Fall Is On Its Way!

Soccer practice starts next week, which means fall is just around the corner :`(

Elle, of course, grew out of last year's cleats and shin guards so we had to go shopping!

She also grew out of her soccer ball so she picked out Kevin the Grasshopper 

She loves it when I have her pose for pictures, obviously.

Oh YA!  Elle's going in for the kill

You can also tell fall is coming because it's time to walk the plants:

Elle was reading in a book that said plants enjoy a good walk and a chance to see other surroundings.  Apparently, it helps them feel connected to the rest of the world since they are usually stuck in the house or on the porch with no varying view.

It's a good thing we still have our grocery cart from Los Angeles!  

Elle was the one with the brilliant transport solution.  I was so proud of her, I let her push it around.

Just kidding!  Chris's aunt gave us some raspberry plants (the same plants that were viciously stripped of their leaves by naughty deer).  They miraculously grew more leaves and look healthy.  We decided it would be best to take it to the safety of the fenced-in community garden.  We didn't know how to get it there since we couldn't really put it in the car, we don't have a wagon, and it's way too heavy to carry it that far.

Elle really did think of this solution and I really did let her push it all the way. (I pushed it back home).  We wondered what people would think when they saw us walking down the sidewalk with a giant potted plant.  The above was one of our stories.

Hopefully the raspberries will continue to grow back its leaves and give us yummy fruit next year!

Wonderful!

Last weekend I was helping with an emergency dejunking of a neighbor's house.  

I was taking load after load of trash out to the dumpster behind the house.  It was kind of hot and I was kind of tired and the bags were getting heavy.

But the junk kept on coming and so I kept on taking it out. 

Then, as I was taking a particularly large and lumpy bag out, I heard:

You're wonderful! 

 It took half a second before I realized it was coming from the bag.  But that didn't diminish the good feeling I had inside knowing that at least the toys in the bag thought I was a good person.  Then came

Will you be my friend?

That wasn't quite as flattering.

I continued on my path to the dumpster and the bag kept validating me and asking to be my friend

I felt kind of guilty leaving the thing there, but I did it anyway.

The bag is still there being cheerful and lonely forever*

*until trash day, of course

Proof that we are nice parents

Here are some more pictures of the fun summer we're having

Our friends invited us to play at the lake

Then, we had a BIG surprise!

Elle fainted because she was so floored (haha, get it?)

Here's the scoop:

Elle's bike was too small, but we've had a great time riding together almost every morning.

One day, Elle and I happened upon a sport consignment store.  Although we knew it was futile to look for a bike because we wouldn't dare buy anything without Chris's opinion (and weeks of research and careful planning), we looked anyway.

Nothin'

But then we went back with Chris another day.  We saw a bike just the right size for Elle and the guy at the store told her she could ride it around.  So while Elle rode around the parking lot, Chris drooled over a couple of bikes he'd liked--a road bike and another mountain bike.

Then we left.

But before we even got into the car Chris was all "Did Elle want that bike?"

Um.  YES!

Then Chris did something totally unexpected and out of character:

he went back into the store and BOUGHT it!

Cha!

Now you know why Elle hit the floor.

While we were filling out paperwork, I wisely asked if they refurbished bikes since Chris's bike (that he got for $50 at a garage sale last year) needs some work.  I also asked if they could sell Elle's old bike for us (which we got for free from the neighbors)

Yes and Yes

We drove home, brought two bikes to the store and came back with one:

TA DA!

You can even see the miracle rays

Now, more proof that we are such great parents:

I took Elle and her friend roller skating--which is something she's been wanting to do all summer

And we finally decided on a couch for our bonus room!

Here's Elle looking all teenager-ish 

*staged scene, not actually watching TV.

I tell you, I'm sure glad I don't have to deliver furniture for a living!

Those poor guys had quite a time getting that beast up and around the stairs.

And here's a random picture that Elle staged 

What a good mom am I

Bucks, Ducks, and Cupcakes

The other day, I happened to look out the back door and to my surprise, I saw two bucks checking out our plants on the porch!

It freaked me out a little, but not too much since I saw a couple bucks eating the strawberries on our porch a few months back.

I was trying to decide if I should take a picture or shoo them away.  

