Garden and other things

I picked my first ripe tomato yesterday. (Thanks, Faye, for the picture!) I'm not sure what it is about tomatoes, but there's something about eating the first ripe one that officially begins summer. I also picked some bell peppers, jalapenoes, and accidentially tilled up an onion and garlic that weren't quite ready. I can just taste the fresh salsa that will be made and eaten in the coming weeks. In other news, LJ will hopefully get his cast off on Monday. It's a good thing too, because it desperately needs to be washed! He's also become quite creative in his play recently. Most of his stuffed animals have been in "accidents" recently and had their arms, legs, heads, necks, etc. bandaged and hung up so they can get well. Some have even died (to him, dying isn't a grim thing, it's when we get to go meet Jesus). Abby is becoming a little stinker. She climbs up on the coffee table and bounces up and down, she says "ah-ah-ah" and wants me to open my mouth so she can stick some random thing in it. She's also been telling me when she wets her diaper. She holds her diaper and says "pee-pee-pee"; maybe potty-training is going to happen sooner than I thought. She's also become quite opinionated: she gets mad if I tell her no or if I take my phone, kindle, keys, wallet, piece of fruit that isn't cut up, and so on, away from her. She crinkles up her nose and puckers her lips and says "MAAAAAA!!!!!"

Our 8th Anniversary

Sixteen years ago, the prayer of a little 6-year-old girl began to be answered when Gary and I started dating, and the prayer was answered in full eight years ago when I married him. We don't always see eye-to-eye, and I'd be lying if I said life was "easy," but God doesn't promise it will be easy, in fact, we're pretty much guaranteed we'll face trials, but in good times and bad, I'm so thankful for the covenant that exists between God, my husband, and I. Happy Anniversary, Gary, and thank you for giving me the life that wouldn't be possible without you.

I was looking at the blog last night and was dumbstruck that I hadn't noticed how much Abby is starting to look like her Daddy! :0)

Okay, I'm going to try desperately to start being better about blogging. For no other reason than it's a quick and easy way for me to keep record as the kids grow. On Tuesday of last week, LJ's arm was put in a cast. That's right, he broke his arm. Specifically, it is a buckle fracture to the radius (that sounds like it should be an engineering term, not a medical one, doesn't it?) He has a light blue cast that has caused him to be surprisingly self-conscience.

Abby is getting a molar in and it's been pretty rough on her, but she's still as sweet as ever. Here's Miss Avacado and Rice face herself:

Goodness the kids have grown since the last time I posted! LJ is talking up a storm now; there really isn't anything that he doesn't say or doesn't attempt to say. He's becoming such a big boy. Getting along with sister is hit-and-miss, but they're sibilings... Abby started walking a couple weeks before her birthday; that's right, she turned a whole 1 year old on April 13! My, a year has gone by MUCH faster with two kids than it did with one! Abby has a passion for anything fluffy and meows, barks, or hops. She calls them "kitty-kitty's" (sounds more like key-key). She also calls Elmo this, and LOVES Elmo. Heaven help us if we pass the Earth's Best Crunch'em Crackers at Ozark Natural Foods because she yells "KEY-KEY, KEY-KEY" until I finally give her the box, then she's all grins and giggles. I could go on for about a day, but I'll spare anyone who still reads this. Since I haven't had time to write in baby books recently, I wanted to write SOMETHING down.

Just a quick catch-up

I'm not even sure if anyone reads this anymore, but if so, here's a quick update. Abby is growing like a weed, and has the sweetest disposition...she's simply ecstatic to exist, and shows the world by smiling all the time. LJ is, well, definately three, and talking up a storm. He's using complete sentences! This morning he told Gary "I love Daddy too much," talk about melt a Daddy's heart! I immediately saw the frustration with LJ's whining melt off Gary's face like hot wax. :0)

We purchased a pop-up camper a couple weeks ago, and hope to make good use of it when the temps go down to the low 90s again. It has an a/c, but even an a/c can't cool a popup in 100 degree weather! I brushed the cobwebs off my mountain bike and can't wait for the first time to hit a trail. Except now we have to arrange child care (at least until Abby can sit up and we can pull the kids in the trailer). I forgot how much I enjoyed riding.

Gary and I have finally decided we're going to begin looking for property to eventually build on. We like it here, it's a great place for kids and the house is plenty big, but we want some privacy w/ woods and such. We're putting it in God's hands though, and pray that the right property for us reveals itself in God's good timing.

Abigayle Jean Hamblen

I can't believe I am just now thinking of updating our blog. I'm really quite embarrassed.

Abigayle Jean "Abby" was born on April 13, weighing 7 lbs. 15 oz. and was 20 1/2" long. She had light brown hair at birth, but has been progressivly lightening to blonde. She also has much lighter eyebrows and lashes than LJ ever had. She has a very sweet temperment and has been a blessing from the moment we formally met. Sorry for the short post...It's almost bedtime and I'm in a hurry. :o)