A day at home...

Paige, Bella and I spent the afternoon gardening, playing and waiting for the bus. My new project is to remember to take more photos of myself with my girls. I do want proof that I was there with them on all of these wonderful days.She was attacking me cute girl isn't she?Attack dogs...Me and my littlest girl...

All in a day...

Uncle Jim and I spent some time together today we went to lunch and I took him to the Botanical Gardens for the first time. Really how could you live here for 35 years and not visit the gardens? We had a great time.

These are Taiwan Black Bush Beans that we're growing in the AAS Vegetable garden at TBG. They are tasty and look one bean, they can grow three feet long, will feed a person, at least a Sydney sized person.

SLEEPOVER!!! Finally! We made it through the first week of school and the girls had a special night planned. Watching the new Wizards of Waverly Place Movie. A good time had by all.

Paige chasing the geese...

This is a favorite passtime of the littlest Rapp. She is quite the scary monster...I like it when she's chasing the geese and not her sisters.

Rainy, rainy day.

We had a lot of fun working in the farmhouse at the botanicals. Paige loved being someplace new at the garden. I went back for a meeting after school let out and the rain let up so the girls had fun.

First day of school...

It's so hard to sleep the night before school starts. New class, new friends and a new outfit. The girls chose to wear matching outfits for the first day. Quite cute aren't they?We all went down to wait with Kate. Her bus comes an hour before Syd's but they were to excited to not wait together. I love that sometimes they like each other.While waiting for Sydney's bus Paige decided to finish of her slushy from the night before and reorganize all the rocks in the driveway."Where is the bus mom? I think we already missed it."
No sweetie we went outside to wait for the bus fifteen minutes early. Finally it's here! There goes our little first grade girl. One happy little girl.

Creating winter happiness...

One of the great things about gardening is being able to have fresh produce. The next best thing is having canned goodness to open up in the middle of winter. Miss Sydney and Miss Paige love everything pickled. So I've got enough to last them about a week if I let them eat what they wanted when they wanted. Roasted Red Pepper Spread, Pickles...dill or bread and butter, Pickled Hot Peppers, and Dilly Beans.

Bridal gowns...

This is a sneak peek at Eileen's Wedding dress. She looks beautiful. I love the simple clean lines and the beadwork is gorgeous.Paige enjoyed dancing around on the mirror made to see the entire gown. Every little girls dream mirror.Paige photographing herself...Let me do it mom. Let me do it.

1st grade openhouse...

Much excitement in the air today. Sydney finally got to go to her openhouse. Still a little wary of having a Mister for a teacher. When she met Mr. Rethman. She said, "He doesn't seem so bad." Well that's my girl for you. She was excited about her classroom and loved her name on the desk and that her locker was in the room. Kate took this photo of me thinking about the paperwork I was filling out and Sydney checking out her classmates. But notice Paige hasn't run away yet. That's always a good thing. In the office was last years entire school photo. The girls found themselves and all the teachers they know. Great fun!!!

Too many tomatoes?

So if you've been overtaken with a bounteous harvest of cherry tomatoes here's a yummy quick way to use them up. Cherry Tomato Cobbler...which is savory like a casserole, not sweet like dessert. I implore you give it a try it's delicious! A quick note I didn't have any fennel pollen spice but it's still wonderfully tasty without it.

Cherry tomato cobbler with garden herbs, cheese and fennel pollen spice

6 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups plus 2 Tbsp flour, divided
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
2 tsp salt, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup shredded hard cheese (try Gruyere, aged Monterey jack or mild cheddar)
1/2 cup minced fresh herbs, any sort (e.g. parsley, chives, oregano, basil)
1 tsp fennel pollen spice
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix the tomatoes with 2 Tbsp of flour, the garlic, and 1 tsp of salt. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake 15 minutes to soften the tomatoes and start their juices flowing.
While the tomatoes are baking, make the biscuit topping: Whisk together remaining flour, remaining salt, baking powder, baking soda, shredded cheese, herbs, fennel pollen spice and pepper in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and yogurt or buttermilk; add to the flour mixture. Stir with a fork until a dough forms. If it's too dry, add a little more oil. With one hand, knead the dough 5-6 times by turning it over on itself in the bowl.
Remove the tomatoes from the oven after 15 minutes and drop the biscuit dough in clumps on top of the tomatoes. Return the pan to the oven and bake about 20 minutes, or until the biscuits are cooked through and golden on top, and the tomatoes are bubbling. Serve at room temperature for best flavor.

