Zucchini

I meant to post this before our two-week vacation, but I didn't get around to it. Whoops!

We've been harvesting zucchini almost every day for weeks, and our plants just keep growing and producing! Josiah is everlastingly interested in the garden and its produce. He likes to gnaw on new finds when he gets the chance, as you can see below. Usually he ends up spitting out little green pieces shortly afterwards, though. We've been eating zucchini in lots of things--lasagna, tomato sauce (first time making my own!), stir fry, burritos, bread, chocolate cake--and I'm still trying to think up ways to use the stuff while it's fresh. We have bagged and frozen quite a bit, too. My mom and sisters helped in much of the processing and kept Josiah entertained along the way!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outside with the Aunts

Josiah did lots of playing outside with Aunt Hannah and Aunt Rachel while they were here, despite the heat (the highs are around 105-112 these days). Thankfully we have some nice shade in the front yard in the late afternoon. Josiah doesn't seem to notice the heat too much, though--he just loves being outside and free!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Hannah, for the beautiful photography!

 

Family Picture

To the few readers of this blog: I'm sorry for the dearth of posts these last few weeks! We've been busy with family visiting (my mom and sisters, and then Jeremy's sister and her husband) lately. I hope to post some pictures from June soon, but meanwhile, here's a rare picture--one of all three of us together! My sister Hannah took this at a wedding we went to in Prescott, AZ. It doesn't look like Arizona, does it?

Ducks!

Last week our neighbor got irrigation, and a pair of ducks turned up in her yard! We took Josiah over to look at the duckies, and he was enthralled. Jeremy brought some old bread to throw to them. Josiah wanted to join in the snack-time, though, and popped a few pieces into his mouth (including one he had already thrown into the water for the ducks). These ducks let Josiah get quite close to them (closer than we adults could get). He loved feeding them, chasing them, seeing them paddle, and joining them in the water himself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our One-Year-Old around the House

He's getting so big!
 

Josiah has some crazy hair days! He also loves to climb into his stroller.

He'll take us over to his stroller and make pleading noises when he wants to go for a walk. 
 

Fun activity on a hot day--watch the goings-on of the neighborhood clad in just a diaper! Plus, standing on chairs is just more fun.
 

Helper or hinderer? Usually the latter, with the dishwasher. He loves to pull the entire rack out. He also likes the sprayer mechanism that spins inside.
 

Josiah is getting adept at climbing, standing . . . 

. . . and reaching from the couch.

He loves to dance to music!
 

Fun in the sink!
 

Josiah and Paxton shared a tray of frozen corn one night. They vied for the kernels. Josiah would live on frozen corn if he could. Unfortunately, his little stomach doesn't really digest it . . . the kernels come out intact.
 

Blanket boy! Josiah absolutely loves this game nowadays--we throw a blanket over his head and he walks around bumping into everything. When the blanket falls off, he wants to repeat the fun. Apparently he doesn't mind the bumps and bruises. It's hilarious watching him wander around under the blanket. (Thanks, Aunt Patti, for the great fun your beautiful blanket has provided!)
 

 

 

Buddy Boy

 

Oh, the Day Is Nice and the Day Is Fine, and I Do Like the Good Sunshine