countryside – Catching Caterpillars

Summer in Sweden 2019

Kollene — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 19:30:00 +0000

Sometimes it takes me a bit of time to truly be on vacation… why is that? Maybe I hold too much of where I just left to open myself to the new place… It’s the best when you feel settled… sleeping is normal again and you feel so relaxed. While away you start to remember how you felt when you were younger and didn’t have many worries… it’s the same feeling and it’s the best.

Wet rose petals stuck to the bottom’s of my feet and sounds of buzzing bumble bees is all I can hear… I dream of a garden I plan to have full of everything I have wanted to grow. The healthiest soil and tomatoes billowing out of the sides with fresh thyme reaching for the sky.

I notice the sky in Sweden feels further away and the clouds move slower. Could be the rhythm of summer with tastes of the slow long days that last forever.

The gardens smell like Heaven… at least I can imagine that is what Heaven must smell like. Lavender, roses, and honey all mixed together. The winds change and the swish sways of lavender… and then the roses sprinkling petals to the grass. I could sit in the sun and day dream for hours.

A few days in to our trip I can see our girls and our little family just let go. I see it especially in our girls. There are no pressures to be no one other than themselves. Our oldest is at that age where things feel awkward. A part of her is holding on to her childhood and another part of her is dreaming of her future. It’s really beautiful to watch.. like a little butterfly who’s wings are drying off and getting ready. She still want to go on the swings but wants to sit with the grownups long after dinner and listen to the stories of way back whens.

I’m really happy we went to Sweden this year…

blueberry picking…

Kollene — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 16:11:00 +0000

Julien’s first family outing was something to remember…

we went blueberry picking.

What a fun adventure. It was just perfect. We set out one morning out east to a little farm. It was so quiet and still… peaceful! You could hear the bees buzzing… the breeze wooshing the trees. My parents met us out there to fill a basket as well. The berries were just delicious! I think we ate more than we plucked but according to the farmers, that was ok. haha.

That night Cecilia told me she was so glad that Julien’s first trip was to pick blueberries… it’s something we would always remember.

That night after we made a blueberry pie, we had a big backyard fire with hooded sweatshirts and chocolate s’mores. I sat in a cozy chair and held Julien with the most beautiful view…

Field Trips and end of year fun!

Kollene — Tue, 21 Jun 2016 07:21:00 +0000

The end of the school year… came and went… or should I say… stayed and went… dragged and went… whew! Is anyone else still dizzy from all of the fun!!!? I don’t remember being a kid with this much end of school year excitement,… do you? I remember my mom bringing a couple of boxes of orange creme popsicles and we all met up by the playground at a picnic table in the shade… hahaha! It worked for us… probably still world be sufficient… but now there’s pinterest…. and I’m kinda a big fan.

Field trips to Big Cat Habitat, Myakka State Park, Violin recitals, school play, teacher presents, field days, bubble parade, Jungle Book day, Garden Party! I could go on and on… It was SO MUCH FUN!!! but I’m just coming around to realizing I was in a trance of ribbons, paper napkins, popsicles, water balloons, and flowers up to my elbows!

You know you’re in an amazing school when your children are in tears the night before the last day… what an amazing school year it has been for us! The kids were so sad that it was over… they wouldn’t have their teachers again, maybe they won’t be in the same class with the same friends… the class will be different, they will learn new things… It’s hard with change… it’s hard for me too… I don’t want the time to go fast… This year it felt right because I was so careful to take it all in… but still… did I blink a little too hard… Is it really true… next school year… a second and fifth grader… what?!?!

a day on a farm…

Kollene — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 16:42:00 +0000

Somedays I daydream about living on a farm… a simple life… I know I know, farming probably isn’t the simplest… maybe a “farmhouse” with a beautiful garden and a handful of chickens, a horse, and tons of basil and flowerpots full of geraniums on every window sill… five cats and two golden retrievers… my kids would be barefoot running from our wraparound porch into the sprinkler spraying well water all over our roses! The dogs would be dirty and hopping into the swimming pool which is where Mattias and I would be floating on our pool floats sipping sun tea! This is a dream life to me… one day… one day.

Until this dream comes true I plant my roots deep and enjoy the hell out of this life I have here! We visit farms and plant things in our own urban backyard! We wear garden clogs and have one cat so far! geraniums yep, got it!

Last month we visited this beautiful farm for a Honey Festival! So much funnnnnn!!! Lots of honey! Lots of bees! and lots of inspiration! We came home and the girls got to work in our garden and made two raised beds full of veggies! Things are about ready for a harvest and we’re about ready for some veggies!…

the simple art of camping…

Kollene — Tue, 10 May 2016 18:35:00 +0000

Camping can be so fun if you let it… for us it’s a nice time to just unplug, unwind, and get dirty! I think my favorite part of camping is just seeing how happy our girls get… that quality time preparing our site and just figuring things out together. The way they learn how to trust their instincts and use their practical skills builds their life confidence in ways they’ll appreciate when they are older and need to survive. If you can survive in the wild you can survive life, college, a city, a relationship, a heartbreak.. it’s a beautiful thing…

As I watch my girls grow together I feel so happy… I know they’ll always have a best friend. I know time is fleeting and gosh, it just has to… but slowing down helps my heart…

This year my New Year’s Resolution was to “slow down…” Say no more, say yes to the things I want to say yes to… be happy over an empty calendar… sit back and enjoy these girls…

On every camping trip we learn things we didn’t know before… we add to our camping list… one day we’ll get it right… and maybe that one day we’ll need to add something more. We also learned that you MUST MUST MUST always REMEMBER your sleeping bags! This time… yep… forgot the sleeping bags! hahahahaha! We didn’t panic we just put on more layers and used our beach towels and table cloth for blankets… socks on our hands, leggings for scarves… it gets cold at night. Camping teaches us to be resilient … The fun is in the journey… don’t you think? Things happen and they will… instead of getting upset, you should laugh… we sure did!

