CSA

We took the plunge and decided to join a CSA this year. What is a CSA???

"Thinking about signing up for a CSA but want to learn more about the idea before you commit? Read on.

Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. "

This morning a big box of veggies arrived at our doorstep. (Somehow I also volunteered to organize the local pick up spot!) So swiss chard, spring greens, yellow squash, zucchini, cabbage, lettuce and some other goodies will be on the menu this week! Fortunately I we are splitting this huge box with another small family so hopefully nothing will go to waste!


I'll have to post again on how the "trying new veggies" project goes for both Leah and for Paul!!

2 Man Band

This was Jonah's idea. Those are dog dishes. This is 10 seconds of a 15 minute performance.

What We've Been Up To

Not sleeping enough! Lack of sleep equals overtired momma who doesn't feel like blogging. I feel like napping! Not that I've been doing that but whatever. I have taken a few photos over the past few weeks. The weather has improved around here and we are staying busy as usual.

The GIANT eyeball at Lumier Sculpture Garden. Even more interesting in person!

Fun times in the inflatable at our friend Carter's birthday party. Jonah LOVED it!!

The fountains in the Childrens Garden at MO Botanical Gardens are always a hit!

Jonah meets a peony at MO Bot. Gardens

Band Festival Parade with Grandpa Gene in Mason City! Fun weekend at Grandma & Grandpa's. Should have taken more photos of rugby, karaoke, bocce, good times!

Jonah crawls where he wants to now. Including into the cupboards and the fridge!

Family Photos

Last night we headed over to a local park for our mini photo session with Nicole Welch. She is a member of our moms group and was nice enough to agree to take photos for our group. I was REALLY hoping for at least one shot of the kids together and both smiling! These were better than I had imagined! THANKS!!!





oh and these are just the sneak peek I nabbed from her blog. Can't wait to see the rest!

Hopscotch

9 Months

It took nine long months to cook this little booger and as of today he has been causing me sleepless nights for nine months! Oh how we love him though. So what has he been up to??

- for the last month he was doing a cool army drag type crawl. It wasn't pretty but it was functional. Yesterday he figured out how to do it the "normal" way.
- known around the house as "Fuzzhead" and "Booboo"
- adores being outdoors, riding in the Ergo, funny voices & the bathtub.
- eats almost anything. Loves bananas, beans, melon, cheese & any type of cracker. Not so fond of broccoli or yogurt.

And here he is today. Eating dirt.

My how she's Grown!

Since I'm posting Tulip Time photos. How 'bout one of Leah on each of her three trips to Tulip Time?!

Tulip Time '09

This past weekend was what has become my annual trek back to my hometown of Pella, IA for the annual Tulip Time Festival. It's quite the celebration of Dutch heritage (I'm half Dutch!) and a great opportunity to stuff your guts with great treats, watch some fun parades and have a generally good time!

Being a good mom, I made sure Leah had her fill of vet bollen, poffterjies, stroepwaffels, ice cream, cotton candy and other good stuff. I had a tasty Dutch Spiced Beef Sandwich and Paul enjoyed Pella Bologna with Gouda. I guess it was only fair that I let Leah fill her belly with junk since I insisted on dressing her and Jonah is Dutch costumes for photos!

I think we had a good time. It was great to spend time with family and catch up with some old friends who were in town too!

Leah the Explorer

Last week Tuesday Leah was sick. Poor girl lost her breakfast just as I was ready to haul her out the door to school. I quickly cleaned her up and she said "can we go to school now?" NOPE! I threw my plans for the day out the window and did my best to keep my girl entertained. Our morning project was to make a "treasure box". She covered a plastic grapes container with tissue paper squares, foam letters, stickers & ribbon. I told her she could put her treasure it in. She declared that she didn't have any treasure and needed a map to find it. Someone has been watching too much Dora the Explorer!! So guess what I had to do during nap time?? Manufacture a map and a treasure! I'm glad she can decipher my drawings and that stickers suffice as treasure.




