Luke and the Giant Peach

Okay, so it's not exactly giant, but it seems humongous to us.

This is the first year our peach tree has produced anything even close to edible, and it has been soooo exciting. (I know, I don't get out much.) When we moved to this house in February of 2008, we didn't really pay much attention to the straggly little tree in our side yard. That summer it produced a few golf ball sized peaches that were quickly consumed by deer or whatever other varmints crawled up from the river. The same was true for 2009. We talked about maybe actually doing something to the tree, like pruning it or watering it, or something. But that didn't happen. So imagine our surprise this year when the peaches grew to normal size and actually resembled something one would find in the grocery store. We were skeptical, only bringing in a few at first. The kids waited (not so) patiently as they ripened, and we finally cut into them only to find the sweetest, most delicious peaches we'd ever tasted. (Okay, so maybe we're a little partial.) But who can argue with tasty, free, and organic? "Organic" might be a stretch but as I mentioned earlier, we do NOTHING to this tree...no pesticides, no chemicals, no water, no sweet talkin'...no nothin'. :) Granted they're not certified and we've yet to have a little man in a white coat show up with stickers to confirm so, but whatever. We've literally picked hundreds and have enjoyed sharing them with friends and neighbors, even packaging some in fun baskets with cute tags. Very "Martha Stewart", don't you think? Maybe I'm making a come back? With my lazily grown peaches? :) Maybe not. But I have caught the bug. I'm convinced next year we can start that organic garden I've been wanting. And by organic garden, I mean a couple of pots of tomatoes on our upstairs deck. Baby steps.

Look!!!  I finally figured out how to turn the flash off.  It's that incredibly obvious hidden little lightning bolt with a line through it. 

I have got to start reading my manual.

And yes, I am that dorky, adding branches from the tree.

We've yet to pick the peaches at the top of the tree, so if you live in the area and own a ladder, stop on by and help yourself.

And if anyone has advice on peach tree maintenance, I'm all ears.

xo,

Farmer Jess

 

PS-I'm in the process of changing our blog's name to gain some anonymity (as suggested by a friend). Any suggestions?

PSS-Some of you have mentioned that it is hard to comment or that your comments haven't shown up. I've made the commenting easier. Anyone can leave a comment by choosing "anonymous" from the drop down menu. No Google account necessary, no word verification. Just make sure to sign your name so I know who you are.  Do I sound like I'm begging for comments or what? :)

Look, Mom! No floaties!!!

Luke has officially retired his floaties (aka swimmies, floatation devices, etc.).  He's treading water like a champ, retrieving dive sticks from the bottom of the pool, and swimming around like a little fish.  It's just a doggie paddle for now, but he's taking lessons which will hopefully teach him some proper strokes.  I'm just happy he won't sink. :)  As the mother of small children, the pool causes me a tremendous amount of fear, so the way I see it, it's one down (Luke), one to go (Zach).  Phewww!

And it is absolutely filling me pride and excitement. Is that cheesy? It's the same feeling I had when I received my driver's license and when he potty trained. Completely unrelated, but whatever. That's the feeling.

Until we purchased dive sticks, Luke used a paint can opener.  Aren't we resourceful?

Zach is also getting more confident in the pool.  He can swim around in his floaties without assistance and is even jumping in, allowing his head to go under water.

Looks like we're that much closer to Steve and I kicking back on the deck while the kids swim on their own.  After all, that is the goal. :)

I honestly don't remember what was so funny, but I thought this was a cute picture.

This shot was taken before the floaties were retired.  I'm pretty sure we won't be able to squeeze him into them ever again.

In other random news, the boys are obsessed with the song "Yellow Submarine".  They first heard it on YouTube (a great time-suck for little kids, by the way).  Luke knows just about the entire first verse, and the boys love singing the refrain (or chorus?) over and over and over and over and over again. 

We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine...

