The Culprit

I have always wanted to have a garden. For as long as I can remember. I've grown vegetables in the past in containers on our deck, but it just wasn't the same as a real garden. I finally got my garden this year. And I couldn't be happier! I don't know what it is, but I look forward to the one or two evenings or early mornings (it's beautiful at 5 am) that I can get out there and work in the garden... it's something calming for me.

.... but, I have an intruder. I have caught him many times visiting my petunias and my marigolds. For pete's sake... can't he just eat the lettuce like he's supposed to? He hasn't touched that... no, he wants to eat all the flower tops off! All I can say is thank god we'll hopefully get fences on both sides this summer.

Please excuse the messy blocks in this picture... that's this weekend's project :O)

Old MacDonald Had a Farm.....

We celebrated Canada Day by taking Matthew to Butterfield Acres. It's a cute little place. I'm not sure we'd make the 45 min drive across town and the $40 admission fee to get in more than once per year, but Matthew had a great time none the less.

Butterfield Acres is this little "farm" / petting zoo that has an assortment of barn animals that the kids can get in the pens with and run around with. It probably would have been better to come earlier in the year because there were already summer camps going on and lots of kids, but we had fun.

Our first encounter was with a lamb. It was so exciting to see Matthew's face as it seemed he was putting two and two together: Hey, these are the same animals we see in my books all the time!

"Excuse Me Sheep... what are you doing?"


"you feel just like the sheep in my book!"


Here is Matthew with his brand new "Walmart Special" Jacket. You see, Mommy remembered to bring diapers, wipes, water sippy cup, juice sippy cup, banana, cheese, yogurt, spoon for yogurt, cloth to clean up yogurt, extra shirt, shorts in case it's hot, sunscreen, bug spray, hat, etc. BUT I FORGOT A JACKET!!!!!! Bad Mommy, Bad Mommy... luckily there was a Walmart just down the street!


In the pen with the baby goats....





Learning about the baby chicks...





Being Goofy....


Baa, Baa, Black Sheep....


A snack at the end of the trip!


Mommy and Matthew



Oh yeah, and what got the biggest laugh out of Matthew the whole time you ask??.......seeing the chicken sitting on the fence just about poop on Mommy's shoe. Go figure. Raising a boy I am.

Uh Oh....

.... hmm, as a Mom, there are certain things in the "baby book" that kids should be able to do by a certain age.

Like clapping - should be able to do it by 10 months.... I know Matthew knows how to, but he refuses, I have yet to see him clap.

Or, "how big are you?" ... I've done it a zillion times, yet, he won't do it when asked.

Or, "Pat-a-cake"... no siree, doesn't want any part of it.

But, he did learn to crawl by 7 1/2 months. He did walk before his first birthday, and he can climb up and down the stairs with ease and onto our furniture. He knows how to pick the picture of the phone or the cat or dog out of all the flashcards, so I haven't done too bad.

....now here's something I never meant to teach him and he's caught on with ease. Go figure. The other day, Matthew said "uh oh".... I did a double take wondering if he just made some noises that came out sounding like that.... A little later on he made the same sounds as "uh oh", but as "mmm mmmm".... Darren and I looked at each other and laughed. Now whenever he hears us say "uh oh" when something falls, or he drops something... it's followed by Matthew's "uh oh" as well!