Really if you like tomatoes, try it you'll love it!

Bailey...

This is our littlest member of the family...Bailey. She is seven and Kate's best pal. Kate had a whole photo shoot with her today. Here are the two that I liked the best after a little computer manipulation.

A day at the market...

We go to the Farmer's Market every couple of weeks. I am enjoying canning a lot this summer. Here are some photos of are fun day. The herb lady...

Bounteous table of vegetable goodness. These carrots were so very beautiful.

Apples are finally in! Yeah for us. Sydney got to pay for a bag of kettle corn to share with her sisters. I brought home red peppers, beans, watermelon, cucumbers, apples, and more. My bags were overflowing.

First Grade...

Miss Sydney recieved her class assignment today. She will be with Mr. Rethman. He's a great teacher but my girl has some reservations. Here is the conversation I had with Syd on the way home.
"Are you excited about your teacher?"
Yeah but mom he's a boy...
"What's wrong with boy teachers?"
They are just freaky mom, freaky.
"Mr. Matt is a teacher and you like him."
Yeah well he's Mr. Matt. I don't know about this guy.
I love my conversations with Sydney....it's fun learning about how she see's the world. I love my girl.

Potatoes...

Today we had a forcast that called for a chance of rain. We had plans for digging up potatoes in the Pioneer garden. The girls wandered off to play until Mr. Matt would be there with tools for digging. I discovered that they were feeding pop tarts to the ducks. Yeah now we have nutrionally balanced ducks at the Botanicals.

On to potato harvesting....Mr. Matt showed them how to go about it and then you would have thought it was Easter. They were racing to find the most potatoes while we were also racing against the immenent rain showers.Paige kept trying to dig this guy out but kept recovering it with dirt. Can you tell how proud she is? That is "her tootato."This is what happens when you play in the dirt. Sydney well she's just not normal....there is definitely not enough dirt on those hands.Pretty bloom I found in the Pioneer Garden border today.

So the story ends with a bucket full of potatoes, five dirty girls, and a delicious dinner. Perfect day!

Jazz in the Garden...

Tonight was the last night for Jazz in the Garden...Syd and Paige wanted to play at the Amsbury's so I only had Kate and Faith. I also brought along Esther and Eileen. Miss Lucy made these amazing candies for the girls to try that are popular in Brazil. As you can tell by Kate's face they are delicious! If she could have she would have eaten them all.

Jennifer and Jim met me there. We had a wonderful time. Lots of laughter. Summer evenings, gardens, music and friends four of my favorite things. I will miss this.

Cousins and Sixth Grade...

We were lucky enough to have Samantha spend a few days with us this week. Due to my beyond old and unreliable transportation I don't visit my sister in Ypsilanti enough. My girls have missed their cousins and Andrew is so very very grown up. Sam and Kate spent the day at the garden with me no small people. Kate loved it. Sam thought the Botanicals were cool. I love these girls...I'm glad that they are cousins they are a great example of how someone in your family can be your best friend. Can't believe that Sam is turning 11 this year too!

The woman(whose name I have forgotten which is just like me) who cares for the pond at TBG is amazing. She wades out there and does all of her caretaking. I had fun speaking with her. I'd never been in the garden when she was...the girls always thought that the pond took care of itself. Yeah haven't met a garden that tends itself yet.

Timberston Junior High...that's where we went to load up Kates' locker with all of her new goodies. They let all the students in the week before to decorate their lockers. Kate's is covered with Twilight and funny animal photos. She even figured out her combination with the help of her dad.

Kate fits in the locker which she and her sisters find hilarious!!!Paige is trying to learn how to do this for "When I'm a big girl like Tate." When did she grow up? I'm not to excited about that part.