Has it really been 3 weeks

Since my last post?  Wow, time has really been flying.  There's a bunch to catch up on, and a few photos.

Katie and I have been busy this month (mostly, okay exclusively Katie) weeding gardens and getting them ready for summer.  This is our front garden bed that's now planted with mostly perennials, and a soaker hose to water.  This was a couple weeks ago, and there's now a heavy layer of mulch down too. 

As with most projects we do, we're not satisfied with the basics, and end up investing way more effort than is probably necessary.  We relocated a couple of boulders in order to get the garden "right".  One boulder was easily moved by strapping it to the truck and dragging it about a foot.  The other required some more thought. 



I'm only going to show you the photos of my successful attempt.  In typical Dutch fashion, I was too proud to ask for help, and somehow not strong enough to move this one through brute strength.  It was even too heavy to roll safely.

After sleeping on it over night, I realized I could just lever it over to its new home.

Ahh... there's just something incredibly satisfying about leverage.

Tada.  We also got our vegetable garden planted, plus my favorite - pumpkins and sunflowers in some seldom used areas of our property.

We've also re-dedicated ourselves to cooking.  Not only is it not convenient (or often times possible) to dine out with a baby, it's not healthy, and not cheap.  I've been cooking most nights this month, which I really enjoy. 

Of course, cooking doesn't leave much time at night for things like blogging.  I get home around 530pm, greet my much-loved family, change my clothes, and am cooking by around 6pm.  We're eating about 45 minutes later, after which I play with Tommy until bed time.  We get him bathed, in PJ's, and in bed between 8 and 815p.  I try to help Katie finish cleaning up the kitchen, and am working on projects until 930-10pm.  I take 30 minutes to decompress - usually watching mindless crap on youtube (I'm currently digging videos of  kinetic art videos by Theo Jansen, Reuben Margolin, and Arthur Ganson), and am in bed by 1030p.  I really need 8 hours, so 1030 is my cutoff so I can get up by 630a.  This makes for a short week, mercifully.

I've been busy with miscellaneous boring projects like repairing the screen door and helping a friend with some finish-trim in her home.  Next up are new window sills on the first floor.

There are 5 May birthdays in our immediate Utah family, so we also had a big family birthday party at our house.

Tommy's swing is much-loved by all.  Katie got some interlocking foam tiles which are nice to cushion little boys learning to walk.

Pat in his cool sweater. 

Cool uncle Alan, lighing the candles on Chris' DELICIOUS home-made german chocolate cake.  All other german chocolate cakes are mere imposters, once you've tasted hers.  Too bad it typically makes one appearance annually to celebrate everyone's B-day.

Unlce Brandon, who has either just sipped a wine-cooler, or is about to wax philosophically.

The birthday crew - including Henry who swung into frame just in time.  In fact, today is his official day.  Happy birthday Hanky!

Tommy has discovered the "Secret Room".  I don't know if I've ever posted about the little play-room in his nursery.  It's a mostly-finished crawlspace next to the dormer window, and it's filled toys.  We debated about putting some nice finishes in there, but decided to leave it a little "rough" so there's no harm if/when the kids write on the walls in there.  He loves it, and spends part of every day in there with his mommy.

Tommy has really been enjoying his new tub, almost every night. 

One of his favorite tub-activities is to stand at the rim with his soaking-wet fish sponge, and soak the walls/floor all around the tub. 

Tommy has his two front upper & lower teeth, and is a doll when he smiles.  I'll try to get some pictures of it up for you.  In better news, after a horrendous cold/flu seaon this winter, we've enjoyed 2.5 weeks of no illness!  Yay!

Goofing around with his Mommy's itouch.

One of his crazy sleeping positions.

Slowly waking up.

 He caught his mommy taking pictures.  With him is "puppy", a requisite for sleep.  Tommy thanks his cousin Samantha!  When we put him to bed, he has to cuddle up with puppy.

Get me outta here mommy!

Some sweet bed-head.

Here he is, proud to have escaped his walker.  If he's not strapped down tightly, he's escaping.  He'll sit in his highchair at home just long enough to eat.  On the occassion we're in a restaurant, we have better luck letting him stand on a chair between us as he's usually trying to stand on top of his highchair.  Also, he's not quite walking, but can climb stairs faster than his grandpa Pat.  Clever boy!