Pictures of the House

So I keep meaning to post some pictures of our house. We have been working and working on making the yard nicer and having a garden. And the window boxes I put in this summer. But now that it is fall weather many of the flowers are dying. Islwyn picked all the pumpkins on the front steps--One of them is from our very own pumpkin patch.

Jam and lobsters

THis summer we picked tons of strawberries and I made jam! For the first time ever. Here are the lemons.



And the strawberries, lemon, and sugar getting mashed. Then you let it boil.




Then put in sterilized jars. Then in a water bath for like 10 minutes or something.JAM!

We also did blueberry, but I didn't take pictures of it.

I also had some pictures from when my mom and dad were here. We made lobsters on the grill for the first time. Here is my dad grilling the lobsters.
Jonathan and Dad getting them off the grill.
Dad eating the lobster. Super yummy flavor when grilled!

Old Stuff

So I have
finally gotten around to posting pictures of some of the things we have been up to this summer. Jonathan's parents were in Vermont for while this summer and so Islwyn and I drove out there to see them. Jonathan's dad was doing some horse training stuff and we stayed on a really cool farm. They had horses, cats, dogs, mini-donkeys, etc., etc! Here is Islwyn after his bath with his towel all wrapped around him.Islwyn's Grandad working with the horses.The farm we stayed at. This is the view out our bedroom window.
This horse really liked Islwyn.Petting Puppy with Nani.Mama driving the gator. Islwyn was SO into it--but got scared and wouldn't ride when the engine was on. So I
had to go alone. The lady who owns the farm bought him his own toy gator since he loved the gator so much. It is one of his favorite toys.
Hanging out with Nani .
On the drive home from Vermont Islwyn LOVED this giant ice cream cone garbage can!

Islwyn's b-day cake.

The three boys putting the screen back in the window.

A couple of weeks ago Islwyn's friend Phinneas invited us over to have a cookout. The boys had to so much fun. And sitting by the campfire roasting hot dogs, drinking beer (except for me!:( ), and making s'mores was really really fun.
Phinneas with ketchup all over his face!


Gabor cutting fire wood.

Islwyn LOVES Phinneas' ball. And he found a really cool basket to put it in.



Playing in Phinneas' super cool giant sand box.Phinneas playing with his big red truck.



For his birthday Islwyn got a really cool guitar from Minka and Grandpa. He plays it AT LEAST once a day. And loves to sing along. He also talks about how Grandpa will play it for him at Christmas and sing songs.

One of Islwyn's favorite toys. From Grandad and Nani. He goes around with his hammer and goodriver (screwdriver) fixing things.

Another of his favorite toys. Especially since the wheels always fall off and then he has to get his hammer out and fix the wheel.
This is a typical thing Islwyn does while playing. He gets fruits and veggies out and puts them with his toys.

Autumn Stuff

I guess it is just barely Autumn really, but Islwyn and I have been having so much fun enjoying the weather and just fall stuff!  Last year we accidentally left a pumpkin out in the garden and this year a whole bunch of huge pumpkin vines grew.  We picked one of the pumpkins yesterday--Islwyn was so excited about picking it.  We went to a pumpkin patch last week and got a whole bunch of pumpkins and gourds--but I think it was more exciting to get a pumpkin out of our very own garden.  Islwyn also has to check our tomato plants every day and see if any tomatoes are red so we can pick them.

Every Friday we drive out to a farm to pick up a big bag of fresh, organic, locally grown produce.  We are members of a farm that does Community Supported Agriculture.  We pay them in the winter for the whole growing season.  Then all through the summer and fall we pick up a bag of fresh produce every Friday.  Islwyn LOVES going to the farm.  They have all kinds of tractors, gators, and other farm machinery.  He also loves to see the cows, pigs, goats, and chickens.  This last Friday, Joan (the lady who runs the CSA), let him sit on a tractor and an ATV.  He also got to pet some kitties.  As a result of being a part of the CSA we got TONS of tomatoes and cucumbers and peppers.  We spent the whole afternoon yesterday making pickles.  We also preserved a whole bunch of tomatoes and peppers.  The fall squashes and things are coming in now -- those are my favorite!

On Sunday the March of Dimes hosted a "Touch a Truck" event.  They had all kinds of trucks -- fire engines, ambulances, limos, one of the tv stations brought their broadcasting truck with the camera equipment.  But of course Islwyn's favorite was the gator.  He spotted it from across the field and ran over and jumped in.  He had to have two turns "driving" it.  His other favorite was a 1929 Model A truck.  

Islwyn is REALLY excited about the costume party we are planning to host for Halloween.  He keeps talking about the costume party.  He picked out his costume--a skunk!  We also have picked out some different treats and activities.  I am experimenting with make brownie pops that look like little pumpkins and ghosts--so Islwyn has been enjoying doing the taste testing part of that project.  We also want to have fun games for like 2 year olds to play.  I think we will do bobbing for apples, that fishing game where they fish for something and get like a toy or treat or something, maybe a sand box with toys or treats they have to find.  That is all we've thought of so far, so if anyone has any ideas for fun games/activities for 2 year olds...  I love planning parties and making cool treats and decorations.  Especially when I start thinking about it months in advance so have lots of time.

Islwyn was invited to a birthday party last weekend.  He had so much fun.  I think the highlight of the event was that he got to make his own ladybug.  He carries it around the house now.  We haven't done many craft projects--but I am thinking he is getting to the age where we can start doing some gluing and stuff together.

Another one of Islwyn's favorite fall things to do is pick apples at his friend Phinneas' house.  We went last week and had so much fun.  There were also some late blackberries we got to pick and eat right away.  The boys were covered in blackberry juice.

I can't think of any other fall things we have done this year yet--but I will try and update Islwyn's activities WITH pictures!

Trip to PEI

A couple of weeks ago
we took a family vacation to Prince Edward Island. It was so much fun. We rented an ocean-side cottage for a week. We had our own private beach and everything. We also did sightseeing around the island and lots of "Anne" stuff!! For me mostly.

Here are Islwyn and Jonathan walking through the haunted wood.The view from L.M. Montgomery's house where she grew up.
Green Gables. This is the house green gables was based on. It was actually owned by one of Montgomery's uncles.
Jonathan and Islwyn in the garden at Green Gables.
Jonathan and Islwyn on Cavendish Beach. It was a windy day.

Me and Islwyn.

Islwyn and me in "Lover's Lane."

Playing at the beach by our cottage.

Islwyn LOVED getting muddy in the red sand.


Getting ready to go down to the beach--although his shoes always come off about 2 seconds after he gets close to the water.
Eating dinner on the deck.










The water is so warm!



Playing catch with Papa.

....and mama.
Cool cow we saw in Charlottetown.
It was a little wet one day--but Islwyn had to go outside anyway.