Thursday, May 03, 2007

Thu, 03 May 2007 15:13:02 GMT

Dad,

I hope you enjoy all the pictures.... I just copied and pasted loads from my online journal... enjoy the pics.. these are all in the last couple of months since it warmed up.

I love you dad.

I hope that you find a home here soon.

Love you,

Kimberly

------------------

Yesterday, May 2nd, 2007,

Time out...

The little's & I took a trip back in time.

Nature walk.

Old historic farm houses set up for the era in which they were built... Late 1800's

A lot reminded me of nanny's kitchen when I was a little girl.

They side table set up by the window had sewing supplies, including an old wool Carder... I think that's what it's called.

All original to the old farm house.

Spring flowers in bloom...

White Mimosa

The gardens have been planted for Summer. Tomatoes, strawberries and other goodies!

Hot sweaty dirty children = F.U.N.

Skinned knee's are forgotten about quickly...

Because big ant's were spotted just below the table and had to be checked out

The wild fires in Ga. (about 50 miles North) are smoking up the town... we could barely see past the docks in the St. Johns River when we normally can see the bridges off in the distance.

But some people had their boats anchored and were rocking out to some good tunes anyways.

Pookster is on the mend...

-------------------

Loving the new camera...

Our Bird Seed Survivor

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Bubbles,

always a pick'em'up...

And sisters smiling together...

always a pick'me'up

-------------------

So, I did NOTHING...

But this.

Just cuddled Gavin while making silly faces to one another...

It makes feeling icky a little better...

even while crying

And so... the night has come.

The day is nearly over.

I 'll wait for Jamie to get in after 11pm and make my post office run, my 24 hr Wal-mart run for milk, wipes and dog food.

Then I'll fall into bed and do the mad dash tomorrow and get this laundry done.

Yes, for real-e-o.

-------------

What do I love about my rebel. To capture my children as I see them.

The other cameras just were unable to capture all of them to me.

No shutter lag.

None.

No more missed shots.

I am however, having to learn all over the use of a SLR.

I have forgotten everything I used to know about my Minolta SLR.

E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G

I didn;t know how used to a point and shoot I had become.

Even with the few manual settings the fuji's offered I was still doing very little.

What I do not love about the Rebel?

The ability to see me as other see me.

The point and shoot has much less detail and I could hardly see the lines. Big lines, fine lines, lines, lines, lines.

(that said in the tune of Dr. Suess One fish, two fish...)

I am going to accept the pregnancy mask that refuses to leave although my last little is now 2.

I suppose it thinks because I have birthed 6 children I ought to keep it.

How generous

The suitcases are all by the stairs.

I need to pack.

I should get up now and do this.

Yes, NOW is a good time.

Until later this evening...

Good bye.

-------------------

Rebel Love...

...and the pookster with a chicken pox smile

----------------------

Silly Boys!!!

I'm well.

I'm learning my new camera...

I love it.

The boys are well.

Gavin dislikes the shutter noise...

They have jumped themselves silly this morning.

-------------

Earth day, Family day, Wake up call day, relax day...

it was just a good day...

We stood in a butterfly tent...

butterflies everywhere...

sticking and tickling our face, perching on our fingers...

The kids got to look, touch and learn about earths creatures native to our home.

The kids build butterfly houses and glittery face paintings...

and birds houses...

and painted animal murals...

Just being happy and smiling...

The day was good.

The kids each adopted their own Red Maple Saplings to nurture and plant.

They will go into a 5 gallon bucket, then in the ground next Spring.

I hope we have new ground by then.

They transplanted butterfly plants to take home and enjoy.

I spent my day, the 1st in many, with my phone shut down, my mind 110% on my children and MY life.

Never once was I frustrated, angry, short fused, flustered, winded, stressed, ansy, or anxious.

It's been a while since I could say that.

Being focused.

Things I have control over and in my possession.

What is good and real and mine.

For months I have been consumed with anger, hurt, rectification of those that have hurt me, my loved ones... just being hurt and angry and wasting my time, my childrens time.

Friends, daughters ex's, family, choices of my own... things that are like an earthquake in your gut.

