happy birthday to me. this year brings about much newness for me. a new, stay at home mama status. a move to a new home + neighborhood. i am indeed blessed and grateful.

35 things i want to do during my 35th year ::

1 learn how to knit + knit all my boys beanies

2 find a gluten free daily bread recipe that i like just as much as my former daily bread recipe

3 vacation in maui

4 take a cooking class

5 learn a french song and sing it frequently to my children

6 visit the central coast

7 plant a vegetable garden

8 rekindle my passion for the written letter + write letters to friends & family

9 run wildly with my boys

10 visit the library regularly

11 play chess with the mr.

12 read, read, read

13 keep a nature journal

14 draw, paint, write

15 learn more about photography

16 smile more

17 pray more

18 praise the mr. more

19 fit into my armani dress

20 shop the farmer's market regularly

21 organize, organize, organize

22 picnic frequently

23 go camping

24 meet the new neighborhood, get involved

25 meet the new church, get involved

26 get a family portrait done

27 practice random acts of kindness

28 focus on the fruits of the spirit- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness + self control

29 surprise family + friends with thoughtfulness

30 master several soup recipes

31 memorize scripture with isaak

32 play with the boys... really play

33 take time to listen... really listen

34 kiss the mr. more

35 make a list for year 36

what do you want to do this year?

celebrating 100 posts of grateful praise!

my son, the avid stick collector, was elated to explore gum grove park where sticks were in abundance. although it was just a quick visit before dinner, we enjoyed our walk through nature. can you find the beauty?

yum. i love sweet potato fries. and am thrilled to be able to make them so easily at home now. thank you trader joes.

sweet potato fries ::

bag of sweet potato spears- available at trader joes

olive oil

sea salt

black pepper

cinnamon

parsley

place sweet potato spears in large plastic bag. cover with olive oil. add, to desired taste, freshly ground sea salt, black pepper + cinnamon. seal bag & shake vigorously. place spears on cookie sheet. bake at 375 between 45 minutes to an hour. sprinkle with parsley.

enjoy. bon appetit.

a day of adventure at irvine park + pumpkin patch. enjoying the simple joys of childhood. balancing on haystacks. finding the way through a maze of hay. glorious autumn trees. a first experience on swings. collecting sticks. looking under mushrooms for fairies. attempting to cut down a tree with a stick in order to build us a home. and pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere. grateful for the delights of the season.

grateful for a family day in manhattan beach. enjoying the waves + the sun. isaak was quite taken with the act of surfing, observing with intrigue and delight. at the end of the pier is a quaint aquarium. we discovered small sharks, huge seastars, many varieties of fish and coral. so interesting. we ended our visit with lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. a fine day.

oh, happy day. we joined up with our new homeschool group of friends at riley's farm in oak glen. we partook in a colonial life tour of the farm. it was amazing. the grounds were breathtaking. our group was given an explanation of an activity by a farmer in period clothes, using historical grammar and accent. we had some time to engage in the activity, until we heard the sound of the bell. and then on to the next adventure. our very exciting activities included: candle making, pressing apples for cider, churning butter, writing with quills, a lesson in manners + dance, weaving, colonial games and eating a delicious caramel apple. it was a most memorable day.

we spent some time, on this rainy day, at huntington beach. the rain paused briefly to let isaak "get his energy out!" we had the moist sand all to ourselves. perfect for making tracks. we observed waves. isaak discovered "pledge allegiance to the flag!" we walked. we laughed. we ran. and then the drizzle began. isaak had been longing to use his umbrella. so, up the shelter came. at this point, i felt myself getting crabby. isaak was so thrilled to be playing in the drizzle. he had been eagerly awaiting the fun. i don't quite know what came over me... but i was just not feeling it. my inner grouch came out. i heard myself saying things to my sweet boy that i didn't like. yet, i kept up the bad mood. i felt a battle rage inside me. knowing i was not liking my mama-ing. i chose to stop. take a breath. and confess. and heard my precious boy say "it's okay mama... i forgive." today, i am grateful for the pure heart of my son. for the lesson of how to forgive. without hesitation. without strings. only love.

today i am grateful for time with our whole family. out for a walk. breathing in the abundant, simple beauty of nature.

:: lovely bark

:: a content ezra

:: a snowy egret, isaak identified this bird after utilizing his new field guide of birds

:: walking the trail, isaak finding his favorite treasures... sticks

:: amazing tree trunk

:: isaak using a tree stump for a stool & desk to draw his

observations in his nature study journal, little red berries

:: discovering tree trunks & stumps

:: gorgeous, busy spiders

a fine day, indeed. find a piece of nature. breathe it in. enjoy.

a beautiful day playing at the pumpkin patch. oh, how i adore october goodness. and am so very grateful to be able to fully enjoy these days with my boys.

delicious autumn! my very soul is wedded to it, and if i were a bird i would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. -george eliot

amen.

the kid 1 and i are serious warm cereal kinda folk. we used to partake in oatmeal or cream of wheat with great delight. but no longer, come the food allergy awareness. i have been missing the comfort of warm cereal and am thrilled to have found a new alternative that is just as tasty. scot made sushi last night. isaak's absolute favorite dinner. with the leftover rice, we created this tasty concoction.

oat free + gluten free warm rice cereal ::

your favorite rice- cooked, we used a white short grain

vanilla rice milk

organic sugar

cinnamon

place your desired quantity of rice in a pot, cover with rice milk so that it just reaches the top of the rice, throw in as much sugar + cinnamon to suit your taste buds and boil. when it reaches a boil, turn it to simmer for a few moments longer. you'll want to observe the rice and continue stirring so that it does not burn or stick to the bottom of the pan.

enjoy warm cereal goodness, sans oat + gluten. bon appetit.