Happy Birthday, Finnegan!

After the ordeal we went through to have Lochlann, never in our wildest dreams did we think we would ever be so blessed with a repeat performance, but we were - and his name is Finnegan!  Our little guy turns 7 today!  Lucky for you readers this won't take an hour to read, since most of my photos are jumbled up after what happened to the old computer, but I did find a few!

Everything was funny to him, he was a very happy guy :)

Finn makes us laugh, even when he's not trying!

Thanks for being a good sport about all the getups, pumpkin!

We thought we were geniuses when you were naughty and we put you in the "time-out" boots so you couldn't walk off... you even thought that was funny!  I guess it was :)

 

Thank you for being "the one that eats his vegetables".  Your creativity with Mr. Potato Head parts is legendary.

 

 Thanks for keeping Loch busy answering all your questions, mommy's brain needs a break every now and then!

Also legendary:  your sense of style...

Remember your first snowman?  The one that was twice your height and you told mommy you made it "all yourself"?  Well, it's awesome... too bad daddy and Loch didn't help you :), they would have had fun.

We were amazed with the ease and speed in which you embraced the "at the cabin" filth mentality, I hear there is an ice fishing shack reserved with your name on it already!

You love your brother fiercely, even if you won't admit it.  Guess what?  He loves you too even though he won't admit it, either.

You have a patience level no child should have to endure, waiting for daddy's deployments to end.  We are so proud of you, and the best part of daddy's deployment is coming home to you and your brothers' happy faces.

As a blogger, I have to say thank you also for being so darn photogenic!

You are the best kind of garden helper, one that actually eats what you grow!

...but you are still weird for eating all that basil and parsley when we are working out there!  It seriously looks like caterpillars attacked my plant after you spend 5 minutes with it.

p.s.  I apologize for making you wear Crocs, that was before I realized how stupid they were :)

You dig the best holes.  I know, I know, I'm supposed to bury those tomatoes deeply, right?!

You are an excellent student, you love your brother (mostly), love your family fiercely, you are kind, you love your dogs, you are creative, funny, and generally a fun guy to be around.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

Now you are 7 and you dress yourself a little better but you have no front teeth.

Thanks for taking us all for a ride on the Finnegan train, can't wait to see where we'll go next!

It's really growing!

I think I have mentioned it before, but our fall/winter so far have been terrible weather-wise for growing fall stuff, even though it was 28º this morning, Saturday it was 70º!  I had all but given up on my lettuces ever sprouting, but we finally have liftoff! 

As long as it doesn't warm up and bake them to death again we just might get half a salad for one person...

The rest of the garden is an absolute mess.  I'm coming out of the funk I've been in and starting to look forward to cool days spent working on cleaning it all up out there.  Things are growing despite my inattentiveness, however...

The scallions above I was too lazy to pull, but now we are enjoying pulling up nice sized onions from them :)

Did somebody say it's January?  You'd never know it from all the DILL sprouting from fallen seed!  If I had known it was going to be so warm I would have tried winter cukes LOL... I can never seem to time that dill with the cukes... or the cilantro with the tomatoes for that matter.

And this?  I don't even remember what it is, Texas something or other... citrus outside in January?!

Speaking of messes... how is everyone doing on all the home canning consumption?  I bet I win for messiest cabinet!  The canning supplies were all so neat and orderly in September, now everytime I do dishes I am just flinging empty jars and lids into there, I think I better organize it before I have broken glass to pick up!

As far as New Year's Resolutions go, I've got nothing spectacular.  I have barely even had time to register that it's a new year yet.  I'm thinking the usual, finances, budgeting, garden, family time... rinse and repeat - Happy New Year!