You can't change the core of another person, or people... you can offer love, support, guidance, just as to a child, as God to us, what we do with it is our own choice... the same for our children, our friends, family, and so on...

You can however, change your core.

A new chapter...

Living again.

Moving on.

Letting go.

Taking a hold.

Moving forward.

Slowing down.

Camera in hand.

Holding dear memories close in my heart.

Making more.

Never wanting to watch my life crumble apart.

To see my children suffering because I stop seeing their needs because I'm too focused on needless things.

I have many things to look forward to.

A new grandson, a daughter re-claiming her life, mending friendships, letting go of unhealthy relationships and knowing it's ok and right... loving a good husband, spending time with family, moving to a new home, being thankful for the smallest of small things.

A reminder that none of us are promised another day... young or old... each day slipped by is a day we can never reclaim.

I have a daughter, almost 9, who is growing up. Needing me as her example. She'll be someones wife and mother one day.

A son, 13, who needs help growing up in this world as a strong good young man...sons, 3 sons to be exact.

So much to do, to focus on, to enjoy.

Saturday was a reminder of how it should be.

How it was.

How it needs to be, always.

Again.

LVE,

ME~

------------------------

Sunshine...

for my snow-bound friends

There are times in life that you have to accept hardships, truth, and pain

but,

we are provided a massive amount of beauty and joy to thrust ourselves into.

Just look around you.

Balance, is key.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our day, to give me balance...

(Pink Blooms of the softest pink ever)

-----

(Miles of pink roses)

-----

(My husband and 4 of my littles walking though a beautiful sun lit garden, learning)

-----

(Searching, finding creatures that saw me long before I spotted them)

-----

(Hearing the familiar chirp of a Cardinal calling to his mate and watching him catch a meal simply to offer it.)

-----

(White butterflies dancing about flowers and each other)

-----

(Slowing down so the kids could explore and touch a real live inch worm)

-----

Then off to the beach to splash and walk for miles soaking up the sun and enjoying laughter and giggles

-----

Goodness is yours for the taking.

------------------------------------------------------------

ETA...

A storm is rolling in.

Florida is funny like that.

Thankful for a beautiful day full of sunshine and now going to prepare for ickiness.

--------------------

Sunshine & Sand castles...

We loaded up and off to the beach we went.

We found a huge tide-pool.

Loads of life, little feisty crabs, fast silvery fish and clams of every color.

Jelly fish, and loads of fun.

30 weeks & counting...

Mellissa is nearing 31 weeks...

Around 9 weeks to go until I become a grandmother.

Glittery Belly... because, it is Magical.

--------------------

Turtle Turtle...

Lay your eggs here.

...and as you can see, it must be that time of year here in Sunny warm Florida.... you can look at Jatro's blog and see that with in 24 hour period we both had a turtle momma sharing some nature.

For us, we will more than likely have to let the eggs harden for a couple days and very gently remove them and incubate them as our yard is due to get re-sodded before the 2-3 month hatching time passes.

After the momma worked hard to cover her eggs and even placed leaves to blend it in on the soil, we placed her in a box and took her to a safe wildlife area with a huge pond.

The kids were just tickled and it was a great day all around.

------------------------

All is well on the home front.

Very thankful for that.

------------------

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."

-----------------------------------------------------------

I have been down the last couple days.

Just worn out.

Today I woke up feeling as if I needed to grab my ankles and lift them from my bed.

They did not want to cooperate - at. all.

Making them move, one in front of the other once they were down on the floor, was even harder.

With much to do today, waiting for coffee to brew, I plopped on the sofa blew up 20 or so balloons and watched my children play.

Just play.

I watched them work together, against each other and scramble about trying to keep the colors of balls afloat in the air.

As I blew more up I wondered strange things... like what if I was able to speak my voice into the balloon as I blew it up... when it popped would the sound of my voice escape, you know, with more than a popping sound?

No need to call the loony police on me just yet.

I still laugh at myself.

Ha.

------------------------------

I sold my salt water reef tank yesterday.

Gone.

Less to fuss with until we move.

