lately...

as always, we've been having a blast lately!
this time two years ago, we were still in virginia and this time last year, we were in south america so we'd forgotten how rainy and muggy and sunny (all at once!) east texas is! so we've been playing in puddles, cleaning up the farm for the summer, and enjoying lots of summer foods!

homemade red curry!

we play hard around here ;)

no one gets to see this side of our church.
the kids' playground side :)

working hard in the squash and pea gardens

the "baby" chicks moved to the coop!
we call them the teenagers.

even mama needs a fancy breakfast sometimes...

and another one! mother's day breakfast in bed with 2/3 of my crazies.
he made a french omelet with chevre and chives :)

i love homemade wrapping paper.

perfect!

and eggs benedict for dinner!
that's homemade canadian bacon from the pig he shot, eggs from our chickens poaching, and homemade hollandaise sauce that he's whisking :)

my sweet little family at church.

water beads on a hot day.

onion harvest!

"i got one!"

our version of a nicoise salad.

still doing minor schoolwork (almost) daily

wednesday night church is more relaxed so i get to wear sweatshirts and stretchy jeans.
winning.

chocolate quinoa porridge with mango

poetry tea time in school!

on rainy days, we are for sure reading.

that day called for buttermilk pancakes, homemade whipped cream, and blueberries.

the first of the summer ice cream!
dulce de leche from argentina :)

okay, so we started a fun, summer reading program for mv.
he knows how to read but i thought we'd take a break from our "lessons" and start a summer incentive!
he gets to add a circle to his "bookworm" taped to the wall for every book he reads totally by himself.
when he gets to 10, he gets a surprise!
this was his first surprise...we never have doughnuts so i asked him if he wanted a mama/son date or doughnuts before church for the whole fam.
of course, my sweet boy chose to share :)

we are getting tired of fresh tomatoes (i know...the horror of living on a farm...too many fresh tomatoes...) so we roasted these tiny babies for omelets and grilled pizzas!

hi baby #4!
you are plump and perfect.
and we can't wait to meet you!

beach trip!

last week, we took a spontaneous road-trip to the beach!

my dad grew up in galveston and my brother and i spent a lot of summers there but to the boys, it was an amazing, exciting beach!

and we had. a. blast!

perfect temperatures, just the right size waves, great food, amazing fun!

ready!

after dinner, on the first evening...the beach was right across the seawall from our hotel!

20 week bump!

and the hotel had an amazing pool to wind down in after the waves!

the next day, we took the boys to the moody gardens aquarium!

that night, we went to dibella's! my (very italian) family has been going here for years...in fact, they have my grandfather's picture on the wall!
...and his brothers, and his uncles, and his cousins...

aaaaaaand we met uncle day day and aunt cindy there! uncle david always brings a sack of candy...

after dinner, they came back to the hotel with us so the boys could show off their swimming (and splashing) skills.

the next morning, they slept till 9am!

the following day, we headed to the (free!) galveston ferry!

we even saw dolphins!

my dad and mike took the boys to the lonestar flight museum while mom and i went shopping at the galveston architectural salvage!

then, of course, back to the beach before dinner!

too much wave fun ;)

dinner at the black pearl oyster bar!

and mike and i even snuck in a date while we were down there!

great trip!

and can't wait to go again :)