All my Fatties

The kids are totally into "fat bikes" or snow bikes this winter. They love Garrick's and Pete just wants to be one of the big guys! He is always asking- do I have a fat bike? After the last 12 inch snow fall Garrick and the kids decided it was time to make a bike track in the back yard. You can see what all three kids were up to!

MVI 1693 from garrick holey on Vimeo.

Berries Everywhere!

 We went strawberry picking with Shana, Julia and Claire last week. This  year was much more successful than last year! The kids all stayed close by, no one cried and there weren't any rotten berries all over the place for Pete to eat.

 We picked our 9 pounds of berries and I'm proud to say that we didn't make jelly or freeze them- we have just been trucking through eating them like it is our JOB. We have had people over to help us out but they have been delicious!! Maybe next year we will pick enough to make jam for a year like we did before our wedding.

 Don't let Peter fool you- he wasn't picking to put them in the bucket- they were all going in his mouth.

 He was So proud of this big one!

Herding Emi back to the group

Not too sure what he was doing here.. maybe Shana can give an insight to what he was thinking?

Hosing Off

We have been living outside since it has been over 80* every day this week! Sandbox, bikes, slides and water water water. I was watering something the other day and the kids got ahold of the hose. They had a blast playing with it!

Fun in the yard

We had some fun out in the yard the other day over the weekend when it was a little warm- not like today where it is supposed to hit 55*! (Summer is just around  the corner!) Being outside with Emelia is always an adventure. She seems to get stuck in all sorts of situations- our yard  has very little snow/ice in it, but she managed to follow the one path of grass into the ice patch and be stuck and needed some help.

Swingset

Earlier this summer we got a new swingset off of Craigslist- well, not new, but new to us, it needed a lot of wood replaced and to be repainted- Garrick worked really hard on it and here we are now- having lots of fun- this was just about a minute after they put the beam up for the swing!

MVI 2155

MVI 2205

The first time I took Pete swimming at the beach this summer he didn't want to go in the water and I was devestated... my kid didn't want to swim? He was scared of the water? He didn't LIKE the water... well, needless to say he warmed up to the idea- and the water probably warmed up too! Emelia also loves to sit and splash in the shallow water or in her float and push her self around! What little fishes I have!

Adventures with Friends

On the last day before I started teaching I opened my own little daycare center at my house. Kids were in and out all day long and it was AMAZING. I can't wait until Pete and Emelia are a little older and they can really have their friends over to play all summer long and that our yard is FULL of toys at the end of the day, numerous freezie pops have been consumed and everyone is exhausted. Until then, I'll take this :

 Our day started off with my friend Brianna dropping her twins off while going to a quick drs appt. It was like having triplets (they are 2 months younger than Emelia) lucky for me all 3 girls were AMAZING and didn't cry a single tear.

They were too busy playing! Peter was a big help to me as well and brought me toys and played alone or with the babies. He was sure to point out though which baby was his. (Cute story: The other day he was a little grouchy and we were dropping off paperwork downtown in the stroller. Another kid peeked in at them sitting in there and said BABY- Peter said "go away! MY baby" Guess he is getting to be a little protective of Miss Emelia?)


The twins were picked up and a little later Julia and Claire and Shana (their mom) came to play.

 Peter and Julia played in the pool and went down the slide all morning...

 Emelia and Claire played in the shade. 

 

 Pete loves to sit in baskets and flip them over for a diving platform!

BUT best of all...

 The big kids ran hard and got to cool off with a special treat!

Thanks Julia and Claire (and Shana)---- we have had the best summer playing with you!

Grow little garden grow!

It has been such a cold spring this year that I have been super behind in my gardening. I think this is the first year that mother's day came and went that I didn't have some thing in the ground but until last week there were still frost warnings most nights. I think that we are in the clear now though - I sure hope so because as of 9PM I have everything in the ground!! We borrowed a friend's tiller today which saved me 3 days of digging and the ground is way nicer that it would have been if I had dug it up. thanks a million times!

 The kids and I went to HyVee to get the rest of the plants that I didn't get at Pork and Plants this year. I wanted to keep it simple this year- lots of tomatoes, no vine plants and more flowers this year.

