Busy in June

We've been busy this summer!.  It's too hot to do ANYTHING outside except swimming, which we have done a couple of times.  First we went swimming with Lydia's cousins ...

Lydia's cousin telling her stories on the way to the pool

At the pool

Then we went "redneck" swimming at playgroup.

We also celebrated Father's Day last week with a breakfast of Belgian waffles, and Ben's birthday (a few days later) with dinner at Ted's Montana Grill.

Ben got a smoker for his birthday/Father's Day, and he smoked a pork shoulder for us.  It was his first attempt and it was absolutely delicious!!!  I could get used to not having to cook every day!

Ben and I have continued on Weight Watchers.  To date, he has lost 13.6 pounds, and I have lost 26 pounds.  I LOVE being able to fit into clothes I wasn't sure I would EVER wear again, and I love the feeling of being in control of what I eat.  I know how much to eat, and I can still treat myself.  Weight Watchers has been the perfect program for me.

Little Miss Lydia continues to grow both physically and intellectually.  It's amazing to me how smart such a little person can be, especially one who can't talk in complete sentences yet.  But her understanding and grasp of different concepts continue to blow me away.  She loves to talk (although she doesn't chatter much around strangers), she is a complete bookworm, and she loves music and tries to copy songs and nursery rhymes when I sing them to her.  She understands nearly everything we say, and will point out different things if you ask her where they are.  But she is definitely independent and does NOT like to be forced to do anything.  I wonder where she gets that from?  She knows how to go up and down the stairs, although I have to really watch her because she has NO fear, and will occasionally experiment with different methods of going DOWN the stairs.  She has fallen twice, and been caught while falling several other times.  I'm so grateful we only have a half flight and it's carpeted.  Here are a few more pictures of Lydia, including a couple especially for Grandma showing Lydia with the purse that Grandma sent her.  Lydia loves that purse, and will sling it over her shoulder, carry it around the house, and also put random things inside of it :)

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Does Your Garden Grow?

I had BIIIIG plans for my garden this year, which fizzled out quickly when I couldn't decide whether to build raised beds, or just till up a section of my backyard.  And then there was the question of where to put the garden?  My backyard=lots of rotating shade.  While I was figuring out what to do, I did manage to achieve a few of my other gardening goals.  For example, in April, I planted annuals in my front yard, and next to my mailbox.  I also managed to get a couple of hanging planters for the front porch and with the leftover flowers, I did a few scattered planters around my front porch/deck.  I would love to show it off, but I'm just not comfortable posting a picture of the front of my house online.  I can't think of a reason someone would want to stalk me, but, I'm not even going to give them the option.  I will, however, show you what I did in my back yard.  I planted some herbs which I put in containers on the back deck, and I did a home-made upside down tomato planter which hangs on a shepherd hook.  I also have a dead strawberry plant.  Apparently my green thumb-tip does not extend to growing strawberries ... pity.  Or maybe it's just that hanging a strawberry plant will for sure kill it ... hmmmm ...

 My herb garden.  The basil is going absolutely crazy! I wish the cilantro would ... I use that more than anything.  I also have parsley, sage, dill, tarragon, chives, rosemary and green onions.  I think my thyme died. Did you know that if you plant the bulbs of your green onions that they will continue to grow green tops?  I don't know how long they will keep generating the green; maybe they give out eventually.  I guess I will find out soon enough.

My upside-down tomato, and my dead strawberry plant.  I say it's dead, but there are actually live green shoots underneath the dead, brown leaves.  Maybe it will resurrect ...