Nightblooming Cereus

This gorgeous flower is the Night Blooming Cereus or Cyrus, also named Queen of the Night. My Mom has been caretaker to a couple of plants for years now.

This plant sits inconspicuously for most of the year until that one midsummer's night when a flower will open and release it's sweet-smelling scent into the darkness. The flower does not last long, for by morning's light it closes. 

Here the flower is just partially open. You can see on the leaf above and to the right of the flower, a tiny red bud which is the beginning of a new flower.

We carefully brought the Night Blooming Cereus inside to hang in the dining room. We have not seen a flower open for several years. So, we celebrated with sundaes! This rare event definitely called for ice cream and hot fudge.

You can see another flower tightly closed, ready to bloom. (It bloomed a few nights later close to midnight.) The open flowers are up to 4 inches wide and as much as 8 inches long!

Until next summer, Night Blooming Cyrus!

Summer continues...

Summer continues in our neck of the woods! We have two weeks left until our routine changes towards back to school. I am happy to have a little longer with all my girls together.

Thanks to all of the comments from my last post on welcoming a new addition to our family. Sometimes I write in this space and it feels like my own personal journal. I forget there are others beyond this screen that are reading my words and sharing in my joy!

We are still marking off items from our 100 Fun, Frugal Things to Do in the Summer. 

We were able to spend a long weekend in the mountains to check off from our list #8 Go to the mountains. It was the weekend that we were hoping to #78 Watch a meteor shower. Unfortunately, it was quite cloudy and we were only able to eek out a few minutes of clear skies. 


We did get to #36 Play frisbee and #6 Play baseball and #51 Play flashlight tag where we certainly woke up a few neighbors from the wild flashing lights in the backyard and equally wild giggles!

We went to my favorite place to shop for Fiesta ware, Holly Ross Pottery. If you are ever visiting the Poconos, it is worth the time to find this gem. They also have a little woodland path that leads to what I have nicknamed Red Bridge Lake. Not very inventive, I know. ;)

Mike took the 3 smaller girls for a walk along the path by the lake where Sophia was able to #27 Chase butterflies.

The next day, my mother-in-law, Coral who had spent the weekend with us, joined the girls in a #7 Swim in the lake. 

While Mike helped them #32 Build a sandcastle.

And I was glad my beach blanket baby, Gracie, finally decided to venture from the safety of the towel to step into the sand. She even became so brave as to run down to the lake with her sisters to put her feet in the water. She even accidently fell at the water's edge, wetting her clothes from head to toe, but laughed it off and after a quick dry, ran back to join the fun!

Back home this week, we are working on another check for our list! We have declared #80 Muffin Week! A different muffin a day for each weekday.

Monday was Blueberry Buckle (pictured above) and Tuesday night were Chocolate Chip Muffins. The girls gave a thumbs up to both!

So, summer continues for awhile longer in our home which is perfect because we still have more things to check off our list. Here's crossing my fingers to getting at least one afternoon nap in before the school year begins! 

And baby makes 8

Yes, baby number six is on the way! I am currently riding towards my 9th week of pregnancy! We are quite surprised, to say the least.

I took a test a few weeks ago and before the 3 minute time limit was up it clearly read, “Pregnant”. No fooling around with that test, no pink lines to ponder over, a straight forward “Pregnant” or “Not Pregnant” reading.

I started feeling the the queasiness settle in around 6 weeks, just before taking the test. I get more of a “late afternoon sickness” instead of morning sickness. I seem to handle it well, no vomiting. Just a general nauseous feeling. With the twins, I had “all-day sickness” so I guess I can not complain with this pregnancy so far.

Carrying our twins to full-term, both weighing in around 8 pounds each, was a tough pregnancy to endure. My husband and I always wanted a large family but I thought our baby days were over after Isabella and Grace entered our world. Taking care of two babies, with 3 older siblings, is no easy feat. However, I believe we have done so with as much grace, love and understanding as we can offer to them all. 

I was so convinced that a certain chapter in our life was closing that I gave away most of my newborn through 1 year clothes to my sister-in-law. Clothes that had been worn by five tiny bodies. The 9 1/2 years of gates blocking steps, locks on toilets and cabinets, safety plugs in sockets, tub seats, playpens, strollers and baby swings all taken down, thrown away or stored to collect dust.

Well, I think it may be time to rewrite the end of this chapter and dust off a few things! 

This pregnancy was not expected but is most definitely wanted. Sometimes the least expected of gifts are the best ones of all! This new baby will be loved by five adoring sisters, a blessed mother and father and an extended family that will welcome him/her as their own.

