Summer Bounty

 When the hail storm last year put holes in my deck and furniture, the insurance company was nice enough to pay to replace them.  I was feeling very festive when I bought these. I already had the light blue pillows and they match.  Sort of.

 I experimented with Sunflowers this year.  They are so cheery and did you know they grow in pots quite well?

 My Aunt bought me this beautiful Impatients plant when she was visiting for Miss Boo's baptism.  This plant looks this way every morning.  Every night I dead head it and Voila!  The gift that keeps on giving.  Thanks Aunt Lois.

 I am doing Cilantro again this year.  Learned a few things last year that definitely helped.  The 110 degree weather isn't helping much.  Did you know it goes to seed at 78 degrees?  Means... pinch off the flowers or it will seed and get lanky.  I ate a lot of it and then let it go to seed.  Just pull off the seeds and throw them in the soil and in a couple of weeks you will have a fresh crop.  Love it!

 I was afraid my basil wouldn't make it.  Some bug had eaten it to the ground, but it came back while I was on vacation in Canada.  You should see it now.  This was a month ago.  It is 5 times as big and tall.  The leaves are amazing.  Learned a lot about Basil as well last year.  You have to keep pulling out the new growth when it gets to the height you want as it will flower and the leaves will be puny.  Pinch it off nightly and the leaves will be huge.  Yumm!

This jelly bean tomato plant is a dream.  Neverending tomatoes and it loves the pot.

I told a friend the other day that I was a pot grower and she started to laugh.

I GET IT!  Funny, really.

Vetch!

See Mommy.  Look at that kitty "vetch" the ball.

I love that boy!  It seems almost impossible to me that I could love him so much. But from the things he says to the things he does, I am in love.

Little boy in love with a vintage car

He says things with such certainty.  And never even notices when you correct him.  The babysitter last week tried to get him to say something correctly.  I shot her a pretty dirty look.

Don't touch that!

I like that he mispronounces things.  He will figure it out in due time.

My Boo did.  I was sad when she quite saying we needed to stay out of the "minnow" of the road.  And she wanted a drink of "waqui".

I miss those things.

How many times in your life can you have a conversation that goes like this.

Mommy, come look at my wizard.

You have a wizard?  He then shows me a lizard.

Buddy, that is a lizard.

I know... Wizard.

Cute wittle wizard, Bud.

I said "wizard" Mommy, not "wizard".

Oh... Wizard.   I get you.

No!  Mommy, I said wizard, not Wizard.

I have tears in my eyes I am laughing so hard and trying not to do it loudly.

I love my kids.

This is the mode my kids are in right now.  Always fighting.  How long does this go on? Do they ever stop?

It's obvious

 These kids love their Dad!

Easy to see why.  Mr. Finn does do an exceptional job at fathering these two.  They love him although the Dude has emphatically reiterated that "Daddy is not funny".

I concur!

Happy Fathers Nader!  Thank you for being a good Daddy.

Think happy...

Today is one of those days when it is really hard to think positively.

The children are driving me insane!  I want to reach through a phone and choke the insurance company.

Frustrated I didn't have the correct adapter to run the paint sprayer I bought for furniture and then when Mr. Finn went and got it, I couldn't get the sprayer to work correctly.  So, hours and hours after beginning the paint project, I am finally done with two coats and it is 7 p.m.  Sad that I started at 10 a.m.

The sad part is that I love painting and it relaxes me, but I had to do a lot of prep work so I could spray, that it took a long time to get to the painting.  Had I known the sprayer wouldn't work, I could have skipped all the masking.

Did I mention the kids are driving me crazy!!!!!!!

Why will they never do as they are told or go to bed at a decent hour without yelling and fighting with each other?  And to think that I acquiesced and let them go to bed in our bed, with the caveat that they wake up in their own beds.

That's a recipe for disaster!

Big one!

