Memorial Day Weekend

Leila (at right) with friend Jenna

It's only the end of May, but despite an epic winter that didn't want to leave us, it already feels like summer around here. Flowers and leaves and green grass everywhere. Blue skies, birds singing, 70 and 80 degree days. What a welcome change-! We struggle here in Wisconsin with the long winters, but no one appreciates the change of seasons and the coming of warm weather more than us. Every season feels like a new beginning and comes with its own array of favorite pastimes.


Speaking of happy moods, look at our smiling kindergarten graduate! Leila had a great first year of school-- she learned how to read, she can count past 100, tie her own shoes, and has learned how to make friends. We're proud and happy for her :). This summer she will participate in T-ball and hopefully swimming lessons.

Emma playing drum during Memorial Day parade

As some of you have heard, our 13 year-old daughter, Emma, found out she has Lyme's Disease. It flared up on our way home from Kentucky. During the long car ride home, her knee became increasingly swollen and painful. We thought maybe she'd hurt herself playing basketball, but when it still hadn't gotten better after a day at school we took her in to Urgent Care.


The doctor had already seen several cases of Lyme's that day, and he thought it was significant that we couldn't pinpoint a specific moment that Emma had injured herself. So he ordered the test done, and it came back positive. We learned a few days later that she has had Lyme's for awhile... it was not newly contracted, but had waited till now to flare up. So we will have to watch her health... I've been reading up on Lyme's, and it isn't always easy to shake. But so far she's responded well to treatment. She played in a 2 day basketball tournament this past weekend and has started softball practice as well. On Memorial Day she marched with the school band in a parade down to the cemetery and a program for veterans.




Leila, John, and I at Mom and Dad's

A couple of weeks ago, the kids and I went to Rhinelander to visit Mom and Dad and see my brother John, who had flown in from New Jersey to visit. We had a good time hanging out with John and my other brother, Bill, who was also there. We played croquet, had a campfire, and went for walks in the pines (so, in other words, did all the usual Bragg-Kid-Home-Visiting Stuff).

My brothers John and Bill

Emma and my dad

Burning up yard waste over campfire

John

Another fun recent activity was attending a birthday party for our nephew Nathan's 4 year-old daughter Macey. Nathan threw the party at his house, and since the weather was nice and he has a great backyard, we spent most of our time outdoors. The kids present enjoyed the trampoline, swimming pool, and playground equipment. Adults enjoyed sitting in the shade around a picnic table. There was a piñata for the kids, an ice cream cake, and lots of good picnic-style food.

Macey taking a swing at her pinata

Macey opening birthday presents

Nathan overseeing the pinata

Fun in the shade

My mother-in-law, Jane, with her oldest son Brent (Macey's grandpa) and Jonathan and Alicia

Leila didn't let not having a swimsuit along prevent her from getting in the pool

Jonathan, Alicia, and Jack came to the party, too, so afterwards we took Jack home with us for an overnight play date with Leila. Jonathan and Alicia picked him up the next day (Memorial Day) and had a cookout with us.

Colfax highschool marching band

Grandpa Jon helps Jack see the parade

Alicia with her patriotic drink in hand

Jonathan and Jack play croquet in our wild backyard

Leila takes a swing at the croquet ball

Jack shows me Woody

Jonathan

Me and Jon

The weather was great all weekend, so we were able to get a lot done outside. Jon planted our garden and finished siding and painting the front of the new addition he built onto the front of our house. When it's done it will be a nice 3 season porch for us. I think he did a good job blending it in with the rest of the house.

Flowers in the back yard

Our vegetable garden is planted

New addition on right side of house

Our outside cats, Mama Kitty and Iggy

My quirky birdhouse from Susan (something started building a nest in it; I see grass inside)

Except for the perennials in our garden, Jon rotated this year's plantings for fertility. Our perennials are rhubarb, strawberries, asparagus, and some herbs (parsley, chives, thyme, mint, and oregano). We also have a garlic crop that was planted last fall. The new plantings are tomatoes and peppers (lots of different types, which we use for salsa as well as fresh eating), green beans, onions, peas, carrots, squash, watermelon, and beets. We will add summer squash and zucchini this weekend. I will plant lettuce and kale again at my neighbor's greenhouse, and we will probably do corn in her garden, as well, because it's located by her dog pen and the barking dogs do a good job keeping raccoons away.


So that's what we've been up to! Hope summer finds you well :).