Teaching Your Kids to Love what You Love

We do everything as a family.  Kids grow up fast.  When I was 16 someone told me that 20 years is just a blink of an eye and that is so true.  Thirty years have gone by.  Since this is my second time around, I am keenly aware of the fleeting joys that I should not miss.

Even with this understanding, nothing has been normal around here lately.  Our Easter decorations aren't up and our weekends have been amazingly light. We miss our jam packed weekends and road trips and in a flash will made it right.  Yesterday was just the beginning.  First stop, monster pepper and tomato sale at the Fullerton Arboretum, on to the Glitterfest, with a last stop at Claros Italian market.  Swoon.

I have been a friend of Fullerton Arboretum for probably twenty years and while the facilities have improved the simple joy is the same.   Mark attended science classes in second grade as a home schooled kid.  Now, Jacob as a second grader, looks forward to purchasing succulents and cactus.  Holly has her own favorites mostly flowers.  

My mother and father both had green thumbs.  My father grew vegetables mostly out of necessity but my mother continued to grow both vegetables and flowers for pleasure.  Nothing tastes better.  Heirloom varieties of both vegetables and flowers are my favorites.  Everyone knows vine picked tomatoes taste better but have you ever given any thought to the amazing variety and taste of lettuce from the garden.  Keeping the growing tradition alive is so important.  This weekend we gently encouraged the love of growing.  All the peppers were gone but  the variety of tomatoes was encouraging.

Jacob's favorites.



Pineapple tomatillos, these bring such delightful childhood memories to mind. I love the thought of having Holly eat cherry tomatoes and pineapple tomatillo/cape gooseberries
warm from the vine just like I used to.

It's important that our children be exposed to creative endeavors.

And really good food.

Claros has so many yummy foods.