In the tub, the pool, at the dinner table, in their beds, while getting in the car, while sitting in the car, while getting out of the car.  Over and over again.  I suppose it could be worse.  It could be a Bob the Builder song (been there, done that) or Barney's "I love you, you love me..." (cringe), but there's something weird about a toddler belting out Beatles songs, no?  And as a note, one must be very careful when leaving a four-year-old alone at the computer.  I walked up just in time to stop a clip entitled "Breaking Footage:  Man with Knife".  Um, no thank you. 

xo,

Jess

Obama's Cookies

Did you see the adorable cookies the president picked up from an Ottawa bakery for his daughters?

No?

Yeah, me neither...

Until I Googled "Canada maple leaf cookie".

Huh?


The kids and I were invited to a Happy Birthday Canada party and I wanted to bring something appropriate for the festivities.  Or maybe I just wanted to avoid doing laundry while making a ginormous mess in the kitchen?  Or maybe I secretly want to be a Canadian?  I mean really, have you ever met a Canadian you didn't like?  And that accent -- love it! 

I suppose we'll never know.


Back to the cookies. 



Hobby Lobby actually had a maple leaf cookie cutter but it looked more like a turkey to me.  So I went with a shamrock and rigged it.

Here are mine...

Here are the ones Sasha and Malia received from their Pops...

Pretty close, eh?

The party was tons of fun.  The kids especially loved the water balloon activity...

There was even a fun quiz of Canadian facts.  I failed it miserably.  Big shocker, right?  One of the questions was to name the "Honeymoon Capital of the World".  I went blank.  Nothing.  Crickets chirped. 

Are you screaming the answer at your computer?

Yes, it's Niagara Falls.  The place where my cousin is currently vacationing.  For her honeymoon.  Duh.

A big thanks to Alex and his mom Rebecca for hosting us!



Two days later we headed to Bardwell for a Fourth of July celebration.  Uncle David provided an impressive fireworks show.  I mean, seriously impressive.  I had no idea you could buy fireworks that showy from a roadside stand.  Wow!!!!

We ate tons of good food, worked on a puzzle, talked to the cows, and replaced six sets of blinds after Mabel skitzed out when we left her alone.

As usual, my camera spent way too much time in its case and very few pictures were taken, but here are a few...

Zach was a little spooked by the pre-show...

The boys loved the sparklers...

A shot of the main show...

We've all decided this needs to become a family tradition.  (Uncle David, are you reading?)

The kids loved the glow-in-the-dark necklaces Aunt Sandra provided...

I'm still trying to explain why they no longer glow.

I realize these pics are all of Zach.  I think Luke was too fast to be photographed. :)

Happy (belated) Fourth to you all!!!

xo,

Jess

Who's Their Daddy?!

Today I tried to run a few simple errands, and today the boys acted like a couple of fools.  So here I am, writing about it with the hopes that finding the humor (buried deep down in it) will make me feel better. 

Doesn't everyone do that? :)

On the agenda was Lowe's, Sam's, the post office box, and a shoe store. 

No biggie, right? 

They were all quick stops, and one even included "sanples" (samples).  Yep, I try to time my visits to Sam's during prime sample time.  Luke can sniff out those little ladies in hairnets and their sample tables from aisles away.  But today even the little ladies couldn't keep them occupied.  The boys hit each other, attempted to grab things off the shelves, and screeched some horrible screeches.  I had to provide extra samples by opening darn near everything we were purchasing.  They snacked on lunch meat, Frito's, and grape tomatoes.  I later found out that Zach was biting into the tomatoes, sucking the juices out, and then dropping them on the floor.  Nice.  I had to retrace our steps to pick up his tomato outards (you know, the opposite of innards).  Because I have all the time in the world to do that, you know.

As we were leaving, a woman stopped to comment on how cute they were (clearly she didn't see their little horns poking through).  She asked if they were "my little helpers". 

Yeah, if you consider they were helping me to lose my marbles! 

I think she sensed my frustration and said something like, "Enjoy them while you can.  It goes by fast." 

I wanted to answer, "Why don't you enjoy them." or "Not fast enough." 

But I didn't.

