So what did you do today?

"So, What did you do today?"

"I built a wall"

           Not to outdo Honey, I built another wall in our yard while he was off watching the lacrosse games.  I am a little tired of the backyard looking a little junky.  I have been spending a lot of Honey's time making it look a lot better.  We've moved several Forsythia and hostas and some impatiens against the back fence to make it look better (Our neighbors behind us need to be a lot more inspired with their yard). The never ending pile of mulch (See this post for a picture) is being used to make them look like more formal flower beds.   I am trying to make the backyard be a play area for the kids, but not look only like a play area for the kids.  Along those lines we have gotten outdoor storage for their toys and are trying to make everything else look a little nicer.
      So I thought that since the last wall was fairly easy, I'd try one more little wall to help finish off the other end of the "trash patio."

    
      This one is next to our side neighbors with whom we are very good friends.  I planted two blueberry bushes behind the new wall and hopefully next year we can share some blueberry pie with them.  Of course, now I have plans to extend to walkway (from the trash patio) around to the back of the house and connect to the back patio.  Poor Honey, just when he thinks he is done....

Lacrosse, Lacrosse and More Lacrosse

Duke beating ND in Overtime 

for their first NCAA Championship.

I have had the pleasure? this weekend of being a lacrosse widow while Honey went to the NCAA championship games in Baltimore. Three days and five games. Christopher went all three days as well.  My only word for this is Obsession.   But I am glad they had fun.

They had a nice kids zone outside that Christopher got to practice shooting at the goal.  Good thing there weren't any scouts, one shot went over the top into the parking lot. Ooops!  

Elizabeth went to the finals on Monday, she likes the game, but 3 days is a little much for her too.  Rolo went the first day, but I had forgotten to send the camera along so I don't have pictures from that day.

Father H came along on Monday too.   

I'm glad everyone had a good time, but now life can get back to "normal".  Whatever that is supposed to mean?!

Month of Miracles.

          Whew!  I'm through with May!  I called this the "Month of Miracles" because baby's chance of surviving if born any day during the month went from 10% to 85%.  What a dramatic difference 5 weeks makes.  I started the month at 25 weeks and ended at 30 weeks.  Every day made a huge difference in the life of my newest little one.  I am very excited to have 10 weeks left and looking forward to meeting the newest little family member.
      I just hope I can stand the heat of summer.  I love the heat and hate it at the same time.  I try every year to not turn the A/C on until June 1st and so far so good.  It seems silly, but I think that I should try to get myself adjusted to the heat a little bit.  Besides, I do love the fresh air and I love just having the doors open so the kids can run in and out.  It eliminates the "CLOSE THE DOOR!!" rant that I am forced to make when the A/C is on.  I love hearing the birds, squirrels, crickets and  the sweet smells of summer like honeysuckle, lilac, roses, gardenias.  Mmmmm, makes me want a glass of sun tea, a pool and a good book.  I hope your summer is starting off nicely too.

Yard work

           Well, I've put Honey to work in the yard.  It is only fair, he didn't "get" to do anything last year.   As I said in a previous post, he built me a little trash patio for storing our recycling container, trash containers, hoses and such. I am very pleased with the outcome.  It is nice to not have a huge muddy mess to deal with.

This is an updated picture of the Astilbe and Hostas that are beside the side door.  Much better!  

           Since he did such a great job, I decided that my vegetable patch needed to have a little more structure  to it.  I am trying to use the vegetable patch as a small continuous homeschooling science and gardening lesson.  We planted the seeds in little starter trays but the plants were quickly outgrowing their temporary home.  After talking about the terrain and my needs, we decided that a small wall would be ideal.  I went to Home Depot and got the stackable wall "bricks".  Thankfully there were people there to load the cart and the car.  That stuff is HEAVY!
            I am very grateful that Honey is so meticulous about things being level.  It made the wall look great and I am very proud of him.  The bottom row took about an hour to do but it was worth it when the next rows went up so fast.   With the bottom row level the next two rows quickly (10 minutes) were added for a very nice wall for a mere $80.

Elizabeth and I quickly got the plants in and voila' our vegetable garden.  Now we just need to watch it grow!!!

Poor Puttycat!

My poor cat is "loved" very much by Keener.  He now does not even bother to run away, although he is getting better at hiding ahead of time.  Along with her siblings, Puttycat is getting the dressed up, riding in the babydoll carriage and made to play with the "other" stuffed animals.

 He also gets carried "child style" (She child carries him around his waist so that half of him is flopping over her arms and the other half is dangling).  I think with all this "love" the cat is earning a faster path to heaven than the rest of us!

I think his eyes say it all.  And Puttycat, I agree!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Our Priest printed this in the weekly bulletin, so I cannot take credit for finding it myself, but this is so beautiful that it is the simplest way to say Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful mother and all the other mother's.  May you have a very blessed and happy Mother's day!

The Most Important Person

on earth is a mother. She
cannot claim the honor of

having built Notre Dame
Cathedral. She need not. She

has built something more

magnificent than any
cathedral-a dwelling for an
immortal soul, the tiny
perfection of her baby's
body…The angels have not

 been blessed with such a
grace. They cannot share in

God's creative miracle to bring

new saints to Heaven. Only a

human mother can. Mothers

are closer to God the Creator

than any other creature; God

joins forces with mothers in

performing this act of

creation…What on God's

good earth is more glorious

than this: to be a mother?

-Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

Rolo becomes a littly "Gappy"

Rolo lost the other of his top teeth and for a little while will have that precious "gappy" look.  I just think it is adorable.

This last tooth was one that did not want to come out, but luckily it finally did.  It's fun to watch the kids go by the milestones and sad at the same time.  You want to savor every day that you have with them and enjoy them being kids for a minute, but too often daily tasks get in the way.  I am going to try to enjoy that sweet smile for the few weeks while it lasts before the new teeth come.  Keep up the smiling Rolo!!!