Catch up!

I was looking through pictures and oh my!  We have much to share!

Ok, do I even have to say anything?  This kid loves ice cream!!  He usually licks, looks at you and smiles and nods his head yes, like "yes, you have got it right, Mama!!" and licks some more!

I apologize in advance for the quality of this picture (W slimed the lens with some greasy fingers!), but the look on K's face is to good to pass up!  He was thoroughly surprised by his birthday present (a feat not often accomplished)!  It was great fun to see his expression (like a little kid!)

Papa came to visit and we have a lovely time!  The weather was awesome and we had so much fun together!  The kids surprised Papa with a can of whip cream (you know, the squirt in your mouth kind!) and that provided much entertainment.   D even served Papa a cup of coffee complete with a whip cream swirl on top, Friday morning.  Yes, my 6 year old can brew up an excellent cup of coffee completely on her own...ahhh..heavenly!   They had a great time in the "chicken pool" as C calls it (because that's where the chickens started out, of course!).  And we spent lots of time down at the creek.  Papa and GG sent gifts for everyone and I received an unpublished book, Made From Scratch, that I am in love with!  I am inspired to keep bees (next year's project; we're too late for it this year!) so keep an eye out come next February/March:).

We haven't had such a nice garden since I shared one with Mom Wagar!  Our seedlings didn't fare well.  I think I figured it out: I think we had the light too far away from the plants so they grew up toward the light and got tall and spindly instead of short and fat, which is how they should be.  And, when you harden them off, apparently you should start in the shade.  Good lessons learned for next year.  In the meantime, starting off with plants makes for a pretty garden right off!  We'd still like to get  pumpkin and watermelon plant going and some lettuce.  Good thing we have a fairly late growing season!  The cold spring nights rain and storms slowed down our planting start!

D went shopping with one of her buddies, Grace and Grace's Mom, Rachel today for a special birthday outing.  As you can imagine, D was delighted about this plan.  They went shopping for a dress and then out to lunch where D was much amused that they could wear bibs (Skyline chili!).  She is growing up so quickly and so beautifully, in every way.  She posed the picture in front of the window herself.  She really has a knack for photography it seems, to me at least!   I think this picture is beautiful!  She took the one below too...I just thought it was engaging, the way she captured me on the side instead of in the center.  I always have everyone in the center, not even thinking to off set it and she chose that positioning, and I think it came out so much the better because of it....

Well, excuse my typos and possibly incomplete thoughts...I really just wanted to give you some updates and share a little of our life the past few weeks.