August

We like walks.  Apparently, we also like rolling around in dandelion fuzz on these walks.  

Sometimes we find little treats on our walks!  We found an amazing raspberry patch in our back alley that had the sweetest, most prolific raspberries.  What a find.

I love the look of these huge Alaskan peas in Ezra's chubby little hand.  They really did a great job of helping to water the peas and, most importantly, letting them grow.  They were so excited when it was finally time to harvest.  

I can't remember if I every actually made rose hip tea.  Maybe once?  We picked a bunch with good intentions.  Sure were pretty.

We saw an announcement for a toddler story time at a greenhouse in town and I thought that sounded delightful.  I took my two (yes, two) two year olds to this story time.  It's a really nice greenhouse with a little cafe and gift area also.  I couldn't picture where they would do a story time, but I figured they would have something set up.  As we walked in and asked where to meet for the stories, they directed us to the gift shop.  As we rounded a corner, we saw cute little chairs set up, a couple kids and a nice looking elderly lady holding a book.  But I knew I must be mistaken when I saw where the chairs were.  They were literally set up in the middle of a china display.  A very reachable china display.  Surrounded on every side by china, as far as you could see.  We lasted a couple stories and then I had to get out of there quickly.  Whose bright idea was that???!?!  As we were leaving a very nice man was trimming a plant outside and handed my kids each a gorgeous dahlia.  Seeing as we didn't break anything and came home with these puppies, I would say it was a smashing success.  (Or rather...not smashing...)

Harvesting some nasturtiums for a salad.

Apples starting to ripen.

We tried a different variety of carrot this year.  They were all pretty skinny, but tasty!!!

Here is the tragic update of the Northstar Cherry tree in the front yard.  Remember when we planted it earlier this summer as a fulfillment of Paul's longtime dream?  Well, sadly, before we could get a fence up around it, it was discovered by the most pesky of Alaskan garden pests...the moose.  It was doing so great too, before moosey came along. 

One day our walks took us downtown to watch people fishing for salmon.  The tots were mesmerized.  

We went to a book party in the park.  They had all kinds of fun stuff and a tent full of books you could take home with you.  Good times.  

Our house is surrounded by parks!  We can choose from the Polar Bear Park, the Little Park or the School Park.  Such variety is quite nice.  Here we are at the Little Park.

This is a day we went a little further afield to see the float planes at Lake Hood.  Ezra's explaining to us just how the whole flight thing works.  

Once we made it all the way back to Thunderbird Falls.  We met a super nice couple on their honeymoon.  It was cute to see them looking at our kids and hear them talking about the kids they will have someday.  It reminded me that I didn't always have my hands so full...and I'm glad I do now. 

Just when you thought the tree house was done...then began the efforts to figure out how to keep out the rain.  It's hard when you cut two tree size holes in the roof!

Since the tree house was mostly finished, we had time to go down to Girdwood.  We accidentally found a bunch of berries!!!  I think we've always done our berry picking a little late.  This was definitely earlier than we usually look and we found waaaaaaaay more berries than we usually do.  It was a lovely outing and we went back several times.  It's so fun when you can just stand and pick and pick and pick. 

Maybe the timing wasn't the only reason for our improved success.  These guys are just the right height to see under the leaves that block our view from grown-up height.  

Raspberries, blueberries, salmonberries and watermelon berries.  YUM!

Have I mentioned that we had a rental car all summer long?  Our van got in a tiny fender bender and it took them forever to fix it.  Which was awesome because we enjoyed riding in style!

I think the most monumental thing that happened in August was moving our kids out of their cribs.  And by "monumental" I mean "maybe the worst thing that ever happened to me."  It seriously ruined my life.  These guys were sleeping soundly soundly through the night.  12-14 hour stretches of not needing me once before we changed things.  We thought we would start in August so that by the time we went to Colorado in September they would be champion out-of-crib sleepers.  I am writing this post in February and just the other night I decided to count how many times I am getting up at night to help somebody.  I lost track.  It was somewhere around 9 or 10 wake ups. And it's not Thomas that's getting me up.  It's kind of a nightmare.  

This picture is of the nightly vigil of keeping their door closed before Esther's suggestion to turn the doorknob around on their door so they could be safely secured in their room.  

So much for safely secured!  I think this was a memento from Ezra during their first nap time without cribs.  

One calamity at a time, we whittled down all the weapons in their room until they were left with this.  

And just this week (in February) we got them bunk beds!!!  Pray for us!