Horsetooth, Horticulture, and an Adoption Update

What a week! We've been busy, busy, busy. The weather here has been so nice--really warm some days but nice and cool (drizzly) other days. Usually, I'd be a grump about the rain but it all happened on days I was sleeping (rain=way better daytime sleep).

Monday we went to Horsetooth Reservoir swimming beach with Sage and Porter. We had a blast! Except, of course, for the whole "worst sunburn of my life--and it's on my legs people!" thing. I have never ever been sunburned on my legs. Until now. Not pretty folks.

Playing on one of the fun play structures at Happy Heart Farm.

On Sunday (I know, I'm out of order), Mr. Milo was telling me that he wanted Daddy to buckle him in his carseat. When I asked him why he always wanted his daddy now, he said "Because Mom, he's a boy just like me!". When I said that I was his Mommy though and I love him soooo much too even if I am a girl he put his little hands on my cheeks and said, "Oh Momma, I know. I love you so much too. I love you just the way you are!" It was so cute and funny.

Dennis and Bailey's HUGE playhouse. Notice the ladder is gone. Huge and rickety. :)

On Tuesday it was time for our second produce pickup of the season from Happy Heart Farm. We are members of Happy Heart Farm, a local organic CSA. This is our third year at Happy Heart and we love it!!! This was the first year that our schedules didn't allow us to do a working membership (you get $$ off the cost by agreeing to work on the farm for 3 hours per week). We've really missed working on the farm this year and we're definitely hoping that next year will work out.

Isabel on the awesome tree swing at the farm.

You can learn more about Happy Heart Farm by visiting their website. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. This particular farm is owned by an amazing couple, Dennis and Bailey Stenson, who have been farming the same land for 23 years. They were the first CSA in Colorado and they've grown tremendously in the past few years. (The rising interest in locally grown and organic food has really made CSAs a hot commodity.) Our experience with Happy Heart has been invaluable. I've learned so much about gardening, organic foods, healthy eating and cooking, and just how much farmers WORK. :) One of the greatest things about it, for us, has been the lessons we've been able to share with our kids. It's so important to us to teach them the importance of sustainable living, the importance of eating healthfully, and that food doesn't just come from the shelves of your local market.

Isabel and Milo running up the dirt road leading to the produce pickup area.

This week we also had about 2345 "hot chocolate parties". Grandma Kim and Grandpa Manuel bought the kids a plastic table and chairs for Christmas a few years ago and we have gotten sooo much use out of it. Some days it gets moved into the playhouse or into the house. Other days it is an "adventure table". This week, it was the setting for many a party. Teddy bears and baby dolls were welcome and present in great numbers!

The produce pickup area. We pick up our share every Tuesday. An email goes out a few days before telling us what we can expect to get at the pickup.

Since last week was our first produce pickup, we've had fun getting back into the swing of planning meals around the produce of the week. It's a fun challenge and we had some good eats! Pasta with spinach and greens and pancetta, sauteed spinach with garlic greens, and salads galore! (I just tried the Maple Grove Farms salad dressings--YUM. If you are a fan of ginger, try their Pear Ginger dressing.) Today we'll make some quick strawberry rhubarb jam/sauce.

GIGANTIC heads of the best lettuce ever.

And finally, the adoption update...STILL WAITING. :) My background check has cleared but we're still waiting for Spencer's to clear. Once that's done, our caseworker will write up our summary and submit us for approval the following Monday. I realize that, in the grand scheme of things, this waiting really isn't that long and that we'll get a baby when we're supposed to get a baby...but sheesh already! ;) Spencer and I have both had several background checks for our jobs and they've never taken this long (cue the jokes about Spencer's recent criminal activity holding things up this time--ha ha!)

If you haven't checked out our adoption website, please do (it's a work in progress). If you haven't told everyone you know that we're adopting, please do! They (being the agency folks) say that most of their birth mothers and adoptive families connect through the internet or through "friend of a friend of a cousin" type connections these days...thanks for spreading the word or keeping us in mind. :)