All we need now is a goat and some chickens...

Boy have we been busy!

This is our new and improved backyard (well, half of it) with 5 raised beds , a new clothesline, and a double compost bin. It's so Ma and Pa Ingalls.

In bed #1 ( on the bottom left) we have Tango and Red Romaine and a Mesclun Mix Lettuces. There are 8 mixed up pepper plants because somebody forgot to label. And a hill of Red Atomic and Parisienne carrots. The next bed over (#2) has 12 mixed up tomato plants and 3 peppers.

Bed #3 - the one with the stick teepee in the back- has bush beans on one side, and pole beans and sugar snap peas on the other.

Bed #4 is the one in the middle with 24 tomato plants that are not mixed up- 8 each of Big Rainbow, Al Kuffa and Beefsteak.

Bed #5 is way over behind the wheel barrow and will have cantaloupe, cucumbers, and zucchini.

Also we have sunflowers, Jack-Be-Little Pumpkins, 72 onions, 30 garlic, green onions, a few more tomatoes and various herbs. I think when we take care of the brush pile I will plant some Amish Pie Pumpkins at the edge, right there where that extra pallet is.

And I did plant a bunch of those Peppermint Stick Zinnias in the front garden area. All our seeds came from Baker Creek. Our garlic and onion bulbs came from Sutherlands. They are the only things we didn't start from seed.

Judah

Tonight I cracked open Judah's baby book for the first time. He's 11 months and 6 days old. Its a wonder there is anything to put in it-I feel like this last year has been a total blur.

Where does the time go?

Of course, I have to get all my pictures from Facebook because I don't have a camera. He'll be lucky if I get a few printed out (someday).

He is just learning to scoot along on his hiney. He only army crawls. No pulling up, no real crawling, nothing. He's just not interested. He's got the rest of the kids trained to do his bidding. He's actually a real baby genius.

He can say mama though. And bababa which can mean toy, hello, food, now!, look at how content I am, book, dada, mama, and i like the breeze blowing though my hair. He does have amazing hair. The kids say its like "a sea and a fort."  The windows were down in the car today and the breeze blew in and it all stood up like a terribly cute toupe. He squealed with delight.

And he sucks his thumb which is adorable. And he takes great naps. And goes to bed at night without a fuss.

He's learning to like grass. But he absolutely hates baths, and I'm pretty sure water in general. He loves to eat and has never once acted like he disliked anything he's been given.

All in all he's a pretty great little boy!