The Grotto

We try to hike The Grotto at least once a year. It is the perfect hike for kids. In fact Davis walked the whole way with out complaint. Not only is it a short hike, it is shaded most of the way, and has amazing scenery.

Summer Time

This summer has been completely nuts.  Between Mike's Summer Activity List, baseball games, track meets, swimming lessons, orchestra, garden club, and trips to the library, I feel more like a taxi service than a mother.
Although we've been busy we're having a good time.

And to top it all off, this summer Kai has become an avid reader.  I've been lucky to have kids who love to read, but up until recently it was hard to convince the boy to read something besides Magic Tree House.  He worships the author, Mary Pope Osborne, in fact I think she is on his list of people he wishes he could marry (along with others like Crystal Bowersox and our friend's daughter).  The Magic Tree House series are great books that he finds entertaining but he can read one from cover to cover in about 30 minutes.  I thought he should start reading something more challenging, so when someone suggested he start reading The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins (author of The Hunger Games) I checked out the first book. He devoured it.  Then he read the second and is almost done with the third.

Last week he took one of them to Davis' well check appointment.  When the doctor asked him what he was reading he said, "Its a Gregor book.  They are so good that I made a goal this morning that all I would do today is eat and read."  I'm pretty sure that's all he did too.  When we were grocery shopping I had to put him in the cart because he kept running into walls, doors, and cereal displays.  Apparently reading while walking requires more coordination than his little body currently holds.  But you can't say he didn't give it his very best effort.

Exclusivity

Davis:  Mom, I love you.
Me:  I love you too, baby.
Davis:  Do you don't love the other kids?
Me:  I love all the kids.
Davis:  *sigh* Darn.

Spinach Burgers

Last night I made Sparklebot's Spinach Burgers. I even made a couple that were gluten free by replacing the stuffing with rice crispies and some italian seasoning.   I tried them and they taste pretty much the same.

I loved them. Michael ate his and half of Madison's so I think I can safely say he enjoyed them. Davis liked his (though thats not saying much, I've seen him eat some pretty disgusting things).  Madison said "They aren't the best thing I've ever tasted, but I ate it."  Which translates to, "I am going to choke down half of one because I saw how angry you got when Kai gagged as he picked his up."  A teary eyed Chase tasted a very small corner of one and vowed never to eat another green burger.  Kai said, "Fine, I'll eat another, but only if I can put on enough ketchup that I don't actually have to taste it."

All in all I think it was a success.

Happy Father's Day

Davis Turns Three

This week Davis turned three.  For his birthday he requested lots and lots of cake, not just any cake, a farm cake.  This worked out well for me because not long ago Target was getting rid of old cake decorations. For 23 cents I scored a bag of Charlotte's Web decorations that work perfectly for a farm cake.

Davis woke up the morning of his birthday and with all the enthusiasm a new three-year-old can muster he came running down the hall and asked for his farm cake.  I explained that because the cake was for after dinner, I hadn't made it yet.  He was not happy.  At this point the boy and girl heard he was up and came in to sing Happy Birthday.  Little Davis balled up his little fists and yelled, with all the enthusiasm a new three-year-old can muster, "STOP IT!  STOP SINGING!"  then he looked at me and finished with, "YOU HAVE RUINED MY BIRTHDAY!" He then proceeded to stomp down the hall.

His disappointment didn't last too long.  He even helped me make homemade Root Beer for the party.  Later that night he got his farm cake, along with pancakes and bacon for dinner.

Happy birthday baby.

The Summer of the Lawn

We have dubbed this year the summer we attempt to take care of our lawn.

This was the situation

This picture was taken after I'd sprayed the weeds no less than three times.

Not only did we have a serious weed problem we had a pretty major sprinkler repair which resulted in trenches being dug all across our back lawn.  When they flipped the fixed sprinklers on, a whole row of sprinklers we'd never seen before popped up.  I'm pretty sure the previous owners didn't know they were there either.  They also told us that we have 5 sprinkler boxes, 2 in the back and 3 in the front.  But we'd never seen ANY boxes in the front.  EVER.

After a lot of digging and stabbing things with the shovel, they found 2 of the 3 boxes.

The two they found are inside the curbing, under the ugly white rocks, and even under the black weed barrier material.  Its really a miracle we found them at all.  We still have no idea what those white pipes sticking out of our patio are for.  We have one in the back yard too.  But like I said, we found 2 of the 3 missing boxes--one is still MIA.

Quick side note: If you're in need of large quantities of white rocks, contact me, we'll talk.

So now the sprinklers are working.  And by "working" I mean they are no longer spewing water into the basement window wells.

But it hasn't all been fun and games.  Michael was dying to make me a new planter box, so I let him.  I'm all heart.

He also built a small one for Madison.  She is very excited to have her own little box and even has a tiny little tomato on one of her tomato plants. 

See the white pipe?  WHAT IS THAT?!!

So there's the yard.  Its a work in progress.  Hard work and slow progress.