Just a BlinkProof Time Flies

My mother-in-love Kris is a gardener. She lives and breaths gardens. Dreams them up, nurtures them, cultivates them and enjoys them. She redesigns a 1/2 sun; 1/4 shade and 1/4 veggie/fruit garden every year. She toils in the sun and soil for the utter joy of the doings involved with gardening. Some of you can relate to her desire for dirt, water and life to be entwined with mental space time.

I am a garden lover not a gardener. I do however enjoy photographing her garden. Here are a few shots from this weekend. I hope to add more of her garden photos to my blog over the Summer and into the Fall.

[Molly's purple dress was hand sewn by my California cousin Janis! Thank You Janis for Molly's frilly frock!]

Shade Garden.

Fill ‘er Up!

Tip me over and pour me out!

Gramma’s little helper. Ryan watering the garden with Kris.

Shade Garden with USA flags.

1. Nooks and Crannies {under the dinner table, behind bedroom doors, next to end tables, in closets}
2. Music Box
3. Candy Dish
4. Toy Box {wooden trains, old puzzles, magnets, little golden books, fabric tents}
5. Love and Hugs
6. Bird Curios and Hardanger
7. Family Photo Frames
8. Tons of Delightful Food {always deemed “simple” but is always “wonderful”}
9. Hummingbird Feeder on the Patio
10. Stories and Smiles

It is sad that material things can make me giddy but it is true. What could make me so giddy you say? My first iPhone. Here are some photos from our trip to the ATT store the day of the iPhone 3G launch.

The Conquest

Peter and I drove past the Apple Valley ATT store around 5:30 a.m. or so to check out the line. We found a sidewalk flowing with camping chairs and umbrellas. However, the line was minimal so we went to workout at the YMCA in the neighboring town. (I think we planned it this way so we could tell ourselves this was the real reason we woke up so early.)

Upon arriving at the ATT store at 7 a.m. to meet our friend Jon (an hour before the store opened) we found out that they were already “sold out”. Meaning they only had, get this, 20 iPhones! The first 20 folks already had their “I-get-a-iPhone-and-you-don’t papers” from the store in their hands!

We carpooled up to the Mall of America to see if we would have a better chance. We did! I was number 40 in line at the MOA ATT store. Not bad considering the Apple Store had over 300 people by 8 a.m.

The Hiccup

We bought 8 gig models instead of 16 gig. Due to bad storms the delivery planes were delayed and the store was missing it’s entire planned shipment of iPhones. That is what they told us to explain why the store ran out of the 16 gig iPhones.  As if to pour salt into our wound, like most of the nation, we were unable to activate our service until 5 or 6 hours later. Oye!  I wasn’t too deflated because I didn’t really need my phone for the afternoon. Peter thought driving around without a phone made him feel naked.  I thought it was a breath of fresh air to be in existence with no “lifeline” of cell service for a few hours.

The Happy Ending

All in all, I am in love with Apple and the new iPhone 3G. I bought it a new outfit today, pink leather with brown piping.  Why have I adopted this gadget device as my third child?  A sick obsession with a trend or keeping up with the Jones’?  No.

Instead, the iPhone apps have already opened my eyes and ears to “Me”. The iPhone shows life is complex yet comprehensible, corporate yet causal, confidential yet connected. I am finding myself again with a cell phone! To be infused with my favorite songs, photos of my kids, dynamic do to lists, the Bible, facebook, games…so many apps that help me do my day-to-day with ease and entertainment.

I am happy with the purchase and do not regret the investment at all. Giddy maybe but not in love with…well that’s debatable too.

Bikes are like an icon for all of childhood. Bikes bring transportation, fun exercise and empowerment to a kid. I think riding a bike is a big deal. I can clearly remember the rush of the pavement beneath my tenuous bike wheels as I learned to fly across the world on my blue banana seat two wheeler. Peter rode his bike everywhere all the time as a kid – even in the winter!

It is official. Ryan is a big-kid. Well a kid-kid at least (he still has training wheels). He rides his bike around our long driveway and turnout. He has gone on two long bike rides which in tale traveling around the block or to the park. Our neighbor James is a bike enthusiast and spend a whole day working on Ryan’s Spiderman bike (from Target) to enhance its performance! I don’t know too many kids that have their first bike’s chain greased, brakes aligned and spokes adjusted.

It has been so fun to watch Ryan’s determination as he pedals around. Very cool.