------------------------------

NOw after looking at my pictures I notice that my chair is over flowing with laundry that needs folding and I reckon I ought to do that before it takes over my living room...

Goodbye for now.

--------------

Things are... well, they are what they are.

What this is teaching me to do, is ration my energy.

I have never had to do that before.

Even with all 6 children, homeschooling, the house, life... I just seemed to 'have enough'.

Always.

We went to Ga. and raked my nanny's ~~big, large, huge, giant~~, massive yard with miles of leaves... I kid you not.

We stayed till dark, had a cup of coffee for the ride home and bathed Gavin as I knew he'd fall asleep before we crossed the Fla/Ga. line.

I walked in the bathroom and saw black dirt had gathered in every crease on my body... fine lines I didn't even know I had.

Ran myself a bath...ewwww

---------------------

Morning...

Yes, the sun came out and it was just a' shinin' today.

Gavin and I tossed balloons up in the air and all over the place while the older kids rode their scooters and bikes early in the morning.

It was warm.

Breezy.

It made me feel alive.

Thankful.

-------------------

*Gavin's 2nd Birthday*

*THE END*

ALMOST...

a funny (barely) captured on camera moment...

Trey loves mocking his sisters, he adores it, takes great joy in it...

He blew a balloon up as big as it would go and teased his very pregnant sister.

She promplty grabbed a very sharp fork to remedy his expanded waist line.

...Boys.

------------------------

A thinking aloud kinda blog...

That is what this is.

Me.

Melancholy & restless.

Me...dislikes it a great deal.

I stepped outside while the street and neighborhood were still quiet.

Gavin and I, alone, played in the bird bath.

Mostly I watched.

Soaked him in.

Enjoyed hearing him talk and nothing else.

He adores the old broken chipped stone bird.

The pepples, marbles, and stones.

He splashed.

I watered the new flowers.

We talked about his bird and his ship and he protested loudly when it was time to go in.

He is 2, completely.

Fiercely stong and full of self will.

I am trying to parent him with out breaking his spirit.

God was gracious and merciful to give him to me last.

He knows just what he likes and dislikes.

He is stubborn & strong willed.

Just as much so as the day he was born.

He came into the world on his own, fast and swift, demanding from his first cry to be nursed, right away wasn't fast enough...

Loud and sure of himself.

He is his father and I combined.

Completely.

--------------------------------------

"Sir Leaps-A-Lot"

Sir Leaps is growing growing growing since we adopted him from the shelter a few months back.

He loves to hang out in sunny windows and on top of Trey's head.

He is a realllly cool pet.

We have had many pets over the years...

I highly reccomend adopting a homeless or neglected iguana if you are able to provide good living conditions.

They rock!

-------------------

My Little's in motion

********************

Gavin Swinging.

Midge Checking out the river...

Pookie skipping backwards, bare-footed...

Geese & Kiddlings...

Who can swing the highest???

Trey-Bo & Gavin

The geese checking us out...

Grayson ~~climbing~~ chasing pookie...

LOLing - That's all I gotta say...

**************************

We have been slow around here.

Taking a break from being inside, to get outside.

It's been nice.

Warm weather and flowers make a girl happy, don't you know?

I'm anxious to pack for our trip to the condo.

May.

I pray the house is sold by then.

A week of pure bliss!

I need it more than ever.

Indeed, it will be a good thing.

The kids are all well.

My sister is living here for the summer.

Looking for a job and stuff.

Trey wants to be a bag boy at Winn Dixie.

Ashlynn wants to be a 'good' movie star.

Grayson wants to box or tackle everything that moves ????????

Gavin is the newest Spider man junkie ever.

While cleaning the kids rooms I found loads of hand me down spidey stuff... wow!

All his gear out weighs him!

Really.

Ha! The back pack nearly drags the ground.

His mask he can hardly see out of... gloves, house shoes a size to big, and then his action figures!

Phew!

I spend 90% of my day putting his stuff that is too big for him back on...

again and again...

and again.

He will be 2 Thursday.

Wow!

How did that happen???

I'm tired and going to go to bed, almost 3am.

I'm trying to re-train myself to a normal bedtime.

Trying, I am.

Really.

