what rhythm? out-of-doors

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If I was honest with myself, 

I would say that I have never really recovered

from having newborn twins and a 22-month old.

Then throw in moving 3 times in the first year of their life,

at 2 months, 5 months and 12 months,

(and a toddler who was 2, 2 1/2 and not quite 3)

and add a generous helping of depression and anxiety,

which after 4 years is just now resolving itself.......thankfully and gratefully....

Nicole at Frontier Dreams asked for folks to share snippets of their rhythm,

and I agreed, knowing it would be a challenge for me to find *anything* 

that could pass for rhythm in our home and life,

which I often find overwhelming and chaotic.

(Hello, near-nightly panic attacks!  Thankfully, also resolving.)

*whew....that was tough.....moving on....*

But today I decided not to give myself a hard time over the past,

and also not to fuss over what I think our rhythm should be,

and just look for something that I can definitely say is true to our family.

One thing I can say, with absolute certainty, is that my children play outside.

Unless someone is ill, they are outside for large portions of each day, every day.

Please enjoy way too many pictures of my girls,

which I thoroughly enjoyed compiling,

each one a reminder of a wonderful time we spent together.

~ JANUARY ~

 ~ the rare Southern snow angel ~

 ~ ice! ~

~ taking a break from stacking firewood ~

~ hopping right along ~ 

~ FEBRUARY ~

 ~ warm day in february = mud river from the rainbarrel ~

 ~ woods in VA ~

~ creek play ~ 

 ~ old-fashioned merry-go-round ~

~ lake at crowders mountain state park ~ 

~ MARCH ~

 ~ barefoot in the bare garden~ 

 ~ march camping trip ~

~ sunbeam faery and snowdrop child play ~ 

~ APRIL ~

 ~ april camping ~

~ sister rescue ~

 ~ watching daddy flyfish ~

 ~ strollers through the neighborhood ~

~ pasture at the highland games festival ~ 

~ egg hunting at a friend's birthday party ~

~ MAY ~

 ~ may camping trip ~

 ~ a little chilly for tubing ~

 ~ friends by the lake ~

~ strawberry picking with friends ~ 

~ schiele museum nature trail ~ 

~ JUNE ~

~ pool weather already??? ~ 

~ planting tomatoes ~ 

~ walking backwards with baby cousin ~

~ salt marsh exploration ~

~ JULY ~ 

 ~ by the shore ~

~ splash! ~ 

~ horseshoe crab ~ 

~ blackberry picking ~

 ~ cypress swamp ~

 ~ sunset by the bay ~

~ growing-up girl ~ 

~ AUGUST ~

 ~ summer thunderstorm bath ~

~ swinging laurel ~ 

~ abandoned watermelon ~ 

~ tiny girl is learning to swing herself ~ 

~ piggy-back rides on momma ~

Yes I *definitely* feel uplifted looking back on the year....

.....spent outdoors.....

.....that's our rhythm.....

~carrie~