Life has been getting in the way of taking care of our summer crop, but we finally managed to get our hands covered in cow poop this weekend.

While Daddy raided Home Depot, we got to work planting sunflower seeds. Hopefully they grow tall enough to hide the struggling trees in the front yard. Try to look past Brinley’s hoochiness. Last year’s summer clothes still need a bit of an overhaul.

This weekend is going to be a long one kids! Junk food like this is a rarity in these parts; better take full advantage before Mommy changes her mind! hork! stuff! inhale!

Between naps Rowan spent her time in makeshift play cages protected from sawdust, nails and other manners of manly dangerment.

We didn’t keep her pent up the whole time. This was the first time she’d ever had free roam in the backyard. She came up with a new way of crawling, trying to minimize contact with the itchy-scratchy-still-half-dead-grass.

Ryan’s birthday came just in time for this project! Thanks Grandpa J for the handy-dandy nail guns! The birthday boy was too enthralled with his new toy to realize this was back-breaking, sweat-dripping labor!

Another one of Daddy’s birthday gifts. ha! We had the boy working overtime on bug patrol as we all meandered in and out of the house.

Happy Birthday to Daddy. The best birthday float ever!

Happy Birthday old man, now back to work!

The sweat was pouring, the muscles aching. Time for a lunch break. Grilled hot dogs are a summertime essential, shown here being devoured in true princess fashion.

Lunch is over, get back to work!  Rock removal specialist Rowan got busy clearing the border along the back fence for the planter boxes. She even tasted a few to make sure they were really rocks! Way to be thorough!

The planter boxes are finshed, and fit into their spaces like Cinderella slippers. Not-so-hoochie Brinley demonstrates the high quality clay found in 99% of Colorado backyards. Let the digging begin!

Friday came and went. We moved on to Saturday. Will we finish? Yes we will! But first, time for a sugar boost. By the way, Cherry Limeade and Mango Limeade taste really good together! A word of caution, double intake of icy Sonic beverages may lead to brain freeze!

Drew thought it would be helpful if we doubled the number of tools we had on hand. He planted a rake in this super fertile organic hummus. Scoob!

Rowan took five to devour a banana. Hey Rowan, is your zipper afraid of heights? Or big doughy bellies that threaten to suffocate?

One box complete, four to go. Them herbs and onions are lookin’ real nice. grow babies, grow!

Three down, two to go. Give those plants a drink Drew, they look a little depressed from transplant stress!

Mission complete! Everything’s planted, fertilized, and watered. The soaker hose is one of man’s finest inventions. We couldn’t have done it without Drew’s snowboots. Way to be prepared!

About an hour after we were finished the sky ripped open and it poured. We finished just in time! The kids have been sure to mention the garden in their prayers…heres’s to a successful harvest!

Today I spent 15 minutes trying to find my camera. It’s usually within arms reach at ALL times. Ready to document every happening. Sometimes it’s nice to take a break and live in the moment, rather than hiding behind 7lbs of metal.

It’s a new season. Things are changing. Priorities are shifting. Lately, I don’t know where I’m going, and I don’t know where I came from. I don’t know if I should stop or go. So much to do, so little time.

This dude started playing soccer. After every game, he is sure to tell everyone within earshot “I scored 30 goals!” I’m glad that his self-esteem is through the roof, but that’s a bit of an exaggeration. And can you believe he only has FIVE days left of Kindergarten? (((deep breath)))

This girl had her ballet recital. More on that later…

This one started crawling…

And climbing.

And getting into any and all manners of mischief.

With all that drool comes a side of crusty nose and diarrhea. Dare we hope for teeth? This chapped bum is enjoying some fresh air while we wait for a batch of fresh diapers…hot out of the dryer.

And that folks, is all I got for today.

Does your home look like the inside of a greenhouse? From the tales of Guinea Gardens past, Edgar can hardly contain himself! Mr. Pigglesworth was deep in the trenches with Drew as we planted Guinea Garden V 4.0.

Colorado’s freaky spring weather made it too cold to work on the garden outside.  If it weren’t for the obsessive compulsive mamarazzi the huge mess they made scooping dirt could have been contained in the garage.

Drew had a really hard time containing the micro-sized carrot seeds. If I stopped sweeping the floor, I’m certain we would have a crop of carrots growing under the table.

This carrot seed has been ever so gently pinched and is ready for placement in his new forever home.

And now the most exciting part…ready, set….DROP!

It’s a shame those pretty pink nails had to get marred by the black soil. Little zucchini seed, please grow and bring us the good stuff!

Until the seeds sprouted the only green in the house was this old rosemary bush. We started this one 3 years ago, back when we lived in our stinky third-story apartment, and it’s still going strong! Even after all the abuse…we like to walk by and pinch the leaves just to make the room smell good. mmmm…

We tried to get a head start on our herb garden this year. Mint grows fast, runs, and never stops. But it tastes so so so gooood.

Waiting for seedlings to pop out of the ground is more exciting than Christmas. What will they look like, how tall will they be? I can hardly contain myself with the tiny miracle that happens when a seed meets dirt+water.

Mmmm, basil. Just a little bit bigger and we will be up to our elbows in pesto.

Don’t be thrown off by the creepy chin hair, this isn’t furry basil. It’s oregano, coming up fast!

One thing I love about radishes is that they reach full maturity in 30 days. It’s exciting for the kids to see a seedling pop up in 2 days, and have a full grown radish just 4 weeks later.

If only radishes tasted better. They skip our plates and go right to the guinea pig. It’s a shame…