I love weekends!

Let me out!

The Garden

Here is our garden. It's not much but for living down town and having a small yard, I think it's pretty wonderful. We would have planted even more if our house wasn't for sale. Speaking of the house, we are under contract! Sadly, we will be leaving this wonderful back yard that we have labored over.


The first box is being taken over by mint, but there is also oregano, basil, and cilantro in it. The next box is mostly strawberries and then there is some parsley. Next, squash and Dahlias and then last the Tomatoes.

This is what the yard looked like before we moved in. It was really rough. There was no grass. It is hard to tell in the picture but the back was a giant hole that the previous owners dug themselves. What the hole was for, no one knows. It also was being over taken by bamboo. Please notice my favorite part, the mirrors on the red fence! We took those down the day we moved in, unfortunately, the red fence is still there.

Here is what it looks like now (well 3 months ago). Nice and flat. Green grass and some landscaping that you can't see in this picture.

Why does fried food have to be so bad for you?

Like I mentioned a couple post ago, the tomatoes are going crazy! So, I have been going crazy over finding different ways to eat them. Last night Chris made Salsa as an appetizer, yum, and I made fried green tomatoes, yum, yum. I have a problem. I love almost anything fried. This reminds me we haven't had fried okra yet this year, yum, yum, yum.

Everything for the salsa was from the garden except the garlic.

Green Tomatoes for the Fried Green Tomatoes.

I fried them outside so I wouldn't make a mess in my kitchen.

Gates hung out in his command center while we enjoyed our dinner.

We had some beggers I obliged for Gates' amusement.

9 Months

Where did this crazy little boy come from and who has my sweet baby?

I really think he is getting close to taking his first step. He walks around holding the furniture and every once in a while he will stand for a little bit with out holding onto anything.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

Dad, The Major, Grandpa Dempsey and Gates.

Grandpa

Dad The Major

Eat, Pray, Love

I love to read, but I haven't been able to find time to read in forever. There are so many books out there that I want to read. I was watching an Oprah that I tivo'd on the book Eat, Pray, Love and the movie about to come out with Julia Roberts. So I decided I really wanted to read this book but since I don't have time I went to the library, got a library card and checked out the audio version. Well I finished it and was left really curious so I googled and found some pictures and thought I would share for all the others out there that read this book. If you haven't read it, I recommend it. I wasn't very fond of Elizabeth's view on God but it was still good.

This is where she went to worship.

Her Guru

Medicine Man

Wayan and her daughters.

Her Brazilian husband. Felipe

I also learned that the movie Coyote Ugly was based on a book she wrote of her experiences as a bartender in New York. She has also written a new book called Committed about her getting married. If i can get it on cd's I might listen to it. Now I need to see the movie!

I am now listening to Eclipse. Another one that everyone has probably already read that I need to finish before the movie comes out.

Fresh from the Garden

I cooked a garden fresh dinner tonight. I love having a garden. The tomatoes are starting to go crazy!
Chicken with a white balsamic vinaigrette dressing, and fresh oregano baked in the oven.
We had a Caprese salad. It was so good and easy.I highly recomend getting some ripe tomatoes, mozzerala, fresh basil and making the dressing out of olive oil, balsamic viniagrette, salt and pepper. No need for exact measurements. Yum YUM! It looks as good as it taste.

After dinner, there was some rolling on the floor with dad.

The Family Dog

I have been known to refere to Sam as "Chris' dog," but that has changed. After 6 years I am accepting him as our Family dog, a long with a couple others. Gates and Sam love each other. Gates loves to get big fist full of Sam's hair and play with him. Sam likes to be where ever Gates is if he's not with his favorite person, Chris. Although, Sam does get tired of being pulled on eventually but he is so patient with Gates.

This evening Gates went over to Sam in his chair and started playing with his foot and tail and Sam put up with it for a while but eventually got up and moved.

Then Gates followed him to his new spot and started playing with Sam again.

See the love!

Eventually, Sam got tired of the attention and moved again. Unfortuanetly, Gates hasn't figured out that he can't hang on to Sam and he some times gets dragged or tossed. He is getting tossed here but he just laughed.

Sam successfully hid from Gates after this.

Crazy Man

Gates is crazy these days. He rarely sits still. This is him in just a 30 minute time span.

He pulled all his books off the shelf

He did sit for a minute to "read."

Then he went onto the basket of stuffed animals in the corner.

Then onto the rocking horse.

Then into the closet. Isn't he a cute chunky monkey!?