Garbage Can Potatoes

I tried to grow "Garbage Can Potatoes this year. It was pretty much a dismal failure. Here are the boys "digging potatoes"





This is the biggest one we found.
Well, instead of a hundred pounds of potatoes this is my whole crop from one can. I haven't even had the heart to dump out the other can because it seems silly to make such a mess for a handful of potatoes. I have some ideas on how to do it different next year. I had a bug eating my plants and I think they got to wet. So, more drainage in the bottom next year and some sort of organic bug killer. I also am going to use potting soil to get it started and then us sand from my parents house to finish filling the can.

Birthday Party

It has been several weeks since our birthday, but here are the pictures. We went down to the restaurant to party so that Ron and Dena could be there with us. It was cowboy weekend, so everyone put on their cowboy garb. We had Jake and Steph, Ron and Dena, my Grandma and Grandpa Ferguson, and my parents there to help us out. Plus the staff at The Country House. So here is my family:



My grandparents
Me with my new baby wrap.
Cliff had Grandma Taylor make him a banana cream pie for his birthday. Stephanie made a cake for Nate, they put Bionicles on the cake for a picture. My mom brought a carrot cake for my cake.
Phyllis helping Ryan Hokie Pokie

Ryan
Nate the somber 11 year old
Cliff also pretty somber at 11 years old. Look how broad his shoulders are.




My four boys


Daddy and Lane

Boating Fun

Ron and Dena have been so busy with the restaruant this summer that they have not gotten to take the boat out very much. We took it out with just our family one Sunday after church as kind of a pre birthday party for the boys. We had a lot of fun!

Ryan tried out the tube, but he didn't want to stay in it more than a few minutes before he said, "Mommy, I back in boat!" So we let his big brothers climb back in the tube and off we went again. They like it to be rough and wet, so Josh was mostly doing circles. Yes, we are THOSE people. Ryan really did not like it when the boat banked and he was getting really close to the water.
Despite getting his cheeks pinched by his life jacket Lane did take a nap.



We put the canopy on so that the little kids (and secretly Mommy) didn't get sunburned. Here is Josh.
Lane
Cliff
Nate
Ryan

Josh's Birthday

It has been over a month since Josh's Birthday, but here are the pictures of him blowing out his candles. Ron and Dena, Jake and Steph and my parents all came up for the Sunday afternoon celebration!

My best Birthday Present!

Eleven years ago on my birthday I had the best present in the whole world. Nate and Cliff were born and they changed my life forever. From irresponsible party girl to mother of twins in an instant. How far we have all come from there, I am walking so much closer to God than I was back then. And, while some may disagree, I think I have grown up into a responsible woman.
Nate and Cliff are no longer the little boys you see below, but becoming more like men every day. While it makes me sad sometimes, it makes me proud too.
This year on my birthday I got another fantastic gift.....my nephew Conner Mark. Isn't he adorable! I can't wait until we can go visit him and I can snuggle him up. Congratulations to Jason and Kim on their new beautiful boy! It appears that he is already well loved and adored.

Family Time

My Great Aunt Edna had a birthday a few weeks ago that prompted a large family get together. Here are all of my favorite guys in one spot. Nate, Dad, Lane, Cliff, Josh, and Ryan.

Dad and Lane

Aunt Edna and her kids

Visit to the farm

We have spent a couple of weekends at my parents this summer. One of them the guys took down a huge tree in the back yard. If you need firewood this winter talk to my dad.



Grandma got some fancy lawn chairs for her birthday, we fight over who gets to sit in them. Here is Grandma and Lane.
4th of July we had a bon fire before we lit fireworks. We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows.