Proud to be...Swim Model 2011

If you confused...scroll to bottom to see the swim model)

The Proud Parents of Veronica Rose...newly baptized, little saint.

It was a beatiful baptism after the 8a.m. Mass. Veronica did not peep. We witnessed the sacred sacrament and contemplated the immense event of her coming into the Catholic church, free from sin.

The Proud Godparents....with mystery surprise cousin inside the watermelon belly of mine.

Baptism Brunch Featured...Strawberry Chocolate chip Pancakes, compliments of Chef Gabe, eggs and sausage, cantaloupe, cinnamon rolls, and orange juice and coffee. Oh happy day.

Later that afternoon...

drum roll please.....

Pudding....Swimsuit Model for PinchMyCheecks Unlimited 2011...the Debut:

Pudding with Her Godmother...

I think I pinched both sets of cheeks no less than a hundred times. I stared at your soft yogurt knees and turned out toes ALL AFTERNOON. (more bathing suits pics to come)

Silver Bells and Cockle Shells

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow you ask?

I get to pick the what goes in the garden and Andrew does the manual labor. (I would, but it tends to give me contractions these days. Besides, Andrew is totally in his element working outside so we make a great team.)

We both have no idea what we are doing...but are very proud of our humble little vegetable garden. This is our second year.

How human and real is the experience of dirt between your fingers. I'm sure this has to sound like I'm romanticising gardening, but it is wonderfully therapeutic.

I've always loved to garden and plant flowers. It's my excuse for "working" and feeling like I am accomplishing something so I can justify being outside all day.

I've been musing about gardening. Such a day dreamer. Anyways, I think I can honestly relate a little more the gospel passages with planting analogies. You start to take a vested interest in how your plants are growing. You spend money buying them, tons of time tilling the ground, compost piling, planting, watering...keeping rabbits away, hoping the storms or hail will not ruin them. You truly want them to grow and prosper because you have spent so much caring for them. It is like parenting to a small degree.

Behold...tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, corn, and watermelon. I think I'm going to try strawberries next year.

I used to watch and help my dad every spring. I remember what his favorite flowers and trees were, he did such a good job of telling us what he was planting and letting us be around him while he did so. I've remembered a few things of what he unconsciously taught me.

Nicholas loves being outside as well and at loves to "work hard".

He will always ask, "Do you need help Mom?"

"Of course I do," I always say.

He gets his five-sizes-too-big garden gloves and starts to dig something. He tells me plants need water, sun, and soil to grow and that I should look at his pretend onions growing really big now.

Pudding finds pretend worms (which are small piles of dirt in her hands) and shows them to me and says, "They so cute mom".

[This is due to Andrew giving them worms to hold when he finds them, and I, in my attempts to not make them afraid of bugs because I am, say, "Oh, they are sooo cute."]

So here's to our garden - hope it grows!!

May Days with Cousin Gabe

Yesterday it was finally warm enough for water.

Cousin Gabriel has NO FEAR and is quite the dare devil. He made Nicholas, who is the "oh so catious first born", double over with giggles, as he would belly slide, go down backwards and head dunk without any quams. They enjoyed a few hours of going up and down the slide together.

Pudding, like a proper lady, decided to sit and sun bathe with her momma...who is feeling quite puffy these days.

The Inseperables

These two are such chums....truly they wake up and play all day with each other. They are the Fox and the Hound and their friendship makes my heart melt. When one is up - they have to wake the other so they can start playing.



Their conversations are amusing and they often remind each other to use good manners or remember rules and often make each other belly laugh. When given a snack, Christiana always asks to get one for "Didi" (her sometimes nickname for Nick-o-nus).



She gives it to him, but says, "Ha do you ask Didi?" Upon which Nicholas obediently replies, "Please."

They are especially fun to take places these days. Nicholas watches over Pudding and guards her like a dog. Christiana follows him and can proudly do whatever Nicholas does with loads of confidence.

Yesterday we met up with dad and brought a picnic lunch to the little middle school track meet. After a few races, Nicholas asked if he could race. He got in his stance, asked me to fire a gun, and ran like the wind with very fierce determination. Pudding followed suit, only her running was a puttering widdle waddle trot.

Nicholas in his starting blocks

They both decided sunglasses were suddenly necessary to properly view the races.

It was an entertaining afternoon out to say the least.

In the Sand

As I sat in my lawn chair in the warm sunshine, I got stare at her double chin, pursed lips, and puffy cheeks as she focused on putting various amounts of sand into cups for an hour. She took her work very seriously. There was a specific purpose about her work; I tried pouring sand into a cup, but apparently I did it all wrong.

I was in Heaven watching them both play and feeling so blessed I get to be at home and not miss a moment.

We thank Mech for the sand table.
So far, it has provided hours of daily entertainment for us all.