Garden Surprise!...

I posted in the past about the garden that mom and I planted in her back yard.  We had at least 5 different kinds of greens, multiple hot and sweet peppers, corn, sweet potatoes, green and wax beans, strawberries, squash, cucumbers, 4 kinds of tomatoes, onions, garlic, we even planted watermelon and pumpkin seeds in a back corner to see what they would do. There was much more in the garden that I'm forgetting.  A few things never became established or couldn't take the Florida heat.  We would pull them out and toss them in a pile in the back corner where moms property meets her neighbors, an old family friend, who runs a nursery.

We never had much luck with the squash.  It was one of the first things we planted and it just kept getting a fungus so we pulled it out and threw it in the corner.  When Jasey and I moved out most everything had died out from the end of summer heat so we pulled out whatever wasn't going strong and threw it in the corner as well.  That left some peppers, garlic, AJ's lima beans, sweet potatoes, strawberries, asparagus and a few other things.  I had just plated the watermelons and pumpkins and most were doing well but the ones that had died off got chucked in the corner.  We actually had a very good little compost pile in that corner!

We decided to let the weeds take over, whatever was left got thrown on the pile and pretty soon the weeds were green and lush.  Then mom noticed a vine creeping it's way along the trees over the 'compost' pile in the back corner.  Our squash that never wanted anything to do with the garden life was  growing al on its own.  How cool, it had been a good two years since we had attempted to grow the squash.  We thought maybe there would be a few ready to pick around Thanksgiving that we could cook up.

Then mom started noticing the vine all over the place.  It grew by, what seemed like, feet everyday.  Then flowers started blooming!  There were blooms all over the place...I mean all over the place!  There were vines 50 feet in the air that we hadn't noticed before!  Then mom started noticing little squash!  She kept an eye on them but after a couple days she was calling me, amazed.  They were getting so huge but didn't look like crook neck squash which is what we were pretty sure we had originally planted.

Next time I was over we went to take a look and were shocked at what we saw.  One of the fruits was more than double the size it had been just 2 days earlier.  As we looked we started noticing a lot more squash than we first saw.  There were at least 12 of these things hanging in the trees, some of them 30 to 50 feet above our heads!  Then I spotted one just over the fence line only about 15 feet up.  Mom got a ladder and I climbed up to get it.  (That shows how excited I was cause I hate ladders and this was a very unsteady area)

It was round, about the size of a basketball and dark green.  Some of the other ones were more elongated and dark green but had some lighter spots along them. We just stared at it for a while trying to figure out what it was and decided to cut it open.  

Just before we cut it open it hit us, it was a pumpkin!  The other ones with the spots were watermelons!

Our watermelons made it.  Our pumpkins were growing.  They were growing...50 feet in the air...in Florida...in trees!!!  We grew pumpkins in trees!!!

Me with my pumpkin!!!

Those are some of the vines on the ground behind me, they are in the trees in the background too but are harder to see unless you know what to look for.

I couldn't get enough pics with the pumpkin!

In the middle of this pic below the branch going across the photo is a watermelon.  You can see some of the lighter spotted lines going up and down.  It was about 8 inches long when I took the picture.   

 

There is a watermelon and two pumpkins in this pic.  The same watermelon from the last pic (top left of the middle) then go down diagonally to the right there is a pumpkin in the center of the pic and another following that same line.  They are all just a few inches apart in the picture.  

A watermelon dangling overheard.  It kept swinging in the breeze so the pic is blurry.

Cross section of our pumpkin.  It was very sappy when I cut it open.  Obviously it was no where near ripe but it had the ridges in the skin which you can see along the edge and it certainly smelling like a pumpkin.  I didn't keep the seeds, though I wish I had.  

I would say oh I'll just get the seeds from the next one but unfortunately I don't know if that will happen.  We discovered them and took these pictures 3 days before Hurricane Sandy 'hit' us.  We didn't get a whole lot but we got enough big winds to do some pumpkin and watermelon damage.  Mom called me that night and I went to her house yesterday so I could survey the damage.  About 3 big branches came down and while there are still a few vines hanging on everything is gone.  All the vines came down and most of them were snapped.  The ones on the ground are fine so far but we have no clue where they begin so it may be a matter of time before they die too.  We went into the neighbors yard and found a smashed pumpkin on the ground.  The poor thing fell to its death :(

Though we did discover a lot more vines on his side so maybe something somewhere survived.  All the fruits that we did spot were watermelons.  Pumpkins and high winds apparently don't mix.  We don't know for sure yet but we believe that the vines growing in moms yard are pumpkins.  That would be so cool!

