Manure... inside and out

Every spring, since we moved into this house 5 years ago, we have said we were going to do a garden. It just never seemed to happen, until now. Our neighbors decided we should share the cost of a tiller, compost, and such and make a double sided garden on each side of the fence.

We tried to pump Trace up for this big adventure in growing our own veggies... but so far, he's not too impressed.

First, we told him "Uncle" Fred was bringing his BIG tractor over to plow it all up... then it rained a monsoon on Saturday and canceled that.

So Monday, the plan was to rent a small tiller and he could help daddy shovel the dirt. It ended up that daddy's assistant was Granddaddy, while the poor boy sat and watched through the kitchen window with a 102 fever and sore throat.

We're 0 for 2.

By the looks of their apparel, Jimmy and his dad were a little conflicted about the weather.
Manure anyone?

Speaking of manure...day 2 of gardening got interrupted by a very exciting event. Trace pooped on the potty for the first time!!

Now, this may be TMI for some people, but every mother can relate and appreciate the magnitude of this day. Don't worry, while of course we took pictures (doesn't everybody) I will not be posting them on here... I'd like for my child to still speak to me in a few years when he reads this.

(However, our parents weren't so lucky... they probably wish they didn't own camera phones after we sent them a picture of the evidence. ha!)

Trace has been wearing underwear for months, but has stayed steadfast in his refusal to poop in the toilet. He sweetly asks for a pull-up or waits until I put one on him at night... greatly delaying the whole "bedtime routine" process.

I've said this before, but what did parents do before DVRs? Nothing like patiently waiting on a poop to happen while you're missing Lee and Crystal sing on American Idol.

We are not usually ones to bribe our child, but it came to drastic measures and I promised Trace Diesel 10 if he would go. Diesel 10 is somewhat of a villian in one of Trace's favorite Thomas books, and I wouldn't let him buy it with his birthday money, but totally caved to get a successful poop in the potty. Don't judge.

Then Jimmy apparently became desperate and upped the ante the other night when I was gone and added Stepney (whom he lost in the lake... at least we have the keepsake picture with the Easter bunny) and a milkshake.

I guess it's a good thing we're growing our own vegetables, cause this poop is gonna break us.

So, the other night, we used my cousin Casey's strategy (thank you) and put a DVD on in the bathroom so he could just sit, watch, and wait... and it worked!!

Jimmy immediately went to Toys R' Us to get his bribe, I mean reward.

He called me panicked that neither one were there but had the good sense to walk next door to Books a Million (see why I married him) where he found the treasured Diesel 10 and an acceptable "runner up" for Stepney, engine Dennis.

He has had a fear of "it" forever and has even begun to refuse to pee-pee in public bathrooms because of those automatic (and obnoxiously loud) flushers. Last night, I had to put my pocket calendar over the sensor and support it with a bottle of hand sanitizer (I know, real sanitary huh) just to get him in the stall. ha!

Those things were obviously designed by some stupid man (who apparently was never responsible for taking his own children to the restroom).

Day 3, we had resumed gardening when we look over and see Trace with his arm up the tailpipe of Jimmy's truck. Then we hear... "Help, Diesel 10 and Dennis are stuck." (not to mention his arm)

Jimmy had to practically whittle a stick to fish those little suckers out of his tailpipe, to which he received a heartfelt "Frrrank you Daddy!" from a little guy who looked like he'd been working at Maxi Muffler all day.

Never a dull moment :)

He finally got to shovel once he was well...
He was stomping through the garden saying, "We are gonna grow tomatoes... and... fruit... and... hamburgers."

So much for the little lesson about cows we had at the farm.

Gardeners crack...
He kept jumping on his plasma car for a quick spin between shovels, so we just left his helmet on.
Old faithful... love her!
After all the rain, fever, sore throats, frost warnings, poops, and trains stuck in tailpipes... alas... the garden is complete!
My goal is to never have to walk through the produce department of Bi-Lo again

...I won't hold my breath.