Mud Day

This year the Red Barn participated in an international initiative that encourages gets to have fun and get messy: Mud Day!

With neat freak parents, Anna Claire struggled with this. Didn't want to get dirty. We had fun watching the others give it go.

Amy gets the prize for having the most fun in the mud!

Kinsley loved it too!

Sweet friends getting clean.

Miss Kiesha was so patient with all of them!

Look at Amy's backside!

Knox is like, "Get this off!"

Jackson was like Anna Claire. He wasn't having anything to do that brown stuff.

Amy getting a much needed hose-down.

Lyla was good with the mud.

Our Garden - 2012

It's taken three years and many failed efforts, but I have finally crossed the line from feeling like a brown thumb to feeling proud of my ability to grow food for my family.

What made the biggest difference, I think, was trial and error. What they say about learning from your mistakes is true - learning what NOT to do. And I for sure made a lot of mistakes along the way!

I read tons of articles and blogs on gardening. I took notes, and made lots of changes to what I was doing based on what I read.

I believe in growing as organically as possible, so I totally bought into companion planning. By planting certain plants together, they help each other thrive. You may not see in any of the pics below, but I planted a border of marigolds and garlic around the perimeter of the garden. The marigolds keep insects and other small pests away, and along with the garlic, the smell repels rabbits and squirrels who were the primary culprits who ate up last year's crop. Larry is also excited about the prospect of a garlic harvest in a few months.

Anna Claire's favorite: our blueberry bushes!

Sage

Cilantro

One of Anna Claire's favorite vegetables: Zucchini. We haven't had to buy any all summer.

I see what will soon be yummy bell peppers!

Cherry tomatoes - planted just for Anna Claire. She LOVES them.

Flat leaf parsley

Lemon balm

Rosemary

Thyme

Tomatoes. Couple more days on these guys. Can't wait! They're our first ones of the summer.

Pumpkin. Planted it in hopes of producing ONE for Anna Claire by Halloween. It is a huge, aggressive little plant! You know those spirally things that grow off pumpkins? They attached themselves to EVERYTHING. We have started referring to the pumpkin plant as "the Beast."  Next year I will plant a pumpkin patch somewhere far away from the rest of the garden. I cut it way back this morning, leaving only this one blossom.

Baby carrots and broccolli

Arugula

Micro cilantro

Blueberry Pickin'

Today was a special day! Mom went to the library program with us and treated us to brunch at Cracker Barrel!

Afterward we made an attempt to go blueberry picking at the Tin Barn in Guthrie, only to find out they aren't open on weekdays.

So Mom suggested we stop by a little farmer's market that was nearby. It was a neat little stop! Found some fresh corn, good looking tomatoes and peaches. And there was a little kitten there for Anna Claire to chase and watch!

Mom thought to ask the lady there if there were any other berry patches nearby. She suggested one to us in Adams and said they WERE open every day for picking. Say no more! We were on our way...

The bushes we were directed to when we arrived were loaded with blueberries. We have a couple of blueberry bushes in our garden at home that produce a grand harvest of about 10 berries a day, but no where near what these were producing. There were no thorns, no chiggers. Just soft grass to sit on underneath. Anna Claire and I actually sat under a couple of bushes for the longest and picked a bunch, eating some, and letting some fall into our basket on the ground. 

We will definitely go back in a few weeks when blackberries near their peak. We are BERRY crazy around here!

Anna Claire's 3rd Birthday

Today I did something completely foreign to me: no planning or scheduling of activities. It's Anna Claire's birthday, and my BIG gift to her is my time. I've read numerous articles and blogs lately, including the popular, "Your children want you!" I'm inspired by it. I don't have to be the "perfect" mom, compare myself to any other mom, or buy gifts to win Anna Claire's affection. She wants to be with me.

You know what? We spent the whole day doing exactly what she wanted and it was FUN and TIRING! I loved every minute. Here's a run down in list form because we shifted gears so many times it would take hours to blog in paragraph:

"I wanna stay home and play today!" Note that everything on this list was Anna Claire's idea and done in the order Anna Claire wanted. I went completely against my nature and each time she got tired of something I'd say, "Now what do want to do?" It was a great PLAN. Ha.

• breakfast with lots of fruit and whipped cream
• open presents from Mommy and Daddy
• watch Care Bears Big Wish Movie (birthday present)
• release balloons (fail. they got stuck in the tree, darn it! I reckon we'll see pink and white ribbon all winter as well)
• giant sidewalk chalk
• wagon ride
• walk through neighborhood/look for honeysuckle (no dice)
• golf
• T-ball
• water gun fight
• kick the ball with Mommy and Daddy which became "keep away from Anna Claire"
• bubbles
• play in the "tree cave" (under 2 giant maples in the backyard)
• "fwim" in baby pool
• Hello Kitty sprinkler (birthday present)
• water balloons (birthday present)
• Barbie pool (birthday present). She loves her first Barbie so much! She ran through the house tonight saying, "I love my Barbie! I love her!"
• lay on blanket in the grass and watch the leaves blow and clouds move (this was my favorite part of the day)
• pick clover flowers (we did this for a good 20 minutes while sitting on our blanket)
• make pizza with Daddy (went to buy dough from Chris's pizza)
• Walk on Daddy's feet, "Be a noodle" with Daddy and "Jump in the sky" with Daddy.

