Spring updates

The boys and I were goofing around for the camera. Not much else to say about this one, pretty obvious we were playing it up!

Jamie reading to Lars on Sunday evening. The little guy was so tired he fell asleep in his Daddy's lap....

We had a some much needed rain and the flowers came to life. (Ignore the dandelions...)


Quentin refuses to smile nicely for the camera lately. So, as any good mother would do... I took a few pictures to use as bribery in future years... this one may resurface at some point when it will serve me well. Got to love the kid, he was getting tickled relentlessly and still refused to smile with his tongue in his mouth. Charisma?!

Lars has been absolutely insistent that we spend every possible waking moment outside. He was able to spend some time at the park with me this week.
Broccoli Cream Soup
Cream Soup Base:
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup butter
¼ tsp sea salt
1 ½ cup chicken broth
1 (12oz) can evaporated milk

For Broccoli Soup:
2 cups frozen or fresh broccoli, cooked and chopped
¼ tsp garlic

(We have made this twice and loved it. The last time we doubled the broccoli and added a cup of left over mashed potatoes as well. I intend to try this cream soup with variations of vegetables throughout the summer. I think it would be great with asparagus too.)

Loving this Weather!!!!

Gardening and preparations have officially begun at our house. The whole family gets in on the fun. The boys have spent a lot of time outside playing in the yard, digging in the raised beds, and picking the "bad guys" otherwise known as dandelions. We start seeds indoors in January every year, in the past two weeks all of the seedling have been moved to the three season front porch and are being hardened off with the breeze and the temperature variations. The picture above is of a Rosa Bianca Eggplant that is doing well.

This is the prizewinner so far, this lovely tomato has been growing wonderfully and seems to have a great start on the growing season.

We start saving our plastic and metal containers in the fall every year in order to use them as pots for the seedlings. We could use the same every year, but there is something about saving a yogurt container in December while thinking of the wonderful plant that will take root in the spring.

Lars outgrew his puddle jumpers from last year, and managed to blow a hole in one he wore them so often. We repurposed them into planters for a few sedum varieties, and some pansies for the spring.

This old metal pail had actually rusted spots through in the bottom. Lars and I decided to use it for a planter in the flower garden. We added and Hens and Chicks, I suspect they will tolerate the summer heat well. It is hard to spot, but Quentin found a bird feather in the garden and stuck it next to the rock too. Perfect.

The Tonka jeep was a garage sale find last fall, Quentin decided it should house a pansy for spring. The only way Lars agreed to give up a toy, was knowing that when the heat became too much for the pansy in the summer, we would clean the jeep out and he could play with it again.

Spring Monday

I spent a some time today wondering how I was going to get list of household and yard tasks done, sort of rushing through the tasks instead of savoring the spring day, birds, new flowers, etc. Then as I was reading this evening this jumped out at me.
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Mt. 6:34)

Tea Cup

This is beautiful... I had to share. I have an aunt who send weekly inspirations. This is one of those times I really needed the reminder that there are tests and trials for reasons that I may never fully understand. Thank you Sara.

THE TEA CUP
~ Author Unknown~
There was a couple who took a trip to England to shop in a beautiful antique store to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups. Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked "May we see that? We've never seen a cup quite so beautiful."

As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke, "You don't understand. I have not always been a teacup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, "Don't do that."

"I don't like it!" "Let me alone," but he only smiled, and gently said; "Not yet!"

Then WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. "Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!", I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, quietly; 'Not yet.'

He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door. "Help! Get me out of here!" I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head from side to side, 'Not yet'.

When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on he shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! "Ah, this is much better," I thought. But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Oh, please, Stop it, Stop, I cried. He only shook his head and said. 'Not yet!'.

Then suddenly he put me back in to the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering "What's he going to do to me next?"

An hour later he handed me a mirror and said 'Look at yourself.' And I did. I said, That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful!!!

Quietly he spoke: "I want you to remember, then,' he said, 'I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you."

The moral of this story is this: God knows what He's doing for each of us. He is the potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us and expose us to just enough pressures of just the right kinds that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect will.

So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when life seems to "stink", try this.

Brew a cup of your favorite tea in your prettiest tea cup, sit down and think on this story and then, have a little talk with the Potter.

Spring Batting Practice

The boys have gotten alot of use of the batting tee this spring already. The clips below are of the kids playing outside during the nice spring weather.

Easter 2010

We had a nice Easter day. Bryson helped the boys find their eggs. He was nosing them around in the yard, but did not pick any up in his mouth. He is such a fabulous dog, we are very lucky to have him in our household. The children had candy for breakfast. Lars is enjoying a few minutes on the bench with Jamie in the photo below.

Quentin was very interested in counting the eggs and making sure he and his brother had an equal amount. It is amazing how well the bunny can count!

Quentin was very happy to show the camera his loot! Our children may be the only kids who got plain plastic pails for baskets this year. I thought they would get a lot more use of them. I can already imagine all the bugs, worms, toads, rocks and sticks that the boys will be toting around in them this summer. Boys will be boys...

Risen!

Happy Easter!

Easter Weekend

Saturday morning was egg dying (and finger dying) morning at our house. The boys were up for the challenge. Two dozen eggs, two boys, six bowls of food coloring, one newspaper.... let it begin! Quentin is an old pro at decorating eggs, I think this may have been Lars first egg extravaganza!

(A little tip- foamy shaving cream works wonders for cleaning the table and fingers after a project like this!)