Our Camping Trip to Mansfield...

So we took a trip to Missouri to Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds' Spring planting festival. We try to go every year and this was our 3rd year. We took the tent instead of the motorhome (less work) and more flexibility in where you can drive. Naturally it was rainy when we got there... although not as bad as some of the stuff we drove through on the way... we put the tent up very quick, if i say so my self and got every thing inside, beds, food, clothes. Then it started to rain harder... we ate some sandwiches and got into bed... it poured until we fell asleep.

In the morning it was beautiful and we had some sunshine. We went to visit the horses that the campsite owners have and had some breakfast... then the kids played a little outside, climbing the tree behind the tent and stuff... We also noticed these gross slugs slithering across our tent... i think we found 3 of them.


Of course we took a few photos! Couldn't resist!





Those cute little feet hanging down... He always wants to climb trees (We called him monkey when he was little because he tried to climb up us) but we don't have any climbing tree around the house... all the limbs are 10 feet up or so. But this little tree was perfect! Even Anthony tried climbing a little and Jerry of course! haha! Oh! their pants were rolled up because the grass was still so wet and we didn't want their pant legs to be soaking!


Finally we got in the truck and decided to drive around and explore and make our way to Len's house for a visit. (Len is the guy we are the soil distributor for) But on the way into town we had see a caboose at a park-like spot, so we decided to go see that first. They discovered this nest of eggs a few minutes after they got there! What beautiful eggs!!! The mommy bird was squaking and tweeting away, sitting on top of the caboose!!!

The boys played a bit on it, they pretended to drive of course and made all kinds of noise!

Then we started for a drive through countryside toward Len's. We took every back road we could find that was sort of headed in that direction... The poor gps, it kept rerouting us and i am sure if it could think would have thought we were idiots! But we found some beaustiful things along the way! They have these streams all over... and most of them are made so that if they get too full they just run over the roads, or they run over the road anyways... ha! But so lush, green and clean smelling, it was so refreshing exploring!

I don't think the boys could run out of rocks here to throw!!! But they would try if they were there longer! The water was sooooo clear! and beautiful!!

While Jerry and Alex explred an area that Anthony couldn't cross and i didn't want to go through the poison ivy... Anthony and i did a mini photo shoot. (are you surprised!?)

Dirty jeans and all...


Oh! and he threw some more rocks! he would poick them up on one side and throw them over the edge on the other side!! So funny! We were here a good 20 minutes and we never saw another car!


When Alex got back from exploring (and finding a dead armadillo) i made him pose for me too!!! Can't you believe it!!!?

He was thrilled...

This one is for April, my sister...



We saved a turtle form the road along the way and then we found these lazy cows... They looked so funny sitting down in the grass... their little ears sticking up...




The next day was the show... and it was perfect!!!! no rain... and sunshine and some clouds! Last year it rained all day... and had been raining all week... it was a MESS!!! But this year was great!!!


We need one of these old gadgets... you put the dried corn in and it takes all the kernals off when you crank the handle! We dried corn last year to make corn meal with... it is so sore on the fingers to get off the cob when it is dry!!! This thing was cool! We will have to keep our eyes open for one!

Then the guy demonstrating would dump the kernels in hear after blowing away the junk... and this would grind it into cornmeal. We use quite a bit of cornmeal at our house for some reason... we make corn bread a lot... everybody loves it and we can buy 25 pound bags of organic cornmeal locally... so this would be great to use.



Alex picked up the corn kernels from the ground at the previous display and put then in a bags... then he fed them to the chicken that they have. We met a family as we were waiting in line to enter and we saw them again over at the chicken section... so Alex shared his corn with the boy...

Anthony fed the grass to the chickens with the little girl of the family. These kids were so cute! I think they were Amish... the little girl kept trying to squeeze Anthony's cheeks!


On our way home we saw this creepy cloud... it was moving so fast and it went right over and kept on blowing and keeping its shape...

