Taking it to a whole new level.

My babies have always loved playing in the kitchen while I work. I've always had a drawer or two that they can get into. One of them took that literally. He's a very literal boy.(This is baby Bubu, wasn't he a doll!)

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None of them has ever done what Strawberry did last night though. She decided to not only pull things out of the drawer...but to pull out the drawer too! She pulled that heavy drawer out all by herself. She is one tough cookie! She's also decided that the 'you can only play in this drawer' rule doesn't apply to her. She gets into EVERYTHING! She especially likes to get her mitts on those breakable bowl you see in the picture, the child lock on the cabinet door is not working right now, much to her wonder and delight.

( This is Strawberry giving me her best 'but I'm super cute' look.)
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This girl is one strong determined child. She's got spunk and I love it... Remind me that I said that about a year from now. ;)

It too must go...

So this is what my front yard use to look like.A waste of space. Prime gardening real estate if you ask me.
When we bought this house a couple years ago there was gravel every where and barely any plants. Not a gardeners dream. The house I loved, the yard...specifically the gardening space, not so much. So at first Ryder built me some gardening boxes and I tried to be happy with just that. I really did, and they really are nice. But. But. Well it's just not enough. I took over the little side garden bed (the only one that had dirt in it instead of gravel) and I packed it full of plants. And I tried to be happy with just that. I really, really did. But this winter some thing snapped inside, and I cried out...Must. Rip. Out. Lawn! My husband got that worried look on his face, he half heartedly tried to talk me out of it. To no avail. It had to be done. A gardening freak must have a place to garden. And so the fun begins.

I think I might be driving my neighbors crazy. My front yard has been tore up all spring. Finally I'm almost done with the soil part. Now I have to get creative in how I am going to fill it on a serious budget. I researched lasagna gardening and although I didn't really follow it entirely I did follow the concept. I covered the grass with cardboard and then covered the cardboard with compost and soil. This will kill the grass and weeds under the cardboard and it brings a lot of worms who like the moisture under there. Everyone who loves to garden knows that worms are a gardeners best friend...ha, ha. I planted the bigger plants in holes dug through the cardboard and then I sowed some seeds on top. Lots and lots of sunflower seeds mostly. Course we are having a nasty summer this year and so they are not coming up very well. Bummer. The seeds were from sunflowers I grew last year and I really wanted them to do well again this year so I could harvest more but I guess only time (and weather) will tell.

I have so many great ideas for this space! I've been researching edible landscapes and companion planting and I'm getting so excited!! I might even put in a little stone patio in the back corner so that there will be space to hang out in the garden. I'm thinking about getting a peach tree, my neighbor has one and he gets a lot of peaches from it so I know they have the potential to do well around here. Something I never knew before. I already have an apple, a pear and a plum (that's never had a stinkin' plum on it!) so I'm thinking peach would balance it out nicely. I bought blue berry bushes last year and I think I've almost talked my husband into tearing out a section in our back yard (which involves removing cement) so that we can grow some raspberries back there. I drive him crazy, but he loves me any ways. Plus he know I can work some gardening magic. ;)

There is a path way in there somewhere.
This is how I like my garden, over grown and full of color.

Beautiful.

I just get such a peaceful feeling being surrounded by nature in it's glory. The colors, the smells, the lush greenery.

I planted an egg plant ((plant)) this year out front, I'm interested to see if I end up getting any egg plant. I just thought it looked nice with the purple and green that I don't really care whether or not I actually get any.
Although I do LOVE eggplant and it would be a super bonus to see some growing out there!

Ack...are these amazing or what!

This is the most wonderful rose I have ever come across. It smells magnificent and the color combo is perfect...if I could remember the name I would get more to fill in the front. It's lasted through a few moves with me and it keeps on going. It's also a really easy one to take care of which is a bonus in my book.

This might be my favorite corner of the garden right now, the color combination is perfect.

My favorite part of having a flower garden...the fresh flowers for the table all summer long. If I had enough property I'd have a nifty cutting garden just for fresh flowers, but for now I just sneak little bits here and there.

I know gardening isn't for everyone, but I thought I'd share a little bit of a love of mine with you. Everybody should have an outlet and gardening is certainly one of mine. I can't wait to see how far my front yard comes along by the end of this summer, I love seeing my ideas come to life!

Now I get it.

In the past Father's day has meant nothing to me. I'll be honest. I had a horrible father. Nothing worth celebrating. This day use to make me sad. Or angry. He doesn't deserve a day. I'd hear all the sweet stories of wonderful fathers who loved their children and built beautiful memories with them. A part of me would long for that. I'd watch movies with fathers that treated their daughter well and I'd get all teary eyed because that wasn't my reality. Not even close. It use to be that this day would come and go and I'd just sort of shut down and go about my day. Can't change what was never mine to control anyways.

