A Backyard to Love

Now that we have a decent backyard, I'm not ashamed to post pictures of when it looked indecent. Our backyard was pretty wild from the time we moved in.

There were some pretty wild flowers that grew in the spring. It made a neat space for doing nature study. Harrison probably felt like he was in a jungle.

Winter time made it bleak and bare.

It's mowed down here, but it's all weed nubs.

And here's the mighty farmer plowing it up to sow grass seed.

After the last few good rains, we can see the fruit of our labor. Grass is finally growing! And we have a little fire pit in the middle.

Two Cuties

These two had a love/hate relationship. It was very good for Harrison to have Millie around for a while. He's used to being the only one his age in the house. And though I didn't think we spoiled him, he usually got to do what he wanted and was the only one who wanted to play with his toys. So another person his age threw a wrench in his daily plans. But he got used to her and then they had some good times. Running around pretending to be ninjas or something. Acting out little plays with their water bottles. Very cute.

Mother's Day

I'm liking Jonathan's new picture face. 

So Elizabeth really didn't want me to get a picture of her; but I wanted to show you the scarf she's working on. Some kind of colors from Harry Potter. Hogwarts or Dumbledor or something-or-other. The scarf is looking great.

At church we celebrated two babies who are to be born. Well, they were supposed to be about-to-be-born, but one lady had hers two weeks early yesterday morning. He was 8 lbs, 7 oz though, so I'm thinking he was ready!

Elizabeth made cupcakes!

Sinker III

We have a new Sinker built by Elizabeth. Last year's can be found here. The first one was built many years ago and was made mostly out of cardboard and didn't last long. Last year's was better constructed but wasn't quite big enough to hold anyone without tipping over. This year's Sinker III had two layers of empty water bottles, plastic wrap, and duct tape and it actually floated the whole time we were at the creek! Water seeped into the duct tape shield eventually, but the water bottles kept it afloat. 

Jonathan found new friends as he is wont to do and they caught crayfish together. 

Out of Town Friendship

Phillip and his buddy Cody have been friends for about 20 years. I get all nostalgic looking back through old pictures of our get-togethers over the years. We've never lived near each other, but we try to get the families together when we can. They came to visit this year. Oddly enough, I didn't get a picture of Cody and Phillip ~ just the kids. 

We wanted to do the beach, but it turned out too chilly and drizzly. The zoo got our vote instead: it started out drizzly and busy, but by the time we came out of the reptile house (first stop on the tour), the rain was beginning to let up and all the school kids were loading up in their buses. 

These girls sure like to read. We went to the library twice and they still ran out of books.

Cody's kids had never seen Star Wars, so we had a viewing of the original three. He didn't feel that they needed to watch the prequels. We agree.

My favorite!! Phillip's been getting the yard weeded and seeded and watered trying to make it into a backyard instead of weeds and bare dirt. Jonathan dug a fire pit and circled it with rocks to earn some money. A friend from church gave us some logs and twigs. And we actually got to have a campfire one cool evening! Cody told a Pecos Pete and Texas Slim story (another nostalgic favorite). The kids poked and poked at the fire till we made them put their sticks down. I just love campfires. Campfires at the beach with youth group kids, fires at Grandmas, campfires in the woods on a hike, campfires at college roasting hot dogs at the trestle. 

This has nothing to do with Cody and the kids, but I found the water droplets on the grass to be very pretty this sunshiny morning after the rain. 

A hike at McAllister Park. We saw an armadillo. And lots of cactus. Harrison really took to Emmey. He called her Crazy Girl (Mom, can that crazy girl sit next to me? Goodbye, crazy girl. Do that roller coaster thing, crazy girl.)

The girls made Scottish cupcakes. They were De-elicious. 

We'll miss them. I'm just glad to have these kinds of friendships that last through the years. I'm glad Cody and Phillip have kept up their friendship so our kids can also keep theirs. 

Harrison ~ The Most Beloved

The youngest child. Pretty much beloved by all (except when he ruins a Lego creation and whatnot).

 His was a hospital birth because of small complications. I expected him to be large with a quick labor since each baby had gotten a pound bigger than the last and each labor had happened quicker than the last. But he was Jonathan's size (7 pounds something ounces) and labor was about as long as Elizabeth's. 

The kids would do baby entertainment time with him where they played with his toys and bugged him but truly did keep him entertained. 

Some ladies had the neatest baby shower for him where they bought white bibs and onesies and then decorated them with puff paints. They hung them up to dry on string with clothespins. It made a picturesque scene for us to snack and talk by. 

He did not like the beach for a good while.

He's a sweetie, tenderhearted. Thinks he's in charge at times and has a hard time surrendering his will to authority. Plays very well on his own, especially while we do school. He plays with his toys in an imaginative way that the other kids didn't. He seems to grasp academics easily and is picking up numbers and letters on his own. He doesn't like being around strange crowds if he's expected to interact with them. A great observer though. He needs lots of time at home after being away from home ~ a definite homebody. He never has liked to try new foods and there aren't a ton of things he will eat. But he's growing. As a baby, music and the outdoors calmed him.