tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56901512819304729062024-02-20T15:23:40.031-05:00On the road of MotherhoodI am on a journey that is crazy, fun, a learning experience, exhausting, never dull, and all my own. I am constantly trying to find new ways to get organized, teach my children, cook something new up, and have a lot of fun too!Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.comBlogger221125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-76792452366402440002015-02-24T09:52:00.000-05:002015-02-24T09:52:06.938-05:00Making Dates a Family PriorityI want to share something that we do as a family to make dates a reality-- not just for my husband and I, but the kids as well. This isn't meant to be another elf on the shelf fad that adds to a moms full plate, but to make your life simpler. About two years ago, our dating was sporadic-- maybe we'd get out as a couple once every 6 months and if we were lucky, maybe every three months. We knew it needed to happen and we wanted it to, it just seemed like the time flew by in between and we couldn't get our acts together. It was a little different with the kids-- we would find one child got to do a few more special one on one things with one parent and yes, I know, lifes not fair, but we felt we could make parent-kid dates more balanced. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietuvqa8dPoKWeab4YEvpWPnb271CDQ14c8uZOMMGSvj_BfA7UUrnkrPalgr6RH4gQIu8RhDrmJL5JG2owZNjAJ_IhAbcwDMWLFxocMdsXmTxQQtH_P73nsc9x6NNAgcvrTd83E1QvRIWF/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietuvqa8dPoKWeab4YEvpWPnb271CDQ14c8uZOMMGSvj_BfA7UUrnkrPalgr6RH4gQIu8RhDrmJL5JG2owZNjAJ_IhAbcwDMWLFxocMdsXmTxQQtH_P73nsc9x6NNAgcvrTd83E1QvRIWF/s640/042.JPG" /></a></div>
So, we sat down and decided that one month is mom's month and the next is dad's and so on-- mom gets 6 and dad gets 6. Next, we set aside week one for our middle son, the second week for our daughter, and the third week for our oldest son. The fourth week is Mom and Dad's date week. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2ikYBf1TTizfrS3o5X8KhKwvjlE9wMbuReK7xGWJ38NQxaHrMo_CxV8qHYFu6KG6j6eFZYLsB_j9sJF4PM6hgAC4FwqDFQfEv-HPJHvyHD4dKhUV5jTywRRSkMRdZlgItuIJmOE66COe/s1600/045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2ikYBf1TTizfrS3o5X8KhKwvjlE9wMbuReK7xGWJ38NQxaHrMo_CxV8qHYFu6KG6j6eFZYLsB_j9sJF4PM6hgAC4FwqDFQfEv-HPJHvyHD4dKhUV5jTywRRSkMRdZlgItuIJmOE66COe/s640/045.JPG" /></a></div>
Now, kid dates have an est. budget between free- 20 dollars (sometimes more for really special treats), and they average 10 bucks. We do not tell the kids what they are doing ahead of time-- and they can make no suggestions. We want the excitement to be for our time together and not for the where and what. If they aren't behaving that week, they can loose the special activity, but not the time with the parent. We want to emphasize to them that the most important thing is investing into one another's lives. We hope and pray that by doing this, that by the time they are teens, they are so used to this one on one special time of conversations and fellowship that we can continue to build strong relationships with them during adolescence. We also hope that they understand that when they enter into romantic relationships, they know how to bless the person they're with not with things, but with their time and attention. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-m6zRFD6mJ24CUb3e6g-vLbdAUMKUCWQbAGJ3z8L06NsBwt695JXUYdAz6ITBMBKtaul8L4sUy26QkwHRqRYcZXcl5qRYm45IW-8HQYJ0VVMfkA5fB_G8N5GUcxrMsIZ8ApbGt8HUaJL/s1600/044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-m6zRFD6mJ24CUb3e6g-vLbdAUMKUCWQbAGJ3z8L06NsBwt695JXUYdAz6ITBMBKtaul8L4sUy26QkwHRqRYcZXcl5qRYm45IW-8HQYJ0VVMfkA5fB_G8N5GUcxrMsIZ8ApbGt8HUaJL/s640/044.JPG" /></a></div>
