Garden!!!

We finally did it!! The garden is planted and I am beyond excited. My inspiration for this year's garden began last summer. Whenever we would park at our favorite parking spot to hit the beach, we would walk past an apartment complex where there was the most amazing garden planted in 4'x5' plot in the area between the road and sidewalk. We later found out it was the very well planned garden of a marine living in those apartments. He made the most efficient use of the space he had...everything from corn to green beans.
I also remember reading somewhere about victory gardens and that they weren't big but fed a family to help with the war effort and hey! this isn't rocket science ... just throw some seeds into the ground already!!!
Our garden is 4'X10' and we planted sunflowers, peas, bell pepper, squash, lettuce, jalepeno, tomatoes, cucumber, pickling cucumber, pumpkin (seeds saved from last year's pumpkin), and lavender. It is organized into 4 foot rows with one area designated as the *mystery garden* because the seedlings got mixed up and we're not really sure what sprouted...should be fun!!!

Still waiting for the chickens to hatch...

Achoo!!

Sure is dusty over here! Guess it is time to post something...
Spring fever has definitely hit this household and we are itching to start some new projects.
Project number one:
Vegetable garden
Project number two:
Chickens!

I am tired already.

My dear friend hosted my entire family last weekend. We felt so welcomed by her sunshine-y brood. I picked up this sign for her as belated birthday present and promptly forgot to pack it to deliver it. Sorry Summer, guess you'll have to visit me now to claim your prize.

The next picture is my efforts at reusing. The idea is from the book Handmade Home by Amanda Soule. I took all my tired dishtowels and quilted them into a bathmat for dishes. Fun.

Love ya sum.

Nighttime Visitor

I really wish I had a picture. I don't. I am really sorry.
Since our move into the "country" (I don't know if you would call it the country since I'm five minutes from the store) we have had many encounters with creatures that we did not have in our former tract housing suburban neighborhood. Since we moved here 3 months ago, we have seen one rattlesnake, 2 gopher snakes, birds galore, coyotes, lizards and about 1,998,876 bugs. I am not a fan of bugs. We don't really get along. I think they are rude, showing up uninvited to areas of your home that guests just aren't supposed to go.
Well, last night I was awakened by my sweet 3 year old who had asked for a glass of water. So as I made my way down the hall, I came face to face with the largest, hairiest, scariest looking spider. He looked guilty for sure, like he was caught in the act of snooping around my house. Oh, sure, he tried to blend in, hoping I wouldn't noticed him. But really, even in my sleepy stupor, who could miss a ginormous, hairy, black spider sitting (hanging?) on your white wall.
We had a stare down for a few seconds as I weighed my options. But, my squeamishness would not allow me any further thought so I went and woke up The Man. Now, I am sure he was not prepared for the enormity of this spider because he has been summoned many times for much smaller creatures.
This spider did not disappoint. After, my husband saw the thing he very calmly said,

"Well, I better go get my shotgun."

Thank you honey.

We currently have the body at the taxidermist so we can have its bust mounted above our fireplace.

Skirting the Issue

I made this little number before church today...

Impressed?

Well, don't be.  In a complete moment of I-have-nothing-to wear frustration, (TRANSLATION:  I am behind on the laundry and nothing fits right because I have been eating way too many cookies) I decided that a certain cute little sundress, that has hung in my closet since 2006, and that has been worn exactly ONCE, was no longer welcome in my closet.  She had beckoned to me from catalogue and during their annual clearance sale I purchased it.  I loved the colors, the a-line of the skirt and the femininity of wearing a dress.  

Never mind that I looked like an Easter egg in it. 

I know this because, my friend's teenage son told me so.  And really, I have to agree.

So that little dress smirked at me from her hanger each spring, mocking my frivolous purchase and chastising my poor judgement, forever a reminder that things need to be tried on for goodness sakes.  Internet shopping can be so unkind.  

That's when I decided, she needed to be a skirt.  So I grabbed my pinking shears and cut off the top.  Then turned down the new edge and hemmed it with a zigzag stitch.    All this in the time it took my husband to gel his hair and shake his head.  He is used to my shenanigans , complete inability to stay focused creativity.

Voila! 

Now what do I do with this?

Any one have a pattern for an Easter bonnet?

Green capes and lime popsicles....

...should make for a fun summer!!!

The Never Years

The following passage is taken from a book called The Power of Motherhood: What the Bible says about Mothers by Nancy Campbell.  I loved it so much that I ripped the page right out of the book and stuck it on my fridge today!!  

In this book she relays the thoughts of a friend:

 "These are the never years.  Never enough money, never enough time, never enough sleep- but always enough love.  The sweetest kiss of a baby; the toothpaste flavored kiss of a child on his way to school, the sleepy kiss of a husband who is just as tired as you.

  These are the busy years, the wonderful, hectic, impossible years.  Soon the children will be grown and I'll have plenty of time to organize my house, to sew and cultivate outside interests.  I wonder if is will be as wonderful as I sometimes dream it will?  Or am I in the middle of the wonderful years...right now?"

To all those finding joy in the messes today!