We finished planting! The orangle planter in the back is the onions. The 5-gallon buckets are the tomatoes & cukes. The red pot in the back on the left has Elijah's strawberries. The green planter with the mesh on it has the string beans, and the orange planters in the front have the bell peppers (one red, one green).

Leslie's new Gerbera daisies



Strawberries in full blossom (sorry for the flashback!)

closer-up of the green beans

Leslie moved the snapdragons & lavendar to the bed outside the gate

Leslie & Elijah went out tonight & got some plants and potting mix. They got 2 tomato plant, 2 cucumber, 2 onion, a red bell pepper & a green bell pepper, string beans, and some herbs (basil, chives & oregano). Elijah wanted to get some strawberries too, but they were out, so that will be a trip for another day.

After the kids went to bed, Leslie transplanted the veggies, and Mike potted the herbs (yes, it was after 9pm, but with 4 young'uns, we have to take any chance we can get!). We ran out of potting soil, so Leslie wasn't able to transplant the beans & onions. She'll have to go get some more tomorrow so that she can get that done (and maybe find some strawberry plants too!).

Leslie is embarking on a new (ad)venture: selling Usborne Books. We use a lot of Usborne's books for our history & science, and this way we can get a discount...and if it brings in some additional income, so much the better!

If you'd like to visit Leslie's Usborne website & see the great books offered, click here!

...that we went on our annual day trip to Green Valley Falls/Cuyamaca Rancho State Park for Memorial Day, that is! Somehow, Leslie got out of the house with everything except the camera AND without an extra jacket for Elijah--so when he promptly fell in the creek, he just had to shiver until his mother had mercy on him & said that they'd pack up & go home.

It wasn't much fun anyway; Mike had to stay home with Joanna & Rachel, who were sick, and Leslie made the silly mistake of believing the weather forecast that said it would be cloudy in the morning, but that it would clear up & be in the mid-60's...so Leslie, Elijah & Rebekah were woefully unprepared for the low clouds & high 50s weather that greeted them! Yup, pretty much a bust.

All of life can't be a fun adventure, right?!

Cousin Kris blessed us by watching our bundles of joy so we could have a night to ourselves.

Elijah was in a spelling bee for our homeschooling group.

It's no SECRET that he got second place!

While Mike & Elijah were at the Camporee, Leslie got a sitter for the girls so that she could enjoy some fun time with her friends...and sunset on the Bay!

This perspective is of Downtown San Diego, with North Island Airbase in front, taken from Shelter Island.

Looking toward Coronado, with the moon rising.

Here we have the ranges for paint ball in the dark covering and next to it is the archery range. Mike & Elijah weren't able to get to shoot in either of these ranges. They lost track of the time while playing in the lagoon. By the time they got out, the ranges closed for the day. That gully raised the temperature by 10 degrees topping it off at 110 degrees.

Now they did get a chance to "shoot" lasers. Mike didn't take up arms and, instead, was the field photographer.

Early morning of Mike's & Elijah's campsite.

Best refuge from the heat. This is an early morning picture, so there aren't very many people, but, after lunch, this swimming hole would be packed.



Pretty funny? Who put that sign there?



He is throwing a knife.

While Mike & Elijah were out camping, Leslie took down Rachel's crib. After a few days of sharing a bed with Joanna (which didn't work out so well),  Rachel got a new bed!

Yes, note the hodge-podge of bedding; the baby of the family gets what's left!

She's actually posing for this pic!

The boy's group at our church has regular camp outs, but every 4 years, there is a huge event bringing together thousands of boys -- Camporee. This year the Camporee was held at Buena Vista Aquatic Center just west of Bakersfield. Mike & Elijah went along with other boys and dads from our church.

Good thing that there were many manly men there to change it!

The caravan has arrived at the park.

Opening of the doors for the first time at the camp. Things get a little thrown around inside while traveling.

Here is part of the site after they set up their tents. The boys and men have to work together to build their camp site: set up tents, set up the kitchen area, raise shelter, etc.

Sometimes a man has got to do what a man has to do to create some shade. This is important since the temperature was 100 degrees for the 4-day camp out.

On the first day, the boys and a leader take some time to prepare their pinewood derby cars. You should be able to see the red cheeks. This picture is about 4 hours after arriving.

Every morning and night, there was a great "church" service. There was a fancy stage with a sound system and lights. A band led worship and there were several different speakers. Oh, and lots of give aways--that was the best part for the boys!

After the BFM was over, Leslie took her crew to do some L.A.-area sightseeing before heading back to San Diego. First we went to Olvera Street, which is a big Mexican bazaar in the historic area where L.A. was founded.

Leslie2 liked the Mexican fans

Then Leslie drove them to Hollywood, where she got to meet Jimmy Neutron

and Dana got up close & personal with Jackie Chan's star on the Walk of Fame.

Leslie brought Jenn, Dana & Leslie2 home with her, and what does she get for thanks in return?! They take over our computers! You'd think that they'd been on a 4-day forum fast or something!

The next day, Leslie took Jenn back to the airport, and then they all went to La Jolla to see the seals & play in the tidepools. Dana also took pictures of the kids (expand the pic below & you'll see that she's taking a pic of Rebekah).

Crazy Elijah & Leslie2 got in the water, which was a brisk 62 degrees!

Dana had fun looking for photography subjects in the tidepools.

Rachel just clambered all over the place!

Joanna, the little show-off

Rebekah found a little hermit crab

Dana & Leslie enjoyed the beautiful day in La Jolla

And the next morning, they went home to their decidedly ocean-less homes! We miss them, and look forward to seeing them again sometime!

Leslie had the opportunity, thanks to her wonderful husband (who stayed home with the children, cooked, cleaned & even did school!), to meet up with 50 of her e-maginary friends from the Sonlight forums for a weekend in Orange County. It started with Mike making this wonderful ganache-covered brownie dessert. Scrumptious!

Next, she went to the airport to pick up 2 friends, Jenn & Leslie2, who flew here to San Diego to keep her company on the drive. Wasn't that nice of them?!

More information about the brownies at http://blog.madcookie.net/dasBlog/2008/04/30/GanacheToppedBrownies.aspx

The first night, everyone crowded into Michelle's suite & played games--it was VERY loud in there, almost like the forums had exploded into one room and turned on the volume full-blast!

Everyone stayed at a gorgeous hotel. I'm sure that they enjoyed the name of the group!

Leslie & her roomies, Elizabeth, Melody & Kristi

Dinner at Ruby's on the Huntington Beach pier was quite fun--and great views!

This is the view of the Hilton (the tall building) from the end of the pier

Leslie & Kristi on the balcony of their room

Part of the "(Un)talent Show"

A great time was had by all, even if they didn't get much sleep, and Leslie is looking forward to San Antonio next year (if Mike will let her go again!)