Over the weekend we watched two movies about 2012 and the Mayan calendar prophecies. We blew through all our instant play shows on Netflix and needed some dinner and unwinding entertainment. These were available for instant play so we thought we would give them a try.

The first movie was less than extraordinary. Actually we laughed all the way though it thanks to the lame graphics and music video feel of it. It really didn’t provide much information regarding why 2012 and the Mayan calendar prophecies are plausible.

The second movie was much better and it provided a balanced look at both the dooms day scenario and the global awakening scenario that some people believe in.

We aren’t getting our panties in a bunch one way or the other, whatever is supposed to happen will and we can only take it as it comes. It is a curious topic though and it made us thankful we are already doing so much to be self reliant.

We aren’t going to sell the house and go become mountain people and we also aren’t going to dig out a storm shelter under our house and stockpile for a world ending scenerio.

Living off our own garden harvest, learning the ways of food preservation and other “back to the earth” stuff will undoubtedly be helpful if we ever have to live though a major disaster.  It is not what motivates us though.

Today we began readying the garden for the autumn, fall and winter months. Our big task was to relocate this giant surprise grape bush that was in my rose bed.

When we first moved in here we had this seemingly dead grape cane that came from back in Arizona and had been in a plastic pot showing little signs of life. Last spring I noticed it’s roots were still alive so I plopped it in the ground in the rose bed to see if it would do anything.

Then I had E that summer and was busy learning to be a parent through the winter and spring when the grape amazingly sprang to life. Now it is a tangled mess of vines and leaves that will need to be pruned and prepared for it’s first spring harvest… and it can’t live in the tiny and over crowded rose bed.

Now was the time to move it, so that it gets several months to reestablish root growth in the new location before the icy winter arrives.

N painted the rabbit hutch as well as the dog and cat condos while Everly and I gardened. The new red paint looks great and it is nice to have another home improvement project taken care of.

My first round of direct sowed carrot and lettuce seeds didn’t take it seems so I started another round indoors in cardboard egg cartons a few weeks back. I was able to control the soil moisture and temperatures better sowing them indoors and was successful in getting some stuff sprouting.

Today I planted the sprouted seeds and egg cartons out in the garden with hopes that they will mature nicely before the first frost. The garden is still producing and growing like crazy and we are just trying to make the most of it for as long as we can.

Oh, I forgot to mention that this week Everly has been having a blast at the park. We took her for the first time and then we went again because it was such a hit. Now that she’s walking and gaining the urge to climb the park is great for her.

She had a major milestone today too. She asked to be pottied for the first time today. While playing and chasing daddy thorough various rooms of the house she touches the base of the toilet in the bathroom and announces, “Dada! Psssssssss….”

He reomved her diaper and put her on the toilet where she peed. Waho!

We’ve been teaching her the vocal cue “pssssss” as an association with going to the bathroom. It is an elimination communication technique. We’ve been doing this since she was only a few months old, we’ve been watching her cues and aiming her elimination in the toilet as much as possible.

Today she showed us that she gets it and that she knows when she needs to potty. Her asking to be put on the potty was such a proud moment and daddy got to share the big moment with her thanks to the unemployment. We are so amazed and proud of her.

Now lets see if it becomes a regular thing. It is quite possible that it wont for some time but she’s only 14 months so we are in no rush. Besides with EC it is the child’s cues and readiness that takes the lead not vice versa. Nonetheless we are still super proud of the milestone moment.