row, row, row

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

You're ok with me doing this all random and out of order, right? I so want to share what we have seen but haven't gotten to sorting all the images yet.

We met this group of children taking their lessons one morning in Wales. They had waterproof pants and jackets but they weren't wet suits nor were they warm as evidenced by the "oh! my's" that escaped from a few of them when they pushed out into the open water. Fresh sea air, exercise, good clean fun. Awesome way for kids to spend a morning. Makes you wish you were Welsh, I tell ya. Unless you are as terrified of water as I. Then it just makes you glad you have your camera along. : )

bathed in light

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

"God…made childhood joyous, full of life, bubbling over with laughter, playful, bright and sunny. We should put into their childhood days just as much sunshine and gladness, just as much cheerful pleasure as possible.

Pour in the sunshine about them in youth. Let them be happy, encourage all innocent joy, provide pleasant games for them, romp and play with them; be a child again among them. Then God's blessing will come upon your home, and your children will grow up sunny-hearted, gentle, affectionate, joyous themselves and joy-bearers to the world."

– Homemaking, Rev. JR Miller

Of lists and leaves

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

“October proved a riot a riot to the senses

and climaxed those giddy last weeks before Halloween.”

Kurt Donahue

I am not sure giddy is the prevailing adjective for me this week. Giddy sounds way more appealing than frazzled however so I am going to aim for that instead. : )

There are appointments to get to, calls to make, dogs to be groomed, hair to be cut, apples to be processed, cakes to be delivered, latin to be memorized, and costumes to be finished this month. My suitcase is actually still packed from our last trip. Fortunately there was a washer at the cabin so they were laundered and folded before packing but nevertheless, they are lingering in the luggage. I have taken note of that every morning as I pass them…

Up side is we have purchased bridesmaids gowns for the girls. We have several round, fat pumpkins sitting at the steps waiting to be carved. Abbie Rose is learning to read. I finished a book, picked up the very awesome vintage swing coat above, and one bathroom is sparkly clean.

The ends of my days are not seeing me with a completed to do list but I am clocking out and sitting with my husband either way. I am picking red berries and making hot pumpkin drinks.

October won't wait for us to finish our lists you know.

Lisbon in black and white

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

no words, just pictures tonight

Portugese Sunrise

Posted on October 17, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

So… Portugal. I didn't tell anyone we were even going until the trip week was upon us. We planned to take this trip two years ago. I spent it in the hospital instead. Though we have gone many places since, somehow this trip just struck a little fear in my heart, remembering. It felt a little jinxy to mention it as certainly as I had then. My body did fight back some on this trip but we made it and we saw so many beautiful things. The best moments traveling together are these though – the together part. While we love the big family trips, these shorter adventures with just a few of the kids make for a gift of one on one time with them.

I am really grateful my guys were game for getting up in the wee hours to walk to the marina with me to watch the sun come up over the water. I have spent so many years stealing every moment of sleep possible – since they are always elusive in our family. It's sort of counterintuitive for me to set the clock on vacation, but it was so very worth it. We were alone on the boardwalk, save for a few early morning runners, and it was magically still.

Well, it was magically still until Kieran was completely awake and feeling his oats. ; )

The other awesome part about traveling with my guys? They carry my stuff. I owe you one, Aidan!

through a window in Wales

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

I keep coming back to this image, one of my favorites of our recent travels. The landscapes are breathtaking, but I'm always drawn to the faces.

little pink houses

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

Such a time we have had. Sunrises, sea breezes, fado serenades, and yes…

beautiful pink houses.

We are mostly unpacking and some of the crew are gearing up for one more trip. Hope to share more in coming days. My body had enough today though. Sidelined by a migraine. So this is all for tonight.

(ps. there are website changes in the works, general housecleaning that is much overdue. The facebook page is really good place to check in and keep in touch. Sometimes there is only time to post there. Thanks!)

Under the apple trees

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

“My troubles are all over, and I am at home; and often before I am quite awake, I fancy I am still in the orchard at Birtwick, standing with my friends under the apple trees.”

– Anna Sewell, Black Beauty

I imagine I will fancy myself standing among these trees long after we leave this farm. I will close my eyes and see boys tossing apples to each other, dogs chasing after. Juice dripping down smiling chins. This is a blessing.

Autumn breakfast

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

"Life, within doors, has few pleasanter prospects than a neatly arranged and well-provisioned breakfast table."

– Nathaniel Hawthorne

Breakfast is one of the few meals I tend not to mess up too terribly. Well, a wee little bit if I am reading and cooking at the same time. The overall success rate is encouraging though.

A perfect fall breakfast to share today, a pumpkin French toast using a recipe similar to this. I made sandwiches of the bread with cream cheese first and then dipped in the batter. Delish.

living and learning lately

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Kim Halloran-Fry

So this was September in a nutshell:

doing geo-puzzles EVERY school day

then coloring coordinating maps

measuring the distance between countries in South America (B's idea when he figured out how the map key works)

making tortillas – because we were hungry, but they tied in nicely with above

pattern block cards – oh magnetic pattern blocks, where have you been all my life?

picking apples – making applesauce

math games - they've become wild for anything involving dice

playing British football. Five days a week. Think: little league in the States. High school football in Texas. Somethin' like that. Jury is still out….

discovering the source of the unholy smell in the closet wall (hint – disproportionate size to smell ratio)

geometry. Just geometry. It gets its own line. This helps.

caves of Lascaux impromptu project – there was an article years ago called How a Textbook Mom Does Unit Studies. I would be like the inverse of that. I am a unit study mom doing textbooks. I try to pull out easy projects to go along. This went with the prehistory chapter. We lined a closet in brown paper.

and… planning all the trips in October.