:: But we did get to plant carrots, mostly purple with a few orange (at her direction).
:: Our Earth Week pledge, inspired by the Biomimicy Institute, to turn off the tv and get outside is going well. While we don’t watch much of our tv anyway, the commitment has sharpened my focus on my surroundings.
This week, I vowed to get out with my girls and do nothing but thoroughly explore a different outside space every day. Monday we were in our backyard, gardening, all day. Tuesday we picnicked at the edge of the Clark Fork River.
We spent our time talking about birds and rivers, mountains and the sun. Margot’s inquisitive mind absorbing how sand is formed, where water comes from and why it’s cooler in the shade.
And Ruby, well, I think we are all born with a deep and thorough appreciation for life, love, comfort and beauty.
All that reveling in our world led to a hilarious photo shoot.
The Biomimicry Institute is giving one of you a copy of Ask the Planet, an incredible, award-winning children’s cd. In their words, The music and lyrics in Ask the Planet are designed to reconnect children to nature, create a sense of awe for the environment and teach them about the concept of biomimicry.
For a chance to win the cd, simply leave a comment and I’ll randomly pick a winner on Sunday, April 25.
WHEW. Those were some epic nuggets! Happy happy Earth Week out there!
57 Comments
Naked picture of Margot waiting for her dad– I laughed out loud! Soooo funny.
Love your appreciation for the little and big things. Thanks for helping me start my day out right.
I just love how down to earth you are..I just love your blog!
I just love how redundant I was up there 🙂
Wonderful pictures as always. We’ve also enjoyed our chives already–spring is very early this year in MN. Do you grow sorrel? It’s another very early herb that’s great on scrambled eggs.
such great photos, just so gorgeous
happy days.
xxx
I am so glad you are in love. You have one of the most important jobs in the world now.
You are teaching your girls to be good stewards of the Earth, and you are helping other moms learn how to do the same thing.
Love you four lots. xo
Love all of the pics (Bug, naked, save for the orange shoes, waiting for Andy) – yesterday’s photo shoot is indeed hilarious! Last night, a little before 6:00pm I was down in the classroom showing Bev Margot’s masterpieces of the day. As well you know, Bug was really working that big paint brush yesterday so her art is still “drying” (my hand … See Morebrushed against one of the pieces and was then once again covered in paint (although it did not harm the art work – still plenty, plenty left on the paper)). Say, have you found your phone?
I love it….we’ve lucked out with such nice weather for Earth Week!
nics! i have chives in my front “garden” – how do i “harvest” them? just cut them off in the middle? pull out long things?
s
Love the nuggets, Nici! Spring is certainly ushering in renewed appreciation for loving the Earth – Happy Earth Week!
your blog makes me look forward to wednesday! your girls are adorable and surely Margot is a genius.
why is it that the older sibling likes to put the younger more helpless sibling in an almost choke hold? i thought it was just my almost 3 yr old…i think they might just be showing be too much love. yeah. lets go with that.
I love this blog! I came here from Kelle’s blog, and I so enjoy both of them now. Your children are gorgeous! Your pictures are so fabulous, and I love how you write. So beautiful. 🙂
oh and the nudey pic…priceless!
Your posts always help me recenter when my little one is being so CRAZY. I remember the good things from our past week, too.
Sara, for the chives, just snip them off with scissors close to the ground, then chop them into whatever sized pieces you like!
ok – LOVE the “my hands are full” excuse! And the waiting for Daddy picture.
Love you blog.
You’re kiddos are little darlings~it helps to have such fabulous parents!
Happy Earth Day week to you ,too!
i LOVE that you are so in love with your life right now. that’s the way it should be.
and you got a chance to wear heels.
what a lucky mama.
smiles.
I love starting my day drinking my coffee and reading your words and enjoying your great pictures.
Margot’s new hair do is so cute. Love hearing Pam’s comment on Margot Bea’s art piece. Maybe it will be dry when I come over for Mother’s day. This blog is the best breakfast on Wednesday mornings, but I never get my fill. I love that you are loving your life and raising my grandkids to be wonderful women like their mother. And to have Andy as their dad, well he is quite the mookers genius. XOXO
By the way Ruby is a true sport evidenced in the photo shoot. She must really love her sister. Plus she is get to be a big girl too, standing alone on the picnic table.
i know the feeling. of being so lucky to spend your days like this. i have to fight feeling guilty, because it is so sweet, i want everyone to get to have that time.
check your mail box this week!
Really appreciate your perspective and your writing. And, frankly, your toughness. Running in Montana does not seem for the faint of heart.
you have such a lovely blog! your girls are so darling! where are Margot’s orange shoes from?! 🙂
That last pic is great. Baby sister arm eater! Love it! I appreciate the life beauty you portray in you post. It’s true, life has so much goodness to offer, it’ll make your heart soar!
Thanks for the giveaway too!
:)Lisa
I do love your blog so much. The combination of your writing with your photography is just plain wonderful.
