A Children's Saturday

Saturday, September 29, 2007 was a day spent with over 300 children! Mike and I coordinated the Garden Club participation in the San Clemente Character Counts! Jamboree. It is a festival celebrating children and values. We assisted 300 children plant a flower in a cup. Their 'responsibility' was to water and care for it. It was such a high! This is the third year we have done this. Many families shared that their flowers from last year were still alive in their gardens.


Nicole brought our grandchildren down for the day and I helped Aubrey plant her flower.

Mike is busy helping children that attended plant their own flower to take home. See the pride in the boy's face as he walks away.

Nicole, Aubrey and Garrett enjoying the bunnies at one of 65 exhibits at the CC!Jamboree.

Randy showing Siena the tricks of the piano. Staci was coaching the singing.

After the Jamboree, Randy, Staci, Siena and Staci's brother Paul and family joined us for a BBQ. Paul and Johanna have two boys under 3 years old and with Nicole and children, we had an evening of excitement with everyone here spending special times together.

Aubrey pulling Garrett in the rusty old wagon Randy had as a child. They love riding and running through the garden. And playing with the rocks that form the dry river bed in the herb garden. Such pleasures from the garden I never would have imagined when I plant them!

Family times

We showed up for a work day at Randy and Staci's new condo. Brought a bottle of sparkling cider to make sure they took time to stop and CELEBRATE their first home! Siena just went along with the program. Her Daddy ran an errand to Home Depot and she went along. Her pack & play out on the patio was fun with fresh air and watching everything going on. This photo is inside, midst the major work projects. She was the 'smile' for all of us.
Aubrey made this paper doll at Play School and I wanted to capture it. She just wanted to roll on the purple ball.
Grandma Launa loves spending time with grandchildren. I always take photos wherever I go, but now take advantage of the timer on the digital camera :)

I enjoyed watching Aubrey and Garret for the day when Mark and Nicole had major obligations.

This is a photo of Garrett and me at home while Aubrey was in Play School. We had lots of fun playing in the back yard. We then went to the park next to Aubrey's Play School. Garrett didn't want to leave as the swings and slides were so much fun.

Herb wheel and new pots

I planted herbs in this wagon wheel. Always wanted to to that after seeing it done in a magazine photo years ago. The ball in the middle is copper. It is one of the gifts I got with a gift certificate from the garden club for my 2 years as President. I think it looks really cool as the hub of the wheel. Of course, the first night after planting, the raccons came through and uprooted the lettuce.

Many garden club members donated towards a gift certificate from Plant Depot. It was a huge thank you and I was blown away! I bought these beautiful pots for the deck as a permanent memory of the wonderful friends I have made in the club.

Labor Day at Big Bear Cabin

Mike and I with our grandchildren, Siena 7 mos. Garrett 15 mos. Aubrey 3 1/2

The entire family made it to the cabin for some cozy family time. In our 2 bedroom 1 bath cabin we all took turns sharing spaces. It really didn't seem all that crowded and we are so fortunate that everyone gets along and has fun together. We hit the annual Labor Day weekend garage sales, visited the Moonridge Zoo and played games at night. The weather was nice and cool while at our homes the temteratures were the highest of the year.

Derek & Michelyn relaxing on the deck
Aubrey holding her favorite horsie, Mark, Nicole and Garrett enjoying some family time
Randy & Staci giving Siena a bath in the sink after a big day playing with her cousins
Grandpa sharing his yummy BBQ ribs
Randy and Aubrey trying to push over the tree while Garrett is trying to figure it all out

New challenges

I signed up for Eva Shaw's "Writing your life story" class. It has been exciting to learn techniques in writing as I am new to this. I just learned bubbling, or mind mapping. My life story bubble is bursting and I haven't even included the last 30 years! This week we are doing 'character sketches' about people we will write about. After we learn all these tools we should be ready to put our story together. What a challenge that will be!

I also uncovered the old Unique Gardens web site that Randy did for me in 1999. Mike posted it up on my new site. Uniquegardens.net. Check it out. There is a lot of work to do on it yet but the information is still good. Check out the Monthly guide to gardening. I am trying to learn the new software we got, Microsoft Expression Web, so I can edit the site.

My brain is working overtime.....time to get out in the garden for a brain break!

Fun with Siena and her Mom and Dad

Randy, Staci and Siena came down for the day. We had fun at the beach.

Siena loved playing with the sand but loved the water even more.

Some Grandma fun

Playing in the garden

A trip through the garden is my favorite time to spend with everyone who comes over. They all know what's up when I ask "anyone want to go outside?"
It is especially fun with the grandchildren. It is amazing how much they remember from visit to visit. Aubrey always wants to look for worms around the compost pile. Garrett loves to play with the rocks and splash in the fountain (named Bob).

Garrett playing with the rocks in the herb garden's dry river bed.

I think the little ones look so cute around the bridge.

Aubrey and I pulling out a six foot high celery plant that I let go to seed.

Nicole enjoyed harvesting the seeds from the plant. They have a really intense celery flavor. We will use them as seasoning in the kitchen and plant some in the spring for a new crop of celery.

Aubrey loves to water my plants on the deck.