We've Got Tomatoes!

Despite the efforts of the natural enemies of the tomato plant, Jenn's plants are now producing its fruit. Check out these babies! Sure they are green right now but in about a week they should be ripe for the picking. We can hardly wait!

With the salmonella scare of late, we've been very careful eat only home grown tomatoes or produce from farmers in our local area. Now we'll have a crop of our own. Mom says they look good, no sign of blossom rot, and they are coming in quite nicely in numbers.

So, it's time to get some whole wheat bread, mayo, salt and pepper ready for that famous tomato sandwich! Thank you Jenn, for deciding to grow something we can all enjoy!

Jenn's SAE Project

Today we went to visit my parents while we were in their town shopping for supplies for Jenn's SAE project. What's an SAE? It stands for Supervised Agricultural Experience and can include projects from gardening to home repair to entrepreneurship. Jenn was hard pressed for an idea and as teen often do she had put it off until nearly the time it was due. So Grandpa and Jenn headed off to Lowe's for supplies for the project.

Here she is working with Grandpa's instruction as she builds her first shadow box shelf unit. She has completed the shelf and will paint it when she figures out the new color theme for her room!








Updates to follow ;)

A New SAE Project: Vehicle Restoration

Why do the ideas that teens have always seem to cost the parent money? At the end of the last school year my son wanted to repair the deck on our home which we rent. I agreed since the deck was in need of such repairs and we like having our home (rented or not) look its best. So what's next for him? Vehicle restoration. He'll have to decide on which vehicle he wants to restore, a 1990 Chevy Lumina or a 1973 Ford truck. His dream vehicle is a small hatchback with a car spoiler, however he has to be realistic. After all, I won't be funding this project it will be all on him. It's enough for me to keep them clothed, fed, housed and provide funds for activities. The time is coming when he will make that decision to get a part-time job to fund his own projects, I can hardly wait!

SAE Project 01 Completed

This is Ryan's skateboard project completed. He left the wheels off in order for the photo to show the design on the board. It was inspired by the song "Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews, thus the D M B design.



Here he shows the top of the board and the new grip tape.



After placing the wheels on the trucks (the white metal objects that hold the wheels to the board), he was ready for his grade and to ride! Grade still pending ...

The board has already been placed in use on his school project fun-box for skateboarding. Now he just needs to keep his outside toys out of the road and back in the yard when not in use. LOL! Kids, you've gotta love em!

The skateboard SAE project ...

The board before ...
Ryan sanding the board ...
the board sanded ...
Ryan disassembling the trucks ...
the checkerboard design begins ...
checkerboard background complete ...
laying out the design for painting ...
painting the first symbol ...
To see the skateboard's new design click here --> SAE Project 01
More to come as the project is to be completed to present by this Friday.

SAE Projects 2007

Three years ago, my two children and I moved to NC to be nearer to family. When my son started at the middle school here he started off on a not so good note. Since then he has done an about face on some interesting fronts. Never would I have imagined him joining the FFA. This year he is doing two SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience) projects. The first which is due Friday is a renovated skateboard. Here is a drawing of the design for the skateboard.

His second project is repairing the deck. Here is a photo of the beginning phases of the renovation process. There were two panels that had several slats broken out and the top boards were in bad shape. When he is finished he will have replaced two panels, raised two sections, pressure washed the deck and applied a two-in-one stain and sealer to the entire deck and my swing.