What could be better than a cheap, aluminum swingset?

Any other swingset.

but, don't tell my kids that!

It's my apple tree, I'll climb it if I want to.

We have been spending a lot of time outside and Jaron has been spending a lot of time in our apple tree.  It's hard to believe that this time last year we had just made an offer on the house.  I remember thinking, 'Faith and Jaron are going to love that apple tree!'

Some very cute quotes/conversations with Jaron from today:

I worked on weeding our rose garden while Jaron climbed the tree pictured above (he likes to climb up, jump off, climb up, jump off,...).  At one point during this activity, he yelled, "Mama, did you plant all the dandelions around so that our yard would look beautiful?"

Later, while eating lunch, he asked me, "Mama, when you were little, was Daddy your brother?"  I replied by saying, "No, I met Daddy later and he was my friend."  A few minutes later Jaron said, "I'm sorry, Mama."  I said, "Why are you sorry."  He said, "because you didn't have any brothers."

Little kids are so cute.  I love when they let you in on what they are thinking...

(btw, if you were wondering why Jaron is wearing his winter mittens, it's because in the spring time they double as his tree climbing gloves.  I didn't know it, either.)

Kite weather! (and random pictures)

Jaron flying his new kite.

Faith flying her new kite.

Faith's new kite (I couldn't get her and the kite in the picture together no matter where I stood.  She had it up too high).

Juice box break.

New garden area. I'm going to try square-foot gardening in the the raised beds.  Onions are already coming up.  Plowed up area is for corn.  We can't wait for the ground to warm up, so we can plant!

Our back yard today (Dave took down two sides of the corral...with the help of the wind).

Our back yard 6 months ago.