Growing the garden and our boys

We planted our garden last weekend!  Last year we planted from seed, but started too late, and we got nothing.  As in, tons of zucchini and a few tomatoes but nothing else.  Oh, and two watermelons that were too grainy and mushy to eat.  This year we took the easy way out and bought our veggies in pots.  We may try seeds again, probably will, but this year we just wanted to see if we can get some more benefit out of the garden and maybe, possibly, make our money back.  It's a doubtful thing, but we're trying. 

The boys wanted to help.  They were really great, watering each plant after we put it in.

Moments like these, the boys with their dad, they make me incredibly nostalgic.  Prepare for more photos than you ever needed to see.  The cuteness may hurt your eyes.

Handsome Hero is always a very serious man.

It amazes me how many things we have bought, not thinking ahead to Nate.  Last year, I bought the other two gardening gloves.  Not Nate.

I also bought the other two watering cans.  Not Nate.  Obviously, he didn't need those things then, but now he really wants to help and is aware of not having what the other kids have.  Funny how that phase crept up on us.

I love how seriously Jack takes his watering, even while Handsome Hero is a total goof.

Not now, Dad.  I'm concentrating.

The hose is around the front of the house {there is one closer, but it is leaking, and we're afraid it will leak into the house, so until Handsome Hero can look into it, we're down to one outdoor faucet}.  The boys would each take a watering can {Nate borrowed Ella's}.

Then Jack would carry them both back.  One of Nate's few phrases is "too heavy!"

What a sweetie.  This is one five-year-old with a heart to serve others.

When they got back, Nate would walk through the cucumber trellis a few times before he was ready to water.

He watched big brother to know just what to do.

One plant done.  On to the next.

Nate likes to understand things.  He doesn't want to be left out.

Another plant lives because of the combined powers of Wonderkids Jack and Nate.

This is one of my very favorite pictures.

Oh, be still my heart.  Can I freeze them?

I am so glad to get to capture moments like these.  Sometimes I forget to bring out the camera and times like these remind me how important it is.  I kind of don't care if we get veggies this year.  We had a really fun time with the boys and I got these pictures.  That's enough.  Growing boys is much more rewarding than growing tomatoes, anyway.