Mothers Day flowers and sweet Violet

For Mothers Day this year Peter let me pick out a few plants to put out on our porch.  I've been really excited to get some plants and I especially wanted to grow some herbs on our porch.   In this planter I've got Cilantro on the left, then Aloe (Emily gave me this one and it was dying inside and it's now dying outside, I think I need to replant it and experiment on where it wants to be) Then Globe Basil (I'm not sure if this is edible but it smells amazing!)  And a pretty flowering plant on the end called Purslane.

This is Purslane, it is suppose to trail all over the place and it gets these beautiful flowers, I have three, and two get pink flowers and one is getting yellow ones.  

Isn't that a pretty flower?
Purslane Flower peeking through some sage leaves.

This planter is Purslane on the ends with Cherry Tomatoes ( these will have to be transplanted shortly to a bigger pot) Rosemary, and Sage.

I am approaching 25 weeks!  Only 15 more to go,  well if this girl is like her sister then it's more like 12, I can't believe it. 12 weeks!  That's also the date that Katie and Darin are getting married, how exciting! Maybe they can all share one big special day.  We have hardly even thought about having this baby we've been so busy.  I think we are just so grateful that I am not sick this time.  I have actually been feeling great, I am getting to that point where I need a nap in the afternoon, thank goodness Violet still takes a nap or I don't know how I would sneak one in.  I'm still having trouble gaining and keeping weight ( it's not totally a bad thing since I was overweight to begin with) but this week I lost 5 pounds which is not ok so I'm looking for some solid meals that can handle many reheatings!  I can only stand to eat about 1/2 to a cup per sitting so I'm trying to constantly be eating but my favorite snacks of grapefruit and yogurt aren't exactly heavy on the calories.  I know I'm going to get a lecture at my next appointment with my midwife but I just can't handle eating anymore food, my stomach is so squished right now!  If you have any meal suggestions please let me know!

I'm still doing doing enrichment and I feel like things are finally starting to take off.  We've been making a quilt for charity, trying to go see plays at an outdoor theatre but it keeps raining, having great dinners out and tonight we are having our first book group.  I am very excited about it.  It's been a little stressful getting everyone on the same page, since the Bishop asked me to not focus on crafts and that was big before.  There are still a few people that don't want to do what I've planned but for the most part the rest of the group has been extremely supportive and willing to help.  I'm really learning a lot and I'm really starting to enjoy this calling.  We have a big quarterly activity coming up that we are calling the 8 Cow Woman night ( like that movie Johnny Lingo) and I'm really excited about getting that project finished, but I think it's going to be a really fun night.

Here are some Videos of Violet.  The first is of her eating an apple.  She picked it out all by herself and took several bites out of it, sucked all the juice out of the fruit and then spit the peel out on the floor.  What a funny kid, but she does enjoy tasting the fruit under the skin.  She tried to take a bite out of my grapefruit this morning before I cut it and she really didn't think that was too great.  ha ha ha.

  Violet has her own little cupboard that we keep basically empty and she likes to climb in there and play peek a boo.  She is such a funny girl.  I am really excited for her 2nd b-day which will be a week from Saturday.  We are sad that the kids won't be able to come but Erin and Brandon are coming down to have cake with us.  Poor Brandon finally got clearance to go back to work after his ear surgery and that same day he had to go to the ER because he had Kidney stones!  I haven't heard yet how the recovery is going but I hope it goes quickly and smoothly and he can head back to work soon and stay healthy.  It's been a rough year for him.