Oh What? You are still here waiting to read about us?

Wow....
Does time zip by when you have kids? I don't remember days - weeks, and months even, accelerating along cannonball style before I was a parent. Have you all been spinning in endless summer to do's like I have?? I suppose it's possible that when you have something to assess the amount of time that has passed, such as a growing child...time can and does seem to go faster. It's like watching a flower garden grow in the spring and go back to the earth in the fall/winter. I can imagine you saying "Wow, it seems as though my Lillie's were just in bloom and now all that is left is the green foliage and the dried out stem." OK, I know that is not exactly what it is like watching children grow, but you can relate to what I am trying to get at. At the very least I can let you know that we are all still here, where we always have been, and each of us is doing well but you know I will go on (and on perhaps) and you will not get the very least. At least not today. Ha!

Ella started kindergarten last week, and seriously people, at the end of the day she is like all foliage and a dried out stem!! No flower left in her....just a wilted dried out sad tired stem and the only perk I can get out of her is that left over foliage. I mean..she is just wore out. She is beyond being able to function at times. The thing is...she LOVES school. Absolutely loves it. She is going to bed on time without argument because she is so excited for the next day. Let me tell you - if you know how it is in my house at night then you know this is huge for us. I guess I would rather give her teacher and her schooling my perky bright little Lilly I will take the tired girl at the end of the day. (I guess)
And I know she will adjust. I know this because she HAS to. :)

Gage began practicing for tackle football. This is a first for us. For me a chilling first. My initial reaction was to be scared about the potential of injury, but surprisingly enough that is not the worst of my fears. (Even if it is in the top 2) I am so afraid of how hard he is going to be on himself. Gage is a natural athlete. I am not whistling Dixie here. (really I'm not) He is pretty darn good at anything he tries to do, only he is unbelievably hard on himself. We have never pushed him into any sport, or pressed him to be better at any sport. He just is and will probably always be a perfectionist. That can be good at times..but also very hard at times. It's hard to explain to him that just doing his best is not only good enough for us..but good enough for everyone else too! He will be the QB again this year (last year he played flag) and he is so excited. I open his door to find him reading over plays quite often. So far during practice he has really had a great time and I trust he will continue to enjoy it.

We had a really fun week long cabin stay at backbone. We enjoyed a few hikes, canoeing (is this even spelled right?!) swimming and fishing, but most of all spending time with those we loved. We took Birdie with us after deliberating about it for a very long time and we ended up being very happy we took her. I'm pretty sure she had a lot more fun than we did.
We also took a week and went to Texas to visit Wade's brother, Sister and his Mom and Dad. His sister and mom and dad drove over from Georgia and we drove (long, tiring, never again, long, long) as well. The kids did great in the car. I think better than me though I tried my best not to show it.


I will update with some pictures later today or this evening. We are in the process of switching bedrooms around at home, so the house is even more chaotic than usual. I will do my best.

Love to all!
Trisha

We have had a BUSY summer so far! In a few weeks we are taking a trip to Backbone to relax! I can't wait. Gage and Ella have kept us busy with their activities (baseball, soccer, football, gymnastics) and at times I was sure I would show up at the wrong practice or on the wrong day!

Our family garden is really doing well - for the most part........
We have a eensy weensy rabbit problem. I don't think they are so cute anymore this year! They are devouring my kohlrabi leaves and my okra (neither of which I have grown before) and have eaten one of my musk melon vines! I am going to have to break out the blood meal and moth balls after all! For some reason I thought a fence and bricks would keep them out but oh no! They are clever they are! We do have wonderfully luscious tomato plants growing along with daikon radishes, green peppers, banana peppers, eggplant, jalapeno peppers, a few lonely carrots, a couple lonely sqashies (I think) some onions, a few beans, and a wonderfully large spaghetti squash vine! Oh and.....and!! Strawberries!! We have been able to eat the sweetest, freshest - tiniest - strawberries ever almost ever day! Next year I am going to try my thumb at corn, cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower and plant a raspberry bush. Wish I would have this year - but heck..we have enough goings on! Last year I decided to remove my wonderful flower garden so the kids could have a pool. I transplanted several flowers, but ended up giving MANY away as well. This year I convinced the kids it was SO much better to get pool passes for all of us because I really really really missed my flower garden. They thought the pool passes were an awesome idea as the public pool is a bit more exciting then our 3 footer. WIN - WIN! I have my garden area back and have already planted a new garden! SUPER exciting! I have a ways to go...but lovin' the work..lovin' the dirt!


Ella's school had a little pre-k graduation ceremony for them..they sang songs and presented several things they have learned throughout the year. I can't believe kindergarten is right around the corner! :( In this photo she is getting ready to bring me a rose. How does time go so fast. I thought I was paying attention all this time....but I guess not as well as I should have been. Blogging has got to get back on my list of things to do - this is the only way I will remember all of the little things. And those are the things that mean the most to me.

A few more pictures of what we have been up to....

Chasing the dog - around the yard AND the neighborhood!

Building escape proof addtion to our fence to keep said dog in the yard. *fingers crossed*

Guinea sitting the daycare pet Goldie.

Eating delicious berries (did I already mention this?)

And restin'!

I will get a father's day post on here soon.

I'm off...........