I remember him being born.

With out a doctor and being so quiet wondering if everyone knew he was coming... hurting so much I was unable to speak, looking, thinking... ha! Jamie did good... no training... makes me laugh so hard now...What a day that was.

More of that on his birthday.

-------------------

Siblings...
*******************
Funny, they really have been fussing a lot the last couple weeks, these two.
But, I moved bedrooms around this weekend to make room for my little sister who will be living here with us and I went in and my heart raced when I didn't see Grayson anywhere.
He waked between 3 - 5 am and climbs into our bed still and he wasn't there... thought he might have woke and wandered outside of something crazy like that being all turned around.
Then I looked and saw him doubled up on Pookie's bed.
...Made me giggle.
She told him stories until he fell asleep.
What a good sister.
The house.
Working on getting that 4-sale sign up.
I imagined it being less work.
The mind can be a tricky thing.
Everything else is good.
I can not complain.
At. All.
----------------------
To Grandmother's Nanny's house we go...
Simply because I wanted needed these...
.................................................................
Hands...
Smiles...
Jokes...
Belly Laughter...
Coffee...
And last, one in color...
because, I have never seen her nails with out polish...
Ever.
Really,
EVER.
---------------
~Beautiful Weeds ~

"If your daily life seems poor,
do not blame it ;
blame yourself,
tell yourself that you are not a poet enough to call forth its riches;
for to the creator there is no poverty and no poor indifferent place"
Rainer Maria Rilke
German Lyric Poet
(1875-1926)
-------------------------------
...If you attempt to see the world through your children's eyes, or another child's eyes, you will be rich...
Rich in laughter, joy, peace, contentment, love and most of all...
genuine thankfulness for the smallest blessings.
If you take yourself there and out of your own being, you can see the beauty of a simple weed.
A plain rock.
A penny that was rubbed and polished like a jewel on the pant leg of their jeans for only God and them knows how long, shined up special, for you...
A stick figure of yourself scribbled with only a small likeness to you... but you'll know it's you, because what stands out to them will be prevalent in their art.
You'll notice they make your eyes big, flashy and pretty when you feel they are tired, dark and frail...
Your lips curled up in a happy soft smile when you can barely remember the last time you laughed...
A favorite ring you were that is bigger than life on that stick hand, that ring you haven;t worn in forever...
If only we really slow down and look...
and see.
--------------------------------
My daughter (8) asked, "Mommy if you had all the money in the world what would you want the most for yourself?"
I said, "I'd have fresh flowers in our home, everyday."
I have been blessed with beautiful weeds.
Ashlynn & Grasyon have spent a couple weeks now showering me with a bundle of weed-lets a day.
Weeds that were placed in shallow water with a teaspoon of sugar and bathroom light, nothing more.
These weeds have grown and bloomed fresh little lavender flowers daily.
New shoots, stems, and buds are forming.
I was amazed that they thrive and fight to live after being ripped right out of the ground by toddler hands.
This speaks volumes to me...
Take the time to slow down & see
-------
Look who's back!
After a couple short days they said she was miserable and by the way she acted when I went to get her...
She really was missing us.
We are very happy she is back home.
Welcome back to the chaos lil' Midge.
-------
(...Images- Click to make bigger...)
They do feel bigger than life...
(...and I'm grateful... the moment they stop being kids I will be terribly sad.)
They ran as fast as they could when the car
doors opened and leapt in the air.
Over the side.
and down...
Digging toes and fingers into the cold white wet sand and giggling out loud.

Today I needed sand & sunshine.
I needed to see my kids with no worries.
They ran after the sun began to go down and pretended to fly a couple more times until I could only see shadows...
I needed to breathe deep...
and I did.
*
(Before the beach)
Clear our heads sitting under trees with lots of birds - and we did...
See them just above us waiting for food???
We needed to have a picnic...
...one with redheaded woodpeckers stealing our food...
(See me on the side of the picnic table?)
...and they did, snag a bite...
(See me in flight?)