I highly recommend camping at this incredible spring in Florida!!! The campsites were beautiful! and this gem of a swimming spring was just steps from our tent! Alexander Springs! GO THERE! We hope to go back again, even for just the day, this summer! I think the cool spring water could be quite refreshing. I also highly recommend renting a canoe for a couple hours! We did and saw some beautiful things! The lily pads and lotus flowers, oh my! we even saw a baby alligator! It was so peaceful and just the most perfect day with my family!

Before I forget… a quick recommendation… CAMP PANTS!!! Our family is big Columbia clothing fans! The quality of everything we ever get that is Columbia, we use for years and it’s so durable! On our way up to the spring we stopped off to get the girls their first pair of zip-off camp pants! They were thrilled and wore them every day! They are so practical but to them… they make them into “real hikers!” So cute! It was a big deal because for a few years their Pappa has had the same pants and they always wanted a pair…. Each camp trip we get things here and there to build up our camp inventory. Some things make life easier… some things are just plain cool!

I hope one day if you have not been camping yet, I hope you try it out! Even in your backyard! It’s very empowering! I grew up camping with Girl Scouts so maybe that helps! My husband also grew up camping. Maybe now-a-days the art of camping is getting lost but I can honestly say it’s a fantastic memory to have with your family! That closeness falling asleep under the stars with no electronics to even tempt me to check my instagram! Telling spooky stories with flashlight hand shadows… having marshmallow guts stuck in your hair… these are those memories that last… Go make some!!!

berry patch days…

Kollene — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 16:38:00 +0000

For me childhood is about being outside freedom and in the fresh air… childhood is about grass stains and berry juice dripping from your elbows.

Today is Earth Day and I thought why not write about nature, fresh air and heck, some strawberries!

A few weeks back we met some sweet friends at a nearby farm and picked and ate berries until our bellies hurt! Farm strawberries are truly the sweetest! some almost too sweet to eat! yowch!

It was so fun to just hang out and hunt for the reddest berries of all! The kids ran up and down the aisles and squashed the rotten berries and gobbled up the sweet ones! They should really weigh the kids before and after!

Friendships are important… long lasting friendships are a treasure and I am certain these kids will grow up together and one day take their own little tribe onto a berry patch and fill their bolga baskets to the rim.

Happy Earth Day Friends!

Be nice to our Earth today and always!

Summer 2015 Road Trip!!! (part seven)

Kollene — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 20:27:00 +0000

Charleston was such a nice surprise… We had no idea about a sweet little town called Charleston and I can’t stop recommending it to people. Charleston is amazing and quaint and beautiful! Every place you turn feels different and you get a feeling of nostalgia every corner you turn. It’s old and of course reminded us, like most old things do, of Europe. The cobblestone roads and the actual gas lanterns lining the roads. The brick beautiful homes and buildings… I think what surprised us the most was the food! It was incredible and so thoughtful! The seafood was caught daily, I promise! The boils were serious! The oysters I can almost still taste the magical ocean tastes each one had! I cannot believe the grits! The cornbread! The crab cakes! We loved Charleston!

Summer 2015 Road Trip!!! (part six)

Kollene — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 20:19:00 +0000

Asheville is amazing to us! It is beautiful, quirky, real, and natural! It’s hard to put in words how I feel while visiting Asheville… I feel like I can be myself there… I can talk to a shop keeper about life and children growing up and know that she too is genuine when our waitress confesses to remembering us back a few summers, loving our family at a little hole in the wall restaurant! That’s real! Asheville is full of music and banjos and violins and folk and fun hipsters with suspenders strumming their hearts out and grabbing our girls’ hands to sway a bit.. Asheville is full of color, art, paint, beer! So many stores do their own thing with pottery of weird bunnies with hats on and ivy growing up to touch bird feeders with seashells glued on and tea cups hanging from tree branches. Asheville is delicious! and I want to go back every month!

Summer 2015 Road Trip!!! (part five)

Kollene — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 20:07:00 +0000

Sometimes the simplest times with those we love the most are the times that fill our hearts to the rim…
This summer was magic! It was fresh air, flowers, belly laughs, roadside picnics, swimming, honey, campfires… this summer was beautiful!

Summer 2015 Road Trip!!! (part four)

Kollene — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 20:03:00 +0000

sometimes I wish I could blink and just be on vacation in North Carolina… hiking in its magical forest with my magical girls holding my sweet fella’s hand! Yes, I am still catching up … blogging about this past summer and all of it’s sweetness… life is busy sometimes.. and slowing down and blogging helps me see what’s important and real and true… This Family… they’re my everything.