All is well here and life is getting back to normal, so I thought I should do an update. Our laptop died on us so we had to get a new computer. I don't have the software installed to be able to download pictures yet, so it may be awhile before new pictures of the girls. (I am going to have to do some digging around in boxes to find the software)

Here's the news:

David is working a lot - usually 6 days a week, installing direct tv sattelite systems. We are still waiting on our first paycheck - the way they have the pay set up, you go about 3 weeks after the work period before you get paid. (Mar1-15 gets paid on Apr5th) So I am getting to utilize my accounting skills to budget out our money until we finally can start putting money in our account again. We may possibly start our own installation business. We are looking into how many techs we would need to have in order to contract directly with direct tv. We need a lot more information though before we know if that is even a possibility.

David uses the mini-van for work and me and the girls now scoot around in the little Mitsubishi. At first we thought we would look for a truck or van for David and sell the little car. But with the girls being older, it is easier to use the car than with babies. It has a nice big trunk and both girls can climb into the small car by themselves. With the price of gas getting crazy, getting 35 miles to the gallon is definitely the most economical choice. The fact that the car is paid for just makes it that much better. So our mini-van is officially the work van now. The bonus is that now our van payment becomes a business expense, lowering our taxable income.

The girls are doing great. Angelina just seems to be blossoming. She is already talking a little bit, which I don't think Trinity was doing at 1 1/2 years old. Specifically, she is already saying "MINE!" which I know Trinity wasn't saying until 2. (aaaah, but she has to fight for her toys sometimes, which Trinny never had to worry about!) She also says ba-ba, (which is what we called bottles and translated over to their sippy cups) up, apple juice, no, hello, bye-bye and of course ma-ma and da-da. Those are all the words that come to mind. And of course she signs profusely - boots, socks, bird, dog, cat, fish, bear, eat, more, full, wash hands, and brush teeth. (which, BTW, is her favorite past time! If she is upset, I can usually get her to turn that frown upside down by offering her a toothbrush - if only Trinny were as enthusiastic)

I took the girls to the zoo the other day, just for an hour before they closed in the afternoon, and we had a great time. We had used the girls Christmas money to get a membership to the Science Center and the Zoo. I am glad we did. They have a great play area at the zoo for the young kids besides the obvious fun of looking at critters. It is not far at all to the zoo for us, since it is located on the south side of Des Moines. (13.5 miles away - not bad when you consider we live out in the boonies!) I think we will be enjoying the zoo a lot now that the weather is warming up.

I am in full prep for a summer of gardening. I have pruned the overgrown lilac bushes way back. Hopefully they will appreciate the care after apparent years of neglect. They are already budding and I am looking forward to the early spring blooms with their fragrant flowers. I am going to be constructing planter beds and utilizing square foot gardening for our vegetable garden - 3 beds, 3ftx10ft. We have a bunch of seed ordered and on the way. I also got raspberry, strawberries and blueberry bushes. So, assuming I don't kill everything, we should have a nice little bounty this year. I will put excess away as I can and maybe try setting up a stand by the road to sell the rest. There are several places that just put the produce out on a stand and sell it by the honor system. People just put money or checks in a collection box and take what they want, so you don't have to man it. Of course, that is if we have excess! The way my kids eat veggies, they may eat it all up anyway unless I turn out to be super-gardener! They will demolish a whole cucumber in one sitting if I let them.

For fun, I bought a packet of Mammoth Sunflower seeds. They actually produce edible seeds too, but that is only a happy coincidence. I really got them just for the fun of them. I think the kids will be delighted at the huge flowers. I may try to plant them in a pattern so that it creates a sunflower "maze" to play in.

We have loved the beautiful winter here but I am excited to start doing gardening. Our neighbor was telling me that she can't remember a winter when there was snow on the ground for so long. We really enjoyed the beautiful snow covered countryside. We may be disappointed if this winter wasn't the norm!

That is all the news I can think of now for the Iowa Cases.

Posted in: Garden Lane, Slow Lane on Saturday, March 22, 2008 at at 7:44 AM