Fishy in a Basket...that's swim lessons to you!

I signed the kids up for swim lessons at the local pool (Merritt's almost 7 years old for crying out loud...I don't know why I waited so long!). They both have thoroughly enjoyed their pool time and Grace excitedly shouts, "Swimming School!" when I pull out her bathing suit in the morning. Grace is in the preschool class and they play lots of games like Ring Around the Rosie and Fishy in a Basket to encourage the kids to put their heads underwater. They blow bubbles, float with assistance, and today they worked on overhead strokes. Merritt's Level 1 class also plays games, but they mostly work on strokes, kicking their feet, and floating. Grant and I just hang out at the side of the pool or play at the playground that is conveniently located nearby. Thankfully the weather has warmed up and everyday at the pool has been clear and sunny. We'll finish up the classes this week and then test their newfound skills with some water-related outings. It will be lots of fun...actually, I'm feeling kinda crazy thinking about taking three kids swimming all by myself. It will work - right? Maybe we'll wait till Chad can come too, he'll be sooooo excited! ;)

Pretty Peas

I love fresh garden vegetables and I have fond memories of shelling peas with my dad on our back porch (he LOVES peas). If I'd had any idea that June would be so wet and mild, I'd have planted peas when I first set up my garden. I figured I'd missed the best planting season for peas, however, so I thought I would wait until the end of summer to try. Lucky for me, I have super nice neighbors who brought over a bucket of peas from their garden and so, the shelling began. It took a little while, but in the end I had a nice bowl full of peas. I used some for this super yummy Peas and Potato Salad, and blanched and then froze the rest for later. I'm so glad I got over the whole "I-only-eat-corn" phase of my childhood! The world is full of delicious vegetables and I'm so glad when people share. Hopefully someday I'll get good enough at the whole gardening shtick to be able to share peas with my neighbors too.

Grace is 4!

I can hardly believe that Grace has turned 4, where did the time go? We had a lot of fun on her birthday starting with a visit to the Living Planet Aquarium. We saw lots of interesting things like a giant squid, sea horses, sharks, and fishes of all kinds.

We really liked the "touch tank" where fish and sting rays swam swiftly by and we were encouraged to reach in and touch the rays. They felt smooth and silky, and despite the fact that they killed Steve Erwin, they are not dangerous. For the touch tank, the sting rays barbs were clipped - apparently they are like finger nails and grow back so they have to be clipped periodically. Grant could have watched the sting rays swim for hours, he was mesmerized by them, and Merritt got brave and touched one. They were actually really cute, one was very playful and would pop her head up to say "hi" and then splash us as she went back into the water.

In the South American wing of the aquarium, there was a huge tank with a Mata-mata turtle, a Side necked turtle, and three Caimans. Caimans are dwarf alligators and Merritt LOVED them. They could sit so still in the water, but we actually got to see one shimmy down a log and swim. The aquarium also boasts a selection of frogs and a green anaconda. The aquarium is a work in progress, so while it isn't very extensive yet, it is interesting and we'll have to go again after they get the penguins in.


We tried to have lunch at a park, but big surprise...it started to rain, so we ate in the car. We needed to make a quick stop at Costco, so I kept the kids occupied with little powdered donuts...


We had Grace's birthday party in the evening. Heather made a super cute pink castle cake (but our camera's digital card was full before we got to the cake part of the evening, so as soon as Heather gives me some pictures, I'll make a whole post dedicated to her fabulous creation) and there were lots of presents.




What little girl doesn't want a darling pink shirt from France?








She likes!






Chad and I saved what we thought would be the pièce de résistance of the whole evening for last...a frothy pink princess dress. She hated it. It was like she was afraid of the darn dress! I figured she only had to try it on to like it, but as soon as it was on she burst into tears. It's a good thing I kept the tags on cuz I think it's going back to Target.

The Mad Scientist

Our computer died...the nice tech guy at Chad's work who looked at it said the mother board was totally fried. We hooked up a borrowed lap top so that we weren't completely isolated from the world, but my poor blog suffered extreme neglect while we awaited the arrived of our new computer tower (it is very cool). Anyhoo...on to my backlog of life events!

I really enjoy my calling in the Webelos den (that's Cub Scouts for you who don't know - the 10 year old age group). The boys earned their Scientist pin this month and part of their requirements were met by my mad scientist lab - cue maniacal laughter! I donned a crazy wig and lab coat, and met the Scouts at the door with a smoking beaker courtesy of some chunks of dried ice. Don't I look crazy? The looks on the Scouts' faces were priceless. They quickly confiscated our den leader's wig, so you'll see some funky hair in the later pics.



We learned about the scientific method and Newton's first law of motion...







and then did experiments that demonstrated atmospheric pressure, air pressure, water pressure, and inertia.









