My Garden

I posted a couple of months ago about my garden which we worked hard to plant.  I'm glad to say that it is growing and now producing!  The deer, rabbits and slugs have (knock on wood) been kept at bay so that we are now beginning to harvest our efforts.

My peas are HUGE and super sweet.

Emmy about to harvest her broccoli

A basket of swiss chard

Our second harvest of swiss chard and some rosemary.

Summer Soltice

So tonight is the summer soltice and it's crazy how late the sun sets and how early it rises up here in the Pacific Northwest! 

I took this photo at 10:00 PM with no flash (and no time delay)!

And this is at 5:00 AM - it starts getting light around 4:30.

Seattle and Tacoma

Since Stevie was post-call on Tuesday, he took the opportunity to take Carlos and Diana up to Seattle to see the sights.  I had to stay home since the kids only had a half day of school.

They went to Pikes Market where Stevie described them as kids in a candy store.  They really seemed to enjoy the sights, sounds, treats and people of the bustling market.

But I truly think the highlight of the day was when they were sitting outside a Starbucks and this guy was entertaining them by his appeal for a woman.  Stevie says he almost wet his pants laughing so hard!

On Thursday we took Carlos and Diana into Tacoma for a mini art tour.  We visited the glass bridge of Chihuly's work, the Union Station and then I took them to the Tacoma Art Museum.

Playing with the bronze statue

In Union Station

One of Chihuly's pieces in the museum.

Legendary Donuts

On one of our recent post-call hang out days, Stevie and I went over to Tacoma near where he works to have lunch and check out a farmer's market he has seen.  It turned out that the farmer's market only runs from 3-7 at night, so we unfortunately missed that, but we did find some other interesting treasures on an unsuspecting block of seedy looking buildings.  First we had some killer biscuits and gravy and fried potatoes at an all-day breakfast restaurant.  Then we ventured across the street to an herb and spice store that had more variety than you could even dream of.  In fact I found some root of marshmallow for my mom that she's been looking for years. 

But our last stop was a store called Legendary Donuts. 

This little joint looked pretty benign from the outside, but entering through the doors was like going into a dark, retro bar - except the "bar" was full of scrumtious looking donuts.  Not your average glazed or sprinkle, mind you, but ones like chocolate cake topped with a Nutella cream, or a donut topped with chocolate frosting, topped with crumbled Oreos, topped with gummy worms (all on one donut).  Their signature donut is a donut stuffed with English coastal cheese and bacon and deep fried.  Ohhh...

I bought myself and the kids each a donut (Stevie declined since he knew if he got started on them, he'd be hooked and this is a place he passes every day on the way to and from work).  Cannon's was a cinnamon roll donut topped with cream cheese frosting, London's was the "Snickers", Emmy had the Fruity Pebble and sprinkle minis and I had the Nutella job.

As we're driving home, Stevie and I get to talking about keeping the kids going with their studies this summer by doing workbook pages and a computer reading program called Raz-Kids.  I suggested that they do well with an incentive so Stevie suggests the donuts.  Sounds like a good idea - get through one level of Raz-Kids and several workbook pages and you earn a donut, a Legendary Donut. 

Well, as soon as Emmy and London had their first donut, they were hooked.  I mean it was like crack to them and they were soon jonesen for their next fix.  That night they were fighting for the computer so that they could do Raz-Kids.  And the next morning I found London still in his bed working on workbook pages!  It wasn't even officially summer break yet, but they were working away to get their next donut.

After less than a week, they had accomplished their goal so we headed on back to Legendary Donuts (with Carlos and Diana in tow) to pay off the debt.  Wow!  I think I might be eating a lot of donuts this summer...

Making their selection

Diana had an apple fritter

The rewards - Emmy's donut required two hands it was so big.

The stash

 They also do donut cakes like this pile of donuts topped with Oreos and gummy worms...

Or this "hamburger and fries" (yes, all donut).  I've romised them one of these if they get through everything by the end of summer!

Last Day of School

I can't believe the school year is coming to a close, but this is the final "week" of school.  Monday was a full day and a half day on Tuesday and they are out for SUMMER!

Monday night was the Moving On ceremony for Cannon who has finished middle school and will be entering high school next year.

Having his name announced

Getting hugs from his LA teacher

With his friend Eric

Proud momma, unfortunately Stevie was on call and couldn't be there.

London with his teacher, Mrs. Rosenbach

Emmy with her teacher, Ms. Conti

And before we knew it, school is over!

Done with school!

Donna the bus driver saying happy summer!

He looks happy, doesn't he?

With his friend Drew

Daisy to Brownie

Late in the school year, I finally got around to inquiring about getting Emmy into a Daisy's group (the pre-cursors to Brownies and Girl Scouts).  All her little friends have been doing it all year and for some reason, I (bad mom) never made the call.  Anyways, she did join the troop with only two meetings left which at least qualified her to participate in the "Bridging Over" ceremony for the first grade girls into Brownies.

It took place at a local park on a gorgeous afternoon.  The girls had to cross a "bridge" to turn into a Brownie.

Getting her flower and certificate

Afterwards, they were joined by the newly turned "Juniors" (the next grades up) for their first lesson as a Brownie - how to light a match.  They needed this skill so they could light a fire for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.  Cannon, when he found out about it, questioned the need to make arsonists out of 7 year olds...

So guard your wallets, because I can guarantee if you're reading this then you will be hit up for purchasing Girl Scout cookies in the near future!!!

Gig Harbor

On this gorgeous summer day, I took Carlos and Diana on a tour of Gig Harbor.  They first wanted to stop at a garden center they saw along the road near my house.  I have to say that I've never stopped here before because it looks a little dumpy, but they were interested in seeing the plants.  It turned out that the nursery specialized in roses and boy did they have roses!  All kinds of variety of smell, color, and size - it was unbelievable!  I was so glad Carlos and Diana made me "stop to smell the roses"

Look at the size and color of these roses!

After purchasing a few (yes, even Diana is going to take one back to Texas!), we moved on to downtown Gig Harbor.  It was a perfect day for sitting by the water and taking in the beauty.

And then having lunch on the deck at the Tides restaurant.