Keepin' Cool...Well, Tryin'!

The mini plastic pool and sprinkler have been a major means of grace these last few weeks as we've done our best to burn off energy without burning up in this crazy humidity.

I wilt in weather like this. Apparently my children are unfazed. To a certain point of course.

I had fun getting these shots of Natalia while Adam was taking his afternoon nap.

It's fun to see her discover the same simple joys that I remember from childhood. What kid hasn't sat on the sprinkler, only to rocket off of it with glee?

Lowrise

I am not a fan of lowrise jeans (for myself OR others) for reasons that are obvious.



However, I might make an exception. Just this once.

Our Experiment

It all started with a conversation after church.

Our friends, the Kanes, recommended this book to Pete after learning he was interested in organic/grow-your-own-food types of things.

And now, it has culminated into this.

My Wordless Wednesday post gave you the first glimpse.

Yes, I did pick up a crate of baby 50 (1 day old) chicks at the post office last Wednesday. As soon as I walked in with the kids we heard the cheeping and chirping. The lady in front of us in line exclaimed, "I hear baby chickens!" I chuckled and said, "Um, those would be ours."

We are, in fact, raising chickens for the next 6 weeks. And yet, technically, we're not.

I've written before about our Amish friends who live a stone's throw away. We've made weekly visits to their farm over the last year to buy eggs (and our very own Wilbur). Well, Pete and Chris often talk about farming projects and we've enjoyed getting to know their young family.

They decided they wanted to enter into this experiment with us. We would share the cost of supplies, they would provide the pasture, we would help feed, water, and move the chicks every day, and in 6 weeks...VOILA! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

[Know where that saying originated? The story goes that in Las Vegas
for many years the chicken dinner special was $1.79. With the standard bet being
$2, a winning bet would be enough money to buy dinner. Hence the phrase,
"Winner, winner, chicken dinner".]

But I digress...

I don't really want to think about the butchering part. I'm already contemplating what illness I can feign when that day comes. Just give it to me dead, clean, and dressed and I'll cut it up. Easy shmeezy.

For now I'd rather look at these cute little things and not think about what's down the road.

Pretty soon we can take their pen out to pasture. More pictures will follow. (Only happy ones, I promise.)

Drumroll Please...

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to present to you,

the new Physics teacher at Manheim Central!

(My alma mater. I'm so proud of my man!) :o)

Half Birthdays

We celebrate Natalia's 1/2 Birthday right around July 4th. Next year we'll have TWO half birthdays to celebrate Independence Weekend.


For those of you wondering what this is all about, here's the scoop.


Our little family of 4 has 3 birthdays in the week before and after Christmas. Suffice it to say it is alittle overwhelming for the adults and absolutely mind-wrecking for the tikes. So...after the age of 2, we celebrate half birthdays.


We still celebrate the actual birthday, but it's just us, a special dinner at home, and we give our gift. We save the gathering of the grand's and other family members (and their gifts) for the summer. It's more enjoyable for the kiddos, the family, and easier on the wallet and calendar. Amen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


The welcoming committee. (Avery 3, Adam 18 mos., Eli 11 mos.)


This year Natalia wanted me to make a lemonade cake (which means lemon) and to decorate it to match the blankie my aunt Joyce made for her as a baby.

So, we had lemon cake, raspberry lemonade, and raspberry sherbet.

A scooter, a few books, paint-with-water books, and some cute clothes for the upcoming school year...



Then, because our house is tiny and the kids were all sugared up, we spilled outdoors. (That's how we turn down the volume.)







I wish I would have gotten pictures of the grands and great-grands, but I kind of had my hands full. Superwoman, I am not. :-)

Happy 4 1/2 Birthday Sweetpea! We love you!

Wordless Wednesday

Photo Shoot: Part 1

My mom and dad have an old, wooden 9-paned window they've used to frame photos of my siblings and I in their kitchen for years. Now though, it will house pictures of the grandchildren.

AND, my living room frames are still sporting winter shots. Time to update.

Thus, Photo Shoot: Part 1.

My kids are not fans of holding still posing for the camera, so I think we might have one or two possibilities out of this group. I'm still planning on a Part 2 though--an early evening shoot instead of full morning sun, and hopefully more blooming flowers in the background.

I did get an identical shot to this next one where Natalia is looking straight at the camera, but I liked that I could see her eyes better in this one.

Since she moves alot in standing shots and tends to slouch when sitting, I'm going to have her lay down for some next time.

Adam is getting tougher and tougher to photograph. Any tips from you pros out there? I'm trying to think of some objects for him to hold that will add instead of take away from the photo.

We'll keep trying! :-)