cutting garden

Last week I went to the Farmer's Market to get some flowers for Jamie's baby shower. There was a beautiful selection from a cutting garden - different varieties of sunflowers, zinnias, and even some wonderful smelling herbs. I bought up all I could, knowing it would help make the celebration more colorful and fun. The flowers reminded me of the cutting garden I planted every year at our old house. I had fresh cut flowers in the house all summer, and they just made me happy. Just one more thing that I didn't get to this past spring, but that I promise myself I will have again next year!

cupcakes and canoes, birthday part 2

The weather was absolutely perfect for the 2nd part of Paloma's special Birthday day - canoeing! We packed a picnic lunch and stopped at a rocky beach to enjoy. The kids loved wading out into the water, and even rode the current down stream a few times. We saw lots of jumping fish, a heron, and a damselfly landed on Paloma's toes. A truly perfect way to spend one of our last days of summer.

Happy Birthday!

Today is Paloma's 4th Birthday! Instead of having a party, Paloma chose to have a special day where she planned the events. On the agenda - canoeing and going to the horse race track. I know - the race track is a strange request! For a few years she's heard John and Lio talk about a horse they met there named Corey, who liked to eat peppermints. I think she just wanted to meet Corey in person.

After enjoying the cupcakes that she helped bake and decorate, we got started on the day's festivities. The weather was calling for rain in the afternoon, so we decided to take the canoe trip in a few days when the weather is supposed to be nicer, and just spend some time visiting the horses.

Corey was indeed still there, and this time Lio got to feed him some peppermints!

We bet on a few races, and won $2.60 on one of them. Wooooo hooooo!

Happy Birthday, my dove. I love you.

family portrait

The latest family portrait, created by Miss Paloma:

left to right: Paloma, Lio, John and me. (I'm glad I have some long skinny legs, given the fact that she told me I had, and I quote, "fat old lady legs".)

A Meal Fit For The King

Hey hey....Its me John, the guest blogger. I've heard that Elvis Presley's favorite meal was hot peanut butter and banana sandwich. Vicki has introduced our future Martha Stewart to this delicacy. She loves to help Vicki out in the kitchen. She even decided that she would slice her own banana and place it on her peanut butter sandwich. One day I'm hoping that she will be making meals for everyone in the house.

The best part of making a meal is eating it of course! Bon Apetit!

bike race

Just got back from a mountain bike race event for the kids! It was really cute - a course for the training wheel set that was mostly on pavement, and a tougher course through grass and trees (!) for older kids. You would have thought that we would have been prepared for the off-road aspect of the race given the words "mountain bike" in the event description, but nope, not us! Lio was all, "I have to ride in the grass?!" But he really loved it! Practiced the course a few times before it began, and wants to enter again in a few weeks. I had the hugest smile on my face watching him - just beaming with pride. He was so brave, and tried so hard, and just didn't give up. At one point he had to turn a corner, hop off his bike and run it up a small hill, then get back on and peddle some more. He got off to a strong start, but finished near the end of the pack. He's at the age where he's aware of not being the winner, but it didn't faze him at all and he wants to try it again. It was such a fun thing to watch your kid, who's usually pretty shy and an observer, jump into something and give it all he's got. I've got a huge smile on my face again just thinking about it.

summer hike

I cannot believe how beautiful the weather has been! The fact that we haven't had the air conditioner on for over a month is pretty amazing. I love it! We've been spending lots of time outside - riding bikes, reading on the porch, and yesterday we went for a hike in the woods. I don't think we've been since early spring, but we braved the bugs and poison ivy and had a great adventure.

Can you see the little fish hiding by the rock? Both Lio and Paloma were able to pet it for awhile before it swam away.

We found lots of fossils in the creek.

Finding rocks to skip and throw is always lots of fun.

Lio's gotten brave and has pretty good balance walking across a fallen tree bridge.

Paloma's gotten braver, too. Not asking to be carried through the woods as much! (I remember our 1st hikes when I had her in a sling!)

John and I keep telling the kids how lucky they are to have both their mom AND dad home all summer, but it's all they've ever known so it isn't such a big deal to them. But it's a HUGE deal to us. We realize how lucky we are to have so much wonderful family time together.