Make a Wish is scheduled to have Parker’s wish delivered and set up on Friday. A new play structure with safety swings, and a slide!
Can you believe that Parker has never been on a slide before?
I can’t wait to see the joy that will come as this kid soars through the air with the happiest of hearts.
Parker’s Make a Wish party will be on Saturday. We are having it here because Parker has been sick more this spring and summer than he was all last winter. And with his right heart cath scheduled for next month we aren’t taking any chances.
We’ve invited my parents, and a few close friends. Uncle Terry, if you are reading this, you and Aunt Suzanne are invited too. 11:00 a.m. at Parker’s house.
I worry sometimes about how I will pay it forward in thanks for the generosity we have been shown by so many others. But then my Dad called to tell me that instead of trading his old truck in, he decided to donate it to Make a Wish! I am a true believer of sending the love shown to us on to help others.
Rigel and Kenny go back to school tomorrow. Which means my main source of slave labor will dry up. Then again the main source of mess will be out of the picture for most of the day. So, it could all even out in the end.
Parker’s home school begins the first of September. I have an official curriculum and everything. I’m going to journal our year. You’ll find my homeschooling posts stashed under the homeschooling tab up at the top of the page. I know all the questions I’ve had about homeschooling a child with special needs. Maybe this will provide some ideas for other Moms.
Our garden is struggling. Our tomatoes took forever to get going, and have decided to skip the part where they turn red. Which means that I have a zillion green tomatoes.
Too bad I prefer my tomatoes ripe.
What can I say? I’m funny like that.
However we did manage to produce enough pumpkins to provide me days of canning enjoyment. yikes! I’ll be putting up many a bottle of pumpkin pie filling this year. Good thing we like this stuff.
Our zucchini plant has just started to create actual zucchinis. I always freeze bags of shredded zucchini for muffins through the winter.
Really, who struggles with their zucchini in the summer?
Anyone else having garden drama this year?
I do have crook neck squash and acorn squash. Enough to turn into baby food for Parker.
The girls over at Pinching Your Pennies worked out a way to have 5 Sunday papers delivered to our door each Sunday morning.
Can you say Ya-hooooo? Cause that’s what I said when I got the news! We are so grateful.
We grabbed the Albertson’s doublers, and along with the sale prices and coupons, were able to purchase over $60.00 of groceries for around $10.00. Skintimate saving gel for .50 a can. Large pkgs. of Juicy Juice (8 count) for a $1.00. 10 free chocolate milks our for back to school breakfast tomorrow. And packages of warm and serve rolls for .69.
My new obsession mission is to get my food storage room back up to full.
I have a few trash to treasures to share with you. But this post is already long.
And I need to tackle the loads of laundry that are calling my name. And the macaroni that needs to be dyed. And the list of books Parker needs for his preschool units. And…
Okay. You get my drift.
how exciting. can’t wait to see the photos of him going down the slide! We were going to start school on the 1st but now I think we are going to the beach so it will be moved a week.
Beverly,
I promise lots and lost of pics!
Congrats Parker, can’t wait to see the pics of you on your new swing and slide
Ooh – I’m looking forward to slide pictures! And your homeschooling series. But mostly slide pictures!
Green tomatoes are a bit of a family joke for us. When I first moved out my mom gave me some of her green tomatoes and told me they could be used as a substitute for apples. To this day she swears she meant to say that there are some recipes that use green tomatoes (eg chutney). She’d disclaim all responsibility except I have a witness. Anyway, I duly went home and tried out green tomato crisp. I wouldn’t recommend it – it tasted kind of like you’d expect tomato crisp to taste like… Of course, just to confuse things there are also those green heritage tomatoes that are green when ripe, so be careful when looking at recipes!
I later found out that green tomatoes actually ripen pretty well with the right conditions. I bring my tomatoes in even if they are green as soon as frost hits (because that kills them!). Keeping them near bananas accelerates the ripening process. I sort through them to ensure that there are no puncture wounds. If any tomatoes start to rot I throw those away right away because it spreads really quickly. But many years I still have tomatoes from my garden around Christmas (and we live in Ottawa so those tomatoes come in from the garden late September or early October!)
We’ve schooled through the summer, so we are kinda taking sept off and starting up in oct… I can’t wait to read what you are doing for school!
I’m sorry that Parker has been sick. That kid needs a break!
do you have any suggestions on how to start a blog?
and did you get my email?
YAY!!! I am so excited for Friday for Parker! I know he will love the sliide
i feel so bad that he has been sick so much 
I am already getting scared for fall/winter Norovirus season!!
Hiow wonderful of your dad to give his truck to Make A Wish!!
It sounds like you have everything on the ball for school and your food pantry!! That is great! The deals you got are amazing!
Love and hugs to all,
Amy
Twitter: kdlavoie
says:
We don’t have a good yard for growing veggies, though I wish we could these days. However we do always plant a few tomato plants in barrels. This year our twin 1.5 year olds are helping us harvest the tomatoes, so they are all getting picked green. Sigh. Maybe I’ll have to find that chutney recipe…
YOu SCORED on the groceries. I’m glad you were able to procure extra sets of coupons. My tomatos are all green, too. I’m going to cut back on the water in hopes of them ripening up. I HOPE to have pumpkins, and I have enough zucchini, and enough to share a little, so I’m happy there. No crookneck squash, though. The garden is always kind of an experiment.
Hi Aunt Tammy! I love reading about Parker and your adventures. Thank you so much for letting Rigel come down for a few days recently. We had a fabulous time and can’t wait till he comes down again!
As far as tomatoes go, don’t water them for about 4 days then start watering them again. For some reason it makes the tomatoes ripen. Mine haven’t been ripening at the same time, just a few here and there, so I didn’t water and have just started. Lofs! of them are turning at once. Once they’re picked the plant starts flowering again. Works for me so I thought I’d pass it on…
love ya much
Annie
Very cool guys… Just wish I was your Make a Wish photographer.. LOL.
As for pay it forward? Well make a donation to your local accessible playground fund. Don’t have one? Make one! Ask for donors or… support already active funds like “Shane’s Inspiration” http://www.shanesinspiration.org .
wrap your green tomatoes in newspaper and put in a dark closet….they will ripen!
before cold weather hits, my mom always picks all of the green tomatoes and does this and they really turn out yummy
Your garden is way better than mine – none! I really want to get one going, but I guess I’ve procrastinated too long this summer… Oh, and I like my tomatoes red, too. Coincidental, huh?!