Day 4

Summer vacation. Day 4. It must be really hard for full time students to go from 9 - 3:45 learning, playing, learning, eating, playing, learning... to wake up, watch some quality tv, doddling around, quiet time for baby - like, learn to entertain yourself QUIETLY while Joey sleeps, no play dates at this time..- with lots of play in between. It must be so hard that Eli felt the need to write this to me while he was in time out.


The erased word is NICE. With an exclamation point. Serious business. Why is it erased? Because at 7:30pm Joey came out of his room with a jovial "Hi Guys!". He has conquered the crib railing. Without a fall. He has since shown me how and he is quite the careful climber - toes like a tree frog.

If you didn't know because you are in some land where the sun shines, it has rained hard here, for long periods of time, for the past 500 days. Or 5, but it feels like longer. That also adds to the difficulty with being out of school - going outside is like daring lightning to strike you. But the skies are amazing colors of purple and gray.

Bubbles during a rain break.

My garden is loving it. This pic was taken at 1pm today. Middle of the day.


The spinach, bibb lettuce and black seed lettuce is especially fond. I don't think the broccoli or brussel sprouts are too upset. The tomatoes and peppers are not big fans, they are cold. need. warmth. now.

Today, I checked weather.com to see if I had a window for the zoo. We ran over, meeting some friends, and spent about 1.5 hours there - perfect cool temps, not a lot of people. Love zoo passes. You don't have to feel like you have to stay a long time. Sometimes it is worth it just to go on the train and go home.



This song was on the radio when we got in the car. Kind of fitting.

Is it just me, or does the voice not match that of the singer in the video?

It reminded me of one of our favorite covers. Remember how much I love the show Chuck? Chuck has really nice teeth. You should watch the show. Here is their version. Dave and I are cracking up watching it. I mean, who hasn't wanted to perform this song with a backup synthesizer?

What would summer be without water?

It is HOT!! The kids change into their suits at least twice a day to go out and get wet. They end up getting wet even when they aren't in their suits. Caroline likes to "water" my garden, but she just ends ups carving our mud with water.

****Caroline just walked in here and said "Happy Birthday Mama! Bye!" and walked back out. It isn't my birthday.****

Caroline came out of her room with her slippers and sunglasses on wanting a popsicle, so her dad gave her one and let her eat it in the living room!

Eli got a slip and slide for his birthday, we use it everyday and now our lawn looks like it is dead!

Caroline has only worn shorts or pants 3 times since summer began and that was to bed, she only did that because her favorite nightgown was being washed. Dresses all the time for this one. Dresses that end up covered in mud.

Eli can't just smile at the camera, he has to pull a face or do the football player pose - you know the one where their chin is up, thick necked, looking tough? I erase them all, yuck!

My first red tomato. Each year I say I will only plant three plants. Each year I plant 6 or more and then there are the volunteers from years past. But I love them and I love to make salsa.

Oh, I hate snails! What do they do for your garden? Does anyone know? They are eating everything! So I am killing them. I don't feel really bad about it either.

Before I had Joey, I planted rows and rows of peas, a few different kinds in a few different locations. The only location that did well, and always does well was the East garden.

The kids love to pick and eat them, I don't think that they realize they are healthy. They are now kaput, but they were really good. I am going to plant some more in the fall, I've heard that sometimes that works. Has anyone had any experience with this?