I was excited enough thinking that this crazy vine was squash, it ending up being pumpkin was unbelievable!   It was sad to see them down, especially so soon after discovering them and so close to a couple of them possibly ripening.  It would have been neat to see one of them ripen and who knows it may still happen but I am thrilled just by the fact that they grew!  

My favorite part of fall...PUMPKINS!!!!

Officially Preschool Age...

Ryan is 3!!!!!!  Weighing in at 33 pounds and 37.5 inches tall.

Our little girly girl is no longer quite so little.

We went to a pumpkin patch the day before her birthday.  She wasn't totally thrilled about the sand getting in her shoes, lesson learned, but other than that we all had a great time.  We got there as soon as the farm opened and went on a hay ride.  Then we wandered through the pumpkins.  We always let the kids pick their own small pumpkin and we get a big family pumpkin.  We also took a peek in the market.  It was a beautiful day, the perfect day for the pumpkin patch.

AJ spent the night at my moms that night so it was just Ryan and us the next morning.  I was surprised when she woke up and remembered it was her birthday and started telling anyone that would listen.  I was even more surprised when I finally convinced her that she was no longer two.  She would argue with me when I told her she was three!!  We took the dog for a walk and had a yummy breakfast, that girl ate about 5 pieces of turkey bacon!  Isn't she pretty though?

It was a pretty lazy morning and early afternoon.  Mom and AJ drove down so we could all head over to Marshall and Deri's new house!  The kids swam in the pool and we had a birthday cookout.  It wasn't long after we ate that the kids started pestering us and asking when we were going to have cake.  So cake it was.   

I was a little unprepared when it came to the cake decorating part.  I am usually on the ball and start working on the cake a couple days in advance so I have enough time to bake and carve and decorate.  Although, I'd been thinking about it for a while I had never made a decision what kind of cake to make.  So I did what I could with what I had and this was the end result.  Kai-Lan and Hello Kitty.  Not my greatest creation to date but it was Ryan's favorite color and she knew who they were so all in all I'd say it was a success.  Though I've never had great handwriting and you can see why I prefer not to write anything on my cakes, especially without the proper tools.  

She got one of the candles blown out all by herself without spitting on the cake, awesome!  I helped her with the other two.  I didn't spit on the cake either.  

She had fun opening presents.  AJ helped whenever she had any trouble and most of the time that she didn't.  They were both so excited that there was no screaming or fighting over anything, any parents dream.  She loved her gifts, a Dora doll, a little Tinkerbell, new shoes, Hello Kitty and Princess magnet playhouses, new Kai-Lan and Hello Kitty t-shirts, new pajamas and her very own Mobigo (no more fighting over AJs).  It's so cute when they figure out presents and unwrapping.  It'll make for a fun Christmas this year!

It was a super low key day.  Everything went smoothly and the kids had a good time, how can I complain?

We are supposed to be going to Jasey's moms this weekend to celebrate again, extended birthdays are always great.  

I'm not sure if I can't believe that she's three or if I can't believe she's only three.  She is so well spoken and intelligent.  A complete turn around from a few months ago when I though she was going to be a terror everyday until she turned 20.  She definitely still has her own ideas and way of doing things but she listens and pays attention and understands when you tell her something.  It is truly amazing.  She is truly amazing.  

Ryan Addison

10/21/2009

9lb 9oz  

21in

Happy 3rd Birthday Wiggle Worm!

I love you!!!

moving on...

Summer was crazy and busy and fun.  We had lots of playdates, pool time, hanging with family and, with all of Jasey's and my cousins and friends, more births and announcements of new little ones to come.  It is a never ending parade of babies I tell you.  I love it!

