Things: big and small

Life has been very full around these parts lately. We are still trying to strike a balance between time out in the world and time spent here at home. It can be a tightrope walk for sure and I have to keep reminding myself that we did just make a big move. Coming back to a place can fool you into thinking you never left and well, that things should be running smoother. But the fact is there are still adjustments being made and life has not quite returned to "normal" just yet. 

I am finding it harder and harder to split my time between multiple spaces here on the internet. I love to share in this space, but much of my computer time is devoted to other endeavors that I can't always share. This is very new for me. While these projects are beyond fun and exciting, it can also be a wee bit frustrating to have to hold back and squirrel away photos, ideas, and projects to share in the future. 

I am realizing more and more that I have also entered into the realm of "working homeschool mom" and it brings with it some interesting territory to navigate. I am still sorting through how to make it all happen so that everyones needs are met in the best way possible. 

Wow... Guess I just needed to share a bit of what's  been going on around here and in my head. So many good things, so many positive things, but also new turf and things to work through. 

With all of this in mind I am going to take a break from the pressure of regularly posting on Thursday's for the Make and Listen Along. For now I am just going to take a break from anything set in stone here and see what happens in the fall. 

Hope this finds you all well!

Happy weekend!

Weather & The Museum

Last weekend we had some really amazing freezing rain (which you can read a little about and see more photos of here). When the temps went up a little bit we went out to explore and see the results of the ice storm. It was mild around our house because we are pretty close to the coast but once we ventured out into the world the evidence of some pretty sever icing was seen. While the roads were okay the trees where covered in a very thick layer of ice and many were hanging low under the weight. 

In the afternoon we went to the Museum of Natural History. It would seem that my camera is showing signs of age because it does not like the cold much these days. It shut down and waited for a good long time to warm up and turn on again. So the trusty iPhone helped me out at the museum. 

Here is a little iPhone tour: 

The Museum of Natural History in Halifax is one of our favorite spots in the city. This time around they had an amazing bug exhibit. Those were some really big bugs!

The cool part about the exhibit was that it blended the natural history of the bugs themselves with the art of recording natural history though both artists sketches and 3D models. A small display of how the models were made was very interesting and brought the disciplines together in a fun way. It was very good for my little artist to see how art can be used in a fun and informative way.

We had snow all day yesterday and while the forecast calls for some sun, looking outside I don't believe it at the moment. Nova Scotia is sure doing a good job of making sure we did not miss out on winter!

I will be back tomorrow with another installment of the Make & Listen Along. Hope you will join in!

Just Because...

Just because... 

 

it is kinda sorta like falling in love all over again. 

Silly, I know, but true. 

Happy Sunday!

Old favorite places...

We have been unpacking, organizing, and generally setting up house to get our feet on the ground for the jump back into "normal"... as normal as we can make our life. But we have also been visiting old favorite places for the first time again. 

Our old favorite local beach was high on the list. It is now just a five minute drive down the windy coastal road, instead of the 10 minutes it once took us. 

(Photo by Wes)

Shells were collected, seaweed examined (as if for the first time), and rocks were hopped... over and over. It was cold, rainy, and windy, but we loved every minute of it. 

When we got home the kids organized their collection and the guide books came out again. 

It feels so very good to be back!

Make & Listen: We made it version

As many of you know, if you have been following along on Facebook or Twitter, we made it to Nova Scotia! 

It was an adventure, for sure, but not too much so. Just the way we like it. There was one of the 8 days of travel when we were sidelined by ice and held out in Knoxville, Tennessee. That was the first day I pulled out my camera and grabbed some photos of ice and the wee bit of nature we spotted in the La Quinta parking lot... it really is all around!

We pulled into Pennsylvania under a beautiful sunset.

And some really neat icicles over the storm drain. And because I am a total geek I had to sit down in the parking lot and take a few photos. I was really getting desperate to make some pictures at this point. It was so hard to drive by so many things I wanted to capture but I settled for just taking it all in while keeping eyes on the road and hands firmly on the wheel.

Our last night in the States was spent in Maine with Wes' parents. It was a very nice and welcome stopover. So extra nice to have a home cooked meal!

We have been unpacking like crazy and getting all of the paperwork involved with moving done. Just a tad bit more than a typical move, being back in Canada, but not too much. 

The house is almost all set up. We put some art up yesterday and that went a long way to making it feel like home. I will share a tour soon!

Hope you have all been well. It is looking like we will be jumping back into "normal" mode next week with Wes returning to work. I am looking forward to settling into a routine again.