Fresca Fun

My Favorite Chicks Holding Chicks

Easter Egg Dyeing

Saturday we dyed our eggs. Most were store bought white eggs but we tried a few of our farm fresh brown eggs. I liked the way those turned out! The butterfly egg was a brown one and is dedicated to Gramma Cathy :)

For part of the time, Veronica was content chewing on an egg dipper.

Fresca enjoyed her first time coloring eggs.

Her hands got very green and yellow as well! Each time she dyed an egg she peeled it immediately. She ate one and the other two peeled eggs ended up back in the dye!

The boys had an egg hunt when their eggs were done drying.

Got my chicks!

Jason delivered on my birthday present... I got some itty bitty chicks and some teenager chicks. Below are photos of the teeny ones... soon I will post photos of the girls currently in that "awkward stage"... they are a little camera shy.

Here are the babes... 4 Rhode Island Reds and 5 Plymouth Barred Rocks.

They're chilling out on Zack's bed... looks kind of spacey in there, a little out of their element.

The one on the left is "Vince". There is also a Barred Rock named Vincenzo,

and two B.R.'s named after Zachary.

Not sure if this is Vincenzo or one of the Zachary's or a poor little no-name.

Vince visiting the city.

Vincent hasn't been this excited since we got the wii!

His God-parents suggested looking into 4-H. I think that's a good idea.

Fun on the Grass

The kids and Buddy had some fun on the backyard lawn this afternoon.

Vincent giving Francesca a crawling lesson...

She's catching on, getting close!

A Cherry Pickin' Good Time

Last week during lunch time, we headed over to the local U Pick Cherry farm.

I think we started picking Lambert cherries... but after many, we discovered the Rainiers were much sweeter and readier to harvest. Maybe we'll go back next week.

We did have fun eating and picking and eating more when we got home.

Francesca went 4-wheeling in the orchard.

We brought home two sacks  like the one Vincent is carrying for only $5!!! They let you take away a 5 gallon bucket full for $15. A basket at a stand is $3. We probably got at least 8 baskets worth so doing the math... that's $24 worth of cherries that we paid $5. WAY cheaper and fresher than a market.

Vertical and Square Foot Gardening

Here's the beginnings of our garden this year. We decided to try out square foot and vertical gardening. Check out the source book here:

http://www.amazon.com/Square-Foot-Gardening-Garden-Space/dp/1579548563/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241843919&sr=8-3

The author claims that the pounds of food harvested per square feet are much more than the "typical" gardening. This is the first time I've worked with such an organized garden space. I do say that I like it! We went with two really long 1-square foot rows. 

So far I have planted 3 different beans, cilantro, sweet basil, Thai basil, Italian parsley, bell pepper, Italian pepper, serrano, jalapenos, Thai pepper, cantaloupe, watermelon, 2 different cucumbers, a few different tomatoes, carrot seeds, and probably more I am forgetting.

This is just next to the garden, the site of last year's jumbled garden. I still plan on prepping and planting in this "triangle" soon. Here will go the large and sprawling plants such as zucchini, corn, and pumpkin. Plus I will plant sunflowers and a zinnia flower bed.

Here are those said plants, just waiting for more dirt to dig into.

Our Easter Sunday Time

note: ok, so as I wrote these captions for the pics, they were lined up nicely in the correct spaces when I previewed the post but after posting, it doesn't quite match, oh well!

Easter Sunday was a nice day, the weather was perfect, the music at Mass was equally perfect (thanks Jason), the baby was quiet and snuggly at church (thanks Francesca), the boys were handsome and happy (thanks Zachary and Vincent) the food was grand and dessert divine, (thanks mom and Easter bunny) And of course we owe everything to JESUS! Thank you FATHER SON and HOLY SPIRIT!

Here we begin with Easter Sunday morning. The kids psoing with their Easter baskets. 

Francesca's first Easter basket!

              Vincent and Fresca having fun!
Zachary's cute smile warms my heart!

                                                       Francesca's sitting up pretty well!



Easter egg hunt at St. Michael's with

 Sr. Angela directing kiddy traffic.

              Kiddos in front of the altar.
Such a good big brother!
                       Enjoying the beautiful day in 

               St. Michael's courtyard after Mass.

                       
                                                                                    Got a pic with Monsignor Gus!
                                            

                                         

 

                                            Look at those wii little smiles!

Francesca holding her Easter lamb from

Gramma.


             The Easter dinner table before.
And after.
   We had deviled eggs, pasta, veggies, salad,              bread, shrimp, wine, sparkling wine and cider, 

   banana-pineapple cake with cream cheese

   frosting and CANDY.

  Gramps and Fresca.
                                    
My bro.
             The boys on a hunt for eggs.
                           Gramma and baby Francesca.