual Enlightenment)

Magic

My friend Amy took this photo of our boys, Nicholas and Thomas.

Amy lives on the other side of Fox Hill.

We each have 5 children, and 4 out of our 5 match up perfectly:

 Jane & Hannah-12

Oliver & William-10

Nicholas & Thomas-8

Charlotte & Ada-3

The Little Nies wander in between homes almost 

daily feeling free and independent.

Amy and I mother very similarly and by that,
I mean, we want our children to play outside.

So they play pioneers and mountain men and all that good stuff.

They search the hill that separates our homes for bones, footprints,

arrowheads, feathers, and beer bottles. 

Nicholas told me that he really did eat 3 roly-poly bugs today 

and Thomas used his hatchet to cut down tree sticks to make a fort.

Jane and Hannah play pioneer women who knit and then gather eggs from

Amy's chicken coop.

Oliver and William were off at war and eating last night's cornbread

while probably pretending to be prisoners in a deep dark ravine.

With the sun staying out longer in the day, 

I usually don't plan on serving dinner

until around 7:00 because I can't stand calling them in.  

I know they are happy playing together and making memories.

This is a magical life, and I want to bottle up this goodness and never

let my children get any older.