Great post today. It’s great to be in love with life.
Oh, I love Margot’s dress… did you make it, and if so what pattern did you use?
I read a lot of mamma blogs and yours is certainly one of the very best. You are a talented photographer, writer, crafter, and mamma extraordinaire! Keep it coming! It inspires me to get of my rear and out with the kids. Thanks!
Each and every week I look forward to the time spent bringing clarity to life as a mama from your perspective. It provides inspiration, joy, and a greater sense of purpose. And our chives have beeen a staple as well, it is fabulous to eat the food you have grown… Cheers and many thanks!
Love the last photo. I bet Margot was a yummy snack for Ruby. Love your blog and wish I was able to stay at home with my two girls.
Love your blog, and I’ve enjoyed following along with your latest adventures, because my daughter is a little younger than Margot, and we have another baby on the way this fall. It is inspirational to see you and your two girls together, and I hope mine develop such a bond. This CD sounds great–I’ve never heard of it before, but if I don’t win, I might just buy a copy anyway!
I also came from Kelle’s blog and so enjoy your pics and thoughts.
On behalf of The Biomimicry Institute, thank you Nici, Margot, and Ruby for showing (and telling!) everyone how absolutely lovely spending your days outside can be. You are fantastic TV Rebels!
Nici,
I found your blog accidentally and have been reading it with great pleasure for the past week or so. I lived in Missoula for almost 5 years, and it just happens to be my favorite place on earth. I fantasize about going back to live there and, in the meantime, your blog provides me with lots of warmth and inspiration. Your girls are wonderful, and you are doing a terrific job of raising them close to the earth.
sounds like life is good, which is always great to hear! love rosey!! did margot get a haircut? she is looking so big!
happy earth week to you …
What a beautiful blog 🙂
I really think there is nothing better than staying home with your kids! I am happy that you are blessed with the opportunity!
I agree there is nothing better than staying home with your kids. I loved it even more when I home schooled. Now I get to stay home with my daughter and her daughter and I’m loving that even more. Life is good.
Holly
I read your blog every week, we have much in common with kids almost the same age. I like checking in on how another Mom is doing it all. Thanks for the weekly inspiration.
Thanks for helping remind me to slow down and appreciate what’s around me even when it’s hard to look/hear beyond the whining, crying and fussing. Beauty can be found even in those trying moments.
love your yummy blog. wrinkle-butt took the cake, but all the gorgeous girly pics were fab. not quite gardening time here in maine, but your pics made me itch with excitement.
Have I mentioned how much my boy and I enjoy hump day nuggets? Because we do. And seeing Bug and Rubes together makes me want to have another one. They are so adorable.
Ask the Planet sounds like a great collection and I think Caiden would get a kick out of having his very own CD. *fingers crossed*
dude, cannot believe i am only just now getting to the nuggets. worth the wait!
i also love the nakey photo . . . and am always amazed at parallels. avi has also started the “but my hands are full, mommy,” thing, and baby sister has yet to arrive!!
glad you are enjoying sunshine and chives. happy earth week to you, too! xo
Your kids are so cute. And how smart is Margot – “My hands are full”. Hilarious.
I can certainly see, why you love your life 🙂
nici!!! i think this is such a beautiful post. real life,real photos…your photos rock. i know i say it over and over again, but that’s cause they take my breath away.
bug with the hair cut and green thumb to boot. froggy rainboots on wrong feet…so cute. b does that all the time!
eating outside, girls night. you rock it out. really, your girls are amazing like their mama!
xoxo
Love the naked butt with the shoes on. And love the sister pics with her arm over Ruby’s face. Such great pics, and such inspirational words. I look forward to each and every post!
“My hands are full” That’s an excuse to remember! 🙂 Again, your blog as made me smile and given me “nuggets” to think about! Thanks
I met Janine Benyus at a conference several years ago, and was moved -literally – to tears by her presentation. Thanks for spreading the message of the good work the Biomimicry Institute is doing!
And yes. Right up there with the two-year-old who told me about singing “Fire on the Mountain” in the car with his dad after going to Costco for pizza, “Hands full” could very nearly be one of the best lid tidbits of my day today. : )
Our family can always use a new CD to sing and dance to. I love the photos of your girls – mine is right between them (Nov.2008) so I feel like I see where she is going and where she has just been in comparison to your girls.
Lovely! Thanks for the chance.
You had me with the title (Rosy is my younger daughter’s name). I also love the stinkeye pic of Margot. So glad you are loving this life (I stay home with my two ladies). It’s something to behold two babies become people, right before your eyes. One of life’s greatest privileges, I think. Thanks for the giveaway, too!
Margot is just so precious. She reminds me of mine, they’re about the same age 🙂
OH!! so much to love in this post… the gardening, the sister love but best of all that nakey bum waiting for her daddy…. a common sight in our house as well 🙂
I just wanted to say my Margot has the same wagon and loves to pull it around/fill it with dirt too! Fun times!
I told you you’d love staying home!!