So, after yelling at them, lots of yelling.  One really sad little boy face.  One defiant girl face.  Two scared kids because their furniture was mysteriously moved.  I vacuumed today.  Maybe I need to vacuum more so it's not such a big shock.  When was the last time I vacuumed?  Hmmmmmm... I am thinking April, the end of April.  Really! It was before my Aunt Lois came to visit.  That is really sad.  Really, really pathetic.

They are now in their own beds.  I apologized to said children for yelling.  Blew some raspberries on their bellies and feel a bit better.

Mr. Finn is at the fishing hole.  Just called me to tell me it is "Fish-ageddon", that he is having the time of his life and will be late getting home.

I think I need to go to bed and call it a day while my children are semi happy with their semi psychotic mom.

Toot Toot

 I love trains.  There is something about being transported along the tracks and being able to visit with everyone you are traveling with.  It is quiet and peaceful.

And with these two women it is full of laughter and fun.

 I got to spend a day riding the train to a little town not far from here to go to a Tea room.  I am not a tea drinker, but as I mentioned, the company was great.  Sometimes you find that being around other women can be so much fun that it lifts you up for the whole day.  Thanks ladies!

When we arrived back at the train station, the reflection in this building was so amazing to me.  I love the old in the new.  Wow!  I wish I had my Canon, but the iPhone had to do.

 I didn't get a chance to post a picture of my friends updated kitchen.  She completely remodeled it and it is beautiful.  The stove used to be in that island and the island was smaller.  The kitchen had always felt so small and cramped, but now it feels so open and airy.  Love... love her choices.  I couldn't get a good picture with the whole kitchen, but you can get a feel for it.

Once again another time I spent with a great lady and had a wonderful time.

Feel so blessed with all the friends I have been given in my life.

The finale of a great week.

I know I have been home for over a week, but it has to be written that the last of my trip was wonderful and my homecoming was pretty fabulous.

The kids and I have been watching the Canadian show "Cupcakes" for quite some time.  I remember when they were talking about finding a location in the new Uptown Mall.  Who knew it was going to be across the street from my Aunt's condo.  I was pretty excited so I took a picture and had Mr. Finn show it to the kids.  The Dude's response was "NO FAIR!".  Pretty bummed that I got to eat a cupcake from there.  He has become quite the cupcake expert from all his "cupcake" shows.  He can even tell you the correct technique for frosting one.  Love that boy!

Only in Victoria will you see men walking on the sidewalk in kilts!  Helps that the Highland Games were in town, but seriously...

This guy couldn't understand why I was taking a picture of them.  Are you kidding me?  Nobody was going to believe me when I told them what I saw while driving past the mall.

 The Parliament Building has always been one of my favorite things.

I love the homes and flowers.  It is so incredibly beautiful there.

This is the home I knew as a child.  My grandparents home that my Uncle and Aunt now live in.  Holds so many memories for me.

 I have never been inside this building, but it is on my bucket list.  It is a restaurant.

 I arrived at the ferry in time to wait inside after going through customs, but was very hungry.  Thank heavens for snacks.  I would like to point out that this was the healthiest I ate the entire time.  You can verify that with my waistline.

While in the Everett, WA area, I made sure to take a picture of where my first born came into the world.

And for the first time since I can remember I fell in love with a dog.

Mack

SHHHHH!
Don't let that get out.  I don't like dogs.

Really... I don't.
Except Mack.  He found a way to my heart.  He didn't lick me constantly and make me want to hurl.  Pretty sweet guy.

Have you ever flown Southwest?  I haven't for over ten years, but was pleasantly surprised to having everyone cheering me on as I was boarding.  Ha!  Loved the hallways with all the happy people.

 The best thing I saw was these two faces waiting for me when I got off the plane.

 It got crazy really fast.

 Welcome home!

 I brought them light up jelly rings.  Go Mom!

 It was a blessing to have a husband that can and will take care of the children so I can go and revamp myself.  It was a needed trip for many reasons.

Thank you Nader!