With the end of summer we had a crazy new first.  AJ in Kindergarten!  yikes!  We met his teacher and walked him to class on the first day (and most of the first week).  By day two he didn't want to hold my hand once we got onto campus from the parking lot...really, already!?  After a couple days he was leading me to the classroom and by the end of the week I dropped him off and he walked by himself.  Talk about heart wrenching.  The first day of Kindergarten didn't bother me.  Him not wanting to hold my hand was slightly upsetting.  Seeing him walk away from the car with his big old backpack on and not being able to stay there and watch him and make sure he got to his class, that one actually made my heart hurt.  But he loves school, and his teacher, and buying lunch in the cafeteria (He buys about once a week) and singing, and learning all the cool new things they do in class.  He's having a great time. And just like that, more than a month has gone by.

Another big milestone in our household...Miss Ryan is potty trained!  We worked with her on and off for a little while.  I didn't want to push her but I wasn't being very consistent either.  I'd have her sit down at every change for a few days then I would realize that a week had gone by and I hadn't done anything in the training department.  In the middle of July she was doing pretty good and we had gotten into a routine.  She wasn't afraid to go anymore, which was an issue for a while.  Then I realized that we only had about a week of diapers left and I made the decision to just not buy anymore.  By the time we went through all the diapers and I recovered and used all the random ones from my little hidey holes Ryan had decided that she was ok with the potty too.  I don't know what made her change her mind, which I am positive was the only reason it hadn't happened earlier, the little ruler wasn't ready yet, but within a couple days she didn't have any problems.  Then, only a couple weeks later she decided that the potty was beneath her, she switched to the toilet and has not looked back.  She gets all high and mighty if I ask her if she needs to go potty or if she wants to sit on the potty, she will make sure to correct me and tell me, "Mommy I sit on the white toilet".  I mean, come on, potties are for babies, everyone knows that.  She is 2 going 20.

Jasey is moving too.  A wonderful opportunity come open at work and Jasey pounced on it.  It is finalized yet still in the works.  So that would be officially unofficial or is it unofficially official?  Either way it's his and paper work has gone through but we are waiting for the official move.  It's another one of those things that you feel like you are going to jinx if you talk about it, even though it's for sure.  OK, now I'm confusing myself, so I can only imagine how your head is hurting.

Our biggest news, we have moved!  Yes, again.  Yes, we weren't even at the other place for a year.  Yes, moving sucks.  But more importantly, Yes, We love it!!!  It's been two weeks since we moved and we are so glad that we did.  We liked the other neighborhood and the house but it was so big...too big.  It actually worked out perfectly because we had the room for Marshall and Deri to stay with us when they moved down here a couple months ago.  But they wouldn't be there forever and then it would just be so much house.  There was also the issue of Jasey having such a drive to work everyday.  That was an extra hour plus of us not being able to see him just from travel time.  We had already registered AJ at the local school before we made the decision to move and I had done so much research on that school that it was a big decision to have to register him somewhere else and also figure out how to deal with the timing.  We didn't plan to move until at least a month after school started and I didn't want him to get settled and then have to move schools so early in his kindergarten year.

Those were our two big concerns when moving.  Well we are now a half a mile down the road from Jasey's work and a mile around the corner from AJ's school.  AJ's school is also one of the top elementary schools in our county.  Plus, they let us register him at the school before we moved so that we wouldn't have to move him a month into the school year.  How could I not love this school from day one?!  We couldn't have picked a better location or a place we like more. It's been three weeks and it already feels more like home than the other place ever did.

Oh yeah, and we bought a new car.  It was sad to see Jasey's Tahoe drive away but we are very happy with the new addition.  Isn't she pretty?

It's been a wonderfully crazy few months.  I don't know what we are going to do when our lives settle down.  Though I think it will be a while before that has a chance of happening.  Here's to moving on!

iWeb...

On the 30th of this month you will no longer be able to access my family picture site.  I used iWeb to set it up and Apple is doing away with iWeb.  I copy and pasted a bunch of the stuff that I had written on the site onto here, just as a few weird mass posts.  There were just somethings that I wrote that I didn't want to lose, like my posts about when I was pregnant.  I still have all of my pictures, obviously, but you won't be able to access them.  Hopefully with Marshall here we can quickly get the site switched over to one of his hosting sites.  If not I will still continue to post new stuff on here and maybe do a few look backs now and again.

