little garden harvests

We've been enjoying little garden harvests like this once or twice a week. There's been something to pick nearly every day. There would have been a LOT more to pick had 2 animals not been ravaging my gorgeous, prolific heirloom tomato plants! I've seriously lost about 50 tomatoes. It took me a while to figure it out, but I think it's deer eating top down and squirrels or raccoons swiping off the green romas on the ground level. Next year I'll be prepared--deer and critters, beware!

maddie musical follow-up

During the final song of the musical, as Madeleine bounced and sang away, Cathy (the very talented overseer of all our high school's drama productions) turned to her husband Dave and said...she knew she had always said she'd oversee the drama productions until all her children went through highschool, but that little blond girl in the red shirt was making her reconsider. Maybe she should continue to oversee drama until THAT little girl goes through high school.

Maddie sure made an impression.

a boy and a girl

So I have a girl and a boy, and sometimes I'm not thinking so much about it. But other times I'm really reminded that yes, I do indeed have a girl and a boy...like this morning's conversation as we were leaving our house:
"Mommy, I LOVE Mary's car. It's, it's just so RED and shiny." "Mawy aways pawks bad."

more rainbows

It's been a summer of rainbows. Before vacation we had one, this double rainbow appeared one evening a couple weeks ago......and then a few days later Braden and I were at a wedding reception and there was another rainbow there. How fun!

summer smiles

summer chicken

I have just fallen in love with roasting chickens this way, especially in the summer when I have my pots of fresh herbs. It's so easy...rub a bit of butter and a few herbs up under the skin. Stuff a wad of herbs inside the cavity. Throw a little on top of the chicken, salt and pepper it. Cover with foil and roast at 350 for 2.5-3 hours; uncover and roast until the skin is golden. Delicious! This chicken is dressed with sage and lavender, a winning combination.

maddie's first musical

So, Madeleine participated in her first musical.I think we found something right up her alley.

She attended music camp for the past 2 weeks. The music camp culminated in an hour-ish long musical production of Noah and the Flood. Maddie was in the 'little kids' class (k-2), and they participated by being animals. Maddie kept telling everyone: "Look for an elephant with yellow ears, that's me! I colored them yellow!" Sadly at some point during the musical, her mask tore and she became a one-eared elephant. And here are the now mask-less animals coming off the ark.

Maddie's class also participated by singing the final song.And boy, did Maddie ever sing.Maddie had our family laughing so hard.

Maddie had every row behind us laughing so hard.

Maddie made me famous.Afterward, people I don't even know stopped us repeatedly:
"She had us laughing so hard!"

"You just sang your little heart out, didn't you? You were wonderful, sweetie!"

And friends too:
"Okay, so she was like my FAVORITE part of the entire show! Seriously, my favorite part."And quite a few of the parents of former students of mine who don't know my kids spotted us:
"OH! She's YOURS?! She was hilarious!"

"Nooo. SHE isn't yours, is she?!"
"That's YOUR girl! Oh, I didn't know that! Boy was she fun to watch!"
Obviously, they know me. Who'd ever guess she's mine?We're trying to get our hands on some video, and if we get it, I'll post it. As I told all the family...at least it was worth their effort to come! You never know with kiddie events, but Maddie certainly did not disappoint.