Next we went to the UPS store where I ran in to check the PO box.  It literally takes me eight seconds and I'm about ten feet from the car, so I leave them strapped in with the doors locked.  I know you're not technically  supposed to this, but whatever.  Don't judge me.  In the 15 seconds I was gone, Luke started screaming,

"HELP!  HELP!  We're trapped!  We're in JAIL!  HEEEEEEELP!"

 ...at the top of his lungs. 

Over and over again.

And of course Zach chimed in with him. 

And of course there were people walking by to witness it all. 

Fun times!

And last, but soooo not least, we popped into Famous Footwear to return a pair of shoes. 

This should have been simple. 

In and out. 

No problemo.

Nope. 

It started out innocently... 

Zach said to the cashier, "Hi Man!". 

That was pretty cute, right?

Then Luke said, "Hi Daddy!".

 

TO THE CASHIER!!! 

Over and over again. 

Louder and louder. 

Only changing it up with, "Hi Dad!" and "We love you, Dad!".

Then Zach started.

It was really loud.

Did I mention that it was over and over again? 

And that any attempt on my part to make them stop caused them to get louder.

And did I also mention that the cashier was about 18 and African American?

I thought about trying to convince the poor guy that they were indeed his children. 

Surprise! 

But figured he probably wouldn't believe the blue-eyed blondies were his.  Not to mention I could practically be his mom rather than his one-night stand.  Make that a two-night stand, two years apart.  What are the odds?

Okay, I feel better. 

Sure, I am way behind on all the things I'm supposed to blog about.  Like Zach's birthday, Ashley's wedding, and Luke's preschool graduation.  But if you recall, I have ADHD or ADD.  What's the difference anyway?  I'll have to go Google it. 

See?

So until I can get my act together to write those, I'll end with some current pictures...

Zach helping Daddy water the plants...

Luke's graduation day...

I'm pretty sure he was supposed to be acting out a skit with his classmates, but instead made silly faces at me.  Typical!

Zach in his Home Depot uniform...

If only I could get a discount. :)

We've been on a smoothie kick.  Don't you prefer your smoothies in the nude?...

On this day I snuck in some spinach.  I thought I was pretty clever.  Until about halfway through when the boys started making faces like this...

...and worse. 

Busted!!!

The dessert I made for my friend Dina's 25th (wink,wink) birthday party.  A couple people asked me for the recipe.  Here it is:  Layered Berry Trifle

I also made a couple mini ones for my mini-me's and their dad as bribery thanks for letting me go to the party...

With Teddy Grahams for the little guys and without blueberries for Luke.

Zach's first day of school...

We call it school, but really it's the Mother's Day Out program at the Y. 

He'll start at Luke's preschool in the fall.

And of course there's been tons of this...

Which almost always leads to this...

Snacking poolside.

And our little guy turned 2!!!  Can you believe it?

The last-minute lion cupcakes we cranked out right before the occasion...

Not my best work, but Zach seemed pretty pleased.

Happy Summer!

xo,

Jess

Mother of the Year

Yesterday Luke and I were in his bathroom having this conversation:

Me:  Luke, please brush your teeth.

Luke:  Nah.

Me:  Luke, boys who don't brush their teeth don't get to go to the the water park. (An enforceable statement --Love and Logic working here.)

Luke:  Uh uh.

Me:  Okay, then Zach and I will go by ourselves.

Luke:  Who will stay with me?

Me:  Hmm.  (pause)  A mean old lady. 

***Nice parenting, huh?  In my defense, L&L suggests that children can pay for their own babysitters in these circumstances.  Luke's understanding of this is not quite there yet, but "mean old lady" resonates.***

Luke:  Caitlin?! 

***Caitlin is our sweet next door neighbor and babysitter so I laugh.***

Me:  No, not Caitlin.

Luke:  What's her name?

Me:  Um...Mrs. Scally Wag

***Luke smiles an inquisitive smile, wondering where this is going.***

Luke:  Does she have any kids to play with?

Me:  No. (pause)  But she has cats.  Lots of cats.

Luke:  Oh.  Are they nice cats?

