We've been meaning to write a little bit about what a 2-year-old Gretel is like, just so we don't forget someday down the road. Let's just start out with saying that she's a whole lot of fun, but also acts like she's 2! She's talking up a storm of course, and sometimes there is a constant (if somewhat garbled) narrative flowing from her mouth. She says 'yep' and 'nope' a lot and some of the other phrases that we hear most often are:
"Where'd Papa go Mama?" (or insert any of Gretel's favorite people, toys, animals, etc.)
"I do it Mama!!" (means "I did it!")
"Read this!"
"Tank you, Papa"
"I want ______ Mama" (insert any food item, toy, etc.)
"THIS way" (whenever she wants you to come with her somewhere)
"Peeeeese!" (saying please still pretty much gets her anything she wants...!)
Gretel is still fiercely interested in books and is constantly requesting us to read to her. Some of her favorites right now are Each Peach Pear Plum, Blueberries for Sal, The Paperboy, Owl at Home, Little Bear's Friend and Make Way for Ducklings, but she's really not picky. She's also still very interested in nursery rhymes and makes me sing a half dozen of them over and over and over. She loves to sing herself and we often hear the sounds of 'Happy You You' or 'Mary had a Baby Lamb', or 'Howie the Fire Truck' drifting out of her room at the end of nap time. Gretel is already counting to 12, and continues to use her potty regularly after she gets home from school in the afternoon.
What more can we say? She's a great kid and we feel pretty lucky to have gotten her!
Enjoy this video of Gretel reading to Baby. All she needs is a pair of nerd glasses and she's set!
Here are a few photos from July. The weather was cool (70's) most of the month, but the garden has been growing well regardless. We enjoy every minute of the time we spend at home together. Lots of puttering in the garden, playing with the girly and marveling at how both are growing.
The divider onion harvest this year and Casey with his onions.
Our daily harvest - the challenge is how to eat it all!
Half of the garlic. It's our first year growing it so still experimental...
We spent a lovely week in July on Lake Pend Oreille in Northern Idaho with our friends the Camerons and several other families. The cabin belongs to Matt's family and they also have a beautiful farm a few miles away we spent lots of time exploring. We had a great time boating, playing on the docks, looking at the horses and chickens, hiking, canoeing, SUPing (stand-up paddleboarding), eating, drinking and just generally being merry! Thanks to the Camerons for inviting us and thanks to Bill and Mindy for being so generous with their cabin!
Above: Playing on the docks with Laurel.
Laurel, who is 11, took quite a liking to Gretel and they spent a lot of time playing together!
Matt took us out on a tour of Pend Oreille in the boat. It was Gretel's first boat ride and she enjoyed it!
Food was never lacking and wonderful cooks were rampant!
Gretel enjoyed playing with all the big kids. They were all so sweet to her and kept asking for hugs and kisses, which she might or might not choose to give to them!
Every evening after supper the whole group would take a walk down the little street on the lake. Gretel and Baby would often be bringing up the rear.....
Phew! All this activity really wore us out. Gretel took a nice long nap on the drive home. 
We've been meaning to write a little bit about what a 2-year-old Gretel is like, just so we don't forget someday down the road. Let's just start out with saying that she's a whole lot of fun, but also acts like she's 2! She's talking up a storm of course, and sometimes there is a constant (if somewhat garbled) narrative flowing from her mouth. She says 'yep' and 'nope' a lot and some of the other phrases that we hear most often are:
