All Around The Garden

Welcome to the garden.  I've been making some changes... like this gate and roses out front.

and this fish pond I found for 10 dollars at Restore, the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store

a new swing, and a playhouse still being assembled to be shown later,

a new place to sit..

and a place to rest little birdy heads

I think this one would make a great mailbox for secret messages with it's opening door,

the kids were coloring up the garden today...

and so were the roses, that's oregano blooming in front.

Friends have been coloring up the garden too.  Here's Karen at her birthday dinner.


Come visit soon!  You can try the swing for yourself. - Allison

The Keys go camping

The Keys arrive

Check out the view from the my dad's old tent.  We found Grandpa's spectacles inside :)

and inside

Parents start to cook hotdogs and kids explore

a thousand, "can I have a marshmallow's", and "No, not until after dinner"'s later we open the bag and;

Dorathea- "We don't have any books, so can we tell stories instead?"  So we all tell stories about princesses and kangaroos and fireflies and then D-"Can you sing me a lullaby?"  So Daddy and I sing lullabies as the sun goes down all of us snuggled up together in the tent.

Morning breaks, mist rises off the river, and Ted rises to make the first fire.

Soon Jonathan and I get up too hungry to sleep.  I put the coffee and biscuits on to cook and admire my boys.

The coffee is so warm in my hands and perfect with a biscuit with strawberry jam.  Why do things taste better outside by a campfire?

Canada Geese love this spot and pairs proudly parade their fuzzy babies right in front of us.

The kids eat there fill, we put away the campsite and are off on a hike on the sandy-trailed riverside.

Chasing babies.

nature boy stops to play

Dorathea picks Sweet William all along the way.

At some point the sand starts to sparkle.  Like it is filled with fairy dust.  And a beautiful clearing sweeps in front of us.  The kids play in the sand and we listen to the river's song over the rocks.

She decorates her castle with her flowers. Our first camping trip since children is a triumph, and so we leave sparkling sand and go in search of Asheville and a wonderful restaurant called Mayfels and then home to celebrate Mothers day with roses and chocolate.  I love my family

The Good Day

It started with a puppet show.  I made it with two expandable tension curtian rods, and an extra set of curtians.  Dorathea asked for water and grass and picked out a rug and cloth for her scenery.  Her puppets cast below are from the dollar tree.


While Jonathan napped, I took Dorathea to the Library in the bike trailer.  We got some new Mo Willems Easy Reader books.  Here is a favorite, "The Belly Button Book".  This book led to Jonathan's nickname, "Beboo"



Then onto the playground beside the library to meet Daddy and Jonathan. Girl posing with full book basket.



Girl posing in tree.





Boy arrives riding squirrel.



Boy sharing ride.





We ended the day eating at a neighborhood seafood place.  Then home to entertain young Misty and Ted and talk until late, late.  Lovely, Lovely Day!

Easter 2011

German is about to be packed up to make her debut at the Easter Egg hunt.  Jonathan tries to sooth her anxiety with dandelions.






 
Sweet boy, he knows she loves to eat flowers.

Who let that bunny out anyway?  It's ok, she's on a leash.  It is very much fun to let your bunny hop around the yard while you walk her on a leash.



The kids think it's fun to hop along too.


Jonathan has a knack for being gentle, especially for a two year old boy.

The egg hunt;



Jonathan gets to work hunting

He finds more than his sister




Dorathea gets discouraged at not finding the prize egg and finds a place to hide away instead (and eat candy)





German (the rabbit) gets to sit on many laps and have her picture taken a lot.  We pack her and us all up and go home to await her cousin the Easter Bunny tomorrow, "He will come and visit German tonight."  Dorathea says.

Birthday Morning

The morning of D's 5th birthday.  The surprise has been said and the presents have been opened.  But we blow out birthday morning candles in blueberry bread with pink icing.



Just another special moment to mark her birthday

And here she is with her lovely new apron and her decorated jewelry box, "I'll put all my rings in it!" she says excitedly.  Happy Birthday again and again, because you never stop being special.  xoxoxo Mommy

Easter 2011