We walked through the old fort before the treading the beach.
It reminds me that I have indeed been born in an era too modern for my heart.
I desire to live in cool earthy places with wood burning fire places to cozy up next to... with live ferns growing out of my huge arched ceilings.
(with better beds of course)
I had the perfect day.
*
(The night before)
The Birthday cupcakes...
...My little sister (who refuses to have a photo taken) can bake!
...Oh yeah!
Fancy cupcakes need fancy china plates
Ohhh and for those who adore Florida living...
Snakes that can climb kitchen walls & hide in your medicine cabinet and freak you out BEFORE you have had coffee...
Yes, he's real and now lives in my creek/ditch behind my house thanks to a snake wrangler husband and son.
Ta-ta!
Kimberly
----------------
The carnival..
2 New Goldfish named "Granny" (who won it for Pookie) and "Sonic".
A night trip with Nanny and granny showed up too...
...and a day trip too.
A very high ride on the Ferris Wheel with just Bubby & I.
Oh the fun!
(have I even mentioned I'm recently afraid of heights? I am, I don't have a clue what happened... I just am)
Daddy & Britt far below watching & waving far below, Jamie laughing I'm sure.
A sad sad bubby when it was time to go...
Asking for a "Say Cheese" caused him to burst full fledge into tears...
My nanny's Pin Curls...
Oh, her hair would curl on it's own if she knew I took this and even more so had she known I posted it on the web... but I love her pin curls and when I was a little girl I was in awe as she'd sit with me Saturday mornings at her mothers table and dip her finger tips in a tiny china coffee cup and roll away with bobby pins in her lips.
Speaking of nanny, I went to my uncle Wayne's grave with her.
I have decided it's very much where I want to be... if there is any place left that is.
It's beautiful and regal and full of loved ones gone and so much history.
Some with stories and histories carved in huge slabs of granite and marble.
Civil war and many dating back to 1803 and earlier... Pastors wives who died very young, the founder of Kingsland... and of course, my uncle Wayne.
I was sure I wanted to be cremated, divided among my children to toss me somewhere that was special to us both...but now, I want a place for them to go... not to mourn but remember me... for people to know I was here.
Mom and nanny planted the most beautiful pansy's at Wayne's grave.
I sat with nanny and listened to the wind chime that she hung and waited until night fell to see if the solar lanterns worked. They did... and it made my nanny very happy.
We talked a little more and went on back to nanny's. She laughed telling me that the squirrels empty the bird feeder but Wayne said. "They have to eat too" once to his wife... and so she said I went and bought a 25 pound bag of seed and keep it in my van and refill it in the mornings...
...after all, they have to eat too!
Much much more to post but I'm tired and it's been a long couple of days.
Gavin with his funky monkey from the fair and his Robeez like shoes that the seams have split on he has worn them so much... I guess I need to get him some new ones this week.
Trey split his stitches open, Ugh... off to the ER.
My little sister is here staying with me a few days, She's got a cake baking... we are going to sew tonight... too bad I don't have Dr. training so I can re-sew that leg up myself!
Soooo... Ta-ta
XO
Kimberly
------------------------
For Trey's Birthday we escaped the house and headed south on the beautiful A1A.
We walked under huge canopies of Live oak tree's.
Should you ever travel this way, I highly recommend these two places to see... they can both been seen fully in one day and are only 6 miles apart.
Ocean on one side and woods and state parks on the other...
We headed to Mantanza State Park (Check it out here)
&
Washington Oaks State Gardens (Check it out here)
--------------------------------
We Walked the nature trail and then we took the ferry over the Bay and enjoyed the Fort.
We saw many birds and other life... this point and shoot wasn't able to capture that but next time I will have my "nocculars", as Grayson calls them
The Birthday boy had a great time.
The guys dreaming about living ocean side or catching big fish and things of that nature...
It was over cast and windy, but it was perfect and comfy,
even on the boat
... and the water...
the color of deep aquamarine!
The fern growing out of the side of this old Fort was so beautiful!
Hard to see the wind blowing pooks hair wildly all over, but it was straight up in the air.

Gavin was quite bothered and highly distraught over the windy conditions... not to mention he was 3 hours past his nap time... we came down and wondered the grounds a bit.
We sat and he played quietly on the ground near the shore watching fiddler crabs going in and out of their little 1/2 holes in the ground.