Across the Pond...

I never told you about our trip!!!  As you may guess from the title, we hopped on a plane and headed on over to England.  It had been a long time coming and with the stars alining for a brief moment, we were able to plan the trip.  The last time we had gone there I was 8 months prego with AJ and we have been wanting to go back ever since he was born.  I guess it all worked out in the end.  They got to meet both kids and at pretty great times in their childhoods.  AJ and Ryan were both a little out of sorts the whole trip but it's understandable.  Anyone would be cranky if you shoved them on a plane for 9 hours and then shifted their internal clock by 5 hours.  They both took a little time to warm up to everyone but by the end of the trip it was hugs and kisses all around.  AJ keeps asking when we are going back.  Soon I hope, very soon.

We left late in the evening on a Wednesday and arrived around 9:00 London time Thursday morning.  David and Dawn both met us at the airport since they weren't sure how much luggage we were going to have, you know from carting two kids across the Atlantic for 9 days.  Rosie had borrowed carseats for the kids from her work so we didn't have to worry about bringing their seats from home.  Boy what a lifesaver!  I will be forever grateful!  We loaded up and headed to Nan's place first.  I rode with Dawn, just me and her, no kids!  It was so nice to be able to chat with her during the drive and not be interrupted by the kids every 3 seconds.  Though from what Jasey and David tell me, neither AJ nor Ryan made a sound the whole drive.  They sat looking out the windows and holding hands, so heart wrenchingly sad and adorably cute at the same time. 

After a visit with Nan and a lovely lunch we headed to David and Dawns out in Maidenhead, near Windsor.  We rested and got settled in, had a few beers (the theme of the week) then headed to a local pub that night for dinner, with more beer of course.

Friday Dawn drove us into Windsor so we could tour the castle and walk around town.  The Queen was in residence, which was unusual for that day.  Turns out she was there Knighting people that day (or whatever it's called).  I guess my invite got lost in the mail.  We saw the Queen's swans floating in the river.  Across the bridge is Eton.  Nina met up with us for the day.  After the castle we went and had a traditional Afternoon Tea...and beer.  If I remember correctly it was a High Tea, but I'm still figuring out the differences in them.  We got some pictures in front of the Crooked House of Windsor.  We had tea there last time we went when I was pregnant and I thought for sure I was going to bring the whole place down. It's a little nerve racking.  Though I suppose if it's survived since the 1500s one American pregnant lady shouldn't be a worry.  Either way it was nice to see the place still standing 5 years later.

Due to some scheduling conflicts we had to reschedule the family Sunday dinner for Saturday night instead.  Everyone was there, we even got to meet everyone's significant others, we had a wonderful day!  I helped out in the kitchen as much as I could though I was afraid to mess anything up.  I didn't actually cook anything but everyone says I did fine and no one got sick so I'm inclined to believe them.  There was beer and wine and cider flowing.  I tried everyone of the desserts made, I believe there was 6 or 7 of them.  Two of them I helped make, Bread Pudding and Banoffee Pie, and I must say they were tasty.  Sadly I forgot to take pictures at the dinner.  Jasey got this one of David, Scott, Rosie and myself on his phone so I stole it. 

Later that same night it was girls night out.  So we loaded up into two cars and headed to Eton to a pub everyone called The Henry.  I'm not sure exactly what the name of it was but I'm assuming something along the lines of Henry VIII Public House.  I had some more Guinness and cider.  Guinness is so much tastier over there, it's pretty gross here.

Sunday we loaded up and headed into London to little David's flat.  We ate some yummy turkish food with all of the guys.  I was having a bit of an off day as were the kids so it was a bit stressful and I was slightly embarrassed at the end of the meal, mostly with my stressed behavior, but oh well.  From there Jasey and big David headed to a proper football game and little David, Scott and John, bless their hearts entertained me and the kids by taking us to an indoor playground so the kids could let off some steam.  I think that after that day each and everyone of them is seriously reconsidering ever having children.  We headed back to David's flat and waited for Jasey and David then the boys all went out for their night.  They did a bit of a pub crawl from what I understand and hit about 4 pubs stopping to get gyros or something on the way back.  

