Two years in my car.

Posted on November 11, 2012 by curtis

Way back in January of 2010 when Ashleigh was just born, the nurses told us to bring a disposable camera to the NICU so they could take pictures of her when we weren’t there. The camera was full around March or so of that year. I took it home with me and it sat in my car for over 2 years until last week. I really didn’t want to get it developed but figured it was time to see what was on there.

I was rather disappointed with the turnout. Most were blurry and not really worth posting on here but I was able to pick out 4 that would be okay.

Hall Pumpkin Farm

Posted on October 28, 2012 by curtis

We first came here when Zoe was barely 2 months old and have been coming ever since. The even have a corn maze. Or is it a maize maze? We took a hayride to the other side of the property to let Zoe and Grayson feed the cows and donkeys.

Road Trip – Port Aransas

Posted on October 27, 2012 by curtis

Way back several months ago we made the 8 hour (6 hours for a normal family) pilgrimage to Port Aransas for a week of sun, ocean, and fish. The drive down wasn’t too terribly bad. The expected bathroom break and leg stretch every hour and Zoe and Grayson wasn’t bad. It was the traffic in Austin. After the 157th bathroom break we ended up hitting 5pm traffic in Austin and I wasn’t smart enough to take the toll road around town. Smart or too cheap.

After finally arrived at the beach house just before dark and immediately made a bee line for the beach. Zoe was so excited. She has been to the ocean before but was too young to remember it, so it was made my day to see her smile and talking about all the sand.

The next morning we found out that our plans were being spoiled by rain so to make the best of it we decided to drive over to Corpus Christi and hit up the aquarium.

Checking out the end of dolphin show.

Touching a stingray

When I was a kid we came to the aquarium and looked out these same telescopes. It was cool that I was able to enjoy this with Zoe.

THIS BIG!!

We finally made it in the water the second day. It was still cloudy and a bit chilly, but we didn’t come to sit inside all week.

Mimi and Pawpaw with Grayson

Feeding the fish

Pawpaw playing in the sand

Grayson was trying to pick up chicks.

We spent the afternoon hanging out inside and the went into town for dinner. It was my birthday after all. We tried out a new place that had opened since we were last here. Port A Brew House. It was ok.

On Monday, the sun finally came out and we spent the better part of the day enjoying the water.

Zoe and Mimi munching on some chips.

Now it’s not really a tradition, but more times than not when we visit the coast, Dad (Pawpaw), will go deep sea fishing. I went with him one time when I was 13 or so and I know my sister went with him once. Most of the time it was him. Stephanie had never been, so we decided to make a day of it.

It takes about 4 hours to get out far enough but it is well worth the wait and the fish a waiting.

Dad caught the biggest fish between the three of us.

Stephanie made it really clear that she wasn’t going to bait her hook or take the fish off. She soon realized that if she was going to do any fishing, she was going have to grow a pair and suck it up. She did and was rewarded.

Someone caught a hammerhead shark.

Inside the cabin after a long day

On Wednesday, the 4th of July, Dad played golf in the morning and we made it back to the beach and even went to the pool. That evening we went to the other side of the island but the ferry docks to watch some fireworks.

We got there pretty early so Zoe and I took the crab net out to see what we could catch. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize how short the rope was and our crabbing adventures were over before they even started.

The week went by fast and before we knew it, it was over. So it was one final trip to see the water until next time.

Dorks

Summer is heating up

Posted on June 4, 2012 by curtis

I’d be lying to you if I said that I didn’t have anything to write about the last several weeks. I have. I’ve had lots and lots of things to write about. It was finding the time to put pencil to paper, which there has been lots of. You know, at midnight, way after the kids have gone to bed and I have unwound from that days work load or garden activities or baseball games; or during lunch at work while I’m catching up on facebook and twitter. It’s just that when that time came I really didn’t care if I wrote anything. Everyone that I care to share most of my thoughts and ideas with live under the same roof I do.

The month of May flew by pretty quick and June isn’t slowing down.

The blackberries peaked last Thursday, right on schedule, and are just about done. There are a few left on the canes and soon it will be time to cut them back to the ground. The new canes are already 2 and 3 feet tall.

The Roma tomatoes are in the middle of their peak. Being a determinate type of tomato, they shouldn’t fruit anymore. If they do, it would be a miracle as most the vines are dying left and right. Since this is happening, its leaving a lot of the unripe fruit exposed to the summer sun, and thus cooking them on the vine. I’m not going to complain much though, as I have never grown as many tomatoes as I have this year. So much so, Stephanie and I took to canning them just so they wouldn’t go bad. 15 pints and 2 quarts. Should get another 10-15 pints. I couldn’t be happier.

