We've been spending more and more time out at the big family garden recently. It's mostly my Dad's garden, but all of us like to help out so we can reap the rewards!
Rewards that have already started coming, like fresh green onions and, now, new potatoes. There is something fun and almost addictive about digging potatoes. Your best luck comes underneath the biggest plants, the ones that have a sprinkling of pointy purple blooms.
For the most part, potato digging is done blindly, with one or both hands buried in the dirt at the base of the plant, feeling for potatoes. Some of them are just under the surface. Others are deep enough I am buried up to my wrists in the soft sandy soil. You have to determine by feel if the potato is big enough to pluck up or if it needs a few more days to grow. Because of their roundness there is hardly any way to bring them up except for getting your fingers underneath and then bringing your hand up like a scoop.
On our first potato digging this year I was surprised to come across a potato so soft it was nearly mushy. Why would this potato have rotted under what appeared to be a perfectly healthy plant? I scooped and pulled, working the lump up to the surface, perplexed the whole time about what exactly I was feeling. With my other hand I pulled back the lowest leaves of the plant and squinted at the dirt covered lump. Was that a mushroom?
And then the sandy lump blinked.
It was a toad! A knotty brown toad just the size of a ripe potato, and completely covered in sand. I laughed at my find, thankful I hadn't given it a good, hard squeeze! After the boys all had a turn inspecting our unearthed amphibian we returned him to his home under the potato plant. I hope he eats all those beetles I keep seeing there!
Getting ready to leave the garden recently, we handed our first broccoli harvest to Brooklyn for her to hold while we gathered up and finished up. Next thing we knew, there wasn't much left to the broccoli. We all agreed it was a good thing we didn't ask her to hold a potato!
Driving home Saturday from a weekend trip we passed through the city just after dark. All of the boys were enthralled with the brightness and colors of all the neon lights and traffic. Much to our amusement, Tyler was inspired to burst into a song that went something like this:
"The lights are bright in the city!
Big rigs drive in the city!
Big rigs don't honk at night!"
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Every night after supper we pack leftovers up for Daddy's lunch the next day. Last night Tyler took things upon himself to pack up Daddy's lunch and he was so proud of himself! A Brussels sprout in each cup and a sweet potato on top:
He was a little concerned that he couldn't find any chicken, but we assured him there was more in the fridge.
Before we even knew he had loaded the tray, he had taken it and put in Daddy's car.
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A few weeks ago Daddy took advantage of being home alone with the boys (and their art gear) to make Mother's Day cards. My little creators all made more than one. Along with all of the hearts, flowers, hand-holding stick people and Angry Birds (everything these days must. include. Angry Birds. Even Mother's Day cards, apparently), Tyler had his own ideas for a picture. "I'm drawing a rocket. And it says 'No grownups allowed.' "
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My favorite recent Tyler Tale came from bedtime prayers last night. With the whole family lined up on the couch, Tyler cuddled up next to me and began his "thank-yous".
"Thank you God that Brooklyn is so cute. And thank you that Mama is so lovely."
For the mama that doesn't always feel so lovely, that sweet little prayer was good for my heart!
My dear husband has been taking advantage of the spring wildflowers lately and has surprised me with a couple of beautiful bouquets.
(And something cool and sweet to sip on one day, too. Hence the straw in the pic)
Not to be outdone, one of my dear sons decided he needed to show his love for me with something green and growing too.
Too bad we are fresh out of wildflowers on our little plot of ground.
Hence the tree branch on my kitchen counter.
It's good to be loved. :)
We got together with our homeschooling friends recently for an etiquette tea party.
First up: a lesson on basic manners and table setting. (Fork on the left and no elbows on the table, please!)
Then all the kiddos got to choose a tea to sample. My favorite part was seeing them 'doctor' their tea. I think every cup had sugar and honey and cream in it. As far as I know, Tyler was the only one that actually liked his tea. At least among my crew. But that's not surprising; Tyler's been begging tea off his Daddy and me for over a year now!
Next up our lovely hostess had prepared an awesome relay-type game to practice a proper table setting. The kids took turns choosing the proper item from a table of mixed items....
...and racing down to the other end of the porch to place it on another table:
Then it was inside for sandwiches...
...and back out for a game of charades:
For reasons I do not understand, the end of the charades game brought the crew to spontaneous screaming. Maybe it was all the sugar they put into their tea earlier. ;)
Everyone managed to settle down for some yummy desserts, a sweet end indeed to a fun day!
We knew the day was coming soon, we just didn't know when.
On a whim, it turned out to be today.
Tyler graduated from his booster seat at the supper table...
Brooklyn graduated from the high chair to the booster...
And Daniel joined us at the table!
I had forgotten how much happier a fussy suppertime baby can be when they are simply up high with everyone else!
Daniel wasn't the only one that was happy. Brooklyn was Miss Big Stuff sitting at the table! She was in a silly mood, showing out for everyone, but still ate her supper like a big girl.
And speaking of eating.... somebody had his first solid food tonight!
Mashed avocado. Went down like he's been doing it all his life. Welcome to the table, Daniel! Happy graduation day to our babies! :)
Ok, so in 7 days he'll be 6 months.
Oops.
But these pictures were taken when he was 5 months. So it works, right?
Here's our smiley baby boy!
This post is a continuation of our Easter Week family devotions. Read Part I here.
Wednesday -
We read about Judas agreeing to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16, Luke 22:1-6), but first, since it also involves Judas and his greed, we backed up and read from John 12:1-8 about Mary anointing Jesus a few days before. To illustrate, I found a pretty jar and mixed a little bit of baby oil and some perfume to pour into the boys hands. We talked about kings being anointed and the significance of her gift.
Thursday -
Using information from Passover for Kids and Order of the Passover Seder from The Jerusalem Connection, we talked our way through a Seder. Along the way we sampled homemade unleavened bread and grape juice. In years to come I would like this to grow into a full Seder. So meaningful! Also in the future (I thought about it for this year but it was too cold!) I want to end the meal by going outside in the moonlight to pray.
Friday -
The day Jesus was crucified. We read passages from the gospels about the crucifixion and then went outside where each boy got to hold a large nail before watching Daddy drive 3 into a block of wood. We talked about how it must have hurt to feel those nails go in with such force. And that Jesus could have come down at any time, but he stayed on that cross for each of us. Because he loves us.
Saturday -
Made Easter story cookies. The ones where each ingredient tells a part of the Easter story, then you leave them in the oven overnight. When you check them the next morning they are supposed to be hollow, just like the tomb was empty! Ours however, were still slightly gooey. Oops. Next time I think I'll have the oven a little hotter before turning it off. They were still more than slightly yummy, so it was still a win.
Sunday -
Hallelujah, Christ arose! All week long we sang the hymns One Day, and Christ Arose. We also worked together to memorize Luke 24:1-6, which begins, "Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they and certain other women with them went to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared." (We went with New King James on this one, opting for 'tomb' instead of sepulchre') So, we ended our week of Easter devotions by waking our boys up 'very early in the morning'. Thanks to the clouds it didn't have to be as early as it would have on a clear day. :) We wrapped the boys in blankets and went outside to watch the world grow lighter and read the gospel accounts of Jesus' resurrection.
Such a fun and meaningful 8 days together!
