End of the Rhodies

The rhodie blossoms die and they look really bad

so I go out and deadhead them

They look so much nicer when they are all cleaned up

If they don't get picked off they just get worse looking

I got the purlpe one and half the red one done in one afternoon

Then another afternoon I finished the red one, as 

much as I could reach.  The top middle is unreachable

if I don't want to break branches going in after them.

The pink one at the end of the house is as high as our

deck so I don't get any of that deadheaded higher than I

can reach from the ground.  Hey, no one goes out and

deadheads the wild ones and they bloom the next year

Ballet Recital

Ellie had her first Ballet Recital on Saturday so 

Walt and I drove over early to be there for the fun

They had put up the train set again

It was great fun.  Ellie is so patient with Pete destroying

everything and running his train into hers 

She doesn't even say anything when Pete sits on the track

He's ready to go over to Helen's instead 

of the recital.  I guess he wasn't too quiet for the 

rehearsal

The hair prep.  There were rules to follow

Everyone was supposed to look the same

Hairspray

Tada!!

and makeup

Precious

We were not allowed to take pictures during the performance

because it would interfere with the professional 

photographer they had taping

After Ellie had already changed

so we talked her into dressing up again at home

Cutie Pie!!

Pete came home from Helen's with hand me down toys

I get a kick out of him squatting 

Some new Lego pieces with pictures of what can be built with them

Ellie looked at the cards and built them herself

She's really good at it

Didn't even bother her if she didn't have the same 

exact color Lego piece

Pete took a book over to Pa for some one on one

Fun Day!!

Spring in Full Swing

The red peony is the first to open 

The hydrangea is budding up

This pink rhodie at the end of the house is

getting so tall

It sure has a pretty blossom 

This is the last of the rhodies to bloom

In fact this rhodie has never bloomed before

I guess we got enough water this spring for it

My Double Delight rose is loving it's new place in the sun

It smells sooooooo good

 Another rose, no smell and small blossom clusters

I thought this was a white peony but it's kind of pink this year

Darker pink peony

and even a medium pink

Daisies

And now the work begins

Deadheading rhodies is not fun!!

A Visit with Cade & Claire

We took a quick trip to California for Claire's last

Lacrosse game and two of Cade's Majors baseball games

Mt Shasta still had lots of snow

and the lake was the fullest we had seen it in a long time

The oleander in the median on the freeway was in 

full bloom

We picked the kids up at school

this is the 5th grade pod.  Cade's classroom is on the right

and Claire's classroom is located behind the center building

Claire (in the yellow) coming out of the 5th grade pod

and then Cade behind the girl in pink

The newest addition to the family, Nugget

Last game you get a team picture

and a Tshirt

Claire on the left

Claire to the left of number 11

Claire with the net in the air

Claire in the Faceoff

She's a strong, agressive player

And then, of course, you have to have a turn at Goalie

Didn't get to see her do much since the game was 

12-0     But they don't keep score!!  ;ob

We had a baseball game the night before the Lacrosse game

but Grama forgot the camera

This is a nice field and both games were played on it

Cade at third base

Bunting

Dad is first base coach, Cade at bat

They won both games

In our spare time we painted the rest of the house

Two years ago we painted the back and other side

So this year we painted this side and the front

Everyone helped!!

The kids are growing up so fast.  Cade made 

Butterfinger Brownies one afternoon

Every school day morning the kids make their own lunches

Good Job kids!!

We had a great time.  The weather cooperated and only got in 

the low 80's Yeah!!