Well, would you lookie there!

Holy crap!  We have broccoli!!!!  We planted these broccoli seeds Sunday and this is what they have done by Wednesday.  I am just blown away by how much they have grown.  We also planted 80-some tomato plants...no dropped jaws please...our family does NOTHING in moderation!  So, we are going to have broccoli and tomatoes coming out of our ears!  Send any recipes!  Something tells me we might need them.

My kids couldn't be more excited about our garden.  Ethan is definitely the green thumb child.  He is watching over them like a Momma hen!  I caught him taking pictures of them tonight.  He said he was going to take a picture everyday to show how big they are getting.  Too bad he hates broccoli...oh AND tomatoes!

Double Digits!

Growing up, Mom used to tell me "time sure flies".  I have to admit, I thought she was full of it.  It seemed like time just dragged by...not sure what I was waiting for, but in the case that I was waiting...nothing happened quickly.  Fast forward to my life today and it pains me to say this, but Mom was right!  My head is hung in shame!  Alright, alright...I said it...she was right.  Time sure flies.

My oldest child turned 10 years old today.  Seems just like yesterday we brought her home from the hospital.  We were scared to death!  We knew nothing about having a baby and I do question the nursing staff for allowing us to leave.  Totally kidding, but that was a scary first few days.  I don't think we laid her down for more than 5 minutes!  If she made a noise, we jumped to pick her up.  Could that be why she didn't sleep well?

She was perfect!!  Emma Grace came into this world with a head full of black hair (could explain my NEVER ENDING heartburn), with a birth mark on her side that looks like a set of lips kissed her and did I mention she was 2 weeks late?  I thought she would never make her debut!  By all rights, she should have come into this world addicted to chocolate milk and knowing all the words to Mr. Roboto by Styxx.  Not sure why I loved that song so much while I was pregnant, but I did!

Emma wasn't sure if she wanted me to come to school and share cupcakes with her class.  This makes me kinda sad, because I have always been very involved with my kids birthdays and loved celebrating with their classrooms.  Her brother has checked out a book with cupcake ideas from the school library (ok, ok...my kids are addicted to The Next Great Baker on TLC) and she went through it to see if she liked one.  She chose a sunflower design and we set out to make them.  She really liked the finished product and I have to admit, I did to!!  **Insert a pat on the back**



The finished product

I had the cutest lunch date!  She never quit smiling!!

Happy, happy 10th birthday sweet girl!  May you always have a smile on your face and know that you are loved by so many!!

City slickers are going country!

I was raised in the country on a working farm. We had every animal imaginable and always had a garden. I can remember working endless hours (it seemed like it then, but I'm sure we didn't work ourselves to death!) in the garden. Mom & Dad would leave for work during the summer, leaving me and my 2 sisters at home. We had a list of chores to do before they would get home. We always put it off until the last minute and then we probably did work like crazy. We had to go to the farm, feed & water the animals, pick rocks in the gardens (which usually ended in us throwing them at one another!), water the garden, weed the garden and pick anything ready. It was hell then, but looking back now...it was an awesome childhood. Mom always canned our veggies and I love watching her get everything done and hearing the center of the lid pop when they were done. Mom always got this smile on her face. I think she was proud of herself!!

This past summer, we talked about wanting to learn to can. So, we bought books and researched online what you would need. My kids LOVE golden delicious apples. So we went to our farmers market and got 2 bushels. I ended up making and canning about 12 quarts. And, I had the same smile on my face that Mom had all those years ago! I am not much of a cook, but I really felt like I had done something impressive by making and canning that applesauce. We eventually moved on to tomatoes. Mom and I canned about 30 quarts of tomatoes. And, let me tell you, those canned tomatoes have made the BEST vegetable soup this winter. Adam and I got a wild hair and made salsa one Sunday afternoon! YUMMY!!

Our families have decided to have a garden this summer...well, actually 2 gardens. This weekend we borrowed our brother-in-law's tiller to get the backyard ready. Adam has never had a garden, so I'm sure he is thinking "What am I getting in to?". But, overall, he is just as excited as I am. The kids thought playing in the dirt was awesome! They were introduced to grub worms!! An old container had to be fetched to save the worms and grubs for our fish, Oscar.

Adam first pass...I was holding my breath!


This became dinner for Oscar! Hopefully, we will get more food out of the garden than he did!!




Adam let the kids help out with the pushing. The tiller is self propelled, but they thought they were really pushing it up the hill!



Jack even got excited about our newest endeavor. His paws were as muddy as the boys!

Here are my lil' city slickers looking for treasures. I heard lots of "oh, I found a worm", "look Mommy, a new rock for you" ( I have containers of rocks the boys have brought home for me!), "Happy Birthday to Oscar, another grub"! I can't wait until something starts growing in this patch.

Adam even got out to re-till it the next day. The tiller broke a bolt before he could go to my Mom & Sister's house to get their backyard ready.

Next step, horse manure! Bet my boys & girl won't think that is too cool! I'm so excited about getting started and seeing how much we can get to grow and can or freeze to use through the winter months. Lots of work, but I am up for it!

