Bullets

Isn't she beautiful? I love her. She provides us with shade and I think of her as our friend watching our kids grow up beneath her.

Jake helped a lot. He also tried to drink straight out of Julia's watering can as she gave our tomatoes a drink. Wild child, dirt everywhere, deliriously happy.

I had to change him out on the deck as when I tried to undiaper him in the house a pile of dirt fell out of his onesie. Hot mess.

Luke seems about 14 to me in this picture. Baby? Where have you gone? While I miss the baby you were, I love and adore the kind, considerate and smelly little boy you have become. You are a wonderful big brother, Luke Dawg.

King Jake holds court in the playroom. He has chosen this chair as his throne.

*Awesome day of sunshine after seven straight days of rain. Tons of yard work and gardening got done.

*Hit the fair this afternoon. Pics to follow later.

*New tradition of spring/summer : Friends over for games on Friday nights, and effusive green salads topped with grilled steak on Saturday nights at home alone with the fam. Heaven.

*Luke and Jules are best friends. Truly, best friends. They shadow one another all day long, they parent one another as much as I parent them. I adore watching them interact. *Grateful*

*Jake is at a pinnacle of awesomeness. On the verge of walking, he is a joy and a wonder to behold. His little vocabulary and personality are blossoming, and watching him change before our eyes is awesome. He is such a funny little bugger. We have taken to calling him "King Jake" ~ he loves to hold court, whether in his high chair, his new stroller, or seated upon his newly taken throne in the playroom, he entertains us all. His laugh is infectious, his sleep is wonderful, and his delicious fat thighs simply melt me into a puddle of kissyloveness. He is my running buddy, my nursing champ, my love. He has started something new ~ after he nurses he sits up and claps his hands. Not kidding. It is like an ovation for lactation.

*We are absolutely raising inveterate gamblers. They love the ponies, just like their Dad and I do. Seeing them scream with delight at the start, listen with respect for the "riders up!" and root for "their" horse when watching the triple crown races delights me.

*Buddy (our 85 year old sprightly neighbor who we love and who owns the farm beside/behind us) gave me some rhubarb, so I am cooking it up for us (and them) tonight. It stank, raw. Interested to see if sugar and butter and an oven transforms it.

*With summer, and humidity, so return Julia's curls. I missed them!

*I don't know what else to say. My heart is full. My garden is growing. The kids are awesome. Nate is an incredible Dad and husband. I lose things, and crash into cars, and my floor is pretty dirty and my baby eats mud and whatnot, but my true treasures are intact. Thankful.