Summer!

Yeah, summer is here! I have no complaints about our chilly nights! I love them!! No need for the air conditioner--or heat. This is my heaven for sure! All of our construction is finally done--new driveway, sidewalk and windows. I think we are done for awhile. We've been waiting for all of our lilies to bloom and hoping our garden takes off. These chilly nights are not exactly the perfect growing weather--but, at least we are not in a frost advisory zone. We have finally made a strawberry patch. I've wanted one forever! However, some kind of varmint has been digging up our plants so we just fenced it in tonight. We may not get a crop this year--but I'm hoping they will take off for next year!

Jada has turned 10 months already. I cannot believe it! My parents will be coming up to celebrate her 1st birthday--probably in June--but that's okay. We are going home in August for a visit so we are trying to spread the visits out. I already know what I am getting her. We really don't need anything--really. . . so I have decided to get her an itty bitty twin set from American Girl. I asked if I could get a black girl and white boy (to represent Jada and Jakob) and they were all over that at the store. They thought it was super cool and know that people come in there to get dolls that look like their kids. It will be more for when she gets older, but it will add to our multicultural toys in the house!

Jada is unbelievable! She climbs, crawls, opens cupboards, gets her own snacks, cruises, and is almost walking. . . she takes a few steps here and there. She says Hi, Dada, Mama, waves goodbye, and she says baba--which we are not sure if it is for her bottle or Jakob (we call Jakob Baba or Bubba sometimes). She is non-stop and has been keeping us on our toes! Jakob is being the perfect big brother and is teaching her words, sings to her, feeds her (usually things he doesn't want to eat), and loves to tell her what is his and what is hers. The fights are fewer and he is getting better about being nice to her on a consistent basis so I can leave the room for more than 10 seconds to use the bathroom, get laundry, answer the phone--all the usual stuff. She loves to eat dirt. . . . and they both love to be outside! My own little heaven on Earth--interrupted here and there with some major temper tantrums! Did you know that my kisses have magical powers and can heal skinned knees? Well almost. . . Jakob is still limping around and seems to have a lot of pain when he is being put on a time out. haha! Sneaky bugger!

We had a scare with our cat Squeakers. . . he escaped and was gone for 36 hours. We thought he was gone forever and then he showed back up on our deck this morning. I wish we had a helmet cam on him to see just exactly what he did that whole time. When he came in, he ate, then went right to sleep in the sun, and slept all day, and ate some more and then tried to escape again this evening. He is truly a naughty kitty!

Well, I hope everyone else is experiencing their own slice of heaven! May God's blessings be all around us!

Playing outside! I love her smile and her scrunchy nose! :0)

Two peas in a pod!

He is so darn cute! :0)

Jakob loves to water the plants--and he loves to pick the flowers too! haha!

Jada is eating Teddy Grahams!

Girlie girl!

Eating dirt and playing with sticks! That's my baby! :0)