May Family Gathering

We gathered today to celebrate Izaak, Arielle, Gideon and Krista's birthday and Krista's farewell. Krista's birthday is in June, but this will be her last family gathering with us.  Izaak is in OR, this isn't Kruke's weekend with the kids, so they weren't here, and Jared was unable to make it. Luke was gone most the day tending to last minute items on the trailer and moving it to the "lemon lot." I think everyone else made it. 

A sidenote to explain a bit of backstory. Yes, Krista's orders cleared up and she and Luke are moving to OKINAWA, JAPAN.  Krista reports in June. She has SOS starting in July back in Alabama. She will go ahead to Japan, secure quarters, receive their household goods and fly to Alabama. Luke is staying local this summer to spend the time with the kids. This allows for a calmer summer for the kids amidst moving chaos and another few months for the kids to spend with their friends. The greenlight for the overseas move put plans into hyper-speed. Today, Krista and Luke are moving out of their trailer, and it is on the market.  In the upcoming week they will be traveling to GA to take Reno (English Mastiff) to his new home with an airman who LOVES him. His breed is one the airlines won't fly.  Back to May's gathering.  Izaak is in Oregon on this day having adventures of his own and receiving his second master's degree this one in foundations of leadership. We celebrated him though he wasn't here and hope to catch up with him in person next month. 

Here is a shot of our birthday celebrants along with a couple of extras. Arielle is turning 28, Gideon is turning 8, Krista is turning 38. Gideon is the honored recipient of the pig hat today. 

I am once again back blogging and so here are photos from the day in no order whatsoever. LOL Thanks to the kids who sent extra shots of the day.  Things are greening up outside. It is fun to be able to enjoy the yard again. The moves moved the tables close together. 

Cory and Jamin moving tables

CoRielle's 4 yos - Danny & Charles

Uncle Jamin is pressed into service!

Jamin & Noah

Cory & GG 

Larissa, Arielle, Carrie and Josi on the ground

This is a uniquely Gherkin game, created and played for over a decade now...teaching the moves to a new generation. 

Nolan, Stacia, Benny, Jamin 

Gideon accepts the unwrapping challenge

Papa helps unwrap Arielle's packing tape extravaganza under the watchful eyes of several grands. 

Arielle & Ellie

 

My how the tables have changed! 

Noah pulls Jamin 

Josi and Carrie

Cousins! Bella & Josi

Milling

Carrie, Josi & Jamin

The toy horse is pressed into service. 

Cory & Lyra

Cousins! Trudy and Noah

LOL

Trudy, Bre and Bella

Noah

Allie, Jamin, Liv, Stacia and me

GG and Noah

Carrie & Josi

Arielle & Ellie

At the end of the day, when activity had calmed and the night was quiet, Krista and I soaked in the hot tub and caught up with the status of plans etc. She has been traveling the past two weeks visiting her groups in Hawaii and Guam. She has had to tackle the moving list hard the last few days.  She and Michael leave in the morning to drive Reno down the Alcan. 

The Tea Party That Wasn't

I planned to wait until this had all resolved before writing but time is slipping away....and I want to capture it before gardening becomes my task master. 

An enterprising family turned their greenhouse into a tea venue. We like tea. We planned to visit. We signed up for a Mother's Day tea. It was to be 11 of us gals and Krista's mother-in-law. They called and asked if we would mind having a private party on another day, this would allow them to work more people from their waiting list into the Mother's Day Teas. We didn't care as long as we could be together, and we wanted Krista to be able to attend. Kaelyn opted not to attend. 

Carre, Allie (back), Arielle, Me, Stacia (back) Liv and Larissa

The day arrived. We received a confirmation email with some instructions and details about finding the right backyard. Our day was busy, and we looked forward to congregating for fun, pampering and connecting in the evening. We arrived at the address, but with no signage, nor the ballons we expected to lead the way, we were a bit unnerved.  Krista and Bre and girls were running late. The rest of us entered and waited. Things weren't set up, no one was there to greet us - we agreed something wasn't right.  I went to the back door and roused the owner's husband, who was attempting to sleep before a trip.  A second email canceling our tea was sent 1 1/2 hours after the confirmation email this morning, but I hadn't been back to email. She didn't have my phone number as it wasn't requested when we paid.  About this time Bre pulled onto the street. 

We were dressed for tea with no place to go and determined to celebrate Mother's Day. This was my treat for the girls. The girls had arranged sitters for babies and boys. Everyone had dressed up.  We called ahead and diverted to Sweet Gypsy, where they have several large tables in their expanded dining room. Several of the girls hadn't been to Sweet Gypsy before.  This was our opportunity. The desserts are amazing here, but we've loved everything we've tried.  I picked up the tab for all of us and it was half the price of the anticipated tea. 😉 These little girls were all dressed for a fancy tea. I suspect I should host a fancy tea for them soon. 

Bella & Annie

Liv scored with the waffle plate! 

The paninis, soups and calzones are all super yummy. Be sure to save some room to at least SHARE a dessert or two. We sampled the Chocolate Crack and Blueberry Crack cakes. Both were fantastic. 

The table

Larissa, Arielle, Stacia

Olivia, Allie, Bella & Annie

Carrie & Larissa

Krista, Bre and Me

Cory is a champ! He had his four kids and Noah and Josi, too! 

It was not the Mother's Day treat we envisioned but it was a fun night. I am so glad we were able to fit one more girl's night in before Krista moves. 

Thanks to everyone for sending the photos for this post. I didn't take a single shot. 

Puttering One Week in May

 I realize I didn't blog after Monday last week. Much of the week was spent in puttering. This is the time of year when the sun seems to be up all the time (around 20 hours this week).  We took advantage of the light to make a run to Lowes after lifegroup this week. We got there just as they closed but with plenty of time to buy MORE DIRT.   We also caught a fun photos at 10:30 p.m. 

I found a place for all the buckets that were under the table in this spot - I moved them to the laundry room and the growing shelves are a full-fledged pantry now. Michael slid the shelf over, so it wasn't blocking the light. 

I moved the new bit of dirt from Mike's truck to the garden and topped off a couple of beds. 

Michael made a chicken tunnel. The hopes is the chickens will go from their yard to the untamed area of the garden - and we will not have to herd chickens every day. 

They were interested in his activity. The white hen is our most curious girl. 

They certainly have plenty of grass to work on. Meanwhile Stella likes to come calling at the greenhouse.

I don't mind sharing a bit, but she got down-right greedy and had to be removed. 

I haven't planted yet - but I am moving things in and out of the greenhouse and playing with the dirt. This is the lasagna bed from last year. It was heaping with garden "garbage" and grass clippings as winter began. I've not added a lot of dirt to top it off. 

Cherry tomatoes

Cory heard from a man who has successfully grown corn here for decades. He had just planted corn that day. Michael drilled holes in the solo cups, I bought 3 packages of corn and planted on the same day.  If the chickens do their work, I won't need help in prepping space for the corn. 

Michael worked to read the RV for KrUke. They moved off JBER and to our place until their PCS. 

So...um...hens seem to be making a dirt path to the green area but little progress is being made in the corn patch.