All Sorts of Excitement

We've had quite the excitement this week. Glenn made a boat with his daddy last weekend and had the Rain Gutter Regatta for Cub Scouts on Monday. 

Glenn's boat came in second for his den (all 2nd graders, and only three came). So, he got a ribbon for his uniform. It is the red, white and blue ribbon with a white sail boat attached to it. Doesn't he look so proud?

 

We have been walking to pick up Glenn at school this week. I found out from one of our neighbors that there is a narrow road that goes to the back of the school property. It is 1.1 miles one way. Alexander has to go both ways, of course, and has been a bit stubborn at times. He'd rather explore. But he's doing better. We took Cubby for a walk with us once, and Cubby actually pulls Alexander along. Glenn loves our walks home. He holds my hand and just talks to me the whole way. 

Alexander and Glenn tried riding their bikes without training wheels today. Glenn had done it when we were in Orange Park. But his bike was on the rental truck for so long that he forgot how. So, finally it was cooler today and we could try. Glenn lacks a bit of confidence, and never has been very athletic, but he made a little progress today. And Alexander wanted to try (he has been asking me all week since we read about Franklin the turtle learning to ride his bike). We tried once before supper and he was really getting the hang of it. We went again after supper and he's got it. I could barely keep up. He needs help getting started, but he's learned to stop on his own. He's just so athletic, while Glenn's my thinker. Alexander was kicking the soccer ball around at a year old, and you may remember that he climbed out of his crib shortly after he turned one. He's also had really good balance. So, I wasn't surprised that he could ride his bike at just 4 year old. But I was surprised that he learned in one day. He's very proud of himself. He laughs constantly while he's riding or says, "I'm doing it!" over and over. He's so adorable! He'll be getting a bigger bike for Christmas because his current bike has 12 inch tires. 

And lastly, I wanted to let you all know I am doing the Walk 4 Life the first Saturday in November. It will benefit the Women's Pregnancy Center of Ocala. They counsel pregnant women and show they all their options and try to persuade them away from abortion. They also have other programs including ultrasounds, parenting classes and adoption support groups and aide. I know a woman who has been counseling at the center for years. I also know a little boy who's mother went there for counseling and gave him up for adoption to my friend who could not have any children. She can still go back for counseling whenever she feels she needs it. They do wonderful things at the Women's Pregnancy Center, far beyond pregnancy. If you would like to sponsor me, you may do so at the following link or just let me know and I can put you on a pledge form, and you will receive a bill for the pledge amount. Thank you for your consideration:

My Walk 4 Life Sponsor Page

My Little Cub Scout and a Great Meal

Glenn wore his Cub Scout uniform for the first time last night. He was very serious with his salute.

I found how to make baked tortilla bowls in the Food Network Magazine. The boys loved eating their chicken Mexican salad out of their bowls. They also liked adding all the toppings and I've never seen them eat so much salad. I think we have a keeper!

To make the tortilla bowls, preheat the oven to 425. Cover a ceramic mug (or can with label removed or small oven safe bowl) with foil. Spray foil with vegetable oil spray. Mix one table spoon of olive oil with water in a shallow bowl or plate (I used one of my dinner plates). Soak a tortilla in the water/oil mixture for 5 seconds. Then drape the tortilla over the foil and shape a bit making pleats.  Bake for five minutes! So easy!!!

Alexander the Photographer

Alexander took some more pictures, so I thought I'd share. He has a unique perspective.

He asked to use my camera to take a picture of Glenn. What was Glenn doing? He was getting ready to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He loves to pose for pictures, so he put the bread over his shoulder. I think he may have already put the bread over his shoulder so that he could have a hand free to get the jelly.

Alexander and I went to the farmer's market at the town square. He took a picture of this horse that is on display. He loves to spot the horses all around town. I like his low to the ground perspective. :)

Boy Scouts

So, I'm not sure if I mentioned it in this blog, but Glenn started boy scouts this fall. Bob is his den leader (due to lack of interest from the rest of the parents). It is so cute to here him recite the cub scout's motto and cub scout promise. It took a few weeks' practice, but he can do it.

Last night, they got their popcorn sales information. Yay fundraising (she says weakly)! So, I am just going to put this out there for anyone that really wants what looks to be some tasty popcorn. Here is the link to his fundraising page: Glenn's Boy Scout Popcorn Page

As Bob said, we do not provide financing. :)

Next month, we are going camping as a family to the Cuboree. Should be interesting, but hopefully mostly fun. It tends to rain a lot in October, so hopefully that won't be the case for that weekend.

I ordered his cub scout uniform and patches over a week ago. Hopefully we'll get them soon and I'll take a picture of him in it. I'm assuming Bob will need a uniform, too. If so, I'll post a picture of him, too. :)

Resending this weekend's post

There was a problem with the pictures of the post I sent out this weekend. If you did not view it right away, then you were not able to see the pictures. So, I am trying again...

The boys are enjoying school. Alexander missed his second week because he was sick with a fever, but otherwise, they have been healthy. Alexander had a project to do, decorating a person to look like him. Then he put stickers of things he liked around it. It was fun to do together. Glenn just got a progess report and it said he is meeting grade level expectations in all his subjects. He is also getting E's in conduct, which is for excellent. His teachers said he's very cooperative and works hard.

I know you love the pictures, so here they are:

 

Bat Spider Man watching Daddy play Super Mario Brothers

Alexander is getting good at taking pictures. I decided to post this one because I just got new glasses. What do you think?

I planted my fall garden about two and a half weeks ago. I have never had a fall garden before, but I think it will be more productive than my spring garden.

In the square below, I have sage, parsley, speramint, and oregano growing (can't really see the oregano, yet). The celery I planted last spring is still trying to grow in the top right corner. The lower righ corner are golden beans (rather than green- gotta mix it up sometimes). And you might be able to make out the sweet pepper plants that have sprouted in the lower left corner. They are going to be different colors: purple, yellow, red, orange, and green. I have chives growing around the edge and also planted a few potatoes in the lower bottom. Any place I had a little room, I planted some garlic and ginger.

In the next square, running through the center are the banana pepper plants I planted in the spring. They have been producing like crazy this month. I just made some stuffed banana peppers at dinner last night- delicious! There is also some basil in with the banana pepper plant on the right. In the lower third are various lettuces, like you see the spring mix in the store. I should be able to start harvesting some of them in a couple more weeks. In the top right, you might see kind of a triangle of green; those plants are snow peas going around a trellis. I have green onion growing in the top left.

In the middle to the lower middle are eggplant plants that seemed to still be producing, but the one left on the plant hasn't grown much lately. I moved my strawberried to the lower left of this square because it gets a little shade from the crape merdle tree, which will mean they won't get quite so hot and hopefully produce more. The bottom right corner is spinach. The top right is kholrabi; I tried it in the spring, but it didn't grow well in the heat. Root vegetables like cooler weather, so I'm trying again. In the top middle I have rainbow colored Swiss chard. And in the top left are sweet onions.

Also, today is Bob and my 12th wedding anniversary. We went to a Brazilian Steakhouse on Saturday to celebrate. It was a very nice dinner. They had a great salad bar that was not your ordinary salad bar (shrimp, Brazilian salads, cheeses, meats). Then they brought different meats to the table. Delicious and too filling. We went home a bit bloated, but happy. :)