Brenton Point State Park

      A few weeks back, I took the kids out of the house to let N get some well deserved Sabbath rest. We drove a few miles to the southern tip of Rhode Island the island (not to be confused with the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations).  Past the rocks is the ocean as opposed to the bay which we usually see.

This is part of Brenton Point State Park.

So much seaweed

Tiny pink crab

Lil boy really enjoys throwing rocks into the water.

Through the mess and chaos of these little years, these are the moments I choose to remember.

As a whole, this blog is a collection of the memories I choose to remember. This is my little scrapbook of life, joy, and blessings. One of the most difficult aspects of being a military family is all the moving that we do; one of the most blessed aspects of being a military family is all the beautiful sights we are able to see. After 7 years of active duty service, I am just starting to embrace this is what we are and this is what we do.

Newport Vineyards

     While my mom was visiting, N and I made our way over to the Newport Vineyards to do a wine tasting and tour. We have often made it out to the vineyards themselves as the Saturday Aquidneck Grower's Market is held on the vineyard property, yet this was our first time tasting the beautiful grapes.

 Stopping to smell the grapes

 Stopping to smell the flowers

     E came along with us because in this house being the middle child means you are the first to get picked when there is something special to do because so often you hear that you are "too young or too old to do such and such."

     Bottling machine

It was a beautiful day.

     My favorite was the Vidal Ice Wine. Wow, it was sweet and delicious. Sadly, it was the most expensive of their selection, and we passed on bringing a bottle home. According to their website, it is harvested after the third hard frost in November or December and pressed frozen.

     After the tasting, we made our way towards our favorite Saturday hangout. The grower's market mostly boasts local veggies, yet it also offers art, pastured meats, pastries, candles, soaps, and the best honey I have ever tasted. In November, the market will be traveling indoors.

     Around here the live musicians are paid in the form of cash tips as well as vegetables and loaves of bread.

     These seaweeds prints were surprisingly beautiful.

Falling for Rhode Island

The Navy has shipped us off to Rhode Island for a half a year from July to February. It came by no surprise that we were coming here as this school is mandatory for N's position, yet it has still been difficult for me to wrap my head around coming and moving away in such a short time period.  My little taste of the area six years ago while pregnant with baby M was all I needed to know that Newport was a place with so much to see and do while the weather is temperate. So far we have enjoyed seeing so much already. I am trying to keep us out and about while we have the opportunity with this beautiful weather.

We found a gem of a beach with clear and very calm water for the little ones. The beach is at a marina so it never feels isolated, yet the three times we have visited so far it has never had more than a family or two on the beach giving us plenty of room to explore and to create.

 The girls have started to enjoy climbing on the rocks. The sky was so blue!

 Lil toes on tiny pebbles. Depending on the tide, the sand by the waves is either soft and tan or contains tiny multicolored pebbles. I was pleased and surprised how all the kids enjoyed the texture of the pebbles without voicing any complaints. 

Here We Come

     Today this box with blue lettering came in the mail. While opening it up, a flood of emotions rolled over me like the waves we are surrounded by here in Rhode Island. This cardboard box of books represents the beginning of a journey into uncharted waters for my once "itty bitty" baby M and her Mama. This year I have the privilege of becoming a home schooling mother. My 5 pound 6 ounce baby girl has blossomed into a sweet "school-aged" young girl. I am curious, anxious, eager, sentimental and excited to be starting this journey with her. Will this work for her, for me, and for all of our family? Will she thrive? Will I thrive? How will this change our relationship? How will I balance M's schooling with little miss spunky and bouncing baby boy in our classroom? How many curriculum changes will we have ahead of us before we find the one for that works for her, for me, and for everyone in this family at this time and place? The words printed on the box were exactly the reminder I needed to shift my focus on to the primary reason we have chosen this path for our M. Among the myriad of reasons we have decided on home schooling for our family at this time, this is the reason.  A few home schooling mothers recently shared with me points that I am stashing away in my head for keeps. Home schooling might be a perfect fit for one child and not a perfect fit for the next sibling. One curriculum might be great for one child and not the next because of personality, learning style, or birth order differences. Buying a curriculum does not guarantee it will be a good fit. Buying and trying and maybe not liking certain curriculum is just a natural part of this home schooling process. It is okay if we learn home schooling is not for us. It is okay if curriculum modifications come along. It is okay if we need to slow down or speed up. Uncharted waters here we come!

This Thanksgiving

 We praise the LORD for the arrival of our little one.

 This was N's first time cutting the cord.

 He was 13 oz bigger than E and measured in at 19.5 inches long.

 He looked so clean even before he was bathed.

Getting ready for his first bath

 He was born on the eve of his due date after four hours of natural labor.

 I went from 5cm to baby within two hours at the hospital. 

Our baby boy has his father's first name and one of his uncle's middle.

He was by far a prettier newborn than his sisters ;)

 Getting ready to meet baby brother.

 So excited

 Three kids! When did this happen?!

 Very full hands

 Our sweet M

 

Our spunky L

 

 I'm having a blast dressing our little boy

 Waiting to be cleared for discharge

 

 His new carseat that our generous CA church family gifted us (as sisters' did not fit 3 in a row)

 All ready to go home!

*detailed birth story to follow one of these days between the sleepless nights and days of cuddling. This was my first one hundred percent natural birth. It was a most wonderful and most humbling experience. Although my last birth was also without an epidural this experience brought au naturel to a whole new meaning for me. While I was relating the labor story to a friend, the humbling of King Nebuchadnezzar was brought to mind ;)