The weekend was pretty darn good. Lots of birthday celebrating, chillaxing with Jack Bauer, working in the garden (goodbye tomato plants), and lots of love. My kind of weekend!
AGH! We have that mid century toddler chair in the last photo. A friend decided to sit in it and crack it. I always try to remind myself that its just 'stuff' but I dont think I've ever been more devastated to see something break. just had to vent.. haha. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU 🙂
I was just gonna ask too if your cake was from Portos. They just have the yummiest stuff! Good to see you had a really Happy Birthday. your girls are the cutest! ps: i love that blanket Glow is sitting on.
We are already into our summer garden, but this is how our winter garden fared:
Romanesco (above photo, top left) - The 6 plants grew slower than we hoped. Started from seed at the very end of November, the buds weren't evident until a few months after. Unfortunately it appeared to be too late for our warmer temperatures because they bolted. The small heads that were there blew out like a slow motion firework and we never got to enjoy them.
Kalettes (above photo, top right) - This was the most anticipated veggie that's a kale-Brussels sprout hybrid. And now in June, month 7, the suspense continues to build! They are painfully sllllllllooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwww growers. All the leaves you see there are not the actual kalettes. Rather, the kalettes grow just like Brussels sprouts, attached to the stalk at the "armpit" of where the large leaves you see in the photo connect to the main, vertical stalk. However, instead of looking like mini-cabbages like Brussels sprouts, the finished product is more reminiscent of a shuttlecock. Three different varieties are there and the kalettes just started to form in the last couple weeks. We're almost there!
Bok Choy (above photo, vacated spot, middle left) - We harvested it just like the ones you see in the store. Oops. Evidently it's a gift that can keep on giving, so long as you remove some of the leaves (not all at the same time!) We enjoyed it, but could've enjoyed it more had we harvested it differently
Fennel (above photo, middle, center) - We all love fennel. Ben doesn't like licorice but loves fennel (which has a licorice flavor), so it's possible to like it even if you don't like licorice. This is one of the veggies the girls get unusually excited about! Unfortunately, it is a one-hit wonder (when it's harvested once, that's all), but totally worth it).
Broccoli Raab (above photo, middle right) - This bountiful and bitter vegetable grew so fast; we just weren't ready for it with all the fruit tree planting back in January and February. It bolted and flowered shortly thereafter. Bummer since it's one of our favorites. The girls, not so much... their palettes aren't as accepting to such sharp and spicy flavors.
Mixed greens (above photo, bottom left) - The most generous vegetable by far. Like grass (or hair)... you cut it and it grows right back. Saved a lot on bagged mixed greens over the 3 months it was in ground!
Carrots (above photo, bottom right) - All shapes, sizes, and colors. The girls had a lot of fun popping these with ease out of the ground.
We learn new things every season we have new crops. We'd plant everything again, just making the changes mentioned in the tending approaches. The jury is still out on the kalettes to see if they'll be worth hogging up nearly an entire bed for over half of a year! Tomatoes are now in the bottom 2 beds, but since the kalettes continue taking the scenic route journeying to their destination, it prevented a 3rd bed for tomatoes that are so dear to our hearts and tummies!
AGH! We have that mid century toddler chair in the last photo. A friend decided to sit in it and crack it. I always try to remind myself that its just 'stuff' but I dont think I've ever been more devastated to see something break. just had to vent.. haha. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU 🙂
So happy to hear you had a great birthday weekend! You have the best family!!! The photo of you and your parents and sisters and kids is adorable!
aww! Soul is growing so fast now.
You still look amazing Ruby. You still look in your 20s
True looks like an identical mini Ruby in that last photo! So cute.
awwww love all of these photos!!! looks like you did have a fantastic weekend! happy birthday!! 🙂
<3
these pictures are fantastic. great family photo. minus ben.
I can't believe how beautiful your girls are! So much hair!!!
Looks like such a fun and special weekend! Love! The girls with the balloons is such a sweet picture. How lucky you must feel! Happy Birthday!
Is that birthday cake from Porto's…I lived in Burbank for a year and Porto's was a frequent haunt of mine 😉
Happy Birthday!
lovely photos! you have a beautiful family. looks like a fantastic and fun party x
Happy Birthday & Welcome to the 30's Club! ;-D
brianne- it is indeed! so good!!!
from what i can see you had a sweet birthday weekend indeed 🙂 what a lovely cake!!! mmmm, i'm hungry now 😉
I was just gonna ask too if your cake was from Portos. They just have the yummiest stuff! Good to see you had a really Happy Birthday. your girls are the cutest! ps: i love that blanket Glow is sitting on.
umm…i'm getting a little worried. do you need me to come over and hold a baby for a little while 😉 ha, ha…
missing your lovely pics and words…no pressure, I can barely get things together and I only have 2 kiddos.
just hoping you are ok!!!!
A little late, but congrats on your birthday!
Your baby is just adorable! Looks like a great birthday weekend!