We did some outdoor exploring that day too. I was bummed that I didn't drag the camera along because we spied a heron over at the neighborhood pond and a momma duck and 10 ducklings on our way back!

Water Table

Leah got a water table for her birthday! It's a nifty one that works as a picnic table too when you put the cover on. Oh how I love multitasking toys! We've had some fab weather this week so the water table got put to use. Yes, these pictures are of Jonah. He might like this toy more than Leah does! Oh and he LOVES bowls and cups!






and this is what Leah did when she had enough of the water table.

The Wheels on The Bus

. . . . go round and round. Round and round.

HA! Now it's stuck in your head too! That song has been stuck in my head since Thursday when Jonah and I joined Leah on her first ride on a school bus! (I guess it was Jonah's first ride too!) The big event was party of safety week at preschool for Leah. She's been asking a lot about why she doesn't ride a bus to school so this was a special treat for her. I'm not sure she was entirely thrilled about the actual ride due to not having a seat belt but she said she had fun! Guess it doesn't take much for the three year old set. We'll see how she feels when she has to ride the bus every day!

Ma Ma

Since Paul swears that Leah said "Dada" first it sure is nice that Jonah is saying "Mama" first!!

The Perfect Photo

So it's really hard trying to get a decent photo of two kids. At least a decent one where they are both looking at the camera and making a "normal" enough face. See, here are a few cute "not perfect" photos.

Who needs a bed?

A few weeks ago Leah, out of the blue, started asking to take her daily nap on the floor. I'm not sure if it's because that's what she does when she is with the sitter or because she saw a friend do it. As long as she takes a nap, I don't care!!! I relocated a few things in her room and in the process made a cozy corner with stuffed animals that Leah has claimed as her nap corner. Notice her nap routine: oodles of books, empty water cup, pink bunny & fuzzy duck blanket. Oh and this is just for naps. She sleeps in her bed at night. And yes, that is a very large blue stuffed pony.

Organized Sports

Tonight was Leah's first adventure into the world of playing organized sports. Soccer! Really seems like a perfect sport for three year olds. Leah was fired up and ready to go. She donned her shin guards and marched right out the door with her shiny pink ball that grandma & grandpa got her for her birthday.



All was well until it we got there and she had to put on the jersey. It was a no go. Guess green was against her fashion code tonight. The first ten minutes of her practice she spent crying and whining and trying to climb up my leg. I was a "mean" mom and lugged her across the field kicking her ball. Getting her out there was all it took for her to warm up! After she figured out how much fun it was she was lovin' it and kicked her pink princess ball all over the field and all the way back to the car when practice was over!

Now there are many other comments I could make about the joys of watching 3 year olds attempt to play soccer but we'll save those for another day. We have 5 more weeks to go!

New York City!

So Jonah is trying his very hardest to crawl. He can't quite put the pieces all together yet. He does have the backward slide perfected as long as he is on the hardwood floors and has now figured out the forward slide as well. I am always asking "where are you going buddy?" Leah always replies, "New York City!"

I have no idea where she came up with New York City. Maybe because she has heard me talk about her Auntie Meagan & Uncle Ryan's plans to move to New York? Who knows? It really cracks me up though.

A Sleepover of Sorts

Last week my friend Jennifer and I did some trading of childcare. She watched Leah so I could take Jonah to the doctor and we had Carter here for the evening Friday so they could head to a business dinner! Yeah for good friends!

Leah was thrilled to have Carter here for a visit and even more thrilled that he got to go to sleep in her room. And yes, they really did both go to sleep. Leah was bummed that Carter disappeared during the night and was not there to have breakfast with her.

It was a fun filled evening but BUSY. I feel for people with twins. It was great that they entertained each other but two the same age keeps you on your toes!

Dress up time!

Decorating Eggs

the bubble bath!

tired munchkins!

Leah's Birthday Makes the Big Time

I am feeling pretty cool this week because Leah's birthday party was featured on the blog Everyday Celebrating! Michelle, has all sorts of great party & decorating ideas!

Oh and her party also got a mention at Oneprettything.com!