Me:  No.  They're mean cats.

***Are you thinking of reporting me to the officials yet?  Please don't.***

Luke:  Will they scratch me?

Me:  Maybe.

Luke:  Will they eat me?

Me:  Maybe.  They do like the taste of little boys.

Luke says nothing, squeezes out some toothpaste, and brushes his teeth.  Then offers to floss.

Success!

Please understand that this was not scary at all for him, but rather exactly the kind of thing that he eats up.  I'm learning to get on his level...and it's kind of weird.  No?

Clearly this is not a typical parenting style.  But if you know Luke, he is not a typical child.  I like to think I'm adaptable. :)
Of course I paid for it dearly all day as he continued to have me remind him of her name and then ask me TONS of questions about Mrs. S.W. and her cats.  And of course he talked about it to the neighbors and people at the YMCA, so I'm bracing myself for uncomfortable phone calls.  But, WHATEVER!!!!  The boy brushed his teeth without a fight.  And yes, I realize he'll be sitting on some therapist's couch one day, wondering why he has a fear of kittens and single women.  Maybe this blog will come in handy after all.

Yep, I'm now taking myself out of the running for the Mother of the Year award.  But my child has clean teeth. 

So there.

xo,

Jess

Happy for No Reason

This is exactly where you'll find Zach these days: studying, talking about, and eventually squishing (usually by accident) all sorts of creep crawlers.

I've been reading for the past few months a book entitled Happy for No Reason.  Past few months???  Not because it is 5,000 pages long or because it's a difficult read, but rather I just don't get around to it much anymore (read: I would prefer to veg out in front of the tv after the kids go to bed over pouring over the classics -- some day I plan to change this, but it's not happening anytime soon).  Actually, I've read quite a few books since the boys have come into our lives, but they all involve handling difficult children and getting babies to sleep through the night - go figure!  Happy for No Reason caught my eye at Barnes and Noble on a day when I was feeling a little less than happy and a little more than guilty for feeling so.  Stepping outside and looking in, I have it made:  the most incredible partner and best friend who has a fabulously paying job that allows me to stay at home with our boys; a wonderful network of gal and guy friends; a loving and supportive extended family; healthy and spirited children; food on the table; a large house with running water and air conditioning; reliable cars that get us around...I could go on on on, but I'll spare us all.  The bottom line is although I am very aware of how fortunate I am, I find myself wanting more: I want the house to be completed with its renovations and decorated to my taste; I want my kids to learn to play by themselves; I want more time for myself and my interests like say, reading; I want to wear more fashionable clothing and "do" my hair more often; I want permanent hair removal -- oh, wait!  I scored that at Christmas -- thanks, Dad!; I want to justify buying $45 Keen sandals for the boys because those shoes are just too stinkin' cute; I want to travel more (with and without the kids); I want to eat sushi on a daily basis (cha-ching); I want to surgically remove my double chin, and although I'm down to a size 0/2, I'd still like to tone up my pork chops (I think my cousin Ashley uses this term to refer to that flabby area by one's armpit); I want to have a successful career; I want a limitless expense account here; I want a couple of these for my kitchen; and so forth.  Clearly my list of "wants" is ridiculous when paired with my "haves".  Spoiled, huh?  I hate that.

I know these wants are natural and completely human, but I still feel a bit ashamed.  I highly recommend
Happy for No Reason as it's written by Marci Shimoff who interviewed 100 people that were seemingly happy without necessarily given reasons to be so. Some have terrible health problems, others lost family members in horrific scenarios...and even worse, but these people still exude happiness. Shimoff finds the common factors that make these people happy which include spirituality, finding the good in the bad, choosing a healthy and balanced diet, and um, other things...remember, I'm still reading it. :)



I've found the book extremely helpful and prospective-building.  But I'm also learning to enjoy the joys in life and allow myself to be "spoiled" a bit without feeling riddled with guilt.  Like when these beauties arrived, I knew I'd instantly feel happier...

and I did. (shame!) :)

Until I started reading the labels -- true to my obsessive-compulsive nature -- and realized that 30 of the 90 boxes delivered were the WRONG COLOR wood!  Aaaaah!  And those 30 boxes were on the VERY BOTTOM of the pile, of course.  I looked on the bright side, feeling fortunate that we caught it early enough and in time to replace the boxes.  (Remember one of the Happy for No Reason tips? Find the good in the bad.) :)

I don't really know where I'm going with this, but I have friends and family asking for photos of the new floors, so here they are...

