Garden Progress

Nate insisted on a bridge to get over this small drainage trench. I think he and Polly and Gracie ran across it 100 times that day.

Nate's little rock viewing bench. (Is my gardening buddy spoiled or what?)

A pic of the pond. There is still more planting to do around it and more mulch to lay but the pond is in. Brandon started the digging when he was here this summer. I thought he made good progress until I put the pond shell in and realized that I still had a lot more to go.

The arbor is started. The boys wanted to walk through a tunnel covered in vines to get to the tree house. I started it this weekend. My neighbor helpled me carry the cedars over but I dug and set them.

Our "trial" vegetable box. I was not sure how well the vegetables would grow so I started with just one box. In the spring the deer ate everything we planted but since the fence it up our fall garden is doing great. We will expand next year and add at least two more boxes.

Garden Visitors

This frog is a visitor we see now and then. He was already swimming in the pond before we even had it all the way filled.

We found this FAT caterpillar when we were starting a new flower bed. I tried to look him up but am not sure what kind of moth he is. The boys have been having fun tickling him with leaves and watching him squirm.

I happened to get a great pic today of a Monarch butterfly on my lantana. There were several out there today to remind me why I work in my garden.

1st Crop

I never thought I would get the boys to eat radishes. These were the first things we harvested from our fall veg garden. The boys were super excited and ate every last bite.

New Nephew

Joe and Eva had thier new baby October 29th. James Donald weighed in at 8lbs 15oz. He has giant hands and feet like Nate had.

Halloween

Posing with their pumpkins.

Lit up at night.

The bunch that went Trick-or-Treating: Quincy, Lexi, Win, Nate and Amberly.

Pumpkin Patch

Feeding the goats was the cheapest thing we did the whole day and I think it was the boys favorite!

Pausing in the shade for a picture.

Nate eats his strawberry popsicle while we make our way through the maze.

FRG Halloween party

The cake I made for the party. The rim of the hat was made with a giant sugar cookie but the rest is all cake. This did not make it entirely intact. We have to drive up a big steep hill to leave the house and the pumpkin was a bit too round and fell over. I was able to salvage all but the bottom half of the pumpkin. Most people had no idea that there was supposed to be a bottom so in the end it was not too bad.
The boys pose with the other kids at the party. They stood together so I was able to get a pic of the three of them. Nate is Tigger, Win a white Power Ranger and Quincy some scary guy.

More work on the tree house

Quincy nails in the last of the boards on the new platform. Yesterday I built a rope bridge between the two platforms. I will get a pic and post it later.

I hung a tire swing for the boys last weekend. It was the best thing I have done so far - they have been on it constantly for the past week.
I am glad that they chose for me to hang it flat - it is much more fun to see them all on at once.
I put the slide on a few weeks ago. It is much more fun than the slide on their swingset. When I did this project the boys said "Wow, Mom, you are super strong - you carried the slide and all the tools on your tool belt at one time!" - Hey, I take any compliment I can right now!

We found this dead Rhinocerous Beetle in the tree and thought is was pretty cool.

Nors Grandkids

We went to a wedding in West the first weekend in October. We got the grandkids to pose for a pic before we left the hotel room. Jamie had not made it yet so the twins are missing.
Aaron, Quincy and Win goofing off at the reception.

End of Soccer Season

The cake I made for the end of season party for Win's team.
Win shows off his medal.
Quincy's end of season party was during one of Win's games so I did not get to go.

Backyard Camping

I want to take the boys camping but we had to make a trial run putting the tent up by ourselves. We made a night of it and put it in the backyard in the trees. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and read books in the tent by flashlight before we went to sleep.

My Helper

My little helper carrying branches to the curb for bulk pickup. He loves his wheelbarrow - I had to get him a new one that was made better because he wore this one out. Whatever I am carrying in my wheelbarrow he has to carry in his!

Dino Cake

The cake that I made for Joe and Eva's baby shower.

Jackie VS the Oak Tree

We had a large oak tree in the front yard that was almost dead due to mistletoe and carpenter ants. I recently had to go ahead and cut it down with a chain saw.
This is a partial pile of limbs to be picked up by bulk trash.
This is the stump that I have left.
I brought enough firewood to my Dad to completely fill the back of my truck!!
Some of my neighbors now think I am crazy for cutting the tree down and apart myself.

First day of school

Quincy and Win pose for the mandatory first day of school picture complete with new haircuts, new shoes, lunchbox and book bag. Quincy is now a big 2nd grader and Win has started Kindergarten.

Nate and his buddies.

Polly, Gracie and Nate still love snack time. He loves to sit and feed them one piece at a time. Polly and Gracie do a good job of keeping Nate entertained while his brothers are in school.

More Soccer Pics

More pics of the boys in action.

Little Carpenters

Quincy and Win working hard on their tree house. I must admit that they did very well with the hammer.

My Superhero

Like Win, Nate loves to dress up and play pretend - especially if he can be a superhero!!