A New Look!!

Howdy, everybody!

Thanks to my talented and very dear sister, Life is a Bowl of Cherris has a brand new look! Thanks, Celeste! I love it!

More of the Kids' New House

Kai peeking out the window.

Kai sitting outside the house.

Enjoying imaginary chicken nuggets and fries (according to Kai).

Fostering Independence

We decided that it's time for the kids to grow up and move out on their own. We bought them a nice house conveniently located in our back yard. Quinn is greeting you for the tour.

Kai and Quinn inside their new digs.

Little toddler eating area outside the house.

Kai and Quinn in their new house.

Our Project of the Day

This area of our yard is too shady for grass to grow properly, so we decided to mulch it in and make it into a play area for the kids. Here it is before we started mulching and cleaning up the area, but after Shawn put down the edging.

The kids watch as Shawn cleans up some tree debris.

The play area after mulching.

Exhausted!

Our Garden---Continued

Our garden today. It is looking really awesome and everything is growing like crazy. I don't know what all is in the soil, but it's working. So far, we've done everything organically--no pesticides or anything. Considering that, everything looks really great. We have only been able to eat lettuce so far, but the lettuce was really tasty.

Here you can see two heads of broccoli finally popping out. Pretty soon we'll be able to eat them, too.

Side view of our rows of beans, peas, corn and sunflowers.

A tomato that is growing on one of our tomato plants. I'm especially happy about these because our tomato plants were looking a little puny up until last week when we finally got a little bit of sunshine.

Finally a Firefighter

Sooty face from fighting a fire!

Shawn's post-fire self portrait.

FINALLY, after ten years of having the training to fight fires...AND after two months of working as a firefighter, Shawn has fought his first life structure fire. He got called out around midnight last week to help a nearby fire department with a house fire. By the time the Harrisonville guys got there, the bulk of the fire was out. They spent the next two hours or so fighting hot spots inside the house, pulling down charred pieces of the house and putting out any small fires or embers that still remained lit. He said it was exhausting, but of course he was elated....and dirty.

Joe's Graduation

Shawn's little brother, Joe, graduated high school last weekend. Great job, Joe! Here he is accepting his diploma.

Joe and the rest of his graduating class--there were only three guys!

Mom and Dad Cherri, Shawn, Kai, Joe, Quinn, me and the Douce Grandparents.

Our family with Joe on graduation day.

At the Dinner Table

Kai at the dinner table.

Shawn teaching Quinn how to count. So far she says, "Two....faaaaaaayyyyyyeee (five)," then claps for herself.

Kai and Quinn at the dinner table.