Mustard Seed House

2009 YEAR IN REVIEW!

So I have been a REALLY bad blogger in 2009! Hopefully 2010 will be better, especially after I graduate in May(!). Until then, here is a 2009 Year in Review (mostly for my mom since I forget to send her pics of the kids!) In my defense, we usually are in the same town so she sees them all the time, but still . . . sorry mom! So here they are: (I will probably break this into several posts since manipulating the pics gets unwieldy.)

JANUARY

After watching Bean be a flower girl several times, Bear finally had her turn when El Guapo's cousin (a former Army helicopter pilot -- the bride, that is!) asked Bear to be in her wedding. What an honor (and what fun!)

It was a little hard on Bean not being the center of all the attention, but she looked just as lovely since she was able to wear her flower girl dress from one of my cousin's weddings the previous winter.

Bear had fun blowing bubbles at the happy couple.

Beautiful sisters!

Both girls spent quite a lot of time on the dance floor!

A RARE Chica sighting!

January ended with a bang. Ben made his second trip to the ER for a cut to the corner of his mouth. A papoose board and four stitches later, he was good to go!

MARCH

So this is what "spring" looks like in Illinois. . .

but Scout was happy to cuddle up with the kids and keep them warm . . .

and our view was brightened by the promise of a real spring thanks to my aunt and uncle in Minnesota, who understand probably better than most just how flowers can lighten the mood on those long, cold days, so they send us flowers every Valentine's Day.

And speaking of buds, here is Bean the budding artist whose Kachina Doll was selected for the district-wide art show, complete with special exhibition and reception.

APRIL

I actually posted pictures of Easter last year. That post can be found here.

Garden dreamin' . . . . Just one of the many reasons I was a very bad blogger last year! These are the BEFORE pictures.

MAY

So it might not be the same kind of canal that was behind my condo in the Cayman Islands, but our waterway to the river is pretty sweet. Spring has finally sprung!

Luna enjoys prowling the yard. She is especially keen on trying to catch our "hogger" (groundhog) who has lived in the yard since we bought the house. She has never even come close, but it keeps her busy.

Even "dinny-pid" Oreo enjoys the warmer weather!

El Guapo and I spent Memorial Day in the Big City rooting for our favorite team (they lost!). I especially enjoyed the extra patriotic touches for the day: representatives from all branches of the military, Challenger the bald eagle and. . .

Mr. T in red, white and blue pajama pants singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"!

We didn't take this video, but this was the same game we were at.

JUNE

Lazy summer afternoon.

JULY
A bumblebee so "drunk" on nectar, that he can't move.

How I spent my summer vacation . . . "Square Foot Gardening." I built the beds, mixed the special soil mixture, grew all the plants from seed and made the trellises all by myself (ok, with just a little help from El Guapo!).

"Pool ball" squash -- like zucchini, but round and the size of a billiard ball.

Cauliflower

Sugar snap peas

A closer look . . .

Ever wonder what broccoli flowers look like?

AUGUST

Every year, we find monarch caterpillars, feed them until they turn into chrysalises and then set them free when they hatch. This was Lily.

One of the highlights of the summer is going to a local fair in a neighboring agricultural county. This year was even better because my parents, brother and his family and my aunts, uncles and cousins and their families were all there!

Bean