Our tomato is bigger than yours…

At the end of spring we went to the annual Monster Tomato Sale at the Fullerton Arboretum with some friends.  We both purchased multiple tomatoes to take home and plant in our gardens.  Ever since then, friendly competitive banter often breaks out between us as we tease about whose tomatoes have grown more or who will have the most superb specimens.  I will not mention their names as I would not want to risk their utter embarrassment, but they know who they are.  And we will continue to keep this competition friendly, and above all, mature.  All this to say….

OUR TOMATO IS BIGGER THAN YOURS!  (Yah, baby!)

(My hand was included in the picture to show you the scale of sheer enormity )

This XXL tomato of the yellow variety was picked last night along with a pretty large bounty of Cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, a pepper and bunch of grapes.

We have been enjoying the results for the last two nights:

When life gives you tomatoes- make salsa!

A little shaken up… (earthquake update)

Just wanted to update our friends and family who are out of state:  we are all fine-thanks for your calls and concern!  Jackson and I were outside during the earthquake.  It was pretty crazy- our bird feeders and hanging plants were swaying heavily, not to mention the ground rolling beneath us after the shaking stopped.  Jackson was crying and pretty shaken up.  After it was over we prayed together -thanking Jesus for keeping us safe, and then went inside to check things out. 

Each room had a number of things that had fallen on the floor- but not much that was really major.   As we were checking out each room, I began to notice a strange smell that I couldn’t put my finger on at first.  Then I started craving Bruschetta and when I came to the other side of the cabinets in the kitchen, I saw that a very large bottle of Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar, had shattered and splattered all over the entire kitchen.  (Nothing serious, just a very large clean-up-job.)

Then, moving on to our “Green Room” we saw that a very large stained glass panel that had been propped up in the window had fallen and shattered on Jim’s desk.  Looking more closely, we saw that it had fallen on to his laptop and completely trashed his laptop screen.  Ironically, Jim’s parents had just given us the stained glass panel over the weekend.  This past Saturday, as we propped it up in the window over Jim’s desk, Jim said “I sure hope we don’t have an earthquake soon…. this thing would crash right down.”

Most of all, we are thankful that we are all safe and that it was only a 5.8 (that I guess was recently downgraded to a 5.4 ?).

You tell me…

(A recent fun gift from my husband…)

Hmmm… what do you think?

 

Ha ha.  :  )   But before you write me crazy comments on my post- yes, I do know where my true strength comes from.  Even so, I still enjoy the strong coffee and hairpsray…

Journey To The Land Of Legos

I have been so busy and exhausted from doing 5th & 6th grade VBS at church this week, that I have not yet posted about last weekend.  But better late than never…

This past weekend my parents came to town to take Jackson (and they let us tag along too) to Legoland!  We had so much fun.  He was really the perfect age for it and loved every second!  Thanks Grammie & Papa!

This guy gave Jim's camera a run for its money!

Grammie & Papa were great boat drivers...

...and Jackson was a great pilot!

Some delinquent parents weren't watching their kid and look what happened...

Our pirates on Splash Battle

Jackson takes on Darth

Thanks, Papa & Grammie for a crazy, good time!

To complete the whole “lego experience” Jim thought that it would be fun to order Jackson some legos so that they would arrive right after we got home.  He won 20 lbs of legos on e-bay for cheap!  I think Jackson is set with legos for the rest of his life…

Mountain-O-Legos

My Little Boy

I love being the mother of a little boy.  My days are never the same and there is almost always a very unexpected part to every day.  Here are a couple of recent highlights:

"Look mommy, I made you a worm salad!"

"Oh, that's where my gecko went Momma!"

Swim lessons: a hit so far…

For the past 2 summers I did “Mommy & Me” swim lessons with Jackson at the Brea Plunge.  However, last summer, I was informed by his teacher that Jackson had “graduated” and was able to do Level 1 this summer.  Yesterday was his first day and I was a little nervous because he had never done swim lessons without me in the pool with him.  To my pleasant surprise, Jackson was so excited and really likes his teacher, Miss Jade.   Here are a few shots of our happy swimmer:

Listening To Teacher

Jumpin’ In

Pracitcing Those Kickers

Teacher calls these “Airplane Wings”

“I dove down & got 4 rings!”

God Bless America (and Shamu too)

We enjoyed a fun 4th of July weekend at Seaworld.  We definitely got our fill of all things undersea.  Here are a few of the highlights:

In awe…

 

Great Shamu shot

 

Our excellent tour guide

 

The Eel Caverns

 

Mama and Jackson in the flowers

 

Jackson & Daddy (or “Tower Of Creamer At Denny’s)

 

Okay here is a blast from the past- the only other time Jackson has been to Seaworld was 2 years ago.  Here is the drive home from that trip 2 years ago…

And here is Jackson asleep on the drive home this time:

My, how time flies!!!

Wall-E

Those of you who know Jackson, know that he has been waiting on pins and needles to FINALLY get to see Wall-E.  He has been watching the trailers on the computer with his daddy, again and again.  We heard that it was going to be at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood and that they would have a stage show before hand featuring Buzz Lightyear, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc. (all Jackson’s favorites) and more, and that sealed the deal!  We went on Saturday and had a terrific time.

Jackson & his daddy In Front of the El Capitan

 

Bubbles on Hollywood Blvd.

 

Posing by the poster

 

                                  Having dinner at the Disney Soda Fountain, next door to the theater (Yes, that’s a Mickey Mouse grilled cheese)

 

Sharing a milkshake with Mommy

 

All ears

 

Jackson giving a coin to the “Golden Robot”

 

Before it all started, there was an organ player (notice the cool red shoes)

 

A view of the theater

 

Confetti…

 

and curtains!