I decided our plants were more important than a KodacTM moment.

I opened the door to scare them away (which worked last time), but instead of bolting, they just moseyed over a few feet.)

It was kind of insulting.  I made a move like I was walking toward them (all the while being rooted to the doorway), and they just glanced up at me like, 

"Ya?"  

(I'm pretty sure that's what he's saying in the above picture)

We have a bucket of little rocks (like gum ball size) so I picked one up and threw it in their general direction.

Again, their response was:

"Really?"

So I closed the door and took pictures.

They immediately came closer so I opened the door really fast.  HA!

One of them scampered up the hill, then stopped to nibble on a tree.  

The other one said "Oh.  You still?  Fine.  I'll move" and he sauntered up to join his friend.

Then, it came back and ate all the leaves off our delicate little raspberry plant!

I'm thinking that they could sense that I was no alpha male. 

 I bet if Chris had just looked at them they would have run off!

But now for some fun stuff:

Elle's friend came over and we made some cute/ yummy cupcakes

Elle said she was ready for some exercise after all that sugar so we went on a little bike ride.

We had to stop for a geese crossing.

Elle was disappointed that it wasn't goats.

The day before, she had gone on this path by herself and there were goats everywhere.  I'll have to write that story in a whole separate post!

We have also been watering our friend's garden plot when we water ours.  They have a bunch of peas so we eat one or two as "friend tax."  My friend was thanking us for watering for her and I told her about the friend tax.  I said, "We take a pea each time we water."  Then I was like, "Wait, that didn't sound good."  ;)

Since there is more sun, I'm sure there will be more fun to come!
Stay tuned!

Kidney Cake Part 2

Chris not only gave his kidney to me, he shared it with everyone!

We had a party where I served chili with kidney beans  (haha!)

The only women not pregnant in attendance were me and one other friend.

My friend, knowing us all too well, thought we were going to play "Pin the Kidney on Nanette" or something.  :)

Unfortunately, we didn't have any fun activities.  Just dinner, chatting, and an awesome

 Kidney cake!

Today, we're going to celebrate with family and partake of Kidney cake #2!

Not sure why, but Chris decided to add the ureter to this one--and some hearts

Thanks again, Sweetie!

John 15:13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend--his wife

10 years ago today in the early morning, Chris and I were in a small hospital room being prepped for surgery.  Our vitals were checked and IV’s were placed.  

Then it was time for Chris to go.  He leaned down to my hospital bed and gave me a big hug.  I didn’t want to let go.  I cried, and we said how much we loved each other.  Then he got into his bed.  My heart sank as I watched him being wheeled away to the operating room.  I have never been so sad or scared as I was at that moment.  I prayed that all would go well and that we would be reunited again.   

Four hours later, I woke up in ICU and saw two nurses at the end of my bed.  One of them said “Your kidney is working, Nanette."

Chris called me the next day and sounded so awful!  The surgery was much worse for him than it was for me.  Later, he convinced his nurse that he was well enough to sit in a wheelchair and visit me.  When he came, he looked as bad as he had sounded on the phone.  He tried to talk to me, but he kept falling asleep!

Eventually, I was released from the ICU and Chris and I shared a room.   He wasn’t much of a roommate though because he slept the whole time, poor guy.  He was in so much pain.  (If you look closely you can tell that he’s not all there)

We were delighted when at last we could have our most important visitor of the week

It has been a long and bumpy ride, but  10 years later we are still a happy, healthy family!

Thank you Chris, for saving my life, and thank you Elle, for being our ray of sunshine.

Happy 10th, Kidney*!

*not actual kidney. Enlarged to show detail

More fun in the summer sun!

My awesome friend (Elle's friend's mom) took Elle to the beach last week!

As you can see, Elle was quite excited

She brought along our little digital camera and decided to be all artistic with her shots

Her friend's family goal is to visit as many ice cream shops as possible this summer then vote on the best.  (I think Elle said they have to write a paper on why they think it's the best, so it's actually a very educational goal)

More artistic looking pictures 

We have also enjoyed eating a couple things from our garden--

artichokes and lettuce is all, really

And we also picked raspberries!

More fun in store, I'm sure!