Monday, Monday......

I mulched around the front and side of the house yesterday and today. I probably shoveled, loaded and dumped the wheelbarrow over 20 times. I went to bed Sunday night just knowing I would be unable to move the next morning, but I was pleasantly surprised and I wasn't that sore! If you want arms like the first lady and can't get to a gym, I suggest shoveling mulch. It will tone those arms right up!

I am going to plant mums and pansies around the front and I'm still not sure of the colors yet. It won't hit me until I get to the store and see what they have.

AnnaBelle has started riding on Nathan's 4-wheeler in addition to the real one. At first she was quite hesitant and wouldn't let me out of her sight, but after a few trips around the yard she realized how much fun she was truly having. George took her around the back of the farm and to the pond and he said she talked and screamed with glee when they would go faster. Now we can't get her off of them. She'll climb up on Nathan's and hit the pedal then fly over the handlebars or (since it's happening quite frequently) holding onto the bars and being dragged until she lets up off the pedal.

Mr. Muscle Man had to give me a flex shot when I was shoveling mulch.

One of the many beautiful sunsets on the Woodland farm. I can never tire of them and I have found that no two are alike.

This is a before picture of the mulch project. We once had a massive amount of mulch and plants around the front of the house. We had a young man from the high school plant the tons of impatients and begonias and soon they started dying off. We found out that he didn't take them out of the containers. Now this was back in 2002 and since then I have had 2 children and been hospitalized close to 75 times with pancreatitis flare ups so we just never had the time or desire to remulch. Well here it is 2009 and I'm finally strong enough to handle it and 2 children running circles around me while I do it! Thanks God for your wonderous gifts!

The butterbeans are still producing, George picked half a bushel today and last Saturday we planted our fall garden. The snaps are blooming and we added rows of collards, lettuce, broccoli and savoy cabbage. Can't wait to pick the first snaps so I can put them up for the winter.

George's mom celebrated her 71st birthday and we went to Dockside to eat. Nathan loved the frog legs saying they were better than the chicken strips we ordered for him. We made her popsicle stick frames, glued pictures and then put magnet strips on the back for her to hang on the fridge. We also made her some stained glass flowers to hang in her window. I think she really loved the box of goodies, she couldn't wait to make room on her refrigerator.

This was the cover of the box. Nathan helped put the stickers on. The little ladybugs were his favorite. I went to Michael's to replenish our craft box and boy did I stock up. I absolutely love that place and they are already putting out Christmas stuff. I think this year will be a crafty one for family and friends. We have had some real quality time sitting down and thinking about what we are going to make from the huge containers of well, everything you need to let your imagination run wild.

I love love love this picture. I asked Nathan to help her down the slide and he helped her so gently and lovingly. AnnaBelle is starting to play more with Nathan. Before she would whine whenever he came around her, but now she is laughing at the funny faces he makes and imitating him when playing with his cars and toys. She loves to go into his room while he is at school and dump everything out of the toy box. I watch her on the video and its hilarious. She pokes and prods through all of his things with not a care in the world. Nathan will come home sometimes and run to tell me, "Mama my room is dirty but I didn't do it", now he does contribute his share with costumes and clothes everywhere, but AnnaBelle adds the icing by dotting the floor with little legos and cars and army men and those awful die cast metal planes I always manage to step on when putting him to bed at night.

Sidewalk chalk was great, but sidewalk paint is awesome! We made some fascinating colors with the brushes and pumps. I highly recommend buying some for any youngster you know that loves to use sidewalk chalk. It's made by Crayola.

One of the sunrises on the east side of the farm. This is one of my favorite spots at Woodland. It has the best morning sunrise show and on clear nights I sometimes ride the golf cart and gaze at the stars. In the summer its fun to watch the lightning bugs light up the edge of the woods like blinking Christmas lights. Ahhhh the country life. And Autumn begins tomorrow evening.

The storm clouds behind her were threatening but the rain just missed us. Annie B's doctor's appointment went well. She is in the 95 percentile for height, 75 for her head and 25 percentile in weight. The doctor said, no worries, and she also looked at Nathan's chart and his were about the same then but AnnaBelle is slightly taller. She said, " You're just going to have tall skinny kids". Okay I can live with that, I did for most of my life till the 40's hit! lol :)

Yes the weather was threatening on this day and we did get some rain towards the end of the week, but it was needed and the past few days have been sunny and warm. That might come to an end towards the middle of this week. Looking forward to heading to Williamsburg on Thursday to meet with family for some waterslide fun! You know I'll post some pics of Nathan and AnnaBelle's first waterslide park trip. Can't wait to see those eyes!