Happy 4th Birthday Elliot!

Rocking out at FOUR!

Storyland 2010

Don't feel like writing. A thousand pictures worth a thousand words.

Wow, they love driving the old timey cars.

Flying Dutch Shoes

Tiger Tamer & German Carousel

 

If this is Sam's fake smile, keep it coming!  And let her teach it to Ellie.
 

The Whirlng Turtles (Tilt a Whirl) = the last time we saw Ben smile that day.

We rode a pumpkin up to Cinderella's Castle, while Ben recovered for an hour on a bench from the whirling (below) - guess who is not the parent to go on rides with the kids?  

The girls recovered for some whirling in tea cups, minus Daddy this time.

Elliot's first "Polar Coaster" - Last year she was not tall enough to ride.  This year, she dwarfed it. 

Samantha miss muffet above and a concert pianist below.

The lion fountain never gets old.  Ever.  Might be better than the old timey cars.  

Back at the hotel.  

Yesterday's bottles root beer (above).  Moat Mountain Smokehouse brews real beer (below).  

Quick notes for me to remember next year:  we stayed at Comfort Inn @ Pirate's Cove...next year I would stay at Residence Inn or the big water park Red Jacket or whatever it is instead. 

We ate at Yesterday's in Jackson for lunch.  

Moat Mountain in N. Conway for dinner.

Red Fox Grill in Jackson for dinner. 

Peaches in N. Conway for breakfast.

Loved all the places we ate for various reasons, would go back to all.  

Urban Garden

My reading genre is still heavily food/restaurant oriented.  Somewhere after reading Omnivore's Dilemma, Animal Vegetable Miracle, Soul of a Chef and watching Food Inc., I decided we needed to get back to our farming roots (they run deep on both sides of the family - something we have never really cared to embrace before).  Unfortunately, I am not a green thumb - or any thumb - and our plot of land consists mainly of our driveway space, where our car is usually parked.  My previous gardening forays have involved herbs in the window sill.  Which I buy every now and then.  I keep them until they dry out and die a few weeks later and then buy more, or just put the pots away.   I am glad to have saved most of the pots - taking up precious space in our condo, but saving me extra $ every time I get the urge to "garden".

I decided to do a "pizza garden" with the girls.  Grow tomatoes, basil, peppers & onions.   We planted the seeds on the counter weeks ago...apparently about 5 weeks too late though - thanks for that tip, Dad.  Would have been good to know 5 weeks ago.  We searched for a half barrel to use as the entire garden.  My gosh these things are expensive!  It reminds me of the book "The $64 Tomato" - which I haven't read, but pick up every time and ponder how much my tomatoes will cost, if I ever get one.  After expiring my options at Mahoneys, Home  Depot, etc., I happened on this barrel in the Christmas Tree Shop window and had to stop...real cedar and only $16.99 - about 1/10th of the other prices we saw.  Sold!

But, I am a gardener now, and my patch of driveway does not have "full sunlight".  So by golly, my pizza garden will.  I enlist Ben to buy casters to put on the barrel so I can wheel it around the driveway for maximum light.  You know, the 1 or 2 days a week I am actually not at my office during the day (i.e. weekends).

I KNOW this pot is too small for all my plantings, which is why my tomatoes will go in my new Topsy Turvey tomato planter!  Which by the way, in case any of you get inspired, does NOT come with any tomato plants.  You have to buy them separately.  And they have to be about 10 times the size of the seedlings I have had taking up my counter space for the last 8 weeks.  Since I needed instant gratification I bought 2 mature tomato seedling plants from Home Depot - heirlooms no less, to put in the planter.  We also bought a big bag of organic soil and the Topsey Turvey at Home Depot.   Good thing seeds are cheap...but it can't be efficient to buy everything twice.

Thus far the novelty has not worn off.  We are at least still watering.  I haven't moved the barrel around but once (a 180 rotation) in 2 weeks.  If you have any urban gardening tips for me - comment away.  I need real basic info (when, where how to buy/plant/tend) - I do not know what I am doing and will not likely ask for help.  I realize 10 plants in a 2 ft diameter tub is not likely to work out, but who knows.  This is my maiden year.  The learning curve might be high, but the tomatoes might be sweet!  And I think so far, I am up to about a $48 tomato.

(PS - I'll have to add pics back here for you to see the seedlings while still lush.)