The Fruits of Their Labors

My children celebrated a momentous occasion this week - the eating of the first tomato off of our plants in the back yard. Jonah had been asking me all winter if we could plant a garden and, not wanting to dig up our already landscaped yard, we compromised and bought large oak barrels for our "starter garden." As I dragged the barrels from the trunk of my car to the back yard in the spring, cursing at myself for not waiting until Damon got home, I was doubtful that we would be able to grow anything. I have a horrible history of killing plants. It's hard enough keeping my children alive; other living things are just too much pressure. However, we pressed forward. One barrel became the home for two patio tomato plants, the other, with a trellis, for green beans. I dubbed Jonah the official waterer and watched as he became very dedicated to the cause. He learned to have patience, that the tomatoes were not going to appear overnight. Even worse were the green beans that went in as seeds. We had to wait even longer for that blessed first sprout.
Now three months have gone by and those little tiny tomato plants are heavily laden with golf-ball sized fruit. Still no beans on the beautiful vines, but we remain hopeful.
Last Sunday we had a lesson in Sunday School about faith, from Alma 32. We learned that faith, like our tomato plants, has to be nurtured. We can't go a day without watering our plants in the sweltering heat and likewise cannot go a day in our lives without doing the same for our spirit. I know for myself that I have days where I only need a small sip of "water" to strengthen me, but there are other days when only the hose on high will sustain me. The reward is when that fruit appears, ripens and we get to partake.
These two sweet boys were so thrilled to run into the kitchen holding up that perfect first tomato. Of course I had to rush them back outside to take their picture with it. Then we immediately came back inside, cut it in half, and I watched those little gardeners partake in the fruits of their labors. Gives you hope for the future doesn't it?

Goin' to the Chapel of Love!!

Last weekend we had a semi-family reunion in Portland when my cousin Rebeckah got married in the Portland Temple. If you've never been to that temple and you find yourself in the area, do yourself a favor and just walk around the grounds. It is gorgeous!! My cousins and I picked up right where we left off and that always includes lost of "making fun of Rachel." Oh, well. That's how they show me they love me...I hope.

The newlyweds, Rebeckah and Adam Orton. Aren't they cute? Boy, were Damon and I ever that young? Nope, we were younger...

We had a ball together and even had some grown up time as well. Burgandy, the daughter of my cousin Billy who is 14, who was very generous and patient, watched the little ones while myself, my cousins Daniel, Billy, and Joanna and our spouses went on a hike up to Punch Bowl Falls in the amazing Oregon forests.

These are our "Look Ma!" pictures as we laugh in the face of danger on the edge of the path going up to the falls. Pictured here are Billy and Rhonda, Joanna, Daniel and Heather, Me and Damon. Joanna's husband Steve is standing on the edge of the cliff taking the pictures. Way to take one for the team, Steve!

Here is myself, Daniel, his wife Heather, and Joanna on the opposite side of Punch Bowl Falls. The water is about the same temperature as a glass of ice water. We braved it across the knee deep water, loosing most of the feeling in our limbs about half way across. The smart ones stayed on the other side to take pictures.

Speaking of smart, this is what happens when guys get together and egg eachother on. One guy ends up doing something really crazy while the others look on laughing. Remember, this is ice cold water. I think Steve just wanted to make sure he ended up on my blog. Good thing he and his wife are done having kids...

I wish I could show you all of the fun things we did that weekend. Perhaps one of the most memorable activities was when half of our family (most of whom stayed together at Joanna's house) came down with something called the Norovirus on Saturday night. I later learned from a friend that Noro means "curse" in Japanese. No wonder! It is perhaps the most violent flu I've ever seen. Not to mention a real downer to the trip. It made its way through the family over the next week. We later found out that the PF Changs where we had the wedding lunch had been shut down the day after we ate there because there were so many complaints about people getting sick. It was serious enough that I ended up playing phone tag with the Washington County Department of Health for a couple of days. It was so contaigous that when we came home my mom and my best friend came down with it. Ah the guilt!!

However, it was a dynamite trip. Well worth the drive for sure and we definitely can't wait to do it again...without the crazy Japanese curse of course.

Shoot! I forgot about the 4th of July!!

In all of the excitement about our cruise, I failed to mark the fun 4th of July we had before we left for Mexico! It was one of those days where we actually had too many fun things to do and it was hard to pick which ones we would attend. We started off the day with a fun pancake breakfast at the church. It included a bike parade and Jonah rode his two wheeler for only the second time. As we were going down a slight hill, the bike started to gain some speed and Jonah started to panic a bit. I kept calling to him, "Step back on the pedals!" but he was too scared to hear me. Instead he bailed off the bike. That's right, he actually jumped off the bike and we all watched it go down the road without its rider. Not to mention, Jonah skinned up his knees pretty good, too. Oh, well. It makes for a good story and a good lesson, right?

Next, we went to a rockin' hot party at our friend the Schultz's. They sure know how to throw a party, that's for sure. There is nothing like barbeque and an inflatable water slide to make for Independence Day excitement. Here's Cole taking a little break with, what else? Candy!
Cole was a little bit wary of the water slide, but Jonah as adventurous as ever took to it like a duck to, well, water!!

And there was no way that Damon was going to let the kids have all of the fun. He borrowed some trunks and jumped right on there himself!

Later that evening we hooked up with Buddie and Boppo and went to the city's 4th of July parade. I would stand in the heat and tolerate way too many politician's floats to see the Highlanders play their bag pipes. I always get a little misty when they play "It's a Long Way to Tiperary."

After the parade we went back to Grandpa's house to have our own little fireworks celebration. Here's Boppo showing Jonah that you have to pull really hard on those little champagne poppers. Thanks to Boppo for teaching my 5 year old the finer nuances of explosives.

No matter how loud or how late, the Sutherlands are always up for a party!

Happy late 4th of July everyone!!