I just took a backyard walk to see how my little garden is doing and it is such a beautiful day here in Indiana! Perfect temperature! My tomato plants are looking nice and I have a few zucchinis, squash and peppers coming along as well! One of my raised bed garden of beans are beautiful but the other one just didn't do well at all. It must have been the seeds that I planted. They simply didn't come up. I think I counted 24 plants where there should be about 80. Oh well...this is our first year to do this so maybe this is not such a bad thing. I've been pretty busy and I don't want to waste the produce so I'm trying to look on the bright side of things...maybe I wouldn't have gotten them all canned if I'd had more than what I have! I have nearly 100 plants in the other bed so I think I'll be ok this year! :)

The two younger kids' (both 12) 4H projects are coming along pretty nicely. Becca is finishing up her crafts project. She made two sock monkeys...she's kinda silly. When she heard about my trip with my husband to the Caribbean, she decided to make a sock monkey with dreadlocks. He's pretty cute...a bit different...but cute. The other one is a green monkey that she is trying to make look like a leprechaun! They were harder than they looked...she has certainly worked hard on them and that is what I was after. They aren't perfect but she tried so hard!
She is finished with her scrapbook project, two photography projects, her personality project, Child Development, and her "self determined" project. (This is one that she can make up herself...she did it on Pioneer Pastimes.) She just has to make her food for "Foods" and "Food Preparation."
She just made some incredible biscuits for practice for her "Food" project. Last night she rolled out home made noodles for "Food Preparation." I had no idea that it was going to be so time consuming for her...and for me!!
Gideon is working on finishing up his woodworking project...which looks very pretty...his fine arts project, and his photography project. He's able to spend some additional time with his dad so that's a good thing in itself! I know and understand how hard it must be for him to share his dad with all of us girls since we've only been married for two years. It is hard on my girls as well to share me so we try to spend time with our children alone as much as we can. Then of course, we try to fit in our "dates" as well!
I hope they do well at the 4H fair since they've worked so hard on their projects! We've tried not to let them compete against each other but did allow them each to do a photography project. My thinking about the competition side of it is that we don't need any reason for additional conflict in our blended family!
So today is filled with finishing up 4H, babysitting both grandkiddos (this includes a trip to a nearby sprinkler park and picnic!), trumpet lesson and all the rest of the normal dailies!
Next week is Bible School...I'm teaching 2nd grade, the following week starts the 4H fair and the next weekend is my son's wedding! I think that the stress that I've been feeling...and exhibiting...will be better once the wedding is over with. I can't wait but I have a lot to do! This may not have been the best time to have started my part time job! I've got to finish the boutineers and coursages for the wedding SOON...I've finished the flower girls' baskets and their little head wreaths. God will give me the ability to get through it all...He is GOOD!! (I'm not...but HE is!!)
I think I need a break...a cup of Earl Grey tea on my back porch would be nice...but the kids and grand kids are calling...so I think the cup of tea will have to wait! I think we are 'OFF TO THE WATERPARK!'
Have a lovely day, everyone!!