While most of our backyard is pretty heavily shaded all day long (perfect for us), we do have a small, sunny garden spot on the side of the house. We’ve been enjoying strawberries for the past couple of weeks, and today we decided to add a few more things we like.

Last year at the Sunday market I bought a pint of purple cherry tomatoes from Robinette Farms. Their deliciousness has since become legendary in my mind, and I may have even dreamed about those tomatoes. I was delighted this morning to find that they were selling plants of that variety (black cherry tomato) — I bought two. I also snagged a yellow cherry tomato plant and an Early Girl. I learned this morning that peppermint is a perennial, and I got one of those too. Add these to the basil I picked up from Trader Joe’s a week or so ago, and we have a garden that’s probably just about right for us this year.

I didn’t document Clara’s part in all this, since she was napping when we planted, but she was with me at the market this morning, so our little patch truly can be called a whole-family affair.

But Moreheads, not so much.

It’s a gorgeous 65-degree day here in Lincoln. Breezy. The kind of weather this hot-hating girl dreams about, especially in June. We took a little walk to the nearest park — maybe four or five blocks away. Simon happily bopped from tree to tree, or driveway to driveway, stopping to wait for me and the two littler ones to catch up. Except when we got to the half-block stretch that had no shade. Then began a near constant stream of protest: “It’s just so HOT. I can’t even stand it. The sun is beating. I’m so, so, so hot.” Now he did have on his long-sleeve shirt and long pants over his jammies, so that must have added to his short-lived misery. Still, we know he’s our kid; you’ll likely never hear us complaining about weather too mild (or rainy, for that matter).

It was not quite warm enough to spend hours outside today, so we made some fun inside. The boys were entertained for about twenty minutes (I was hoping for more). Clara thought the bubbles were delicious.

In related news: Simon will not be allowed to wear this t-shirt anymore. It makes him look like a teenager, and that is completely unacceptable.

It seems wrong to let the events of this past week go unremarked, but I just don’t have the words yet — there has been grief that has taken my breath away, joys that have renewed hope, worry mixed with delightful anticipation, and also really normal, everyday stuff. For now, the pictures will have to stand as a placeholder (and looking through them, I realize they don’t by themselves tell any of the stories I’ve just alluded to), and I hope the words will follow soon.