replicating ourselves

I know many of us have this need to re-create parts of our childhood for our children, and this is mine. I don't know what ever happened to the old teepee that me and Chase had, but it was a lot of fun. This Christmas I made this teepee for my boys and had fun painting native american symbols on it along with their names above the windows. They seem to enjoy it and it hasn't broken yet. (I painted a bear below E's and a mountain goat below M's and M has decided that those are like their personal totems or something! :)

I hope I don't transfer everything from my childhood onto them, because I really enjoy watching them grow into their own people. I'm sure DH and I will probably at least encourage them to sing, but beyond that I want them to try what they want and do what they like to. I enjoy being mediocre at many things, and I'd like to think I've dared to try many things. DH is good at many things, though he also likes to "dabble" in just about everything else. One thing is for sure, if the boys develop and interest in basketball, they're going to need to find some sort of mentor somewhere else. E is already running though, and is much more skilled than M at many things such as throwing a ball, so maybe they will be so busy competing amongst themselves that they won't notice if we are trying to re-live vicariously through them.

Digging in the dirt

I really like to work in the yard. This is a picture of me in my very own garden. When we were little, Dad gave me and Chase our own plots on our 1/2 acre lot to plant whatever we wanted. Mine was right by the road in full sun. I usually planted a border of marigolds with things in the middle like watermelons, (never did well) peas, pumpkins, and carrots. This is my first spring in my new house and I am watching everything come to life. Our dead flower gardens are now full of bulb flowers I didn't know were there, lilac bushes are getting leaves, and the fruit trees are just about to blossom. I just have to figure out where I'm going to plant a garden on our .16 acre lot that is mostly driveway and deck!