Who's that cute guy bending over? :)

Luke was trying to get in the picture.  Notice his leg on the right?  I refused.  Why?  One guess (starts with an "N" and rhymes with rude).

Clearly no staging was going on here.

We still have a lot to do, but we're very happy with how they turned out.  We debated where to start and stop the wood and ended up doing just about the entire first floor, including the kitchen (gasp!) and powder room (double gasp!).  So if you're looking for me I'll be wiping up ice chips fallen from the freezer and every drop of drool out of Mabel's mouth, trying to protect my new loves.  Not to mention what the boys do in the bathroom -- ick!

If you live locally and are look for a flooring company at an affordable price, I highly recommend Mr. Flooring in Austin.

While the floors were being installed, the lovely Julie and Gary Boese (aka JuJu and Grandpa Boese) hosted the boys and me.  I was far from prepared for our trip, throwing our clothes in a bag at the last minute.  My legs were unshaven (the laser hair removal will take a year, FYI), my toe nails were chipped, and I showed up empty-handed, but they are family and accepted me just the same.  The boys (and Mabel) absolutely love visiting their house.  It reminds me of when I was a child visiting my grandparents.  I remember how magical it all felt (and still feels).  Something about the familiarity, though infrequently seen, is so comforting. 

The boys absolutely adore going to their house.  Between the handmade sandbox, tractor and wheel barrow rides, golf ball game, requests for pancakes with Lil' Smokies, and more, those poor grandparents get a workout.  I failed to bring my camera (it must have been with my razor and nail polish), but Julie was kind enough to share these pictures...

In other news -- and an attempt to catch up on our family's happenings -- the boys and I visited our beloved Sweet Berry Farms this year to pick strawberries. 

I say beloved because every visit I feel like it's the quintessential mother/child thing to do.  What could be better than visiting a sweet little farm full of strawberries, with high hopes of picking tons of berries?  With plans to fulfill my expectations of making our own fruit leather and other berry concoctions?  What could possibly go wrong with this, you ask?  How about two boys that suddenly decide picking things is no fun?  What?!  These kids try to pick all of my flowers at home and now they go on strike?!  Actually, Zach enjoyed the picking, but then proceeded to take one bite out of each berry before throwing them back at the farm.  Nice.  Needless to say I did not end up with enough to make fruit leather or any other concoction.  Boo!  In fact, this was the hit of the day...

Yes, I know.  They're wearing matching shirts.  I said I wouldn't be go there, but I did.  Let's just say the shirts were cheap and they're easier to find when they match.  Maybe not, but what are you gonna do about it? :) 

The boys LOVED the goats!  They were entertained for a good thirty minutes.  Longer than I've seen anything else hold their attention.  I'm trying to convince Steve that our backyard is big enough for a goat or two.  So far, it's not working, but I'll keep you posted.  Making chevre could be fun, too. :)  And our tax appraisal went way up this year, so maybe we could get an agriculture exemption?  Anyhoo, here are a few more pictures...

Is that not a guilty (dirty) face and arm pose?

I really do enjoy trips like these.  I'm desperately hoping that the memories of these events will dull the pain of the others.  Like the time when Luke (completely naked, of course) ran out the door with a handful of my bras and underwear (I was working on laundry).  I was running behind in all my attractive morning glory (you know what I'm talking about if you've seen me at 7am -- rough, really ROUGH), shouting threats that I could never follow through with.  All while the neighbors were starting their morning commute.  True story.

I'll just go ahead and leave you with that image.  Come on, tell me you don't feel a little bit sorry for me. :)

xo,

Jess