Sick/Better

The last few days have been lived in the shadow of the illness of Evangeline (patient zero), Ellee, and Irene. There has been lots of coughing and fevers and lots of nose wiping and administering of medicinals. Today things are starting to look up after two long nights of Irene-related insomnia. Children recovering from being sick is a wonderful thing.

Yesterday. Irene takes a break from an awkward
"peek-a-boo" game to wonder "Why Me?"
And yes, Evangeline is drinking a juicebox in the morning.
Moments earlier she discovered that orange juice
really hurt her throat.

Evangeline was feeling good enough to take a dip in the pool.

Irene watched with her usual cool detachment.

Evangeline's dip was quick, as much better things were going on.

So Irene kept an eye on Katie.

Finally, she learns to stack wood.

North Carolina!

Look and see all the work Kyle has done for us:

We are going to have enough tomatoes. We have 16 plants.

Peach trees from Beth and Jim. Getting there.

Evangeline couldn't even pick all these peas.

Ronde de Nice squash.

How about figs, you ask. Yep. Got them too.

I didn't get pictures of all the broccoli, brussles sprouts, swiss chard, spinach, okra, carrots, lettuce, beets, etc etc etc. You get the picure (even without the picture). Don't forget the chickens. We think Kyle is quite amazing. And he didn't get sick either, so he must be magic, too.

Oh wait here is a purple carrot and a white carrot.

Naptime With Seahorse

...and dog and lambs.

Proof!

Proof that we are hillbillies.

 It was not good enough that I play the banjo for Evangeline while mom was out. Instead she had to commandeer the instrument and entertain her sister herself. She really can pluck out a tune, and Irene totally loves it, as is evidenced by her blurry legs.

Irene saw how we are descending into hillbillydom and decided to put on a Freud beard for the first time. Someone has to bring some seriousness around here.

Isn't this cute?

While the Dad's Away

Kyle is gone on a beach vacation (district convention?) in Virginia Beach for 3 days, so Grandma M (and Grandpa arriving this evening) was nice enough to come and help me with the tots. It has been great and the girls are loving having a grandma to hang out with for a few days.

Wearing Grandma M's first ballet costume. And hardhat.

Then Irene was all super cute in the bath. 

Still cute in the bath.

Yes

Can you believe it?? STILL CUTE IN THE BATH!

Doing a science experiment. She's pretty smart.

Memorial Day

 We decided to have a Memorial Day Cookout very late in the evening on Monday. All we had to do was get the girls ready to go the store, go there, end up having to push Evangeline in the stroller because she wouldn't sit in the cart, keep Evangeline from picking too much stuff off the shelves, shop for food, buy it, make it home without too much crying, get the stuff ready, protect girls from mosquitoes, grill the burgers, convince Evangeline to take one bite of her burger, feed Irene in a really messy fashion, and have as much fun as possible before the torrential rain started.

You know you might not be the best parents when you let your kid
eat lunch like an Indian orphan.

Last-minute hillbilly Memorial Day cookout =
Evangeline plays "baseball" with her rake.

Reme got a cool 3-month top to protect her from
the mosquitoes and way too hot socks. And a lid to play with.
Am I imagining this, or does she look embarrassed?

So, we got rained out and everything returned to normal. Plus it was almost bedtime. Which was really really good news.

"confirmation"

Kaylie, Jayla and Moses professed their faith today and received the Sacrament of the Altar.

Reverend Mietzner's Good Times Family Glory Band

Irene had been playing the tambourine with her feet, and Evangeline sometimes picks up the washboard.