We also played games that showed how our center of gravity works and made sugar crystals. Lots of fun was had by all...especially me.

Snakes in Boxes

Does anyone else feel like they are drowning in rain? We shouldn't have to deal with cabin fever in June! Ugh! In order to stave off the crazies, the kids decided to make a pet store the other day. They were the pets, three king cobras, and I was the buyer. Grant was "Little Snake", Grace was "Twinkle Eyes", and Merritt was "Mr. Fangs".


They came in boxes with lids...










and were wild snakes, but when I played music for them they danced and became my friends. I had some "people" come over to see my snakes and Mr. Fangs bit them, but I had anti-venom on hand, so all was well.

A Ten Dollar Hole

I went to a gardening class last month where I was told that "it is better to plant a $1 tree in a $10 hole, than to plant a $10 tree in a $1 hole." I take things like that to heart, so today I dug a $10 hole for my Red Haven Peach Tree. It took me about an hour and was a lot of good, honest, sweaty work. I had previously marked all the sprinkler heads with colorful plastic cups from my kitchen so that I could see the grid pattern and not slice open our water lines. I'm pleased to report that no pvc pipe was damaged in the digging of this hole. I also called Blue Stakes to come out and mark our underground power lines so that I didn't inadvertently pull a Ben Franklin. It was a successful dig. I was grateful to find mostly soil in my hole with a few dozen worms, a chunk of wood, and one huge rock thrown into the mix. I wanted to use Grant as a scale measurement for the rock, but he wasn't being very cooperative...hold still darn it!

Finally I was ready to plant a tree. I've never done that before, but I pretend like I know how to do a lot of stuff and this was no exception. It took some finangling to get the tree out of the pot, but extricate it I did and plopped it into it's new home full of fluffy dirt that smelled so good. (Yes kids, dirt does smell good. Go check, I'll wait. Just don't smell any in a cow pasture.) I patted dirt around the tree, making sure it was tucked in tight, then stepped back and saw that the tree was crooked. Ugh! Out came the small shovel, up came the tree, and after digging and repositioning, I finally had it right. So now we have a tree on our property...yeah! We can eat peaches in three years (but I can't decide if that will or won't help my patience problem). I've been thinking about it, and admittedly math isn't my strong suit, but since I paid $25 for my peach tree, wouldn't that make my hole in the ground a $250 one? I think so. It looks good there with one of my million dollar babies next to it.


Oh yeah, and this is what Grace did after I snapped her picture by the tree...

One of life's big steps

My nephew Joshua graduated from high school yesterday. How is it that 18 years have flown by so quickly? I remember being in between classes in my own high school halls when the news arrived that a blond, bouncing, baby boy had made his entrance into the world, making me an aunt for the first time. How exciting that day was and what a blessing Josh has been to all of us. Congratulations big guy...we're all proud of you!





Here are Josh, his Grandma M., girlfriend Jorie, and brother and sister Sam and Kirsten all celebrating. (Actually, I think Kirsten an Jorie are in pain...)








Me and the Man of the Hour.

How Does My Garden Grow?

Mistress Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
and pretty maids all in a row.

Well, my name isn't Mary and I have no idea what silver bells, cockle shells or pretty maids are, but I do have a garden and it is growing...almost in spite of me. You see, Mary may have been a contrary gardener, but I am an impatient one. I tromp out at least once daily to look for signs of life in my garden, and I even dig away a little at the crusty afternoon top soil to help the seedlings find their way to the air. It's all done with the best of intentions, but I'm pretty sure I knelt on one of my corn seeds and I'm positive I decapitated another. :( I just need to let nature do its thing, especially since it is doing a good job without my hovering and smothering. Here's an example of what has appeared so far. I have...


14 corn plants growing (out of 20 planted - but because of my foolishness, the most I can get is 18. My fingers are crossed!)








One Autumn Gold pumpkin plant










One Heritage Raspberry bush









6 Early Girl tomatoes, 2 Roma tomatoes, and 1 cherry tomato plant (bush beans and watermelon not pictured, but they are growing, I promise!)




I also planted scallions, but I had way more wee black seeds than I needed, so I thought I would save the rest for a later planting. I then had, however, a graceful moment and dropped the seed packet, spilling them on the east side of the garden. I tried to pick them up, but they are tiny...TINY!...I tell you, so I gave up. This mass of green is my garden oops, and it is, OF COURSE, growing really well. (Yes, that is muttering you hear.)

So, my garden is faring well. I think it would do better if I'd just quit bugging it so much. Grow dang-it! Gardening is my lesson in patience this year.

Yum!

I made Chocolate Oreo Pudding Pops last night. I think Grant really liked his!