Anthony was sleeping one of the times we stopped at a rest area on the way home.... Alex convinced Jerry to "play" with him for a few minutes at the rest area playground! so funny!
We bought a few seeds and met the Majerus Family that makes the Clyde's Garden planners. That was fun and they are such a beautiful (inside and out) family! We went to a few classes, one on composting, it was my favorite this year. Although we did learn in another class that there are about 450 named types of garlics in the world! goodness! we only have 5! We bought some purple basil and talked to the guy who we bought a bluebird house from our first year. We looked at ALLLL the chickens and were scared half to death by a crazy donkey!!! They are soooo loud! Alex liked to watch the blacksmith at work in his shop. We bought a couple rhubarb plants, some sweet potato starts and my favorite parsley called Forrest Green. I think we walked around every thing at least twice. It was a great day and over way too soon!!

Someday when we have ready the Little House on the Prarie books with the kids we will take them to Laura Ingalls Wilder's house... it is there in Mansfield and i am sure will be neat for the kids to see... when they care!

The trip went way too fast, though. We had to spread the tent back out when we got home so it could dry... we woke up at 3:30 in the morning... we just couldn't sleep... the boys were both sleeping with us and there was a train the kept coming by a few miles away, but we could hear it... so we whispered that we were ready to go... to we packed everything up in an hour in the dark!!! and Headed home!! We were some tired puppies when we got home... i mean what kind of freak wakes up at 3:30 in the morning to take down their tent... Us, i guess...

More Alex...

This kid!!!! Tonight as we sat eating salad out of the garden we were talking about the imax movie we just got in the mail about Texas.

me: mommy used to live in texas, you know...
Alex: and then you moved here?
daddy: mommy moved here to be with daddy, if mommy lived there and daddy here, it wouldn't work very well...
Alex: because you llooove mommy.
daddy: lots! You know some mommies and daddies live apart...
Alex: WHY!?
Daddy: well, sometimes satan makes some mommies and daddies not like each other but when that happens the Bible says to fast and pray.
Alex: what's fasting?
Me: uh, Alex you know what fasting it... you don't eat.
Alex: why can't i fast?
me: because you are too young!
Daddy: fasting helps your body heal and makes your mind clear so you can make good decisions.
Alex: Our government needs to fast because they are not making good choices!! We need to send them a letter and tell them that we have been praying for them to make right choices and they are not so they need to fast.

Alex went on to name names... I can't believe he remembers all these people's names!

Jerry and I were laughing so hard we could hardly breathe!!

You might be adopting from China if......

...you've been expecting a baby for over 3 years.
...you know that I-600 & I-171 aren't highways.
...you've "paid for" 3 citizenships, but never brought anyone into the U.S.
...you know that "waiting for China" has nothing to do with Dillard's or dishes.
...your homestudy is followed by a number (i.e. #2 or #3 or #4).
...you've been fingerprinted four times, but never committed a crime.
...you automatically assume everyone who is expecting is having a girl.
...you own new clothing in 3 little sizes for all 4 seasons (because you don't know when or how big).
...you look twice when you see a lady bug.
...you never know how many days will be in the next month.
...you know that babies come in batches.
...you know people who understand when you talk about 2-day months & 3-day months.
...your due date hasn't changed by days, but by years.
...you know who the Rumor Queen is ... AND ... you don't know who she is.
...you've waited so long, that they checked your fingerprints to see if they changed.
...if...while trying to understand why they're printing you again, you study your own fingerprints and wonder if fingerprints grow wrinkles.
...when you speak of "that time of month" you're talking about CCAA updates & referrals...
* You might be adopting from China if you love someone you've never met with all your heart*

Alex's Prayers...