I have 16 tomato plants- some early, some late, a few cherry and pineapple tomatoes which I think are a new hybrid but look to be beautifully colored and hopefully delicious!!!

Then, 2 rows of broccoli, 2 rows of peppers (1 hot, 1 not), 3 rows of spinach, 2 1/2 rows of beans, romaine lettuce, basil, cilantro, sunflowers and zinnias. I think that's it? Oh, and of course the raspberry and strawberry plants. And my 8 stalks of aspargus that are popping up- No peas this year- the chickens took their spot and no cucumbers- I made 1/2 of the garden be tomatoes instead of a long row on the outside- I'm not sure how I'm going to like it but I can always switch back next year. Peter helped me dig and plant most of the plants which he liked doing and Emelia laid out in the laundry shade and watched us and chewed on Sophie the Giraffe. Today was a great day- 8 more days of school and we are set to do this every day!!

 Summer was back for a day on Sunday. It was near 80* and we made the most of it playing outside ALL day! I got Pete's water table back out and he was more productive with it this year... dumping water back
 and forth and throwing cups of water at the chickens that we let out while we cleaned their little yard...

I just laugh and laugh and laugh everytime I see this picture. He is so cute and a little naughty all at the same time!!

 We walked up to WSU's campus and got to run around and climb on the fountains and benches. We like to go different places without traffic that he can run free and not have to be directed. Plus Scout likes all of the pets from the students. 

Emi outside with barefeet for the first time this year! (And our railings on the deck to keep Pete UP where he belongs). Everyone knows that I love summer- I would move to Florida in the heat in a heart beat if it were close to family and Garrick even said to me last night that he also loves the warm weather even though he wouldn't give up the snow but that it is really really really nice to be so warm outside!

 We went for a hike this weekend to see the BIG river and get out for some fresh air. We also stopped at the park on the way home and had a pic-a-nic lunch. It was great except that Pete didn't want to eat since all of the toys were just there waiting to be played on.

 I know that I took a picture of Pete's feet like this 2 years ago... signs of spring i just love it!!

This was the scene Sunday afternoon after a raucous morning at church. Emelia has found her voice and was grunting, groaning and cooing through the service and as soon as we pulled into the parking lot Pete said 'No, no no church!!" we knew it was goin gto be a rough time- so Pete napped, I folded a lot of diapers, Emi played and Garrick snoozed on the floor next to her for a little bit!

Pete's Career Outlook

Peter has been practicing some jobs to keep in mind for the future- mail man... he loves to go for walks, play with paper and has even been learning to deliver mail. Most of the mailboxes on our street are too high for him to reach though! Ours is just the right height though.

Hippo trainer. He is aware that this is a specialized field and is willing to work with ladybugs, horses and cows.

Caveman. We had ribs for dinner tonight and he thought that they were SOOOOO good. Doesn't he look like Bam Bam?

Pool Party!!!

 

 So my favorite thing to do is to play outside and I said, Hey mom, we have all of these chips, maybe we should have a party! She of course agreed and the fun started!!

 

 I was having so much fun that time just flew by...

 

 I played for a while and then everyone started to show up!

 

 Finn came with his mom and shared his snacks with me which was really nice, but I was starting to get tired. 

 Then Oscar came over too! He really really loved playing in the water and going down the slide- We all had a lot of fun playing but eventually everyone had to go home since it was time for dinner, which was a really good thing actually- I was starving!! I don't know if you can tell but I am growing and need to eat a lot especially since I am so busy. If you are in Winona, stop by and take a splash with me- I promise that we will have a great time!! 

XOXO PT

Happy Earth Day

Just a little late. This is how we celebrated the earth's special day:

 Last weekend we went to the park with Lindsay and Oscar to hear some funky bands, park our bikes in the valet parking and roll down a grassy hill... no pictures of this- sorry!

Then, ON earth day, we took some pictures by the trees in our yard

Hung some laundry out to dry

And made some new friends.

 We have 6 chicks living at our house! Garrick built a coop for them to live in and hopefully in a few months we will start to get some eggs. Peter and Scout love to watch them and bark- well that's Scout- I am hoping that Peter can learn to be gentle and hold them nicely by the summer. We'll see.