Even if You Don't Live in Hawaii...

...you can still grow your very own pineapple!

From this:

To this:

I've had this pineapple for several years with no indication it would make fruit. A friend told me to put a piece of (any) fruit in the crown of the plant and it would produce a pineapple. I placed a small whole orange in the center of the plant and a few days later a tiny bud sprouted. Now the fruit is growing its own crown and we hope to harvest soon!

Our Middle Man Matures...

Hello, Goodbye...Part II

This lay on my back porch Thursday morning.

I found out they aren't nearly as cuddly and cute as I thought they were here.

I don't know how long he'd been laying wounded on the concrete.

It was 8:30 when we found him. Apparently he feel from our 2 story roof and suffered some internal injuries. (Yes, I consider myself a vet at times.)

His limbs were working okay, he just whimpered and cried and could hardly move.

I set him by what I believe to be his tree hoping he'd make it home. He did, just not his Earthly home.

Rest in Peace Baby Raccoon.

Tell Waldo Tardo I'm sorry.

Hello, Goodbye...

We first met Waldo Tardo in my parents' pond.

We brought him to live in our makeshift aquarium full of tadpoles.

He had a good life.

Until he was crushed by a rock.

Sorry Waldo.

Please forgive me--it was an accident.

Rest in Peace.

Here We Go Again...

Too fast...

The Hunt is On...

Cate worked with Becca and Mikael.

Connor flew solo.

And Caleb is just weird.

(But we still love him.)

Why Not to Live in a Pine Forest in the Spring...

The pollen is a slow murderer-of-clean cloud.

It is a silent but deadly film infecting everything it touches.

There is no escape.

A garage can no longer help you here.

It takes no regard of wealth, race, or religion.

It will consume us all.

Since you liked the last one...

I'll take you back a little further.

Christmas 1983
I think.

He Wears Short Shorts...

Summer 1985

How...

Personalities...

The Mischievous One.

The Quiet One.

The Haven't-Figured-Her-Out One.

I Miss Their Long Hair...

Ten Down...Two to Go

Ben and I took our first trip away from the kids recently. Daniel was getting married in Utah so we hopped on a plane with Ben's parents and spent a long weekend in the Salt Lake/Provo area.

Siblings minus Joe, Mark, and Jacob.

Sisters and Sister in Laws minus Kim, Nicole, and Mallory.

Dodd sisters with their mother.

Me keeping Linda warm at the temple while we waited for everyone to finish taking pictures.

Happily Ever...

We're Back...

Surprise Gifts in the Mail!

This isn't something I'm used to.

But I can't say I don't like it.

Thanks Taylor!

I Promise She's Not My Favorite...

Weird...

Every. Day.

Loves laying on the stairs.

On her tummy.

On her back.

Love. Her.

It's here...

Thursday Night

Friday morning on the way to Kim's.

Before we left out house, I measured five inches of snow in one spot. There were places that had more I'm sure. Neither Ben nor I can remember it ever snowing like this in our 20 plus years of living in Gilmer. That's not to say it hasn't happened sometime in those years, but even we were raring to get outside and play!

Caleb and Connor had a good time in their first-able-to-play-in snow. Cate wasn't that excited, though she did enjoy joining everyone in throwing snowballs at her dad.