Eckenrode Family

Rainy Days

A crown and a lei are a great way to improve a rainy day. I never would have known that if I didn’t hang out with a 4 year old.

Boys and their cars

 

My Test

I have so much to be thankful for and so little to complain about. Yet, I do find myself, at times, dwelling on negative things. Lately I’ve complained about the fact that the boys fight a lot. Miles likes to tease Ben and Ben automatically goes into screaming mode. By the end of the day Ben’s screaming and crying and Miles’ “evil laugh” is enough to send anyone over the edge. But then I come across a post from a blogger with 4 children who nearly lost her life in a plane crash and deals with healing her burns. Her latest post really made me realize that I am blessed to be living my life.  She says, “This is my life and my test.” I need to realize that the challenges that I have throughout the day, though they seem small compared to hers, are my tests. These moments are here to teach me something about myself. I am experiencing these challenges not because life is unfair but because I can learn something from the way that I react to them and the moments that I choose to focus on. So, right now I choose to focus on the love that my 2 boys do show each other even for the briefest moments.

I choose recognize that I have an amazing husband that shares my passion for nature and who can and usually does make me laugh out loud every single day.

Mushroom Hunting

We spent the day hunting mushrooms, fishing and checking out animals at Malabar Farm. The sun was warm and the kids were psyched to be there with their magnifying glasses and Scooby Doo fishing pools. We took a tractor ride out to a patch of woods where we hiked around. I never actually put any effort into spotting a mushroom, but I did get excited when someone spotted a morel mushroom.


 
 
 
   
 
 
 
Miles said the highlight of the trip for him was petting the goat. The highlight of the trip for me was laying on the grass in the shade of the tree near the pond.

Ben in Blue

I made a 2^nd pair of Oliver + S sailboat pants. It’s a blue pair for Ben with green buttons to coordinate with Miles’ green pair with blue buttons.
 
 

The pattern was easier the second time around but I still had a bit of trouble with the side vents. The material and pattern I picked up at Sew to Speak.
On my sewing table next are more summer pants for the boys.

Today I treasure and do not want to forget

:: the pudginess of Ben’s cheeks and how it feels against my lips

:: Miles using his fingers as characters from his vivid imagination

:: Ben calling Miles “Mo” or “Bo” for brother

:: Miles saying, “gwirll” for “girl”

:: Ben saying, “poot” for “poop”

:: the complete love and trust with which Miles and Ben hug each other

:: the true sincerity in their voices when they say “I love you” to one another

:: Ben and I saying, “I’m scared, hold me tight” just for an excuse to squeeze each other close. Then we pull away, nose to nose, and laugh into each other’s eyes, then do it all over again.

In Between

The sky couldn’t make up its mind today between sunshine and rain. The rain would stop for brief periods, the sun would come out and then it would rain or even hail again. We fell for the welcoming of the sun once and Ben and I went outside only to be chased back inside by the rain moments later. I did manage to cut some flowers for inside and bring in some firewood.

So, inside we went where we enjoyed the lovely fragrances of spring and the cozy smell of a wood fire.

Spring Weekend

 
 
 




 
 
 
 

Sunny Day

After 3 straight days of rain it felt so good to see and feel the sun again. We enjoyed it by spending the day at the park, in the backyard and on the front porch.

Miles was kind enough to model his new mama-made pants on the front porch in the morning sunlight.
 

They were made using the new Oliver + S pattern. I love these pants. Miles is usually a size 4T but after measuring him and the pattern I went with the size 3 and they are a perfect fit. I plan on making Ben a blue pair with green buttons.
We enjoyed the afternoon sun by coloring on the front porch.

Still Body

New watercolors + freshly organized art shelves = inspiration. He sat and painted with more concentration than I've ever seen from him. It was beautiful.