a few more, birthday at the lake

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It is always hard to get the candles to stay lit outside in the wind.

Happy birthday again, Sweetheart.

Love, MOM

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another july weekend

Hornet nests!  They chased after Kari and Julia and one stung Julia in the face.

Good bye.

 

Love, Mom

cannibals

Canna lilies appeared in the planter Maria gave me for Mother's Day.

My mom grew them in the flower bed outside the kitchen windows when I was a kid. By late summer the red flowers would be high enough to see high in the windows.  The bulbs aren't super difficult, but they do have to be dug up in the fall and put in paper bags in a dry place over the winter.

In the spring you break them apart and plant again.

One day late in the spring I was with the neighbor girl who lived behind us, and from her dining room windows we could see my mom crawling around with a trowel, working.  

She asked me what my mom was doing and I said, "Planting canna bulbs."

She jumped back startled, "I thought those were PEOPLE!"

No. Cannibals are people. Canna bulbs are not.

Anyway, this was a very sweet surprise.  Thank you, Maria.

Love, MOM

 

julia's golden birthday

Beautiful day, beautiful occasion--

I hope the year ahead is beautiful too.

Happy Birthday, Darling

Love, Mom and Dad and Everybody

happy birthday, dalton

 

Happy birthday, Dalton

This year has been full, and it has been a phenomenal year.

We appreciate your patience and kindness, appreciate the person you are, and honestly, this family is better because you're in it.

All the love and care you show Maria and that precious, rascally little guy, your hard work and sense of humor-- here's hoping the year ahead is as wonderful as this one has been.

Love, Val and Jay

sweet saturday night

Love, Mom
 

more weekend

They're installing a sprinkler system, nice to have capable help.

Pretty girl:

Whiz Bang fireworks

And that's the end.  Love, MOM