Balloon release FAIL.

Wagon ride, armed with loaded ice cream cone water gun.

T-ball!

Kick the ball/keep away with Mommy and Daddy

Fun with giant sidewalk chalk.

Making Pizza with Daddy

When we asked Anna Claire what she wanted for her birthday dinner, almost without hesitation, she said, "I make pizza with Daddy!"

They made pizza together several months ago, and had a blast doing it.

She was SO excited when we told her we were going to drive to buy some dough to make it!

To make a good pizza, ya gotta have good dough. Thanks Chris!

Daddy rolling out the dough.

Hmmm...I wonder if I could do that like Daddy.

I can play in the flour? Yay!!!

I painting!

I need wash my hands!

This is the best birthday present yet!

Flour face!

Daddy added the sauce, now it's time for cheese!

I can put on lots!

I love how she drops huge mounds of toppings. I want THAT slice!

Some black olives for the pizza...

And some for Anna Claire!

Anna Claire's 3rd Birthday Party!

Goody bags. Simple.

Party favors: ice cream water gun, stickers, chalk, and mini ice cream cone filled with cotton candy. I could kick myself for not doing this last year. I can't remember a single favor we gave. I know I put them in honey pots!

Sweet girl ready for her party! Not yet...Mommy still needs an hour to go and set up!

Ice cream themed treats

Dutch caramel cookies. So yummy. They reminded me of waffle cones.

Grandma found these ice cream cone and cupcake shaped marshmallows.Thanks Grandma!

Both of these would prove to be fail, sitting in the hot sun. The cotton candy turned hard as a rock. The pink tinted white chocolate on the Pocky melted; they all stuck together in a clump.

Bugles! I forgot how much I like these. Again, they reminded me of ice cream cones.

Balloons up! Didn't the paper cones for the ice cream balloons turn out cute? Larry Averitt.

The guest of honor arrives!

Anna Claire has wanted to do this for weeks now!

She made it to the top! She was so proud of herself!

Sweet Abby on the slide.

Emery's turn!

Precious beyond words. Love these little girls.

Abby and Ava have been at the Red Barn with Anna Claire since she started almost 2 years ago.

Love this one. Anna Claire wanted the bridges pink for her birthday so Grandma made them pink for her. Maggie has been with Anna Claire from the beginning too. She's rocking the red shades. :)

Loves this tire swing!

I think I see my future babysitter...

Love this one. Our beautiful girl!

The ice cream man came! On time!

Open it Daddy!

Strawberry Shortcake bar: her favorite. It was my favorite too. Who am I kidding? It still is!

Sweet Grandpa Freddie made balloon animals for everyone.

Emmy got her pink puppy. Is she not a doll?

Love the Williams sisters. They are so photogenic.

Maggie (right) is one of Anna Claire's favorite and most talked about friends at our house. Mommy approves! <3

Her birthday cake couldn't have been more perfect. What a blessing that our venue and ice cream man were free. And that our tax refund came in the week before her birthday. I had my heart set on this cake and couldn't have afforded it otherwise. He sees and knows our needs and desires.

Waiting to blow out her candle!

This is Miss Sharna and Miss Krista. Having two of her favorite teachers at her party made Anna Claire's birthday extra special. I love these two ladies so much.

Emmy's like Anna Claire. She's about that frosting, and eating with her fingers. :)

The giant bubble wand was a hit! They all wanted a go.

Taking a break from her entourage. This was her first meringue. She likes 'em!

I love this pic. We may need to talk if she's still sitting like this 10 years from now though.

Anna Claire's cousins gave her their Care Bears: Tenderheart, Good Luck, Harmony, Hugs and Tugs. And a crib sheet that my sister Kathy made for Taylor when she was at the Red Barn. Favorite gift, I think.

Anna Claire's first Barbie!

Anna Claire had a hard time getting this musical birthday card to play, so I helped her by pushing the button. Big mistake. "I do it MYSELF!"

Opening her Barbie pool. I wanted one of these as a kid SO bad! I swear I have as much  fun playing with her stuff as she does.

Jackson and Anna Claire were flying this airplane. "I'm the pilot!" Jackson told me.

Waiting their turn on the slide. It didn't get too hot until after presents.

"Bye Jackson!" Two minutes later, he ran back to ask, "Hey Anna Claire! Do you want to go with me to see the fishies in the pond?"

"Bye Ellie!" Ellie is almost 6 months older and calls Anna Claire her "little friend." Lol.

Carolyn and Taylor were both so good with Anna Claire. She loved playing with them and kept talking about how they came to her birthday afterward. :)

I just love all of these balloon pics and how they look like they're going to carry her away.

Giving Grandma a good-bye kiss.