Wednesday was the anniversary of our engagement. Last year, Alan and I decided to make it a tradition to go out to Big Rock and take a family photo in our engagement spot every year. You can see last year's photo here. Can you believe how much the kids have grown?! We took a quick walk at the quarry before we went to take our photo, snapped a couple of shots in the clearing while fending off the mosquitos, then went to Dairy Joy for a little treat. We love traditions. Establishing them often and early in your marriage consistently calls your family out of the apathy that sometimes settles in everyday life and into activity, and offers times to reflect on what has happened each previous year at that time, remember and appreciate all that has changed since then, and renew and refresh your passion and excitement together as a couple and a family. It's good! It's been 5 years now since that night, and so far I'd say we've stayed the path of the dreams that we kindled then; we've tended it and come back to it often and every year I'd the fire that is our little family's life together burns a tad brighter. I can't wait to see what the photos look like in 5 more years. 

My neighbor Carol is quite the flower gardener. Really, she puts me to shame. She must be 70 or so but she's out there almost everyday planting new things and certainly fending off weeds from my yard. I've had several of her flowers seed into my yard under the apple tree: columbine, feverfew, and some purple thing which I don't recognize. She grows the feverfew as an ornamental, but it's actually a useful herb with some anti-inflammatory action, especially useful for preventing migraines. It might not be useful to me, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to dry some and have it around, just in case. 

Also growing in my yard: Indian Strawberries, which were always growing in my yard while growing up, and which are apparently also medicinal. And whatever the contents of this weeks installment of "things Indy finds in the yard and puts in a jar." Looks like more Indian Strawberry, white clover and a dandelion?

Oh and these guys. Do kids grow faster in the summer, like hair and plants and everything else? I think so.

Also, 10 points if you can spot my maiden name lurking somewhere in these photos.