Today he asked what the economy was... he had heard that the economy was in the trash... he wanted to know. He learned that line from a song Jerry found on youtube! I tried to explain to him that the economy was the combination of business and jobs and stores and money... etc. he said oh and then a few minute later this was his prayer, " Dear Jesus, thank you for this day, thank you for my food, please help the senators and congressmen to make the right choices. Please help the people to put their economy papers outside on their doors so everyone can see them. Please help mommy's friend to find a new job, please help me not to be naughty. in Jesus name, Amen!"

This kid is too much!!! He is so hilarious and smart and sweet! He is very faithful in continuing to pray for something you requested... like the friend who needs a job... Alex has been praying everyday for them for about 2 weeks now...

Here's the link in case you want to educate your 4 year old on the economy!!!! hahahaha!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0nERTFo-Sk

Smelling Trees

As we were leaving the tulip park that one day... there were some crab-apple trees by our truck and i could smell the blooms... so i said to the boys "did you guys smell this tree?" Alex was already getting into his seat so he didn't come back to smell, but Anthony ran over to the tree excited to smell it and started sniffing the trunk!!!!! He kills me!!! he is so funny!! He's 2!

Anthony is a mess...

The Orchard

We received two long boxes, both about 55 pounds each with almost our whole orchard in them!! We were so excited! When the UPS guy showed up Alex ran out asking him if he had our orchard! He said he wasn't sure and then he looked at the box and told Alex they were from a tree place, so probably so!! WOOHOOO!!!

We opened the boxes and looked at every thing! It was so exciting! There were raspberries, loganberries, boysenberries, blackberries, grapes, blueberries, apples, peaches, cherries, plums, apricots, pluots and a hardy kiwi! We ordered these last year so we could get everything we wanted in the orchard. I think a few of our trees from last year died from the deer eating on them ALL summer!!! But those deer are not going to get them this year!!! We have that fabulous 6 foot fence all around it!

Someday those trees will be much taller than the boys... although the boys will be taller too... These trees are the nicest trees... the trunks are so thick and sturdy... not like the flimsy ones we find around here in the garden centers. We are excited to watch them grow and hope they produce fruit as fast as possible! heehee!

Sunday morning we gathered all our equipment we would need to put in a whole orchard in one day!!! Anthony was glad to grab the "long tape measure!" He was so proud of himself... you see usually Alex gets this stuff,because Anthony doesn't know where to find anything... so he was rather tickled with himself!!

We laid every thing out... putting stakes where each bush or tree was supposed to go... then Jerry would drill the hole with the Takeuchi then we would mix in some WeedFreeGardenBed soil and some of the Essential Elements... all mixed with the sandy soil that is there... so it would give them a good start with some organic matter in the soil that will retain a little moisture! Pretty soon we figured out the best system. We put the WFGB soil on top of the ground around where the hole was to be dug... made a hole in the top so Jerry could see where to dig and then he would drill... this put the sandy dirt on top of the soil mix so we used the pitchfork to just sift it into the hole and it would be perfectly mixed up!! The boys liked to help with their shovels!!!!

A hole ready to be mixed. We would lay out a whole row or grouping of trees and then go through and "drill" them all at once, that way we were doing it assembly line style!

It was a little windy so we let all out bags from the mix and the mulch blow into the corner of the orchard to be caught on the fence! Then we could pick them all up at once, which we did in the morning. We planted about 60 things that day!! Finishing at about 10:30 at night! We were some tired puppies!!!
This was about the last bloom from the pink magnolia tree... it smelled sooooo lovely!!

Photo Shoot in Holland

Seriously... you didn't think i would spend the whole day taking pictures of just FLOWERS!!!










He was getting annoyed with us... there was a dream playground just a little ways away...


He has been sticking his teeth out like this a lot lately!! Silly kid!



I tell him him to look at my camera, right? well... he turns his head to me and then... his eyes go the other way... hahaha!!
He was watching a dog go by...



I saw this tree and the kids groaned... they had to indulge me, before they could go the playground!

Anthony would work with me longer than Alex could handle... so he got quite a few pictures taken...