The only smile Gavin would grace us with today, on the boat ride back
... cranky boy!

Then off to the Gardens...
BEAUTIFUL!
I'm a water fountain junkie...
Any Koi or water features make me melt.
Melt, I did today.

Everything is under huge Live oaks,
completely canopied in.
Artisan natural springs... that not only fascinate me, but totally captivated Grayson as well.
It was 100% nature...
the colors were deep rust, brightest greens, neon oranges, hot pink and reds.
It was like a fantasy world trapped in-between Fall and Spring - skipping winter altogether.
The Koi were very big!

Pookie spent most of the day amazed at the natural springs and man made water fountains...
I saw a lot of me in her today.

The park borders on a "Sea wall" which was really the Mantanza bay.
It was gorgeous!

The butterflies were out in full force.
They never sat still for long... popping on and off flowers to the next.
This was the best shot I could get with out using a flash.

This tree called my name... it looked and felt so out of place.
It was the only "dead" or "dormant" looking thing in the entire preserve... but, it was majestic & stunning just the same.
Much of the park had little plaques near certain plants and gardens... I pictured my little plaque under this tree...
... I know, CHEEEESE BALL... but I did.
-------------------
And, this made me laugh...
I walked right by and backed up roaring in laughter over the moss hair and being flanked by two white mini azaleas.
Someone has a sense of humor.
-------------------
I love air ferns and moss.
The End.
-----------------
Oh My little Trey-Bo.
Born with little dimpled cheeks.
Muscle arms like popeye.
A soft little cry that quickly turned into a prehistoric dino cry...
Now skate board accidents, stitches and MP3 Players...
Time flies.
Happy 13th Birthday Cowboy!

We love you big!
------------
Then this...
for here...
Hand picked by my 2 little's...
Weeds and sunflowers from bird droppings...
That'll teach me...
In everything there is goodness...
...even in weeds and bird poo -
Look what springs forth.
I hope this is a reminder that even I, am not a lost cause.
---------------
Summer Flash back...
Beating the Florida Heat...
Florida is HOT today...
The boys played hard in the wading pool
And some real color too...
And all 3 boys in a 3 foot wide pool
Now they are napping in the air condition and I can put the bunk beds back up ...
Have a great day!!!
Kimberly
***************
EDA: 102 degree's yikes!
I have shut the blinds and drawn the curtains... and it's still bright as day in the house.
Searching on demand for good movies.
EDITED TO ADD...
It's still hot today... blah!
-------------------
Child Lost...
Trey zonked out after getting his leg stitched up...
I was looking everywhere!
heehee!
...Boys
------------
The house plans are moving forward.
The flower beds are planted with lots of baby flowers.
I have a couple trays left to drop in the ground... searching for the right places still.
Need more white.
The red mulch... ack.
I think I miss my old blonde mulch.
Too late now.
Shutters and matching lighting are up and things are falling into place one by one...
Shutters had to be ordered for these 2 long windows.
The Hibiscus tree is giving way to little flower buds.
They'll be coral in color and triple ruffled.
The primer on the trim is dry and awaiting a new coat of fresh white.
Little boys are sporting summer hair cuts...
Life is moving forward as it always does...
It just keeps moving on.
The birds are out in droves.
Tiny finches are everywhere.
Singing.
I sat outside early this morning listening to them.
Watching.
I wish it lasted a little longer.
Priorities...
Must keep them in line.
-------------
I, in a haste, packed clean clothing and Trey's camera.
Nothing else.
No hair gel, make up... because all we had was fresh clothes I had to find a local Oralndo Target for toothpaste, brushes, deodorant.
******************
We stepped into another world.

We had some face painting...
Ashlynn - Tiger Girl.
Grayson - The Dragon Slayer.

The Pookster on
One Fish - Two Fish
*
Drenched Guys

Silly Grayson

Serious Pookie

Seriously Odd Parents

The Grape-ster
With a mouthful.

Winding down

Slider
********************

kimstime99's Xanga

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Beating the Florida Heat...

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

SPC Tuesday...