Cantaloupe

I got a cantaloupe out of our garden!  Well, actually, three.  But two of them were hardly big enough to count.  And the "big" one was smaller than anything you would ever find in a store.  It was maybe a bit bigger than a large softball.  But still.  I am pretty excited about this.  My garden has not done wonderfully... I didn't get a single cucumber.  I had two start to grow, but then they withered away when they were about and inch long.  The plants are now dead.  I got a few strawberries and a few potatoes.  And a bunch of tiny, skinny carrots.  (the kids thought they were pretty awesome and loved eating them)  My normal tomato plants (Celebrities) yeilded about 20 golf ball sized tomatoes, which Nate said were pretty tasteless.  The cherry tomatoes did pretty good.  But, I have been in the midst of a tomato worm war.  I think I have finally won...  But recently, even my cherry tomatoes have been about the size of pinto beans.  I guess I wasn't expecting my small square foot garden to produce mini produce.  SO...I was pretty happy with a cantaloupe that was maybe 2/3 the size of a store bought one.  Maybe next year I will double the size of my garden and get fruits and vegetables that are twice as big.

Have you ever seen cantaloupe that golden yellow in the store before?  I haven't.

I have also never bought a cantaloupe in the store that has such a little amount of green rind around the outside.  Which is why, I'm sure, it was so golden looking on the outside.

This is the cut up cantaloupe from the big one.  Kelton is holding one of the small cantaloupes.  Each of those small ones cut up into eight little pieces.

More from the mouth of Natalie

Last night during dinner we had a typical monsoon storm roll through.  It caused a couple of 10 second brown-outs.  We all thought we were going to lose power.  So Natalie asked me:

"Who makes the power go out?"

Me:  "Ummmm, well... the lightning and the storm."

Natalie: "Oh.  I thought it was Jesus."

I absolutely love that that was the most logical answer to her.  Because if anyone has the power to make everyone's lights not work at the same time, He would be it.  And I guess if you go beyond my answer, her answer is utlimately right.

Have you ever done this?

I have a question.  I took Damon in for a checkup yesterday.  When we were finished, the doctor handed me a lab slip and told me to take Damon in for some routine bloodwork.  I don't think I have ever done this with my other two kids.  So now I am thinking, is this something that is necessary?  Because taking a 16 month old in to have blood drawn for no particular reason is not high on my do to list.  Have any of you done this with your kids?

Sunday morning

Kelton's church clothes are ridiculous and have been for quite some time.  He has these size 2T pants with a waistband that has always been way too big.  A year or so ago, we had to have a safety pin on both sides to hold them up.  Now we only need a pin on one side.  However, he is taller now and so when the pants are pulled up on his waist where they should be, they are a bit on the geeky short side.  As if that is not bad enough, when he outgrew his size 2T shirt, we opened up a 3T shirt from the same brand.  It was wider than the 2T, but not any longer.  So, for some time he has been wearing this short dress shirt that barely covers his safety-pinned-up highwater pants.  The only reason he could pull it off was because he is... well... three.

It was time for Kelton to get a new church outfit.  Isn't he handsome?

It's nice to have him in clothes with some growing room, but actually fit.

And because we can't leave anyone out when the camera is on...

How I love each and every one of those three little faces!

First day of School

Natalie has been back in school for a full week.  She is in first grade this year and her teacher is Ms. Salazar.  She seems very nice and Natalie really likes her.  Here she is right before going out to catch the bus.

Kelton had to have his turn in front of the camera too.  Just look at that face...it deserves a picture too.

Natalie came home from school toward the end of the week and started talking to me about Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber.  I know that she has absolutely no idea who these people are.  But she told me that she doesn't like Lady Gaga (good thing) and that she likes Justin Bieber because he rocks.  It made me laugh to hear my 6 year old say that.  I asked her if she even knew who those people are.  She looked at me and said, "no."  Silly girl.  Sometimes I wish there was a way to shut out the influence of other kids...  Luckily she is only six, and will still listen to her mother.

Proof our kids are smarter than we were at their age

Remember when you were a kid and you used to use blankets, sofa cushions, and whatever else you could find to make one of these...?

And what did you call this thing?

Well, Natalie (and now Kelton) has a different name for it.  She came running to tell me that I had to come see her.... habitat.  Huh?  I went to look and found this.  I had to smile.  And she actually knows what a habitat is and could tell you about them.  Thank you kindergarten.  I think I learned a few letters when I was in kindergarten.

Which is why, to me, that is just a fort.

Pictures that make me smile...every time

Really, no explanation needed.  This is just Kelton and his crazy eyes.

 

 You could chalk this one up to Damon's awesome fashion sense, but actually, it's just chalk. Sidewalk chalk. He loves to eat it. And I actually mean, eat.

I was trying to take a picture of Natalie.  She is on the floor behind Kelton.

Hermit crabs

We got the kids hermit crabs last month.  Nate and I had gone on a date and were at the mall and saw them there.  Nate wanted to get them... I ended up agreeing... and we brought two hermit crabs home with us.  Natalie likes them.  Kelton likes them, but won't hold them.  Natalie has been pinched by both of them (one time was completely her fault) and doesn't hold them a whole lot anymore.

 Above: Wall.E   Below: Rapunzel 

You can probably figure out which crab belongs to which child based on the names.