We're Still Here!

So sorry for the silence on my end over the past few weeks. I have been really sick and food has really not been my friend. Actually, most activities have been pretty rough as well. We've been surviving on quick and easy to prepare meals - usually in the form of Rice-a-Roni and frozen pizza. The kids have been happy - it's going to be tough coaxing them to eat vegetables and quinoa again after this! Paul has been great with keeping the household running while I lay on the couch waiting for death. Hopefully I'll start feeling better soon and everything will go back to normal.

In the meantime, I've been trying to suck it up and enjoy these beautiful fall days with the kids. The temperatures have been so pleasant, that we've been spending a lot of time outdoors. After all, we better relish our time outside now before we are forced to hibernate during the long winter months! I'm going to miss the fresh air!

The kids and I love to go on nature walks together. There is a lovely nature preserve a short distance from our home. They have a great, interactive interpretive center where the kids can see different types of animals, examine various animal skulls, skins, and pelts, and learn how plants grow and develop. Matthew especially loves going because they have a huge turtle pond right outside the interpretive center where the turtles (and frogs) are extremely active. He could sit there for hours and watch them. But, his restless mommy does not allow him to do that and makes him take a walk along the boardwalks weaving through the surrounding woods.

At the swamp. That might look like grass, but it is a thick layer of moss covering the swamp water. Kind of nasty.

Spotting a turtle.

Patiently waiting for another to pop to the surface.

Emma sometimes runs along with us - she's pretty active for being two feet tall. However, sometimes she gets a little too close to the edge of the bridges that I begin to have visions of her falling into the ponds and streams. So, I decided to strap her into the stroller for this particular jaunt. She wasn't too happy with me for that.

Attempting to escape the stroller.

 I've been trying to treasure these special outings with my children. I can't believe how quickly the time has already passed with them and I know that these moments will continue to be fleeting. Every time Matthew jumps into my arms and gives me a big kiss when I pick him up from school, I think of how heartbreaking it will be for me when he grows too old to show his mother affection in public. I'm going to savor it while I can.

Although, I really am looking forward to the day Emma stops running her greasy, post-meal fingers through her freshly washed hair. She's such a little lady.