Memory Lane called

It's funny what you can see, hear or even smell to bring back memories. Saturday was the day I decided to clean out our playroom. I don't know why we call it that, because that is the one thing the kids won't do it in! They have NEVER played in it. We keep the toys in there, the kids go in and pick what toys they want and then they take them to the living room to play with them. Maybe we should change the name? Anyway, Saturday was the day that I was going to clear out all of the old school work and art from years past. I didn't want to turn the TV on, needed to stay focused, so I turned the TV onto the 80's music channel. Love those 80's songs. I was VERY busy making my choices of what to keep and what to discard and a song came on that instantly made me smile and think about my Grandma. Kelly and Frankye, I know you probably know the song I heard. It was "Come on Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners. Grandma loved this song. I can remember her tapping her foot and singing along. I never hear that song that I don't think of her. Whenever I see 11:11 on a digital clock, I think of Grandma and smile. She once told me that she liked seeing that on the clock because it was the "longest time". That has stuck with me and I now think of her everytime I see it. Emma came home from school the other day and said she noticed it was 11:11 and she thought of me. So, I guess I passed that tradition onto her! I can still hear Grandma's feet on her bedroom floor. I can still smell her rice & raisins. I can still hear her screen door slam from us running in and out. I have so many fond memories of her. She was a great lady and a wonderful Grandmother! I sure miss you Grandma.

It's time...

I have become fascinated by the new show about hoarding. I just sit and watch it and can't be torn away from it. I know plenty of people think it is pure laziness, but it is a sickness. And thankfully, there are professionals out there to help. I find myself thinking that my house is perfect after watching the show. Far from it! I love to clean, but with 4 kids (5 if you count my husband) it doesn't stay that way very long.

I have saved just about every piece of artwork that my kids have made since they started daycare. I have boxes of artwork. I have 1 file cabinet that each child has a drawer for all their work...I have long since passed the point of organizing. I have GOT to let some of that go...heck, I've got to let most of it go. So, this evening, after the kids go to bed I will get a box and start sorting through it. I have long since forgotten who's is who's if it is not written on the back...so why keep it?? How many pieces of paper do I need with "Mommy" written on it? Did you know that rice doesn't stayed glued to construction paper very long? Macaroni tends to breakdown over time as well! I had planned on making a scrapbook for each of them with their artwork in it. HA! That will never happen, so it's time to take charge of the arts! Wish me luck, I'm sure I will get weepy looking through it all!

I wonder if the people featured on the show started with hoarding artwork?

Celebration!

I know I will be busy tomorrow, so I want to share a celebration that will occur tomorrow. My son, Ethan, will turn 7 years old! It doesn't seem possible that he could already be 7 years old and be going into 2nd grade. Ethan was a very good baby from the beginning. I had a great pregnancy with him, aside from being HUGE! He was born at a robust 10 lbs. 2 oz & 23 1/2" long. We thought we were going to have a baby, but he came out the size of a toddler. When he came home, he slept & ate...repeat! Emma adored her little brother, "Ethay" and was so good with him. Our family was complete.

Ethan is one of the bravest kids I know. I know I probably say that allot!! But, he is! He has been battling Type 1 Diabetes for almost 5 years. His carefree childhood was taken from him and he still has a huge smile on his face. If I can be thankful for 1 thing regarding Diabetes is that he was diagnosed at such a young age. I know that sounds odd, but he will never know a time that he didn't have it. Diabetes defines him. I'm sure he will always be known as the "Diabetic kid", but to us...he is a loving son, caring brother, precious Grandson, precocious nephew, fun-loving cousin and devoted friend to many. He is the apple (which is 24 carbohydrates...diabetic humor!!) of our eye!

Ever since the kids were able to hold up their fingers, I stand them in front of a certain wall at home and make them "show the camera" how old they are. Last year, Ethan was very excited that he was turning 6. Only because when we did his fingers, he got to use 2 hands instead of 1. He couldn't wait. He talked about that more than anything else. Funny, he hasn't said anything about it this year...guess the excitement of being "2 hands old" has worn off!!


Ethan at 2 months old with a pink pacifier strap!

Ethan at 6 months. Love the bib!!

Ethan at 2 years old.

This is my favorite picture of Ethan. This was taken October 2005. He was diagnosed 2 months later.

Ethan at, you guessed it, 5 years old. Or as he likes to call it, his last year with 1 hand!

Ethan, 6 years old, at the beach last summer.

So, here's to you Ethan. May you see many, many more! Ethan, I love you more than words can say! Please stay as happy as you are today. Never forget that we love you!! Oh, and...you have the softess skin!!! (private joke between Ethan and I).

Be prepared!

These are some of my favorite pictures from visiting Cape Lookout last summer. It was our first time going and it was a spur of the moment trip. We went with no drinks, no hats for the kids, no bathing suits, no bug spray...in August! I think they grow the bugs bigger on that island! We know we will go back this year, but we will be prepared!! I really liked the way these turned out. I have to say, my favorite is the first one (courtesy of Adam). It could be a postcard!! I don't know what I like best, the clouds or the lighthouse. It is just so peaceful to look at. I can almost hear the seagulls and the waves crashing!
Look out Cape Lookout, we will be back. I will have my new camera and get some great shots of you!!