April Showers Bring May Flowers

Last Friday I took the kids to Busch Gardens. It was such a beautiful day and a very light crowd. Nathan never had to wait in line to get on a ride, and there was so much to explore. I loved the wildlife area which is loaded with different types of birds and butterflies. Isn't he just gorgeous?

The Sesame Street Forest of Fun was a hit. These two splashed through the waterpark until their lips turned blue.

I love this picture. This is a typical evening at our place. That golf cart has provided countless hours of riding enjoyment around the farm. We added the rope swing a few months ago and Nathan has done a good job of breaking it in.

Our garden is growing along!! This is savoy cabbage that seemed to triple in size in a week's time. We put fertilizer down on Monday and were graced with a good shower that evening. George then tilled the garden the next day while Mr. Sunshine did his job and --walla!!

The past 2 mornings it has frosted on the farm. Not a heavy one, patchy in spots. We put the tomato plants in the ground on Sunday and they were protected. I have so many volunteer sunflower plants that need to be transplanted as well as a couple of burpless cucumber plants.

Today we're going to plant our parsley, oregano and basil seeds in dixie cups.

My son brought me 3 roses he picked from the bush out near the old horse barn. I took this picture in the kitchen on top of one of our bar stools. They smell as beautiful as they look.

April Happenings

A dogwood bloom in the backyard. This tree has been through so much and we were determined to not cut it down when we first moved here 10 years ago, so we have nursed it as much as we can and each year a few more flowers bloom.She has the love for it. I can see it in her eyes every time we head to the basketball court or she sees one of the many balls that are scattered around the backyard.

The garden peas are about 2 inches high and the beets have broken ground too. I'm going to thin them out this week.

If I could bottle the energy produced by these two I would be a zillionaire. Their questions are limitless and the enthusiasm to play outside is only matched by their love of broccoli and that ain't no joke.

Cause Every Little Thing is Gonna Be Alright

Today is and will probably always be a tough one. It's been 3 years since my Mom passed on a spring day much like today in the afternoon. I chose to remember everything special about her in my mind in hopes that I wouldn't break down and cry. So many wonderful memories filled my head throughout the day and of course......

The children kept me busy and occupied. George reminded Nathan this morning of today's significance and he came upstairs to the bedroom crying. That carried on to school where he proceeded to cuss out a classmate. His teacher diffused the situation, but it still left a sour note with me and we discussed the incident when we got home. He received his punishment of no television, which devastated him, but I had to do it and stick to it. He has tried several schemes to get me to cut it back on, but I'm not budging. He gave up and went to bed telling me he will never say another cuss word until he is 20.

Yesterday George ploughed the garden and of course my kids had to wallow in it. They think it's better than sand. Our garden peas and beets have broken through the ground. We planted squash and snaps, too.

Dirtball Annie loves the freshly dug earth. She ran the length of the garden several times and sampled a little bit here and there.

We even managed to get in a little soccer. Ellie even joined in on the fun until she popped the ball with one big bite. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. Looking forward to putting up the tent this week!! Hope to post some pics of that by the weekend!

Early Days of April

The Easter bunny stopped by Woodland on Sunday. Amongst the peep chicks and the reece's cups Nathan got the Optimus Prime JetPower thinga-ma-bob he has been talking about. I found one online from Kmart and it was delivered the Friday before Easter. It makes all kinds of neat sounds and has cool flashing lights.

Miss AnnaBelle understands what the Easter bunny is all about just a little bit better this year. She couldn't believe I was letting her eat candy for breakfast but that is just what I did. Hey, why not let them eat to their hearts content until they don't want anymore. It is very effective if you can survive the sugar rush it gives them.

We planted the garden Monday! Broccoli, spinach, kale, and iceberg lettuce. Tomorrow we're hoping to plant snaps and squash and in the next few days, butter beans! I cannot wait to get BUSY once the pollen has settled down. The last two days have been horrendous. I have never seen such heavy pollen. I am not normally affected but this year it has hit me hard. One of the facts of aging I guess. I can remember Mama not getting her allergies until later in life. I sure have been missing her alot lately and that is one of the reasons I cannot wait to start working hard in the garden. Outside and in nature I feel her presence and it comforts me. When the butterflies go by Nathan will tell me, "There goes Nanny!" It's tough this time of year because that is when she left us, on a sunny spring afternoon on Friday the 13th in April. 3 years and it still hurts, if not more it seems, because I look at these two beautiful miracles of life I have been given and think of what she has missed. She would be spoiling these two beyond belief. I am so glad Nathan was able to experience her love. He remembers so much of the time he spent with her when I would be hospitalized with a flare up. I am grateful for that too, because he told me he will tell AnnaBelle all about her love. :)

Nathan and I went to see How to Train Your Dragon in real d 3D on Saturday and it was a great afternoon. The movie was incredible and if you haven't seen a movie in the new real 3D go! The Woody Allen like glasses deliver an amazing view of truly feeling like you are there and can touch the things in front of you. Several times found me reaching my arm out to catch a leaf or a fallen ash.

Little Miss Priss is lovin' her new bed more and more each day. She especially loves to flop down on it right after I make it. Here she is watching one of her favorite dvd's, Caillou or Wow Wow Wubzy. It's far better than Frosty the Snowman which I have had to endure since early December. I was even letting her watch it in Spanish just to liven it up a bit. I am amazed that she can count to 10 so quickly. When we walk up the stairs she commences the count until 10 is reached. Now we're working on 11 through 20.