I am leaning towards the “her” because of our past odds, but I’ll keep an open mind. ;)

I debated waiting until after my first trimester ended which is when I would be at less risk for miscarriage. But why keep such joyful news a secret? I can not worry of the 31 weeks ahead, instead we focus on the 9 weeks this little one has already spent growing.  We look towards the light with this pregnancy, as with each one before, staying positive to face a new day as it arrives. 

For every day that passes will bring us one step closer to welcoming another sweet baby into our large, loving family!

Perseid Meteor Shower Tonight!

"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." -Galileo

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The peak viewing hours for the Perseid Meteors will be beginning tonight, August 12! We are heading to the mountains and away from city lights to check them out! However, it has been cloudy and rainy today in our area so we may need a wish from a falling star for some clear skies tonight!

 

Here are some great tips for optimal viewing:

• Get away from the city lights! The less light pollution the better and more brilliant the shooting stars.

• The best time for viewing the meteor shower will be between midnight and 5 A.M.

• Choose an area where the sky has a limited amount of obstructions along the horizon.

• The meteor shower originates from the constellation, Perseus. If you recline with your feet pointed south and look straight up, the meteors will appear to come from over your left shoulder.

• Keep your eyes on the sky! Your eyes will adjust to the dark after about 20-30 minutes.

• Don't stare in only one spot! If you keep your eyes moving slowly around the sky, there is a greater chance you will catch a shooting star!

Also, get involved with the global Twitter Meteor watch hosted by the Newbury Astronomical Society in the UK.

Follow and/or use the hashtag #meteorwatch to join in the fun! 

Another great site for fellow sky watchers is Sky and Telescope!  They have all the latest sky gazing news as well as diagrams for The Week's Sky at a Glance.

Treasures from the Sea

We took a day trip to Ocean City, PA! I suppose suggesting a trip to the shore on the heels of Shark Week was not the smartest thing to do. When we asked the girls if they would like to spend the day at the beach, they glanced furtively between themselves and then in silent agreement replied, "Umm...no, not really!"

Well, that did not go over as planned. 

However, after promises of not venturing too deep into the ocean, pizza and funnel cake and rides at Wonderland on the boardwalk...they hesitantly agreed. 

 I spent the day in the sun on the beach blanket with Isabella and Grace. Isabella was sporting her pink flamingo bathing suit and could have happily played in the sand for days.

Grace was exactly the opposite. She refused to undress and was reluctant to touch the sand. She finally decided to play but made me throw down a towel to sit where the toys were because she refused to walk in the sand.

By the time we left the beach for the boardwalk, the older girls exclaimed they were "Having a blast!"  playing in the waves with their Dad.

Before dinner, we changed and packed all our sandy stuff in the car. We decided to take a walk along the beach at sunset to search for treasures from the sea.

We finally drifted back to the boardwalk for dinner at Mack & Manco's. I mean... where else? Right?

After some amusement at Wonderland, we ordered two funnel cakes to share. We filled our bellies with so much powdered sugary dough and lemonade we were not sure we could make the walk back to the car. Slowly but surely, we did though.

However, the girls did not make it past the parking lot. They were all fast asleep for the long drive home, dreaming of warm salty air, the crashing ocean waves, boardwalk food and all their sandy treasures collected from the sea.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... dark, still, humid air.

I am thinking... of Autumn’s approach and about how much I’ll miss these lazy days of summer when they have gone.

I am thankful for... all the goodness and beauty and happiness in this life of ours.

From the learning rooms...that tomorrow is a new day...with a new load of laundry.

From the kitchen... two loaves of bread baking in the oven and loads of dishes piled on the counter.

I am wearing... comfy grey pants and a green top with a tiny ruffle along the collar.

I am creating... to-do lists!

I am going...  to bed. ASAP.

I am reading... just finished Everything Matters ( our last book club choice ) and will soon begin our new choice, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

I am hoping... a break from this 90 degree weather and a little day trip to the beach.

I am hearing... the dishwasher, the rattling of trucks passing on the road behind our home, the patter of the twins bare feet on the floor.

Around the house... still painting and preparing Isabella & Grace’s bedroom, writing lists of other projects that need to be done.

Some of my favorite things... family with vegetable gardens to share, fresh sheets on the beds, a movie waiting after the little ones drift to sleep.

A few plans for the rest of the week: get the house in order for the weekend and gather some art supplies for some crafty projects with the girls.

Here is a picture I am sharing...

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