Garden update

Kyle and I finished the landscaping project in the front of the house yesterday. You can see Lainey playing in the birdbath. It felt so nice to be finished and not have any big yard projects hanging over my head. This one has been in the works ever since we bought the house. I am so happy with it. I need a couple more bags of mulch since the end by the birdbath is a little sparse. But all the hard work is done!



I can't wait for the crepe myrtle to bloom! That end will be so pretty!

Lainey gave her thumbs up to the project. She slept thru most of the work. I started about 9:30 Saturday and Kyle came over about 10:30 or 11:00 and helped until it was completed.

Kyle and I started the day Saturday by walking in a 5K (3.2 miles!). He asked me Friday if I would walk it with him and I agreed. I did pretty good. I didn't keep up with "the lady in the pink hat" like he thought I could. I reminded him that this was my first time walking like that and she does it all the time! So much so that her business was probably the original sponsor and the one with the idea! Anyway, we walked about a 15 minute mile and our time stayed consistent. I jogged thru a few intersections and jogged across the finish line with my friend Misty cheering me on. Misty walked with Karen (the pink hat lady) and probably finished at least 15 mintues ahead of us. I could barely stand up in church this morning after I had been sitting so long but I finished the walk and have the shirt to prove it! One of the best accomplishments was that I was not the last one across the finish line. It was fun and a pretty morning. Had to take two extra showers yesterday after all the sweaty things we did but had a great day.

The lilies on the other side are so tall!

Chalkboard Paint

Lainey and I have had a couple of chalkboard paint projects in mind and we finished them plus a couple more.

I saw this idea in a magazine and had a frame that Kyle had given me that I thought would be perfect. I painted it glossy white and cut the board to fit then painted it. So easy! I'm really happy how it turned out.
Was going to hang it vertically but there were nails there and I haven't moved them yet.
It's not too bad hanging horizontally but not really how I want it. No notes yet since I keep forgetting to buy chalk.

Here is Lainey's project. We painted both of her closet doors. As you can see she had already been writing on her walls with chalk - it washes off but elbow grease is required. Any friends that have been over have signed the doors. They used sidewalk chalk.

Here is her second idea. We had both of these lamps out to sell in the yard sale. She decided to paint both with the chalkboard paint. The round lamp was light pink and so was the shade. She spray painted it and it turned out cute.

Here was the best idea we had! I had the poster sign in the garage from my 40th birthday when Michelle put it in my yard. We painted it and had an instant reusable yard sale sign. We had some staple issues so it got a little smeared.

Our garden

I've figured the photos out!!!! Now I'll see if I can type between them.
Here are our two pitiful little strawberry plants. I didn't put them in my square foot garden because they each needed their own square. I've decided to build at least one more for next year. Maybe two. It is really working out great. Took a picture of the tomato plants that are in the same size container to the right of the strawberry plants but the picture was too blurry.
Have little grape tomatoes on one plant. The Romas aren't doing much yet.


My lettuce has done so good! I have been just harvesting leaves but Thursday I pulled one head.
It's about time to harvest all of it before it gets too hot. You can see where Scott sprayed Round Up around the frame. I hate the way the brown grass looks!

Had to take a close up because I am just so proud of my first lettuce experience!

Just noticed the first broccoli head forming! Hope it shows up good.

My cilantro has gone a little wild. Not sure what I should do. Clip it back, just clip the blooms....just don't know. I clipped some of the lower sprigs last night for supper. Tried a new recipe....it was ok. Don't think I'll pass it on though.

Pepper plants in the background are doing good too. Jalapeno and bell pepper. There are little jalapenos forming.

Finally put my trellis up last night. Have been waiting on the beans to sprout up and trying to decide on the spot. I like the spot I picked for two reasons....1-the original spot I had in mind was too close the trees that have vines in them and 2- I can see it from the swing and from the driveway when I pull in. Lainey didn't like the spot but Parker thought I did good.

Here is part the straw that I had to rake up from the yard where they came and fixed it from the big truck running through the yard back in the winter. I think they put about twice as much as they needed too. There was a lot I couldn't rake up because it was so wet under the top layer. Parker just mowed over it. He mowed half the yard while I raked. I had to make pretty slow trips with the wheelbarrow so there wouldn't be straw all over the driveway. There was one little snake in it. Tried to get him out and he got away so I was pretty cautious after that.