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Then I had children. Before my eyes I saw my husband transform into a wonderful father for OUR children. I see him with his children and I melt. Now this day makes sense. I am so thankful that my children have the amazing father I didn't have. Their father is full of love and compassion for his children. He works hard to take care of them and protect them. He builds them up. He plays with them and teaches them. They mean the world to him, he would never do anything to hurt them. They are his life. That's the way it's suppose to be. My children are going to grow up with wonderful memories of their father. I may have had a horrible rotten father...but my kids, well my kids have a dad who deserves his day.

~

I feel so lucky to witness what a wonderful father truly is through the eyes of my children.

~

*It's a little bitter sweet isn't it. Not Hallmark material that's for sure.*

Reminding myself

Last night while I was trying to cook dinner...There was an invasion of dinosaurs!

They had a giant battle on my kitchen floor. That was exciting to cook around. I swear my kids come out of no where when it's time for me to make a meal and then they proceed to make themselves comfortable right under my feet. Never fails.

I also got to prep dinner with a baby clinging to my side. This girl is teething, and has a cold...she is not so happy about it. Some times I wonder how I ever get anything done. But I don't wonder what it's like to interact with my children as they have an epic dinosaur battle and I'm not missing out on chattering with and listening to my daughter babble and she sits curled up to my side in her sling all cozy. And yes dinner did take longer, and it could have been really frustrating, but we all really enjoyed each others company and that is what matters the most, if you ask me. I will have plenty of time to cook and clean alone (and have the perfectly kept house) when they are all grown up and have moved away (ack!). I am a mom that has to remind myself of this at times. I get overwhelmed with everything that has to be done. There is always so much to do. The list goes on and on with no end. Some times I just feel like I'm running in mad circles just repeating the same things over and over again. I start to get that 'just get out of my way' feeling. That's when I have to stop and remind myself of what is the most important thing. Yes a clean house is important. Yes the children need clean clothes and food to eat. Yes, yes and yes there are many other things that need to be done, but the most important thing to them is...Me. Just me. They need my time, my attention, my care, my love, my conversation, my patience, me. So if I can't play with them in the play room because dinner won't cook itself, I will let them play at my feet while I make dinner and remind myself that all they want is me. When I think about it that way...it feels good to be so wanted, so loved.

There's so much love I'm tripping over it!

Finger painting fun...

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My little artists. :)

*blink*

Who can say no to a face like that?...I'm in trouble...she is toooooo stinkin' cute!
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So baby girl finally got her first tooth! She wasn't to happy about it. That and she got sick right at the same time. Not a fun few days there let me tell you! She is finally saying something that sounds like mama, only I think it's really na na na. It's cute what ever she is saying and she seems to at least be trying to say mama. Da da da is still her favorite sound and she makes it All Day Long. She is waving and/or signing for oobie (nursing) now. It seems like she is on the brink of crawling...she's gone as far as rocking on all fours. She is sitting up really well and even scoots around on her bottom some. She's pulling herself up on things. She of course wants everything she sees and wants to eat it too. She has managed to get paper into her mouth a couple times now. I am having to constantly tell Atty "BaBy ToYs OnLy!" because she chews on everything. She's eating more and she loves it. She smiles a lot. When she cries she makes it sound and look absolutely heart breaking. People fall over themselves trying to pick her up and cuddle her. She makes me laugh. A Lot. She's mischievous. She's silly. She's dramatic. Already. I keep tearing up when I look at her because she is growing way too fast and I can't make her slow down. Trust me I've demanded she stop but she just smiles at me in her charming way and keeps on growing! My last little baby. My blue eyed angel. The little girl who gives me slobbery kisses and wraps her chubby little arms around me when I snuggle her. How did eight months fly by so fast!?!

~and my cup overflows~

When I'm out and about I can not even count how many times people have said to me, wow you've got your hands full......and to that I reply, yes and my heart.

I'll like you forever, I'll love you for always

My adorable little baby boy...you are turning Three!How can that be?

Seems like just yesterday you were pulled out of the water and laid onto my chest. I watched you take your first breath of air. Listened for your little cry, and cried with you.

I am amazed by how grown you are, how long and skinny your body is. Where are the baby rolls? When did the last one disappear? How did I miss that? You will always be my baby boy no matter how much that drives you crazy. Every time I say that to you I always hear "No! I Spike"(He doesn't actually say Spike, but you get the picture). It puts a smile on my face...You are uniquely you and that's a fact. My spirited son.

Happy Birthday, I love you to the moon and back...quack, quack.