tee pee tips

I have completely enjoyed the look of our tee pee. But, besides this day, the kids don't play in it much. Only one of them can fit inside comfortably. So, here is are my thoughts for those of you who may be interested in trying this in your yard.

1. Use very large, sturdy poles. I used 8-9ft bamboo and it isn't big enough or strong enough. If one of the kids leans on it too hard something bad would happen. Hearing me say, "Don't hang on the poles!" doesn't exactly encourage lots of play time. :-)


2. Use some kind of plastic netting (I'm thinking like the stuff I use to cover the strawberries) to wrap around the whole thing, rather than running twine around it. The twine wasn't close enough together for the vines to reach even though I wrapped them about 5 inches apart.


3. Don't plant sugar snap peas around it even though they are delicious! I would like to plant these again next year because they were oh so good but they really only got about 4 feet tall. So, I'll just have to wait the extra few weeks.DO plant:
   Climbing Nasturtium- bear beautiful flowers from red to gold and even though I've never tried this, you can eat them. The kids say they're good. Hyacinth Bean Vine- forms a large and thick dark green foliage and pretty purple flowers. They should create purple ornamental pea pods but we haven't seen any yet. (They aren't eatable but the nursery owner assured me they won't poison anyone either.) Morning Glory- Considering you see this growing in ditches I would have thought it would have taken over but I just have a small amount. It's worth 88 cents for the seed packet though. Gorgeous!

You can't really tell from the picture but the leaves on these plants are very different colors and it makes for a really vibrant and lush looking tee pee. If you only choose one though, go for the Hyacinth Bean Vine!

Precious kitchen help. Okay, precious on the slow lazy days when we can start dinner whenever we want and have no dead lines. Picking basil from the sad dry plant.Current 5 year old project: tree house. It's a good thing we have VERY nice neighbors because these trees belong to them. He's been instructed not to break any branches or nail anything to the tree. Besides the sap that sticks to his skin for days, it's a great play area.

scattered prego thoughts

Precious picture of the kiddos at bed time.

John suggested we just remember the moment instead of taking a picture. (I know, craziness.) So, what is a pregnant woman at 9:00pm to do? I started crying. ugh. My head is overwhelmed by thoughts, "They're already growing up so fast and I don't remember enough of it!" "John Patrick is starting school and will be gone FOREVER!" "We're going to have four soon and things will never be the same!" Rational thoughts like that. Anyway, my precious husband quickly apologized and told me to take a picture while he read another book. Poor man. No one told either of us having children would make me such a basket case.

In other news...

• Have any of you moms ever heard a little clicking sound from your womb before? I know this sounds completely strange but when things are quiet and I'm sitting still (like at the computer) I hear a little clicking sound. Like if you snap one finger nail off the tip of another. I can't feel anything but it happens usually about 10 or 15 times before it stops. really weird.


• I taught the kids Onward Christian Soldier and it's John Patrick's new favorite. The whole idea of battling the Devil seems great to him. "If any of you has the faith of these little ones..." or something like that, right? He told me this morning, "I just love the word soldier, mom!" (He also told me the devil was an angle but he touched the ark and God sent him to Hell. haha!)


• John is off on John Patrick's first day of school which I'm THRILLED about. There is a little opening day assembly for family and I will probably cry the entire time. and day. I'm honestly going to try not to, but I cry if I think about it too long so.... moving on. (I feel like the longer I'm a mom the more I'm learning to persevere and work hard, but the more I cry too. How can this be?)


• Glenn family vacation extravaganza is coming up in two weeks. Poor John tried to bid off for a long weekend and was rewarded instead with 6 days on. awesome. He's trying to get rid of it. We'll see.


• I wish I had some great new recipe to share but I've mostly forced myself not to bake. I'm attempting to cut out some carbs too. It hasn't been horrible so far due to all the yummy produce that can be found right now.
• I want to post soon with pictures and suggestions on what to do with my tee pee next year. It's just beautiful right now but I can't wait until next year to improve it!


• I'll leave you with this thought from G.K. Chesterton regarding men and women being created differently. Our roles being as the man to lead and the woman to reflect God's glory by submitting to her husband. I thought it was simple and good.

"If I set the sun beside the moon, And if I set the land beside the sea, And if I set the town beside the country, And if I set the man beside the woman, I suppose some fool would talk about one being better."

Just a thought

We should get the pool and hose back out soon. This picure reminds me of good times.

FYI

McGlasson Farms on Rt 8 between the airport and the Hebron exit has peaches. I haven't been yet but I won't be able to think of anything else until I get there. :-)

Side note** I thought I had found my blog background for life. Until I got to my blog and it said my background would disappear on Friday. sad. I quite liked that weird little owl on the last one. Does anyone know why backgrounds are zoomed in when I put them on my blog?

You know you're getting old when...

... something like this happens to you and you're just not that embarrassed:

I was taking pictures for my friend's wedding last Saturday morning. They were married in a really neat (even though it's neatness came from the fact that it was falling apart) decommissioned Catholic church. (Only 500.00 for those of you who care)
Anyway, after the ceremony the alter was turned into the dance floor. So, for the couples first dance they are on stage I'm taking their picture. Trying to be discreet I take a few shots and then sit on the left side of a pew that was left on stage from the bridal party during the wedding. As I go to sit down I get a funny feeling that nothing is under me as the pew promptly breaks in half and all of my pregnant self goes crashing to the ground.
Here's the catch, after I regain composure from laughing so hard and telling everyone I'm fine (I told the bride my water probably broke but otherwise I was good) my little brother and best man to the groom says, "I guess you didn't get that memo. We knew it was busted that's why all the groomsmen were crammed onto the right side during the ceremony." Thanks Don. Nope, I missed that memo.
The funny thing about it was, I was honestly not that embarrassed. I don't know if walking around with breast milk on yourself because I forgot a nursing pad or being told by many a dad on the book field to get off his front porch or if it's just getting old and realizing I'm not as cool as I thought I was. But somewhere in the last 10 years I've apparently built up a little resistance to being absolutely mortified.
Now, if you were at the wedding and know something I don't know, like how I flashed the whole crowd, don't tell me. I don't want to know. I'm good.