In the garden

Gardening makes me a better mom. It an activity I love and the kids love the tools, hose, watering can, seed packs, dirt, rocks, worms, and did I mention water? I mean getting wet. They just love that.

Today we opened the sand box for the first time this year. That busied them while Kyle helped me ( basically bring my ideas to life) by muscling crowded hydrangea from butting up to the side of the house. It would do better in a different location where it had the proper space to to reach its full growth potential. We ended up dividing a third of the hydrangea into three very nice parts to build a new buffer on the corner of the property. Then I spied hosta's that could use a little 'room' itself. And then tall architechal beach grass got divided as well. Suddenly ( or not that sudden as Kyle dug and pulled the entire time...) a new garden bed appeared at no cost. I'm so excited to see everything fill in this growing season.

No notes on my lil watering girl. She's just yummy.

The Gang

The Gang, 

Logan, Abby, Jimmy, Casey, Thomas

Elise, Ethan, Aidan, Caden

Becker's, Hinkley's and Bitting's 

Now you sort out the sets of siblings...

baby's bum in coveralls

 Dressed to play on the farm in rubber roots and coveralls/overalls.  

The same one her father and uncle use to wear on the same farm.  

Enjoying a York peppermint patty.  

One of her grandpa Mike's  favorite treats.

I should ask about the age of this very luscious lilac bush.

Elise, the youngest of cousins on Kyle side of the family played hard with all the older cousins.  Abby the only other girls cousin and the oldest cousin of the bunch will be graduating from High school in a week.  Regardless of the age span, they all included Elise in whatever game was taking place at the time.  It was a very long day outside by by the fire but she kept up and had tons of fun roaming the property with the gang.

planting the seed

Well done my love.  

Elise and Zeek

Elise and Zeek 

( grandma and grandpas dog) 

"run dog run'

 "STOP!!!"

 "good puppy"

Aidan turns 8

(that's my boy on the eve of his birthday)

Aidan turned 8 on a very special trip back home to the mid west.  At eight years old he has his priorities straight: listen to his teachers, karate and love your for family.  Particularly extending that love from siblings to his cousin.  There's lots to boot about my first born.  As his  mother thats easy to do.  But those who know Aidan best know thats he more apt to try a new sports activity than new foods.  He loves to learn everything about anything much like his grandfather Mike.

There's no telling what Aidan will be professionally when he grows up. But he sure lives life in full color (aka  his shoes).  He says bright colors are "distinctive easy to tell", This explains a lot about Aidan at his age.  The things he like least are creative writing, and art because its abstract.

I'd hate to get in a challenge with Aidan because his competitive spirit is one to be reckon with.  he competes to win.  During the month of March Aidan's class held a March madness reading competition. Aidan who leisurely like to read before bed ( probly because it allows him to stay up an extra half an hour) killed the competition with his friend Aarv by reading at the maximum allotted two hours a days.  He would come home from school and buckle down with a book after snack or build time into his morning routine to clock 20 minutes at a time.  Together Aidan and his team beat the competition by 17 hours!

For his eighth birthday Aidan pulled out a wish from his back pocket and cashed it in.  For the past couple of years he has been wanting to go to the Yankees games.  He truly love sports.  The strategies and rules are fun for him.  For the past couple years we've been saying let go when we can really enjoy the games and not just eat hot dogs and peanuts the entire.  ( Thats what Ethan loves about going to the games) with his Jetter Jersey and matching ball cap, Kyle is taking our boys to the game against Detroit in August.  One of the t rewards of being a parent is being able to grant wishes.  How else do our children learn that real dreams do come true?

Happy birthday Aidan!!! 

 Mamma love YOU! 

Muah...

Shiner

There's no good way to explain to the lady at the grocery store how my daughter got her shiner falling out of bed in the middle of the night. She actually asked where "were you when this happen?" Apparently sleeping is a crime.