Garden

So the garden has had its ups and downs this first year. Lots of learning to apply to next year. The broccoli had a great run before the plants got infested with a worm. I noticed one or two early on but didn't think anything of it as it was only a few...that was the big mistake. When going organic, bugs can multiple in no time....soon all the broccoli plants were covered in worms. We had done a great deal of harvesting by then and we were actually sick of eating broccoli and had started freezing it anyways....so the damage was non recoverable and I pulled all the plants this week. Which BTW is giving room for my crazy cucumber plant (which I thought had died) to run rampant. I already made one batch of pickles...or "picks" as Jayce calls them, which I did not like, so this week I'll try another recipe. The tomatoes do have the blight that everyone has been getting but it hit us late and most of the crop is doing fine. I did make a baking soda, castile soap & olive oil spray which seemed to keep the blight at bay. Also, I learned that if you pick the tomatoes before they really turn red, you can make a great orange colored spagetti sauce. The pre really ripe tomatoes keeps the water content down and reduces cooking time and nutrients in your sauce. The eggplant has been great...but slow growing. We've gotten 4 this season and a lot more on the way. We should have harvested a lot more by now, so must be the cool weather. I'll also cut back on the green beans next year and double up on peas instead. But all in all well worth it!

Jayce was a beetle

Jayce played a beetle in a play today that my mom's group put on for the nursing home in Glastonbury. The eldery people there LOVED the kids. It was so sweet. Jayce said hi to a lot of people, waved at them, gave them high 5's and even blew kisses. They practically ate him up! Even Kaelyn got her fair share of ohs and ahs.

Here is a picture of him in his beetle costume.

Kaelyn is 6m old!

Kaelyn is growing up so fast. She was 6m old yesterday. Accomplishments in her first few months of life include, finding her hands & feet, smiling, sitting up, rolling over, saying ma-ma, eating cereal & veggies and of course putting up with her big brother! Happy 1/2 Birthday Kaelyn.

went to the aquarium

Keith took a day off of work today and we went to Mystic Aquarium. Jayce had a great time. Little K looked around a bit and she actually really liked the fish tanks...she followed the fish around in circles. Then we went to RI for lunch at our favorite falafel place. Yummy! Here is a picture of Jayce touching sting rays.

July picture gallery

I'm a little late posting July pictures considering we are 1/2 way into August. But, better late than never.
http://www.kodakgallery.com:80/ShareLanding.action?c=nvgkyr9.98b3m1kl&x=0&y=-avrcmt&localeid=en_US&cm_mmc=site_email-_-site_share-_-core-_-view_photos_button

first tooth

Little K is growing up way too fast! She already has her first tooth! And the typical angel child she is, she never complained one bit!

Welcome Alexandra!

Trent & Jessica have a new bundle of joy. Baby Alex joined our family on Saturday.

No more peas

So I did not plant the second planting of peas soon enough and our first batch is all gone. Jayce is very sad that there are no more peas in the garden...he asks every day for more peas! :(

worms

It is amazing now that we have stopped using pesticides in our lawn, how many worms we have. Not only am I thrilled that the kids are not playing in chemicals but our lawn is looking so much better (well could have something to do with all the rain this season). I was tossing the compost pile yesterday and we pulled out these HUGE worms...Keith refered to them as mini snakes! Next time I'll have to take a picture. Any rock or stone you pick up has these huge worms too. Jayce is utterly amazed at all sorts of god's creatures and brings them to us for inspection all the time...but these worms are so big that even he is unsure of what to do!