Odds and Ends

We had lots going on this week/weekend, but no big events.  My sister and the twins stopped by early in the week to copy some pictures.  Clara ended up with a low grade fever Thursday-Friday.  Highest was 100.7.  Had a little bit of a runny nose at night when she slept, but the fever was gone by Saturday morning.  However, she has been very cranky all weekend.  I've been feeling for teeth, but don't feel anything yet.  Hailey got her first tooth at 8 and a half months, so I'm imagining it won't be too long before Clara's pop through.  I really can't wait for all the fussiness and drooling to be over!

Brian volunteered to help put a new pier in our neighborhood lake on Saturday morning.  He left at 7:30 to do a little fishing before they needed to meet at 8:00.  It took them just two and a half hours to get it put together and in the water.  It looks great, and the neighborhood is very excited to have it!  Hailey, Clara, and I took a walk down there to watch the guys finishing up, and Hailey and Brian did a little fishing afterwards.  Later in the evening, we took a walk around the neighborhood (to pacify a fussy Clara) and down around to the other side of the lake.  It was a beautiful evening for a walk!

Today, we've done house chores and grocery shopping.  Sounds like fun, right?

I've been focusing and working hard on a big genealogy project I've wanted to do for a long time.  I realized it's going to take me several months to get anywhere with it, because I just can't devote 100% of my time to it.  I've really enjoyed reading the old stories and seeing the old pictures, though.  It's very interesting to learn about how we got to where we are today...the struggles, pains, and joys our ancestors endured.  Seeing hand-written letters and photos from over 100 years ago is so exciting!  I can't wait to work on more this upcoming week!

  Hailey does such a good job of entertaining the younger girls.  She's a big helper!

Playing in the Princess tent.

Got there just as they were getting ready to put the last bench on.

 We love each other so much!

Picture in the trees

Wave at Mommy!

Trying out the new pier.

Cutting up some watermelon.

We used the rest of the strawberries from our garden to make Strawberry Shortcake on Saturday evening.  It was absolutely delicious!

We picked salad greens from our garden to make a salad with dinner.  Large leaf lettuce, spinach, and arugula.  Arugula has become my new favorite Spring green...it has a nutty flavor to start out with and then a peppery flavor at the end.  It is excellent in a Spring mix salad.

This is the view from the other side of the lake.  We took this on our Saturday evening walk.

 In her jammies, but enjoying the surroundings too much to fall asleep on our walk.

If there is a wildflower to pick, Hailey will find it!

The view from the back of our house.  We are so lucky to have the big Oak tree in the back.