The tomatoes that are in the big bed I planted this last spring haven’t really recovered from the crappy dirt I put them in even after doing some soil amending. They have fruit on them, but nothing to shake a stick at. I’ll give them to the end of this month and I’m pulling them. When I do, cotton burr compost is going down, and buckwheat is getting planted.

I have four of the normal bed growing buckwheat now. I’ve learned my lesson and if I don’t amend the soil properly, the growing conditions are just going to get worse. I honestly don’t know how the Roma’s have done so well.

Speaking of the end of the month. I cannot wait for the 29th to get here. VACATION!! We haven’t taken an extended, get out of town, true family vacation since we went to the Grand Canyon in 2009 when Zoe had just turned a year old. With Ashleigh being born in 2010 and Grayson in 2011, we spend the bulk of our vacation days for that. I’m almost too excited for this. A six+ hour road trip for 8 days in Port Aransas. Beaches, deep sea fishing, riding the waves, seafood, fishing in the bay, looking for shells with Zoe, Crab-N, crossing the ferry. Bring it!

I picked a strawberry yesterday. That was a bit odd. There haven’t been strawberries for at least a month. Zoe ate it. She said it was delicious. I’ll just have to trust her.

Untitled

Posted on April 23, 2012 by curtis

I couldn’t come up with a name for this. Just something I put together. Hope you like it.
Music credit: The Head and the Heart.

Coloring some hard boiled eggs

Posted on April 10, 2012 by curtis

My Best Friends

Posted on April 4, 2012 by curtis

Just wanted to show off some of my favorite people. Dad loves you!

I’m over at Sprout today, so get on over there.

Monday Morning Scramble

Posted on April 2, 2012 by curtis

* Things have been busy around here this last week. So much so that I never got a chance to sit down and write anything. The weather is warming up pretty fast. Got up to 90* on Sunday. I’m anxious to start harvesting things in the garden, but there is nothing to pick or dig up.

* A week ago, we went out to Whole Foods with Stephanie’s parents. Somehow I left with a Vitamix blender. I must say, this thing is AMAZING. If you can’t think it, this thing to make. Healthy cheese topping (that is extremely HOT) for some macaroni? Done. Ice Cream? Done. Grind wheat berries into flour? Done. Blend up some turkey into baby food? Done. I’ll have to get some pictures soon.

* While at Whole Foods, we picked up a whole chicken. Stephanie had never cooked a whole chicken before, but I figured it couldn’t be that hard since its just a smaller turkey. After we ate the meat from it, everything in the pan got put in a crock pot and Stephanie made some pretty great smelling stock.

Showing off her handy work!

Fresh ingredients from the garden. Sage, rosemary, basil, oregano.

* Grilling. I finally got a new grill. The last one, which we’ve had since we moved into our house in 2007, finally bit the dust. It cost the same to buy parts as it did to just buy a new one. So to save some hassle…

* About a month or so ago, I promised Zoe that we would set up the pool when it got warmer and gave a round time estimate of 4 weeks. Unfortunately, the kid is pretty smart and continually asked how many weeks were left. Since it was a decent weekend, I went ahead and set the pool up last Friday night. We finally got in the pool Saturday afternoon. I must say, my baby maker was pretty close to falling off. It was pretty cold. Sunday was much better as the water had warmed substantially.

I’m pretty sure I’ll have Zoe doing some sort of swimming by the end of the summer. She is almost a foot taller than last year. She really wants to go under water, but still doesn’t get the concept of having to hold her breath and her attempts resulted in choking on water multiple times.

Grayson obviously had to test the water temperature. Still pretty cold for him come in.

* I fixed the toilet yesterday. The flush handle had finally come completely off and pulling the tank cover to raise the flapper so it was flush was a bit to white trash for me, so I broke down and spent the 8 bucks on a replacement. Lets not forget, a new cushy seat. All these new things make it feel I’m using another persons restroom.

* Made homemade strawberry jelly last night. Got 2 batches (12 half pints) done. I think we still have another 2 batches left to make. We did this last year and have not purchased store bought jelly since.

* This week? It’s already starting out busy at work. I want to show you the progress on two tomato plants that I put in the newly harvested compost (nutrients do miracles). Electrical project? Wednesday I’ll be over at Sprout.

//Grab a shovel. I’ll see you in the backyard.

Mom’s garden

Posted on March 19, 2012 by curtis

This is who I got the gardening gene from. My mom. Its only been in recent years that she started to grow vegetables again. She has always played in the dirt for as long as I can remember. Always planting different kinds of iris or hollyhock or roses. Her she is showing off her potatoes that have finally sprouted.

Mom has started her own pot ghetto to grow tomatoes and peppers in.

Here are they garlic and new planted onions.

Hi Mom! Love ya.