My Mid-May Garden, Part One

Goodness, am I that far behind in posting??

Not only am I behind in posting, I was behind in preparing my raised beds this past spring.  And not just preparing--actually planting things!  It seems the busy-ness of life got in the way of literally everything else, and I ended up in "survival mode" for the month of May.

The garden sure looks weedy, huh?  I weeded the actual beds, and pulled some weeds out along the walkways, some of which had been covered with newspaper then grass clippings last year.  Those were easy to weed, but bare to the ground, which meant they'd be muddy on rainy days.  I wasn't looking forward to that, but at least there weren't any prickle plants to deal with.

Below, I caught some stray garlic from the previous year.  Those were dug up and transplanted into this year's garlic bed.

And, below is this year's garlic bed.  Since my garlic seems to like wherever I plant it, it's in the "sun and shade" bed.  The shady part gets some good sun, but gets shaded pretty quickly in the afternoons.  The garlic doesn't seem to mind that so far.

A quick check of my rhubarb plants; maybe I'll be able to harvest a bit this year!

I decided that the easiest way to weed would be to have one of the guys weed-whack the pathways.  So out came our trusty weed-whacker.

Jacob, home for the summer, was happy to oblige, and got to work.

He did a great job, and I was thankful not to have to walk through knee-high grass as I worked my way around the beds.  This was all the work we could handle, but there'd be more in a few days...  (Click here for Part Two.)


Back to life,
Christine

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The New Look

May 11.  After attending Jacob's friend Josh's honors convocation yesterday, I got Fernando to take a few pictures of me by the blossoming trees.

Then, the next day, everyone got hair cuts.  Including me.  It started as a simple thing, with me cutting off a hunk of hair on one side and asking Danny to cut it straight all the way around.  Then it got complicated.  He cut some, I cut some, we traded again, and then it got desperate.  I ended up at the hair salon and asked the stylist to just even it out.  Fernando was not happy (at first), but once I showered and styled my hair, it was okay, if not a bit short.

Danny took the picture for me.  I quickly got used to it, and so did Fernando.  Welcome to the new me!  :)


Back to life,
Christine

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Dear Fernando

Dear Fernando,

Yep, it's your birthday today.  Not quite the big 5-0, and you're still looking young.  Well, except for the goatee, haha.  But I think it looks distinguished.   (You're welcome.)

I love you.  You know that, of course, but I'll keep on saying it anyway.  You are an amazing human being, and God did an incredible and unsearchable thing when He created you, unique among all His creation.  You are so special, to me and to our boys.  You are my treasure, and I continually thank the Lord for you.

Here are some things I love about you.

• You make me feel safe.
• You love me well.  I have never doubted your love for me.
• You are my rock--immovable once you've decided something.  (Okay, this sometimes causes me consternation, but I still love it about you.)
• You have your children's hearts.  They love you unconditionally.

I could go on, but those are the biggies.  I'm so glad you're the man of God you are.  Fernando--strong and courageous.  Happy birthday, sweetie!


Back to life,
Christine

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Home for the Summer

May 10.  Jacob came home for the summer!  Or, rather, we drove to WIU to bring Jacob home for the summer.  And, either way, we are a happy family.

So exciting to see Jacob's dorm in the distance!

That dorm building (above), Higgins Hall, will be imploded this summer.  It is leaning ever-so-slightly, and would be too costly for the school to shore up the foundation.  So, down it will come.

All packed up and ready to load the car.

After we loaded everything up, we stayed for the WIU Honors Convocation, since Jacob's friend Josh was being honored.

 Josh, with three out of the four honors he would receive.

Josh was specially honored for being the only student with four awards.

Jacob and Josh.

Then, it was time to go home.  We are so very happy to have our Jacob with us--I'm sure the summer will fly by!


Back to life,
Christine

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The Ducks Came Back

May 9.

Without fail, Mama and Papa Duck came back to their "pond" this year.  We never did find their nest, and apparently, there is another man involved.  Either Mama is cavorting with two men, or one is their teenage son from last year.  ;)

Either way, they were back for the spring.

Back to life,
Christine

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There's Something About...

There's just something about my bewhiskered baby making blueberry pancakes one morning in May.  :)

Back to life,
Christine

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Alpha Omega Goes to State!

Hey, there!  I've been absent from blogging, but busy (flooded, really) with life.  So I let life happen, swirl around me, and toss me about for just a bit.  Now it's officially summer, the days are longer, and it's starting to get HHH (that's hazy, hot, and humid for you non-Midwest folks).  That means the air goes on and I get some lazy down-time at my photography computer in our deliciously cool basement.  :)

And, therefore, it means I play "catch-up" with blogging.   Here goes...

May 4.

I never did blog about the regional ICTM math tournament a few months back.  Never mind, though, because the team did well and got to go to the University of Illinois for the ICTM state tournament!  This year, Thomas was on the calculator team, which made it to state.  So, for the first time, we got to go to state with the team.  It was pretty exciting--and I have the photos to prove it.  :)

Thomas, ready for the day.

There were a lot of people there--both students and parents.

Thomas goes over the schedule.

(Most of) the team!

Waiting was really hard!

Award time!

I don't think the following images get boring:  they're of all the Alpha Omega students receiving their awards!  Such a little team, and they did so well!

Now, here's a BIG DEAL photo.  The calculator team made some mistakes, and didn't think they'd placed.  At all.  So when they were called for the Fifth Place award, they were shocked!  Joel and Thomas went up together; Thomas just followed Joel right up on stage, then right down.  I think he was thrilled to walk across that stage.

Yep--he was pretty excited.

Way to go, Thomas, and way to go, Alpha Omega!


Back to life,
Christine

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