Tommy and Annabel: Back Again

Well. Hello there blog. I've missed you. I got an iPhone awhile ago and have tried to figure out how to upload photos directly from there to here, but so far I haven't been able to do it. I'm sure there's a way. The thing does practically everything else for me except for brush my teeth. Anyway, maybe someday I'll figure it out. Tonight I finally got my cord out and downloaded my iPhone photos onto the laptop so I can put them on here. A step in the right direction.

So we've been busy the last month. Here's a little update...

Tommy's been having lots of fun at school - learning his address and phone number, practicing writing his last name (he's already pretty good with his first), reading some nursery rhymes, making new friends, and playing outside in the beautiful weather. When he's home, we spend lots of time outside playing basketball, riding bikes, doing yardwork (he's really handy with his shovel and tractor), and just sitting in the grass. He loved spending Easter weekend at the beach with Mimi, Pa, and GG. Two really big things are about to happen to him: kindergarten registration and his fifth birthday. Where does the time go?! He's pretty much the best boy in the whole world.

Annabel has learned so many new things since I wrote here last. She's waving, clapping, pulling herself up, and crawling. And she's about to get at least two teeth. Any day now...please, please, please. She is definitely the happiest baby I have ever seen. Even when she's super tired (which is almost every day at some point because she is a terrible napper, and I don't know what to do about that), she just smiles and smiles and smiles some more. She's pretty much the best girl in the whole world.

I've been busy working in my spring garden - potatoes, onions, radishes, and lettuce - and planting my summer garden - so far just tomatoes and peppers. In the next couple weeks I'm planning to add cucumbers, eggplant, and beans, and we're going to try some watermelon seeds this year and see what comes up. A friend just gave me six strawberry plants today so I'm thinking of adding a little 4x4 raised bed to plant those and see how they do. Also hoping for blueberry and raspberry bushes. I am growing cilantro, parsley, and basil from seed in my kitchen window and will transplant those into larger pots soon. Had to buy a rosemary plant since those seeds didn't come up, and have planted that out by the raised beds. Also bought a thyme plant that will get transplanted into a larger pot when I do the others. We've also dug up a large area in the back to plant a flower garden this year. Looking forward to having fresh flowers in the house all summer long!

Will is working hard at church and writing grants and still comes home with energy enough to spend time with us playing outside or working in the yard or going to the park for a long walk. He had a quiet week last week after Easter and was able to come home early almost every day. We loved spending the extra time with him, especially on Friday when we went out to play a little putt-putt. (Sadly, I ended my winning streak by taking a 5 on two holes while Will got a hole-in-one and two-putted most all the other holes. I always beat him so I guess it's ok that he got me this time. But I don't plan on letting it happen again.) He's also almost always willing to throw in a load of laundry or do the dishes and has even cooked a few meals recently. He's pretty much the best guy in the whole world.

So here are some long-overdue pictures. Hopefully I will figure out how to put them on right from my phone which will make posting a little faster. We'll see. Happy Monday!