Starlight by the edge of the creek

34.  Build a dam at a creek with friends.

35.  Attend VBS.

36.  Stay up late catching fireflies. 

As a bad motorcycle with the devil in the seat

 20. Allow yourself to be amazed by sunflowers all over again.

 21.  Turn 6.  Have a weekend full of parties.

 22.  Go to grandpa's and spend the entire days in the pool.

23.  Swim without floaties.

 24.  Sit on the front porch and swing.  Watch the cars go by.

25.  Eat fried green tomatoes from the garden.

26.  Eat fresh grilled squash from the garden, too.

 27.  Ride rodeo horses with your grandpa.

 28.  Try to touch the clouds.

 29.  Learn to ride the horse by yourself.  (The horse pictured used to be a real live rodeo horse!)

 30.  Reward horse with farmer's market sour apple.

 31.  Visit great grandpas. 

32.  Ride a Harley.

33.  Ride in a car with your brother for hours and hours and hours.  Argue with him.  Laugh with him.  Stop a million times. 

With the lunch bucket filled every season...

First day of first grade.
Wow.
He loves it with all of his nerdy heart. He has lots of friends already, plenty of homework, and a wonderful, smart, warm teacher. He looks big, and so do the marigolds in the background.
Our days of lounging around doing lessons in the backyard on a picnic blanket have been traded for a strict regiment of lunch box packing, school, soccer, and homework. Was last year a dream? Must have been...

Sat upon my grandpa's knee, And what do you think he said to me?...

So this weekend, we cleaned out the shed and found this.
Evan's grandpa Boggs gave it to him when he was a wee lad,
and Evan has now passed it to Ollie.
It is a working tool set.
I can't wait to see what they build.
First on the agenda: a bat house!

in the theater of divine comedy...

This past week, Ollie and Eli participated in a fantastically funny drama camp wherein they worked all week on a comedy. I have a few clips of the final product, but the lovely hosts, parents of three boys, also had lots of outdoor toys for the kids to enjoy, including this zip line. Ollie was a ham and Eli was pouty and nervous, but the highlight for the whole week as this thing.

What has he done to wear so many scars?...

Because I thought you should know, Eli called me a craw-mommy this week on our hike this weekend(which is similar to a crawdaddy). We frolicked under water falls and swam in the cool, cool water. Ollie also slipped and put a good gash in his shin. I'll spare you the photos of it, but he's still wearing a good bandage. Waterfalls are worth the pain, he thinks...

That place where the bones of life are piled....

Okay, a few more from Dad's.
Ollie wanted to collect every bone he found so that he could reconstruct it for our museum.

Horses, mules, martins, and barn swallows. We also saw an owl! Nature in the country.

Little red bike

Attention world, Ollie can now ride a bike! We are working on starting and stopping, but hard work and patience has prevailed!

Handy Dandy, he got a stick

Watch out world, Evan gave Ollie a pocket knife and he is now aiming to become a world class widdler.

Camping power!

And in her right hand, a silver dagger

Our studies have led us to Rome. Ollie decided to be a Roman foot soldier-a legionary. Of course, with a stockpile of cardboard, aluminum foil, and a hot-glue gun, what can't I do?

The helmet is complete with the "new" addition of face guards. Also, as exciting as armour: two spears, a dagger, and a sword. All equipment equals 80 pounds with which the Roman soldier had to march 20 miles per day. Next, on to aqueducts...

“Are birds free from the chains of the skyway?”

Spring is in the air!
Finally!
Ollie bought his brother ice-cream from the ice-cream man from his saved allowance.

We hung our feeders and are anxiously watching.

Wish us birds!

For the day bein' pleasant and charmin'.

At the dentist..

In his gi..

A day in the life of the O-Ray..

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop

So, now, all of a sudden we live with a six year old.
We are blessed with great friends.
We had a party on Thursday, and were surrounded with love and fun.
Ollie's best bud, made a shirt for him, pictured above.

He also received a hand-made hula hoop, art kits, a handmade robot necklace, airplane kits, science books, and he was just generally showered with wonderful, personal, handmade thoughtfulness.
Thank you, friends.

Vegan-from scratch cupcakes were a hit!

His new books and favorite crown of royal colors

We spent Wednesday at the Symphony, bowling, and taking the boy to dinner..Thursday partying with friends, and Friday- Sunday letting the Rayburns love on him in Indiana.

So serious and mature....

Builder of rainbows up in the sky,

Certified tree hugger, captivated by texture, curves, and lines..

Child led and executed projects...

Building zig-zag fences on a rainy day: bull strong, horse high, and pig tight..

Making treats for those cold birds....

Baking vegan cookies..

And observing nature on rainy, cold days..

And prayerfully, peacefully, meditating..
I miss the sun and feel my energy slowly evaporating. Once this week, I wished we were sick so that we would have an excuse to stay in bed all day with the covers pulled over our heads. Thank God, we aren't. The above beads I've fashioned into prayer beads to fidget with while in prayer. They have been a comfort, and way to stay focused..I am sticking with this goal this week as I strive to make it more of a normal part of everyday..
Peace.