The Sandbox Gang

Last Friday was a beautiful day here in our little corner of the earth. Randy took the day off work and the kids were all home for the afternoon. We spent all our time outside. First the kids enthusiastically helped us in the garden. But after a while their interest in the garden waned and their attention turned to the sandbox.

It's amazing the creative work that happens when they are trying to avoid doing what they should be doing-like helping in the garden.

I know a little bit about that myself...It's called blogging...

Some of their "creative work"-bridges, roads, little hills, valleys, huts, castles, and a dandelions here and there for decoration...
"Mom, come and take a picture of us!!!"

So I went and took a whole bunch of pictures of them and their work. Someday they may not want pictures anymore so I might as well take advantage of it now, right Amy?

And they finished off the day swinging and swinging...

As I post this I realize a whole week has gone by now and I don't know exactly were it went. Randy's home again and we are back in the garden today, planting tomatoes, and breaking up more garden, weeding out the raspberries, etc. More to come...

Hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

As Always,

and the sandbox gang!

9 of 52: Strawberry Patch

Ask me 20 years ago if I would someday have a large garden and I would have said "No Way!"

That's what growing up with a father and grandfather who kept large gardens does to a teenager.

But now I find myself enjoying my garden very much. Not so much the work of it but more than anything the enjoyment of eating out of it,

and the colors and smells, the fruit and the flowers,

and the enjoyment my kids get out of it...until THEY are teenagers,

and just being able to work together as a family...

Randy took these pictures of me* last Friday while I was weeding my strawberry patch. I couldn't help but think I should have been wearing a wide brimmed straw hat for the occasion. :0)

Now bring on the berries!

Hosted by Forever in Blue Jeans

*52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with your family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

Mothy Matters

One of the kids spotted this moth coming out of it's cocoon

last Friday.

We thought it was really beautiful for a moth.

He sat there holding onto the house for a long time moving his wings in the wind.

We never did see him fly away but he's gone now-doing whatever Moths do...



For anyone who's interested- here is some information on the differences between moths and butterflies...

"Although butterflies and moths are very similar, they have many differences. Most butterflies fly during the day, and most moths fly during the night. The best way to identify a butterfly from a moth is to look at its antenna. A butterfly's antenna have knobs at the ends of their feelers, and the ends of the moth's antenna is either feather like or plain. Most butterflies rest with their wings held up above their bodies and most moths rest with their wings spread out flat. Typically butterflies have brightly colored wings and moths have dull colored wings. Most butterflies have slender, hairless bodies, while most moths have a fat abdomen and furry bodies. Butterflies form a chrysalis during the pupa stage of their lives. In moths, the chrysalis is normally contained inside a cocoon. Most moths have tiny hook or bristle hooking the forewings and hind wings together. Butterflies do not have this hook."

-from Thinkquest

This Man

Sometimes it amazes me that this man, who put on a tie this morning and is flying in a jet to San Jose for the day, is also the man in these pictures.

He's the man who feeds the chickens and plays with the kids. He plants the garden and weeds and waters it. He mows his own lawn, repairs his own pipes, and changes the oil in his own vehicles.

He even puts his dirty clothes in the hamper some of the time.
Last Friday, he took the day off of work and we all enjoyed working in the garden together...
He planted one row of potatoes, two rows of onions, and quarter rows of spinach and peas...
After covering the seeds with earth, he watered them with the watering can. He's been watering them faithfully ever since to keep the ground moist in this warmer weather...

Then after I weeded out my strawberry patch, he came along with the tiller...

I think this man would rather play in the dirt with a tiller any day than go on a jet plane to San Jose. But you gotta do what you gotta do and the meals down there are usually pretty good.

I really think he has the best of both worlds. And we are thankful every day for his job and for our life here. We are rich in so many ways. It may not always be this way but... we will enjoy every moment we have.

Sincerely hoping that YOU enjoy YOUR day wherever you are and whatever you're doing today,

Half & Half

Can you guess what my munchkins are up to here?

Thanks for the picture Sandy! ;)

Kite Flying

If life gives you wind, fly a kite!

Hurray for Kite Flying- a very cheap form of entertainment!

8 of 52: Mothers Day 2009

Here are the munchkins and I* on Sunday Morning.

I had a special day. Receiving school-made mothers day gifts, going out to eat with Mom and Dad for lunch, and trying out my new Panini Press for supper.

Thanks everyone!!!

Hosted By Forever in Blue Jeans

*52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

Repotting Tomatoes

So, it's been about 3.5 weeks now since we started our tomato seeds. Now they are getting big enough to replant into bigger containers. We just grab some white paper cups out of the cupboard, stab a hole in the bottom with a knife, fill them with a little potting soil and place each little plant in a cup...
Now Randy packs dirt in around each one,
waters them,
and places them back under the lights. On nice sunny days, we take them out and put them on the picnic table during the day...
They are growing faster now. We keep watering them and moving the lights up a little to allow for their growth...
Coming up this week: Tilling, Planting our first row of potatoes, maybe spinach and onions.

Freezing temps and heavy frost here during the night still so not much else is going on...

A Little Recital

This video is for Grandparents, aunts and uncles, and for Kari (her former piano teacher). We Miss You!!!



I told her we could have a real recital sometime with tea and cookies so we'll see if we get it done or not...

Our Mothers

Happy Mothers Day To You Mom!

*****************************************************************

In Loving Memory

Here is a poem for Mothers Day that I wanted to share. When I found this poem 5 years ago, I had to pass it on to my Mother-in-Law because it said so beautifully what I felt....

Our Mother

You are the Mother I received
the day I wed your son.
And I just want to thank you, Mom,
for the things that you have done.

You have given me a gracious man
with whom I share my life.
You are his lovely Mother
and I his lucky wife.

You used to pat his little head
and now I hold his hand.
You raised in love a little boy
then gave to me a man.

Author Unknown

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No Training Wheels!

Maya is determined to learn to ride her bike without training wheels! She tries to get anyone to help her. Dustin was the lucky guy in the above photo who got the back aching chore...

Thanks Dustin!

Saturday

We spent most of the day outside last Saturday. It was a perfect day to be outside!

A few years ago we did some landscaping in front of our house with trees and bushes and bark. We soon learned to hate bark. It blew all over and was a huge mess most of the time. So the last few weeks, Randy removed all the bark and then he replaced it with rock. We are liking the rock very much. Not even our strong wind here can blow it away.

The girls and I made a trip to the nursery and had fun planting flowers when we got home.

These pansies and violas should be perfect for the next month. And it feels great to have flowers planted already!
And now another Saturday has arrived. What will we do today?

Enjoy your weekend!