I finally did it! I have been a very bad blogger! Now that I've got it updated I'll do my best to keep it that way! Happy days! :-)

Our thumbs have officially turned "green"! We've done so well (at least we think so as we have a some nice comments) on the front yard that we've moved to the back yard. We cut done about 30 arborvitae's (sp?) last summer and Mark put up a fence. We gained about 4+ feet to our back yard. Stone is too expensive and trying to seed it and grow grass was not something we wanted to mess with! So mulch it is! That looked so nice we decided to add some color - we picked all perennials and now pray like heck I planted them all right and they'll be back next year!

An Azalea Orchid bush (will have pinkish blossom's)

Spotted Deadnettle/Pink Pewter (will have pink flowers)

Asiatic Lily/Pink Pixie

Marcus Sage/Haeumanarc

Helena's Blush

Asiatic Lily/Petit Brigit

Rosy Glow Barberry

Asiatic Lily/Matrix

The flowers/plants in the front of our house have taken on a life of their own! We couldn't be happier that everything is looking so good -who'd have thought that we could have it looking so nice?! Espeically when we first moved in and started the landscaping, Mark's mom tried her best to brighten up the place but we killed everything she brought over! Sorry Gwen!

We love the Lantana - we have 2 others that are pink and yellow and a dark orange and lighter orange. They are annuals but they bloom all summer and creep out and get about 6 times this size in width

The Iris's just wnet nuts! We'll have to split those soon!

Memorial Day - already! What a great day! The weather was perfect , no bugs, good friends and great food! We spent the afternoon playing bean bags and then for dinner Mark broke in his new smoker. He was a little leery about making the ribs (he loves them but has never actually made them). We used a sweet & tangy rub and hickory chips for the smoking. Smoked them for about an hour and then threw them on the grill for character "grill marks". It was a success! There's a BBQ & Blues fest in De Forest June 6th & 7th and Mark's already to sign up! ;-)

The 3 Amigo's

What a perfect meal!

Finger lickn' good!

The maiden voyage - we finally got our butts in gear and got the boat out! The fishing wasn't the greatest (everything is a bit behind due to the cold and late winter -should be getting better around the 1st/2nd week of June) but everyone caught something and the kids had a blast going fast in the boat - fearless!

The kids particiated in the Lake Melvin (Dane, WI) Fishing Extravaganza -what a fun time! Each kid got a t-shirt, medal, lunch and entered into a raffle (they gave away fishing poles, tackle boxes, brewer tickets etc.) - no charge! It was a nice day - not too hot and not too tocld. The fishing was a bit rough - there was supposed to be crappies and blue gills but we only saw bullheads! There were some fat bullheads after those kids were done (about 120 kids were there).

Dad and I finally broke the dry spell! Dad & I go turket hunting every year and I think it's been over 10 years since I got a bird (yikes, was it really that long?!). Not the one I wanted (he was just too smart and was just far enough away from me that I could shoot!) but I got one. The bird is just a bonus, I get to spend some time with my Daddy-O and that's always a good thing!Mark got his deer mount back - it turned out really nice!

Kids will be kids - Lexi and Dru love to wrestle and found a new sport, crash cart in the kitchen! Well maybe that was some of Dad's idea ;-)

Lexi has a new interest - Track! She's is doing the shot put, long jump and 50 meter dash. She may not be the first but she's having a great time with her friends!

Back to school - Lexi and Dru took part in the Science Fair. Lexi and her friend Chloe tried to see what would happen if they watered plants with Soda, Vinegar and plain water....I guess the plants they picked were just to tough...nothing really happened except the one w/vinegar got really stinky! Dru, continuing the science fair tradition made a baking soda and vinegar volcano :-) He was a hit - everyone wanted to see it erupt and he didn't fail to please the crowd!

Dru turned 7 on March 26th - we didn't have a big party (it was over spring break) but he got a couple cakes and a brand new TREK bike! He really likes it a lot!