How Does Your Garden Grow?

We're seeing a bit more green around here...

and its definitely not the grass!

The lonely corner of the yard that we were originally going to put a shed in...

has been turned in to a garden!

Back in the spring, Christopher was bitten by a bug...

no, not that one...the gardening bug!

And he spent (with a little help) hours and hours removing the crusher fine rock we had put there, breaking up the cement-like dirt that was underneath, and turning in two truckloads of compost and peat moss to add nutrients and drainage. After adding some seeds and a few small plants, then waiting a couple of weeks while watering and fretting checking in daily...voila!

We had a garden!

You can see the zuchinni and yellow squash plants popping up here...

and here is the corn...see? Look real close!

And just today, I remembered to take the camera out to record how the garden is doing now...

What a difference a month makes!

So much more is up and producing...

have you ever seen such a cute, tiny watermelon?

and just look at the corn now!

we're definitely planting the tomatoes further apart next year...

and the zucchini and yellow squash have already produced several!

the beans are taking off...

because of a watering snafu in the beginning, we ended up with two carrots...

they sure look healthy though!

All in all, a great garden this year!

And look what we have discovered wandering around the yard...

isn't it cute? I hope he/she is feasting on all the snails!

Spell it Out...

...With Sparklers!!!

As a family we're not big into the 4th of July fireworks thing...

some years we go see a big production put on by someone else, 

some years we go to a friend's who is more into it than we are...

most years we just purchase a few little ones and have fun 

in front of the house...no big deal.

Last year, I was more interested in playing with my camera settings than with the fireworks, so my children helped me out by lighting and waving far too many sparklers while I tried different settings out...they were so patient!

By putting the camera on the tripod (for stability) and using just the program~fireworks setting (most point and shoot cameras should have this setting) I caught some fun images.

Then I decided to try something even more fun...spelling letters!

Notice something backwards?

After a bit of flipping and cropping...

then using another shot I took a few years ago as a background...

Voila!

An awesome personalized greeting to send to a friend!

You can do all sorts of drawing with sparklers...

this website had some fun ideas, here...

Would you like to try it?

• Grab a tripod (or something to steady your camera on),

• Make sure its dark out,

• Set your camera for the longest exposure you have...on most simple cameras that will be the fireworks program setting,

• Light those sparklers and have some fun clicking away!

Creativity is encouraged!

For those of you with more advanced cameras, there is a website with some more detailed information...here

As always, exercise good judgment when using fireworks...be safe!

I'm linking this post over at the House of Hepworth's Party

Summer Is for Growing...

...Including your mind.

I've just learned more about how to use my camera in the past two weeks 

than I have learned in the past three years of owning it.

I've learned to use my camera to take photographs instead of snapshots...

I learned about using light in different ways...

I learned to focus on my subjects eyes...

I learned to fill the frame with my subject...

I learned to use my camera to blur backgrounds...

I learned to find a different perspective...

And I learned how to fill the background with unexpected color...

It was a great class, and I look forward to learning more.

What are you learning this summer?

The more things change...

...the more things stay the same.

Brandon and Christopher just went on a mountain biking adventure
to Moab, Utah

ready to ride!

They had a blast going up, down and around...

taking the hill!

trick riding...

outta here!

leap-frogging the bike and sliding down slick trails...

cheesy grins! that was fun!

And in my quest to conquer the ever expanding photo files on our computer I found these gems from 2005...

ready to ride!

take the hill!

trick riding...

outta here!

And check out this grin...

See...the same daredevil smile!

I'm so glad that some things never change!

Nathan turned 12!

Wow, its official...the youngest is no longer a little boy!

It is hard to believe that Nathan has turned 12!

Luckily for me, he still has a great sense of fun!

I tried something new with the cake...since none of us really love cake anyway...for most of the family, cake is a method to get the frosting to our mouths.

I saw this great idea on another blog here (she is so talented and funny!), and tried it out for the birthday cake...yum!

And so cute! (I'd better get these cute things in while he still thinks that they are fun!)

Here's a closer look...and they were so easy! I didn't make the cutout holder, and the high altitude here had the cupcakes not rising quite as high as I would like...but all in all...fun!

We had to make a last minute run to the store to have enough candles...I remember when one box would last me more than one year!!! Sniff, sniff!

But once we dug in...it was great!!!

I'd say that these were a hit!

Or that Nathan is a ham...

One of those...

And, horror of horrors...I have broken down and allowed a game system in the house...

To which my children and husband say, "Thank you for joining the modern world, Mom!"

It's Birthday Time!

You know, after 15 years, it is nice to finally get it right!

We celebrated Brandon's birthday on a Saturday...

Happy Birthday, B!!!

Just a family party...with some presents coming through the mail as well.

We did the cake and candles thing...

And we did the presents thing...

Brandon always loves a new book!

Sweatshirt that he wore every day as long as it was even remotely chilly.

And then, here is the part that we finally got right as parents...

Finally, we got our son a gift that was both a surprise and exciting to receive!

Wait for it...

Really???

Its a Kindle!!!

Now, when we pack for our next car trip...we won't be packing 14 + books that are read in the first three days...and then have to be shoved into every available corner to get them out of the way for the rest of the two week trip!!! No really, we really did!

I'm just saying...not that that experience had anything to do with our decision....maybe...

And for real, Brandon thinks that this Kindle is the greatest! So now that we've finally chosen the best gift...what do we do next?
Amazon gift cards, of course!