A Bright Reminder

While some would immediately go for the prized china or silverware, my mom goes for flowers.

When my grandmother passed away last year, my mother collected a number of her flowers.

While I tended to my newborn, my mother planted random flowers which have been welcome surprises this summer.

Silly & Sillier

According to Andrew, "Peter is a lot like Stephen, only sillier."

We had the privilege of a visiting cousin for the night.

Dinner was an interesting experience to say the least.

They took turns swapping crazy tales

while the rest of us had to sit back and listen,

 and I'm sure I lost a few brain cells in the process.

The Weinermobile

I wish I were an Oscar Mayer weiner, that is what I'd truly love to be.

And if I were an Oscar Mayer weiner,

everyone would be in love with me.

Momma's Little Helper

Ballet

"Nobody teached me,

nobody showed me,

I just did it all by myself."

The Hike, Take Two

We tried this hike last year only the outcome was a little different.

With a newborn and four smallish boys in tow, we headed out for an "easy" hike.  It was anything but considering we failed to start in the correct place.  The only time I wasn't fearful of a child falling to their death was when I was carrying the small child and could see us both tumbling.

This year we got it right.

A Sunday morning celebrating God's beautiful creation.

Yet the pictures don't do it justice: what was truly amazing was the sound.

I kept hearing the echo: "And His voice was like the sound of rushing waters...."

Thunderous.  Powerful.  Breathtaking.



We were surrounded by noise, and for once, it wasn't the din of our children.

While it would take most hikers considerably less time, we had to stop to enjoy the little things of both the animal and plant worlds

which, of course, provided the perfect segway to a really lame joke:

"Why did everyone want the mushroom to come to the party?"

"Because he's such a fun-guy!"

The Entrepreneurs

It all started with cleaning the little boys room.  Jonathan has a nasty habit of wrecking the place before he finally succumbs to sleep, and there were clothes and books on all over the floor.  One thing led to another and I was emptying the contents of their small closet (2'w x 3'd), a hodge-podge of random household things, baby equipment and lots and lots of clothes.  I started sorting and there was just no stopping.

At first I was determined to take it all to the thrift store, but then I thought the boys might like to host a yard sale.  They were very excited about the idea.

Stephen requested to have a lemonade stand as well.  We bought supplies and calculated costs; signs were made and the lemonade was mixed.  They were ready to go.  "Maybe we'll make a thousand dollars!"

Unfortunately a thunderstorm woke me at 6 am on Friday; it was definitely not going to be the best weather for a yard sale.  But we dutifully blew up balloons and rolled up the garage doors and proceeded with our plan. 

It was a slow morning to say the least.  About a half-hour into things, Andrew was ready to call it quits.  "No one is coming to buy lemonade."  And then Stephen had a brainstorm.  "Hey, I have an idea.  I can do tricks on my bike and attract people that way."  As he zoomed down the driveway into the yard, I could see a truck coming up the street;  it parked right in front of the house.  "See, Andrew.  My plan worked!  They must have been so amazed by awesome bike skills that they stopped!"  A man and his teenage son hopped out and immediately requested two cups of lemonade.  Things were looking a little brighter.

You just never know what you're going to get when it comes to the yard sale crowd.  We met some interesting characters, many with lots of questions to ask and others with lots of stories to tell.  Several kind neighbors stopped by to pass the time of day and buy a drink.

Our last customer was a neighbor and fellow attorney.  She's got a baby girl about Josie's age and they played while we chatted.  Jonathan dumped out her first drink and the replacement, and then appeared with no pants.  When I asked why he took off his shorts, he replied, "I was dirty" and then flashed us with his stinky little bottom.  I decided it was time to close up shop.



The boys came out a lot better than I did (I earned a whopping $4.50 for my morning's efforts!), and I have decided that I should have gone with my original hunch: take it to the thrift store.  But I'm glad the boys had a chance to run their stand, and they are anxiously awaiting a hot, sunny day to try it again.

Produce at Twilight

It's an exciting time when a garden starts producing, and as I write, the residual smells of tomato plants and basil are all around me. 

After buying several tomato plants, I came upon a steal at Lowe's and went a little wild.  Good thing since a couple of plants died (drought?  disease?  not sure).  'Cherokee Purple', 'Roma' and 'German Queen' are producing their little hearts out while my orange cherry supplies a handful each day (they never make it inside).  Cucumbers and bell peppers are going strong, too.

I think I've found the secret to great peppers:

We never had much luck with peppers until last year, and I credit it to this fantastic fertilizer.  I picked mine up years ago at Big Lots, and sadly have never seen it again.  Even sadder is the fact that I used up the remainder on this year's crop.

via

Now to try try this new salad with all those fresh veggies.

Planning Ahead

Stephen:  Am I going to have a baby one day?
Me:  No.
Stephen:  Why?  Dad went to the hospital.
Me: Yes, but only ladies have babies.  Maybe one day you'll have a wife and then have a baby.
Stephen:  I will have a baby girl and name her Susan.

Pig Pen Persists

This is pretty standard when it comes to Jonathan.

He's a dirty but determined little boy.

And while there are downsides to a strong will, it can be channeled into good things...

step-by-step,

and piece by piece,



until the goal is reached.

A Perfect Fourth

While Doug was disappointed to miss out on hearing Lee Greenwood sing something patriotic,

we did our best to celebrate our nation's birth.

There was the over-the-county-line run for fireworks;

a last minute scrounge for holiday table decor (think the food is actually ready and waiting);

and last, but not least, a tribute to the faithful members of our armed forces.