Garden update

So, we get back from our trip, and our garden has majorly grown! I even had the weeds under control before leaving, and in 10 days we're back to having a serious weed problem. I spent today getting a lot of them pulled out, but still have lots to do. I thought the squash plants I got from Kmart and transplanted weren't going to make it since they were looking pathetic. But, to my surprise, they are thriving! Came back to big, healthy squash plants! :) Everything is doing well, I'm happy to report. Except maybe a couple of the cantaloupe plants that look the same size as they were before we headed out of town. The tomatoes and cucumbers are starting to get flowers. :) Need to plant the pumpkin seeds soon!

Here's a current pic of the garden:

It's my anniversary!

So, today was me and Brandon's anniversary! :) 8 whole years that have flown by! Last Friday we got a babysitter and went out to eat together, just us. :) Went to Olive Garden. . .again. . . I love OG! Did a little shopping and then got Chick-fil-A shakes before heading home.

Today, Brandon got to work from home. So, I didn't get to have the computer ALL DAY today! We went out to Cracker Barrel for dinner tonight as a family.

Bridging Ceremony from Daisys to Brownies :)

This weekend, Rachel bridged from Daisy Girl Scouts to Brownies! She is WAY excited to be a Brownie now! Michaela looks forward to being old enough for Girl Scouts someday. . . .2 more years and she'll be Daisy age! There was also a picnic afterwards, and lots of fun and playing was had. :) Her troop leader choose the sash for them over the vest for their uniform. . .I'm excited she chose that because I think it looks nicer. The other troop they bridged with choose the vest. She even already has a Brownie Try-It on her sash! At their last Daisy meeting, they got together with a Brownie troop to learn about what it's like to be a Brownie, and earned the Sharing and Caring Try-It.

Pictures from the event:

Group story with actions:


Rachel bridging from Daisy's to Brownies:






Rachel and her friend, H, from a couple houses down.

My Garden!

A week after the project had been started, they came back again and finished up on May 24th. That Saturday was spent transferring some of the grass around the area to make my garden larger than was originally there and then transplanting in the grass-less circle where the previous owners put their swimming pool. They also got a tiller and tilled up the ground, Brandon made some rows for me, and I got two of them planted that Saturday afternoon. Monday, Memorial Day, I finished planting everything else but the pumpkin seeds. . . .too early for those! Don't want pumpkins in late August/early September. . . . Last Friday I started to see some of my plants coming up! Only from the two rows I planted on Saturday. None of the Monday plantings have sprouted, but I'm sure within a few days now. . . .

Here's some before/during/after pics of our back yard garden project!

Before:

After:

During pics:

Other updates

Last Friday, my juicer came! Woo-hoo! Can't wait to make some carrot juice! :)



And on Saturday, Brandon and two men in our ward came over who are starting a landscaping business, and started getting to work on getting the area ready that will become my garden! :) Most of the day was grinding the tree stumps from the pine trees we cut down in 2006, and removing all the rocks the previous owners had placed around the trees. WHY anyone would put a bunch of rocks in the middle of the yard is beyond me! Can't exactly grow my garden in all those rocks! We figured that was the best place to have the garden since we didn't want to tear up nice grass. That area is already grass-less and ugly, so might as well put it to good use! I'm sure the rocks looked nice at first when first put down, but they start to look awful as the years go by, plus it makes it hard to plant grass or other things there. Next time we buy a house. . .we'll be skipping houses with rocks in the yard. Unless the owners trying to sell have them removed at their own expense because we will not be dealing with rock removal EVER again! Moving rocks is a huge nightmare. . . .we've even had to remove rocks from the flower bed area in the front. That's even odder than the middle of the back yard! In a flower bed? How do you expect to grow flowers if you put a bunch of rocks there? The people here before us did NOT have my tastes at all! Including all the ugly stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, silver colored light fixtures throughout the house, along with matching doorknobs! Ugh! Silver looks so cold looking. . . Go gold color! . . . Anyway, I'll post before, during and after pics of the back yard later when the job is all done!

Potty Training!

At 3 years and 1 month old, I think Michaela is finally starting to get it! I tried again today, and she's had 6 successes, and one accident so far! Hopefully it continues to go well. . . . I put her in a dress with no panties or diaper, and she went a couple times. Then, we put on panties, and she usually keeps them dry. She's on her 2nd pair today since she wet the first during her accident. . .but on the whole keeping dry!

It's reminding me of training Rachel. Although Rachel was overall easier, today with Michaela reminds me of the day Rach finally got it. :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Rachel's class had a Mother's Day celebration on Friday. It was a lot of fun. I would have taken her out earlier, but she REALLY wanted to be there for that and for me to come. So, we waited until then. The class sang a bunch of songs to the moms, gave a story to their moms they had written for them, and a "breakfast in bed" thing. Soooo, cute! There was also cake, punch, and some other finger foods. Brandon worked from home yesterday so that he could be here to watch the other two, and I attend her thing at school. Yesterday was her last day. :)

Here's the story she wrote for me: (exact spelling and all!)
"My Mommy is 30 yeer's old. She macke's potata salid it is my favrit dinr. She wochis me woch TV and mom too. I love Mommy!"

Not sure why she said she likes potato salad. . .???. . . She HATES it! lol

Here's the "breakfast in bed" bag:


There was a honey bun inside the bag. The scrap of wallpaper is supposed to be the blanket with me in bed (head sticking out). Cute!

This evening we went to Olive Garden for dinner as a family for our Mother's Day eat out. They quoted us 65 minutes, but our buzzer went off in 30-35. :) That was nice! We talked to the girls before going in about behaving in the restaurant. To our surprise they behaved VERY well! WOW! Even Alyssa!

My big gift this year is a juicer! We ordered it a week ago, but looks like it won't be here until the 16th. It's part Christmas (from some of my grandparent money), part Mother's Day from Brandon and the kids, and part my birthday coming up this summer! I'm VERY excited. . .wanted one for a couple years now!