More Garden goodness (and gnome apron)

The tomatoes are going crazy (yay!) in this hot weather (boo.). Bennett helped me pick a second round while wearing his gnome apron.
For a little while. I tried getting a couple shots to show it off, but this is what you get with a three year old. I got the awesome pattern here, and let me tell you what a fun and quick project it was! The pattern is well drafted and came together easily. The best part: Bennett can put it on and take it off by himself, no fiddly strings. Genius!
He is great at sorting them after we picked them, keeping all the Yellow Boys in one basket, and all the red Campari, Roma, Better Boys and a couple Beefsteaks in another.
Guess what we did last weekend?

a Different kind of Habitat

Guess what is being built on an empty lot a few doors down?

It's a Habitat for Humanity home! Although the neighborhood kids are probably sad to see their space for touch football and impromptu soccer matches go, at least watching the progress offers some fun, right?


We have been taking lunch and snack breaks in our neighbor's yard and watching the progress. It's been really neat to watch it happen so close to home.

from the garden

The tomatoes are getting ripe, the eggplants are setting on, we have one pumpkin on the vine, the carrots are tender and sweet, and all is right with the world.

beginning at the end...

...with the massive July 4th Northside Parade! Fun and craziness had by all (bless Jake and his strong arms carrying two toddlers through the crowd).

Of course the parade started off with an awesome fire truck!
Followed by your expected and unexpected: old cars, kooky floats, and a bit of politics.
This one was a favorite of Finn and Bennett. I kept wondering how long it took to glue on all those toys, what a job in the broiling weather we were having!
This one was just great, and expressed the "Going Green" theme of this year's event.
We both attempted some family portraits and ate some delicious food.
This one was the best of the bunch, taken on the lovely front porch.
We went from an afternoon of fun up the hill for an evening of outdoor grilling and fun with more friends!

The gal actually woke up for a while before the fireworks started.
What holiday is complete without a cheesecake from Brian? Here's his take on a Red White and Blue theme... Red Raspberry, White Chocolate, and Blueberry, that is. You may commence drooling.

photos

Brian's well-defined bed... finished!
Lovely vibernum
Bennett's favorite "fire flowers"
Crook neck squash blooming like crazy
Lovely cucumbers just about ready
Squish!
A perfect shot on a perfect summer day.
Favorite Norah shot from Bennett's party

While we are waiting...

So here we are a week past my due date, and still no sign of the elusive new member of the family. We were so sure this kid was coming early! All those heavy duty contractions beginning at 36 weeks! Already dilating! Lost my plug!! Sigh.

Leave it to parenthood to remind you there is nothing you can count on, no guarantees. You know what they say about people who ASSUME. So much of the process is learning to release, let go of any expectations you have and just "go" with it. In that vein, and trying to stay positive, we have gotten a TON of stuff done in the meantime, in between flood warnings and the Rapture, that is.

Deep freezer purchased and stocked: check.
Major yard cleanup and mulching: check.
Cobwebs swept up: check.
Potty training complete: check.
Cars cleaned out: check.
Mount Washmore and Mount Foldmore in the laundry room defeated (thanks, Mom!): check.
A few closets and storage spaces cleaned out: check.
Baby clothes washed and ready: check.
Nice hair cut: check.
Pedicure: check.
Bennett in big kid bed: check.
Kitchen and bath floors scrubbed on hands and knees: check. Didn't do much, by the way.


Burke's Grief Quilt for this year complete: check. Now I need to figure out what to do with it: Sell it and donate the proceeds, give it away...


Baby Quilt for the new one completed: check. It's from Eric Carle's Brown Bear, Brown Bear book, a favorite of Bennett's when he was little. Choosing a unisex theme was kind of hard since we don't know yet if the babe is a boy or girl...


And the back. I used a simple purple batik and added a strip of stripes from the front and more of the kids.


Swing set assembled: check. Separate post coming on that insanity. Imagine Ikea. In hell.


New bed for squash, cukes and pumpkins: check.


Rest of the garden in: check. And planted by yours truly in efforts to bring on labor.


I even got pretty far in the quilting of Bennett's tool quilt! I'm trying to emulate wood grain with the quilting. The sun has not been cooperative, so these are the best photos of the quilts I have right now, but more when it's done.

Anyhow, we are still waiting. If there is not much happening by Monday we are going to begin the process to file formal eviction papers. As Bennett says: COME ON OUT, BABY!

Canfield Fair 2010