 

Monday and Tuesday little David became our personal tour guide, it was wonderful having him join us.  We took the kids to the Science Museum.  There was a space travel are that they loved and all these weird old cars and an area with interactive displays and then downstairs there was also a play area.  We left there and headed to one of my musts during the trip.  A stop at Kings Cross station.  We all know I'm a huge Harry Potter dork so why should I try to hide my love of the wizarding world when I am right there at the entrance to Platform 9 3/4.  It didn't stop me five years ago when I tried to get into the Ministry of Magic or when I visited Hogwarts and Hogsmeade last year.  Yes, a big dork am I.  We hung out at David's place that night.  Scott and Camilla joined us and we had a take away Curry feast.

Tuesday was another day that I was really excited about.  We took a bus into the center of London took the Queens Jubilee path (I think it was the 25th) and then walked across Tower Bridge.  AJ recognized it and was very excited as you can see in the picture.  Then we went to the Tower of London! Oh I was so excited to see this.  I could have spent the whole day here wandering around by myself.  Everything about this place amazes me.  I love the history of the place and the tradition that goes along with it.  I didn't get to see everything within the walls of the tower due partially to time,  partially to the kids and partially to the fact that some of the areas are private.  People live in some parts.  Just imagine!  But I got to see the Crown Jewels, Traitors Gate, the Torture Chambers, Henry VIII armor, the stairs where the Princes of the Tower were found and the scaffold site on Tower green where three English queens were beheaded.  I walked along part of the wall over looking the Thames, saw the Crows and plenty of Yeoman.  I even got pictures of the kids as they stood in one of the Royal Guards boxes.  We were there for a few hours and we saw a lot but I can't wait to go back with even more time to wander.  We went back to David's that night and had take away Fish and Chips.  I love English food.  

Wednesday was our last full day before we had to head home on Thursday.  David came and picked us up from little David's place and we headed back out to Windsor.  We stopped to see Nan once again then went to walk around Windsor again and get some lunch.  I had lost my scarf on the way back to David's flat the day before :( I was very sad, it was my favorite scarf and I'd had it for 10 years.  Even though it's been 3 months I still hope that David will call and say that it turned up at his place and he'll mail it to me.  Hey, a girl can dream.  I broke off from Jasey, David and the kids and wandered around to find a new scarf, which I did, then I walked to a little candy shop and got some yummy English candies.  I even found licorice wands!  Again, such a Harry Potter dork.  I also wandered into a few shops with the intent of buying myself a fascinator or a hat but couldn't bring myself to buy a novelty for that much money, the number was innocent enough but figure the conversion and whoa!  I have no where to wear something like that anyway so it would be just a fun souvenir.  Maybe next time.  We stayed at David and Dawn's that night and were up early the next morning to load up and head to the airport.  Here are my little jet setters waiting in line at Customs.

They did fantastic on the plane rides both ways.  Going there was a bit easier since it was a night time flight and they were tired anyway.  They each watched a movie and had a little bit of dinner but then slept most of the time.  Up for breakfast not long before we landed and were occupied with another movie.  On the way back though it was a day flight.  They both still slept for part of it since we had gotten them up so early that morning.  AJ did pretty good and was happy enough to watch movies on his own screen and walk the aisles a couple times when he needed to go to the bathroom.  Ryan on the other hand, wan't cranky but she had a couple hours where she was antsy and wanted to walk.  So I took her up and down then aisles and let he play on her seat and the floor in front of our seats.  She just wasted to be able to jump and squat and move.  We flew Virgin Atlantic which has a policy that you are not allowed to bring your own car seats on the plane.  They have child seats that they attach for you with harnesses.  We had one for her on the way there which I think worked out well with her sleeping most of the way but decided not to get one on the way back which worked out even better.  We had to prop her up with a few airline pillows when she was sleeping but she liked sitting like a big girl.  

Rosie and I have tentative plans for a Harry Potter extravaganza.  I will fly over there and we will go to the HP Studio Tour and then we will fly back here and head to the Wizarding World of HP at Universal.  Oh it sounds heavenly.  Dork, I know.  

We had a wonderful time and were very sad to leave.  I have no clue when we will be able to make it back but of course I hope it is sooner than later.  We miss you all, thank you for a lovely week!