The beauty of blogging . . .

It occurred to me the other day that I used to want my own newspaper column. I guess the blog is my own "column" in a geeky kinda way. The very best thing, I've discovered about blogging, is that I can ramble about any subject I choose (not just the one my employer would want me to write about), and I can post photos that aren't Pulitzer prize quality! Hmmmmm, maybe the name of the blog should contain the words "lazy slacker"? "Underachievers are us," perhaps?

Onward we go. The water slide we got for the kids could be called a "McMonstrosity." In the same way that a McMansion outshines and overpowers all the other houses around it, the Banzai Plunge takes up nearly one-half of our backyard. It's way bigger than it looked in the toy store flyer. Yes, it says 9'6" on the box. But ya just don't know how big that really is until it's all the way blown up. Goes without saying that the kids had a monstrous good time on it. (Ba-dum-bum!)

My Don Juan is exploding with blooms! Two different stems had three large blooms each. I've been babying all three of our rosebushes--keeping them watered and sprayed, and taking Nana Shuman's advice of putting banana peels by the base of the plants. So far only the red roses have rewarded my efforts; they seem to be making themselves look extra pretty so as to garner all the attention. It'd be hard not to notice them.

More original artwork from John Samuel and Caroline Grace. These are the kinds of presents that mommies keep and treasure forever. Handmade creations from the ones who made me a mother!