Garden Love

Okay, I've said it a hundred times here, but I am loving our garden.  It is wild and unruly, but it has out done my hopes this season.

We have had tons of cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, and squash.  A few strawberries, green bell peppers, and cucumbers.  Lots of herbs early on, but now they have been overgrown by tomatoes and squash.

The boys enjoy going out each day to water and/or harvest.  William is especially taken with it.  We spend lots of time out there together!

So what to do with all this produce.  Cook!  I am happy to say that most has been used promptly without waste.

One of my favorites is a tomato tart...using basil and homegrown tomatoes.  Always best with a homemade pie crust!

Sometimes the boys and I disagree on which recipe to use.  For example, we have had two cucumbers harvested.  I used the first for a tomato and cucumber salad that my Mom used to fix.  Very simple...just marinate the diced tomato and cucumber in a little apple cider vinegar and olive oil.  Salt and pepper and eat up!  I could eat it everyday.  Philip is begging for pickles!

We have eaten TONS of squash...grilled, roasted, steamed, squash pancakes, squash casserole...you name it and we've probably tried it.  But if you have suggestions...

So much fun.  I'm already reading up on what to plant this fall!

Summer's First Days in Pictures

Flag football practice!

Trips to the park!

Lots of reading for these two!

A trip to the fountains after forgetting the pool is closed on Tuesdays!

Housework left undone!

Friday night Bay Bears game!

Lots of pool time...including a first jump off the diving board for this guy!

Baseball camp for these two!

Good times!  We couldn't be happier!

A Belated Mother's Day

I missed writing, and thus preserving, my Mother's Day gifts.  Maybe on the actual day I could have given you some deep thoughts on what it means to me to be a mother or about the wonderful mothers in my life.  Not sure I have the time to produce that now, but I will not let these sweet gifts go without record.

First, William invited me to a Mother's Day tea.  Sweet boy...

He gave me many gifts...a hat, a picture of him, a plant with his handprint on it, a card, and my favorite his questionaire.  Here's what he had to say about me.

My Mom's favorite things to do with me is play kickball.
My Mom looks pretty when she goes to a wedding.
My Mom likes to relax by sitting and sleeping.
The best food my Mom makes is macaroni and cheese.
My Mom laughs when I spin around and around.
My Mom's favorite place to go is to a Chinese Restuarant. ????
My Mom always tells me secrets.
I love my Mom because she is my favorite Mom.

Daniel presented me with a card he made.  He had to choose characteristics of his Mom and this is what he chose: sires, swet, fun, funy, smart, kind.  He also gave me an apron he made.

Ironically, I had told Chris weeks before that I wanted a new apron for Mother's Day.  Not being the gift giving types here, I was happy to have actually gotten one!

Philip gave me this beautiful picture that I am seriously considering framing and putting in my kitchen.  The colors are so bright!!

He also gave me a book about us.  In it, he writes:

My Mom is special because she is nice to me because over springbrack she said yes to almos evey thing.
I love it when my Mom says yes.
To relax my Mom likes to read a book.
I wish I could buy my Mom some wood for a little cabin.
It bugs my Mom when we be anoyying to each other or fite.
My Mom's favorite song is Down town adey.  She sings like a girl.
When my Mom is driving she consentrats on the road.
My Mom's favorite t.v. show is Pride and Pregetist.
I love it when my Mom cooks cookies.  This is how she makes it.  Well she made the dough the she puts it in the oven for about thirty or ten menites then they have to cool off then we can eat them.
About the Author The author of this book is Philip Gill.  Philip is a first grade student.  He loves to bild and invint.  He enjoys playing football.  He is 7 years old.  He loves his mom.

Love my boys.  Love their teachers who take the time to make sweet things for me.  Love this job!

What a Difference a Year Makes

Woohoo!  It's summer.

Couldn't. Be. Happier.

William's last day brought the annual Westminster Spring Sing.  William did great singing on the risers!

It could have been a traumatic year for this guy...having to change schools in January.  But in typical William form, he did great.  Rocked the new class and made tons of new friends.  Such an easy kid.  About a week in at Westminister, my friend, Lynn, watched William walk into his class from the carpool line.  She commented that he had such a strut about him...like he owned the place.  He gets that, my friends, from his father!

And in the blink of an eye, the first day of school for these two...

became the last day of school.

What a year.  I would leave a big hole in our blog journal if I didn't take the time to record the transformation that took place in sweet Daniel.

Remember we cried EVERYDAY for the last SIX weeks of PreK.  The year was not without it's hiccups, but by January he seemed to have really settled in.  He loved his small class.  Made some great friends.  Learned a lot.  (He finished the year on a third grade reading level!)  Most of all I saw his self-confidence grow.  And grow.  And grow.

His teacher is truly awesome and we pray we get her two more times!

Philip, too, had a good year.  He excelled in all subjects. Made some new friends.  I was surprised by the jump of 1st grade.  Homework, tests, etc.  I also saw a little social change in the grade.  Kindergarten is so innocent.  1st grade brought a little more awareness!  P did great though.  So proud of the little boy he has become.

A great year.  We celebrated the last day with our first trip to the pool.  Popsicles for all.

Hello Summer!  We are glad you are here!!

The Uriah Cotton Patch Festival

Chris asked for a trip to the woods yesterday.  I desperately wanted to stay home and tend to housework, but the big boys begged me to go.  The plan was to wonder through the woods, check some game cameras, put out some mineral licks, and call it a day.  The usual.  That is..

Until we saw this...

We couldn't resist.  Had to go.

For $18 total, the boys each got a handmade wooden knife and gun.

Good ol' fashioned fun.

We finished the perfect day off with dinner on the back porch.

Future Farmers

We are used to tractors...

and bringing in the harvest.

These two may have a future in this gardening thing!

A Wonderful Weekend

So much to say and yet I am exhausted.  The Gills fit a lot into this wonderful weekend.  Can I leave you with a few words and lots of pictures.  I'll try to write more later!

First, my baby turned two.  We celebrated with a pancake breakfast.

Lots of family came to celebrate!

Second, my best friend got married.  Such joy to see her so happy!

Third, lots of good times with some of our favorite friends.  (C, I have lots of cute pictures of your crew to send you!!  Remind me!)

Finally, Mother's Day.  The boys showered me with lots of gifts that I want to tell you more about when there's time and energy.  We celebrated the day at church together and then with our mothers/grandmothers tonight for homemade pizza.  Wonderful ladies those two are!