The past week

Well, I missed July for a blog post, but thanks to a lovely cousin for reminding me that some people do read this blog!  I decided to just download my phone and post what happened in the past week.  Maybe that's a new idea for me?

Ok, I might have two weeks of pictures on my phone.  Lukas did great at a blood draw to test for his food allergies.  The great news is that his levels are low enough to start trials in the doctor's office!  First peanut butter, then walnuts, then clams.  He is very excited about the possibility of not having a peanut allergy any more (he has been asking me every other month when he might outgrow it).

The boys playing at a splash pad while Natalie is at therapy.

Natalie had an MRI of her brain, full spine, and heart.  The great news is that the pineal mass in her brain has stayed the same size and the cord syrinx in her spine has disappeared.  The annual echocardiogram a few weeks ago suggested an enlarged aorta, but the MRI of her heart showed that the aorta is the right size.  Whoo hoo!  This was a major relief for me, because she was 8 months past due on the annual MRI of her brain due to moving and insurance changes, and when someone tells you your child has a "mass in the brain" you really want to get that checked regularly!  Here the child life expert is explaining the MRI machine and helping Natalie pick a smell and stickers for her anesthesia mask.  Natalie does great at the hospital and at doctor visits:  model patient.  But she's been under more than 20 times (sometime I'll have to switch it to 30 but I have no idea when) and she recognizes the mask and doesn't like it.

Konrad found this huge worm.  What is it?  Tomato bug?  Potato bug?

 

The kids completed the summer reading program at the library and went to a big party they held for those who finished.  Everyone got to take home a free book.  Natalie took a book, read it, brought it back...took a book, read it, brought it back.  Finally the third book was a keeper.

Lukas volunteered for the dunk tank.  That really is him in there.

The tomatoes have started producing!  I took these pictures of my first time canning process (forgot to take a picture of the finished jars), but I have four quarts of tomatoes as my first attempt.  So nice to have a way to keep on top of the tomatoes!

Now it's time for the fair!  We washed the birds (ignore my finger, please)...

...then the next day took them to the fair.  Dominik does this sometimes...puts on the sad, bored face.  Is he already a teenager?  That's Dominik in front of his bird, Oreo, a barred bantam Cochin hen.

Lukas with Archimedes, a bantam Ameraucana cockerel.

And Konrad with Fluffy, a bantam buff Cochin hen.  Natalie's bird is behind him, Sunshine, a white bantam Ameraucana hen.

Lukas and Konrad will each show their birds on Monday at the fair, and then all four birds will be judged for quality.

We are so proud that Lukas' poster on the best breeds for beginners won Reserve Champion!  Way to go Lukas!

It's time to harvest spaghetti squash.  We might have a lot of these...but at least they keep for a long time!

Tom started digging up a few of the potato plants that had died.  These are the "snowmen" potatoes (most of them are a normal shape).  It's so cool to have 15 pounds of potatoes with large, medium and small choices all in one crop.  And there are more that haven't been dug up yet!  We love fresh food.  The zucchini and yellow squash are also producing more than we can keep up with.

That's what we've been up to lately.  Back soon!