Baby, you're a FIREWORK!

Our fourth of July was bright, loud, long and sparkly, just as a fourth should be. 

Cameron and his dad LOADED UP on fireworks earlier in the week, complete with a backpack full of explosives for Clem and boxes (BOXES) full of explosives for Cam. 

My Garden on the first of July

Woe is  me. There's been more casualties in the veggie garden this season. Once again, just like last year, I had to do away with my entire broccoli crop. Then I cried. 

Somehow, gypsy moths are burrowing into my broccoli and laying their eggs (or whatever the nasty little sprouts are). When I went to harvest broccoli last week, it was inedible. Just like last year. 

So in the picture above, you see 8 sad, missing spots where broccoli once inhabited, happily. 

 The good news is that nothing else seems to be effected. Peppers, peas, cukes...everything else LOVED last week's rain and this week's temperatures. Can you spot the two purple peppers growing on the pepper plant??

 My peas are growing like crazy!

And the first carrot harvest is just about ready (left) while the next harvest finally broke ground this week (right). 

 Both zucchini plants are spreading and blossoming.

 And both blueberry bushes have some varying shades of blue!

 Speaking of blue, hello beautiful. This hydrangea was one of the first things I ever planted here at our house. Whispy and frail, I wasn't sure of it's placement or whether it would ever bloom big. Here we are 3.5 years later and I LOVE it. L*O*V*E*

On a hot summer afternoon

 It was a doozy of a hot afternoon here in the beautiful PNW. Here's how we spent it in our neck of the woods.

Clementine practiced her sight words spelling each word in the grass with her new squirt gun.

 And Dutch watched.

 And by "watched" i mean he climbed, dug, cruised, and made mischief all over the deck while sister did her work.

 While playing this morning with a neighbor girl, Clementine told the girl she had to go home because she had some "homeschool" to do. The girl said "Your mom makes you do HOMESCHOOL??" to which I replied "You bet! I'm a teacher, her whole life is homeschool!" :)

This afternoon, Clem practiced can, fan, pan, ran and tan words. Building them first with scrabble tiles, then adding them to her chart (25 words = Waterslides! We're halfway there!!)
In her hand, you'll note the giant, nearly frozen marshmellow because who DOESN'T need a little extra motivation on a super sweaty day??

My Garden on Summer Solstice

What better day to be out working in the garden, watering and supplementing with Epsom Salts? It's a beautiful day after a wonky weathered week. We've had lots of sun followed by rain, followed by overcast warm days. My plants seem to love it. 

 Here's our original blueberry bush. Lots of light blue berries on the vine and I can't wait to get my mitts on them.

 Lots of stuff has been growing/spreading/blossoming this week. But not my cukes. Huh. Come on guys!

 Today was a sad day for our strawberry plant. The pale, plump berries waiting for a couple hot days to ripen were murdered by the lawnmower.

 Both zucchini plants have spread out and this guy has it's first blossom! (Last year I discovered the amazing world of Epsom Salts. I used them in my garden, spraying them on my veggies at first blossom. It made a tremendous difference in the peppers we grew and I have no idea if that's what caused my 60 pounds of zucchini to grow, but I've connected those dots in my mind.)

 All four pepper plants have grown and have blossoms on them! Peas are climbing and broccoli is just about ready for first harvest!

 There's  a clump of carrots in the corner that I have no idea what to do with.

 More peas, more broccoli and more peppers. And one cute little snail creeping along my house.

And our newest addition to the backyard, a second (possibly third??) blueberry bush! It has several clumps of berries waiting for some heat!

Zoo '13/I Photobomb/Our Kids sitting on Statues

 It's a tradition. Each year, after school gets out, we head for the Zoo! Thus far, Sissy and the boys meet up with us, too. We missed it last year as I had just had Dutch and Meg was not far away from  having Miles.

 We made it happen this year, though, and it was a blast. Even the babies thought so. In this blog post, you may see few zoo animals, but you WILL see four of the cutest cousins having the best time ever.

 There are dozens of these bronze animal statues throughout the park. Without prompting, both of the older cousins ran to each one, climbing and riding on their backs!

 Clem and the penguin had a close encounter.

 During the Penguin "show" I decided to photobomb my sister AGAIN! Ha ha! I'm so hilarious!

 This was Dutch's first outing in his new (well, new to HIM, anyway) stroller, sitting like a big boy/withOUT the carrier attachment in there. He did pretty well!

Megan had to put Miles in the carrier to use his head a tripod. 

There's so much to see and do at Woodland Park Zoo. It's like a classroom, park and playground all wrapped up into one!

 The big kids got to feel a 35 pound elephant tusk.

 And Sissy insisted they get their faces painted.

Clem was a heart princess (gypsy)

 

Dutch approves!

 After a long day, it was time to hit the road. We saw just about all the sights and did all there was to do! It was another wonderful end to the school year/beginning of an awesome summer.