new stuff

I just imported pictures from my camera to the computer and realized I have LOTS to blog about and that's not all: I have stories to share that I don't have pictures of.  I won't bombard this blog post with everything.  I'm hoping to be able to do one post a day and get caught up.  I'll just go in the same order they were taken.

These two can have so much fun out in the yard doing absolutely nothing but just walking around.

We really have no yard toys just that rocket in the first picture and the bike in this picture but neither really get played with since they are too hard to get going on grass and we have very little side walk in the backyard.  When we are out on the main sidewalk we have a better bike (we got the red, blue & yellow one) with a 5-point harness and a handle for me to be able to push until Jordan learns to pedal.  It's awesome.  But usually when we are on the main sidewalk going for a walk we take the double jogging stroller.  The awesome bike normally gets used when we are walking the trail because it's easier to pack into the car and Amélie is perfectly fine riding in the Moby wrap (which is also totally awesome.  I used a Baby Bjorn with Jordan but the Moby is SO. MUCH. BETTER.)  Wow, I really didn't mean to get off on all of that.  The whole point was that we don't have any outdoor toys besides the rocket & bike that are difficult to play with in the backyard so it really makes Jordan have to use her imagination.  For now she is perfectly happy walking around the yard with Bogart on her heels.  She also has a huge bucket full of dirt (well, it used to be full, most of it has gotten scattered here and there throughout the yard) and some smaller pails and a shovel that she loves to play in like one would a sandbox.  I'm planning on giving her her own plot in the garden to see what she can grow...once the weather actually gets warm enough to plant anything!  They pushed back our Farmer's Market so it won't start until July this year.

We've enjoyed a few warm days lately.  We got to eat lunch outside one day!  AND I've been able to hang my laundry on the line twice now!

Garden pals

A few weekends ago my generous dad came over to rototill my very sad garden and helped me get it started by planting some things.  Jordan had a great time helping him!  (just kidding, he was all done and just pushing it back to his truck but she really did enjoy herself...she was quite proud).

I don't know what I would do with my dad each year because I am a terrible weed-picker so by the time the season comes around to plant each year my garden has become so over taken by weeds its not even funny.  He hauls his tiller over every single year to do this for me then always sticks around to help get my plants and seeds into the ground.

This year we are growing about 8 tomato plants so I can can and freeze some not to mention make loads of spaghetti sauce and salsa and the like to keep us well supplied even after summer has passed.  We also got an ancho pepper plant, parsley and basil then I planted some zucchini, summer squash, winter squash, water melon, two kinds of pumpkin, onions, peas, green beans and I think that's all.  And I've got my strawberries growing strong still!  This is their third year with us.  The three plants I bought three years ago have spread so much they take up quite the chunk of my garden and the actual berries are bigger this year than they have ever been!  I have plans to move them out of the garden to a special area of their own so they can grow and spread as they please but I have to be honest, I am quite nervous about the transplant because I just don't want to lose any!  A friend of ours gave us a huge container of raspberry starters this year that seem to be growing quite well also.  Maybe next year they will begin bearing fruit (certainly not holding my breath on that for the first couple years)!

One of these days hopefully I'll get around to taking a picture of my garden to share with you all, but don't expect it, you know how terrible I have been about blogging lately (for which I apologize).  I am hoping to pick back up on the blogging every monday like I used to do but we'll see if that ends up happening.  I have so many things I want to blog about it's quite overwhelming.  BUT as you wait for me to get in my blogging rut again go check out Healthy by Choices who is hosting a giveaway for a favorite book of mine, in fact I've mentioned it on here before, The Unhealthy Truth by Robyn Obrien.  Get over there quickly because the giveaway ends tomorrow (sorry, I knew about it a couple days ago but am finally getting on here today)!

How does your garden grow?

I planted some seeds to get my garden started indoors. It only took a couple of days before I started seeing a couple starting to pop up and once one came up they all started to "take off"! Now I've got tomatoes (3 kinds!), zucchini, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, jalapenos and such sprouting in my living room! I love watching the progress. I'm always talking to Jordan about them and telling her that next year she will be able to help me plant our garden because she will be over a year old! I think she's excited ;) I remember helping my dad in our garden when I was little and I always had such a blast; it was a special thing for the two of us to get to do.

I've gone out to look at my garden "remains" from last year and was pleased to see my strawberry patch spreading and turning very green! Also, the rhubarb I planted last year is also starting to come up! It's gotten about 2 inches high and the leaves are sure growing rapidly. Each time I go out there the leaves have gotten higher and much, much wider! I love spring!

BUDS!!!

Remember these?!

Yep! It's my strawberries! I was about to water them on Friday and noticed a teensy weensy bit of green there in all that brown dirt! I was so stinkin' excited! The first thing that went through my mind was that I need to hurry & take pictures so I can write about it on my blog. I was so worried that they weren't going to come up at all so this is very exciting for me! I got another plant too. This one is a house plant but I absolutely love it! I just got it last weekend with my friend Jessica. We had a fun time hanging out while our husbands were working.

So sad...

Remember those adorable little strawberry plants I was telling you about almost a month ago?! Well...I sadly report they are still just little pots of dirt. I haven't seen any green exposed at all! I keep telling myself that I just need to have patience but the little voices in my head keep telling me I haven't watered them enough/too much. I haven't given up yet though! I will keep you posted!

I love strawberries

Strawberries have always been my favorite fruit. When I was little we would try growing them in our garden but I guess birds like strawberries too. We would cover the patch with a netting so they couldn't get to it but that didn't keep those persistant birds from the oh so delicious fruit. I was always so jealous of those birds because they got to the strawberries before I did. Even after all these years though, I haven't learned my lesson; I guess I am too darn commited to that divine fruit! I found these cute little plant kits in the dollar section at Target!

I have been wanting to share about this for quite a while now because I am so excited about them! They are SO EASY! They come with everything you need to plant them, the dirt, the seeds, the pot, all you gotta do is just add water, give them sunlight & wait for them to grow! See:

My sister got me one of these adorable plant kits last year that grew some beautiful red flowers and I think I actually saved some of the seeds just so I could enjoy them this year too. Hmm...I really need to look for those & plant them! I come home from work everyday and run to check and see if anything has started to come up yet. Nothing yet, but the day is coming, I can just feel it! ;) Actually the instructions say that germination may take about 4 weeks. It's been about 3 or 4 so it should be happening soon and I am so excited! I love spring!