Here is Parker in the swing enjoying an apple after the yard was done. He drank most of my Kool-Aid while I took pictures.

Hope you enjoy! Oh, I think I have mastered the photo upload process!!!!

Love, B

My garden & birthday

This is the squirrel that Parker shot from the back porch because he was getting into my garden.
Kyle said I should be proud of him because that is some sharp-shooting since he hit it from up on the porch. He called me while we were at the tanning salon and told me about it. He had it buried before we got home.


Here is the garden. It has a lot of mimosa petals in it in this picture from the rain. Cilantro is doing really good but you can't really tell in the photo. It is the second from the top on the left. Need to put in some pepper plants and I think I'll be done....maybe.

Here are the birthday flowers that Kyle sent me. The are so pretty and a surprise!

The new cabinet. It is on casters so I can move it if I want to. I'll probably leave it right there.

Haven't gotten used to what is in what drawer. Need to do some organizing.

The new dishwasher and cabinet. Still can't believe he bought it for me! It is really quiet. Ran it for the first time last night. Excited that the kitchen is almost finished. Scott has a few more things to do and I can finish the painting Saturday.

Prom 2009 - continued

There were hundreds of people at the park taking pictures. It was crazy!!!!

Walking in at the prom.

Prom 2009

Ok, I've done it again! Read from the bottom on this one. Hopefully one day I will figure out the best way to upload the pictures!

Karen did a great job on Lainey's hair. We both loved it. She and her family joined our church Sunday morning and we are so happy about that. I had fun with her girls while she was working on Lainey's hair.

The day started so early! 7:51 we were leaving for a quick fattening breakfast before the 9:00 a.m. hair appointment.

Kitchen remodel posts

Ok, to get it all start at the bottom post. Was going to make one big one but the amount of pictures was limiting me.

Love being able to share this with you all.

Already thinking of a garden post. Would go take pictures now but it is raining.
And next week I'll do a prom post. We have a hectic week of prom preparations!
Make-up trial run is scheduled today. Thank goodness for wonderful friends!
Missy is going to do Lainey's make-up and she is treating her to a gift certificate for her nails.
We went to the tanning salon last night and talked about her getting a spray tan to even out the lines from her sunburn. They have a special going for it Buy One Get One so I may get sprayed for my birthday. Kyle thinks it will be a good idea because of what we are doing next weekend but I don't know what that is...wonder what he planned? Hope he realizes prom will be the main event of my birthday.

Hope you enjoy our blog.

Love, B

Kitchen remodel phase 2

This one is deceiving because it looks like the dishwasher is in. It's not. It's just in the kitchen. The countertops are on temporarily. Didn't mention in the other post that the only counter I had for a week was the weird tile piece beside the sink. We ate frozen dinners that week. Weight Watcher Smart Ones do not fill up a 13 year old boy. He supplemented with LOTS of yogurt, apples and Hot Pockets.

I am really happy with the color I chose. I was getting a little nervous the week I spent looking at it in the garage. Worried how the yellow would look with it but I like it.

This one is just so you can see how we are functioning. Odd things are ending up in the top drawer which is the silverware. There are not pot holders, paper towels and foil in that drawer.

more kitchen remodel

I think I've figured out part of the pictures! Last one you upload is the first one that shows. Go figure!
This is the end of day one. The cabinet on the left is the one that Scott is going to mount the 4 ft. piece of countertop on. It will be beside the refrigerator. He may bring it tomorrow.

He is so nice to help with this! He works full time, has 3 kids (7 year old and 3 year old twins), helps his parents alot (his dad just had a mild heart attack but is doing well) plus he is doing other handyman jobs for other people. Right now mainly Kyle's dad. He did some electrical work for them yesterday so didn't get to work on the cabinet as much as he planned.


This is where that cabinet was. Where the dishwasher is going. He's going to build a cabinet to go beside it. I'm not losing any cabinet space like I originally worried about. Gaining another small drawer and cabinet. He is going to reconfigure a drawer and cabinet door that were removed when I first moved in. So glad that I saved them!

more yucky countertop

The gunk under the backsplash was horrible!

I did some touch up painting so all that was painted. I didn't take pictures of the work I did.

Just scrubbing the grime up and painting :)