Picking tomatoes

She still thinks it is fun to help me. The older kids have discovered the chore in this venture and only help when given no option. This one is fascinated by the whole process. kneeling right beside me as we pick. nibbling on grape tomatoes with the biggest grin.  I find the time passes quickly when I have this little helper beside me.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Summer evening

Enjoying the beautiful evening  

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

the best part?

licking the spoons and cleaning out the batter bowl
never a shortage of volunteers for that job...

she loves this cat

to pieces
I'm not sure that the cat returns that love so completely
but she tolerates reyna's constant attention, filled with hugs and squeezes
and when it becomes too much she hides in a place that a two year old can't access
smart cat.

dressed and ready to go

she rocks the fashion statement
does she not?

this...

I have been waiting for...
months ago I ordered the parts
and then waited for them to be installed....
it may or may not have been the hinting,nagging, pestering I have
done in recent weeks that lead to the completion of the job.

yes I know who becomes thrilled over a clothesline?
when I was a kid and it was my responsibility to hang the clothes
on the line I hated it. hated it.
With time I have missed most the smell of sheets and blankets dried in the sunshine
the convience of hanging swim towels and suits up to dry in the breeze (rather than running the dryer or attempting to
drape them over suitable surfaces)
finding a retractable clothes line resolved that pesky problem of just not quite enough room anywhere in our yard for a
clothes line....a rather perfect solution I think. The kids were quite curious as to why we would be hanging our clothes out to dry
outside? did the dryer stop working (oh the innocence of these young ones of mine) They quite eagerly handed clothes to me and pins
finding this a rather entertaining adventure...running between the towels hiding and peeking (I remember doing the very same thing when I was their age) running to check frequently to see if they were dry yet, marveling when they were and no buttons needed to be pushed in order to accomplish this... what a concept.

I have been waiting

for this book to arrive...
I have followed the author Amanda Blake Soule's blog for years
I have read again and again her earlier two books using so many of
the ideas included in both books time and time again with my own kids.
I pre ordered the book some time ago and have patiently (sorta) waited for it's release date
and for it to arrive at my home. Last week the package arrived and immediately I started reading
and enjoying... good stuff inside those pages for mom and kids alike.

back to school

is sneaking up on us...just under a week and a half to go
we have been working on some back to school projects
for teacher gifts and for the girls (anthony wasn't too interested in
decorating his pencil box :) that crafting table has been a busy place
these past few days...

so ready...

to enjoy fresh tomato's from the garden...
we started picking last week..
(yes, I know soon I will be overwhelmed by the amount of tomato's requiring our attention)
but for now these first pickings are so very, very welcomed

RibFest

Saturday we attended RibFest in Mankato, Beckie and Cassandra joined us
This was a first for me, after years of hearing about it I finally said this year we are going
It was a beautiful day a little on the hot side. We sampled ribs from several vendors....
each finding a different on the best in their book. Anthony, Yahaira and Rosie enjoyed
eating their share of ribs saying it was the best day ever. Reyna was completely unimpressed as only a
two year old can be. I agreed with Beckie and thought Uncle Bubs was the best...
just typing this is making me hungry for ribs...there is always next year.

New table

Our search for a new table began over a year ago,
I didn't want a typical dining room table instead I was looking for something
simple and roomy, functional and yet I wanted it to look good
simple requirements....or so I thought.
I visited store after store and over many months I didn't find a single table I loved.
Most of the tables I looked at were too small for our family of 9, my wanting a table that was more rectangle also seemed to
complicate the search, few looked like they would withstand the force that is little people.
Until one day while on Craigslist I typed in farm table
and clicked on listing after listing
(disappointed yet again with these tables which resembled what I pictured in my head but sadly most looked like they had
been stored in a barn on a farm, and sadly I lack any and all skills to bring them back to a usable state)
and then one listing included a link to a website called The Granary Woodshops
oh my word instantly I knew I had found our table.

When I finally made the phone call and talked to Tim the creator behind all those lovely pieces pictured on the website
it didn't take long to realize our search was done. I loved how he listened to what I said, asked questions to get a feel for
what we needed and wanted. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when he said that yes he could build a Harvest table and benches for us.
So way back in March we worked out the details for the table and benches and then we waited for our turn in his work Que...
of course you might recall what the decision to have our table made for us lead to in our home...if you don't recall my whine fest you can go here or here and of course we shouldn't forget this and while we waited we also found these to go with that table

Not to long ago the message came that our table was finished, and we arranged a time to pick it up.
Yesterday was that day, Kevin and my dad along with the girls traveled to Spring Grove where Tim's workshop is located.
Oh my, when that table came through the door and was placed in the dining room last night...it was more than I imagined.
perfect!
amazing!
beautiful!

loved watching the kids explore the table last night, sitting around it to eat a bedtime snack, listening to the chatter about their
trip to get the table, loving all the space, oh my is there space. Last night as I watched and listened to the kids sitting around the table I realized that this is is what I had been searching for in my quest to find a new table, a place that we connect, throughout our day, a table that is sturdy and able to withstand all those big and little people in our home, is functional and beautiful
simple but full of character. A table that will be a part of our home, our stories, our memories.
Tim captured that from a phone call and a few email exchanges, and created this beautiful piece of work for us and our home.
So thrilled he said yes and shared his wonderful talent in creating our new table.
you can click on the name of Tim's shop above to go to his website and see more amazing pieces he has created.

a few more pictures....

Community blok party

Thursday might we attended the annual block party at the park. We munched on hamburgers and listened to music the weather was perfect. Sharing time with friends made it that much more fun

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

School shopping

With Beckie and Cassandra at Old Navy.  She was so excited to finally use the gift card she received selling girl scout cookies. Sounds like all had a great time

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

eagerly awaiting

the day I will be able to use this....

Grapes

our grapes have gone crazy this year...
there are bunches upon bunches..thinking
that once we finally built a proper arbor for them to grow on
the just exploded....can't wait until they are ready to eat...
there are a lot little people eagerly awaiting that day..

corn on the cob

nothing says summer like corn on the cob
we anxiously await the arrival of sweet corn
watching the corner where the sweet corn vender always parks
for weeks and when they are finally parked in their spot
there is much excitement in our home.
It is almost as though summer isn't officially here until we have
consumed fresh sweet corn...

she still doesn't have too many front teeth but that doesn't deter her
from eating ear after ear...

corn has been a part of our daily menu this week...
thinking it will continue to be until the season is done.

being silly

reyna and pedro