Summer 2012

Above: Boys playing Legos on the deck. It is such a beautiful day today.

So......A few weeks ago marked the last day of school, and the beginning of summer vacation. I will have to post about all of it backwards I guess, but thinking of posting all of the photos from vacation seems kind of daunting. This is my "getting my toes wet" first post back. It's coming though..... an update on all we've been up to. I hate having big gaps in my blog because when I go back and look years later I wonder what in the heck I missed.

In short - Mike back. Busy with work, house projects. Testing weeks at school, ceremonies for wrapping up elementary school, ceremonies for wrapping up middle school, high school scheduling, middle school open houses, vacation to Florida and Disney World. No matter what, it has all been a blur. What was a countdown on a widget has expired. Another one started.....Africa.

Back to our other routine. Slower summer days. Still some house projects going on. A week off of work.

 

I am a proud tomato mommy. For awhile I have been babying this plant - my first tomato plant. We have a bit of a garden on our deck with tomatoes, green peppers, cilantro and basil. If all goes well I may do more  next year. I also have some potted flowers that are all doing well. I'm pretty proud. I have been checking my tomato plant daily since bringing it home in it's little seedling pot. I literally squealed for joy when I looked yesterday and saw TWO little baby green tomatoes. It's so cute, and little. I talk to it, I love it....and then someday I'm going to EAT IT.

We have been spending a lot of time on the deck. Mike worked really hard removing the old fence that was falling down in the backyard. We have a great view and it has just been nice to utilize the outdoor space. My favorite thing to do the past couple of days is watch this mommy Robin and one of her babies. The nest is on the light fixture on my neighbor's house. I would see the mom fly back and forth for a long time, and would hear the babies chirping when she'd bring food. The babies must all be out of the nest now, but I see a mom and a scruffy looking thing behind her in the yard all the time. She'll take a few bounces forward, then the baby does. Usually five bounces and then she stops. (Yes, I've counted.) Then the baby bounces five bounces forward, but still behind her. It's so cute. Then occasionally she'll pull out a worm and the baby flaps and goes crazy until she feeds it. Then they start bouncing again.

Today I watched them again. Except she flew down the slope of the hill back towards the house. The baby stood there. Then flew. Except it overshot and did some weird loopy thing against the house near the nest. Then back to mom. Then back to the bouncing. The baby bird seemed fine. So far this is my summer entertainment.