So, some things that we have done are bowling, breakfast dates, lunch dates, dinner dates, walks, bike rides, out for ice cream, snuggles in bed playing a game on the kindle, walks, hikes, shopping trip to the dollar store, grocery store shopping, errands, etc. Very very rarely will we do a movie-- maybe once a year if that. The reason is you can't really talk and get to know one another while the movie is showing so we don't see this as being high on the ideas list for us. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCd6XH6jPz1cP7E5qPyHCunU-1KR05UxWlqDdyQS-BYb-Dhb3dREscU3JpZbWK0DPweNi4kXQm6xjb-RgrJGL2KSR893QDpr-nhuDZDyH4muj_LPlwF7dg2iJ7XZr9zOtWczqAPaGwSh2/s1600/043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCd6XH6jPz1cP7E5qPyHCunU-1KR05UxWlqDdyQS-BYb-Dhb3dREscU3JpZbWK0DPweNi4kXQm6xjb-RgrJGL2KSR893QDpr-nhuDZDyH4muj_LPlwF7dg2iJ7XZr9zOtWczqAPaGwSh2/s640/043.JPG" /></a></div>
When it comes to my husband and I's turn, we schedule about four months at a time with our amazing sitter. This way, the stress of planning it is gone. We typically go out towards the beginning of the week so places are less crowded. Honestly, I don't think we have been to a movie just the two of us in a few years since again, we want to enjoy and talk to one another. We do talk about our kids and work and families-- and just about everything-- no rules there. We just share our lives and hearts and its also a sweet time of fellowship. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWOVd8teOFdt1GyW6AWJHkCp-LasQPeajm8Z-iw8rEQkHLI13xZcwoUbqMEo1YuDtpY78mkPQPg93f1lskEEMnPOt5AWu5vpe0-Ksv9VW7aO9GISXduOuXnedJ8VdUOcRrTBPKm0P2Sn_/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWOVd8teOFdt1GyW6AWJHkCp-LasQPeajm8Z-iw8rEQkHLI13xZcwoUbqMEo1YuDtpY78mkPQPg93f1lskEEMnPOt5AWu5vpe0-Ksv9VW7aO9GISXduOuXnedJ8VdUOcRrTBPKm0P2Sn_/s640/015.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQKR9nZ3si95gJ7p-9TLn9XJqTYpDdBAqjE8hr4_ZvHiHyMKLmxxdSvRKUC40LpTRhcc0721ruIBNtzini1c5-swb-zLLV-bm62MJblyktOYjOdoq9RZidNtB_AnvWHS6-oiEtVipiejC/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQKR9nZ3si95gJ7p-9TLn9XJqTYpDdBAqjE8hr4_ZvHiHyMKLmxxdSvRKUC40LpTRhcc0721ruIBNtzini1c5-swb-zLLV-bm62MJblyktOYjOdoq9RZidNtB_AnvWHS6-oiEtVipiejC/s640/016.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIKwxXFJudpuwrq5xtCYx1Po6en3hFjRYr7jM30U1I7MNb1klvKQajL0-Qaxadv2PgfoLy1RyI5YHt3r_0KtuicQIeQ9Fwa-API6vqJxzIBznjBmOUaUTmCayBwJUlSUYGMq7HrsulEdu/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIKwxXFJudpuwrq5xtCYx1Po6en3hFjRYr7jM30U1I7MNb1klvKQajL0-Qaxadv2PgfoLy1RyI5YHt3r_0KtuicQIeQ9Fwa-API6vqJxzIBznjBmOUaUTmCayBwJUlSUYGMq7HrsulEdu/s640/017.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZaSYXkQzBXJJjMf5jKp3M2X0GJXtYWC9llUr4WUbUdHyhQ9A_ANm_zcgNYGF6mKprYygTZv4COqNUBpsz4_gaZOliHsF4K1Y88wy2BVGd8P6_nBTEXgw_2ozD9aLHshrkuEgLLYPgcj7/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZaSYXkQzBXJJjMf5jKp3M2X0GJXtYWC9llUr4WUbUdHyhQ9A_ANm_zcgNYGF6mKprYygTZv4COqNUBpsz4_gaZOliHsF4K1Y88wy2BVGd8P6_nBTEXgw_2ozD9aLHshrkuEgLLYPgcj7/s640/019.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pDhpo6ApuLmeMPY3u5vvM_VmYXCG-XLmnGniYi7tgQLgo1qeWTDMXujdNbMhpl321P7etuOumLGjuAtarKAjjo6TSghMVxDFlZzomsJLr2OcIjapAXlKMnACHoxV_ANt4TdkwHFEH8LO/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1pDhpo6ApuLmeMPY3u5vvM_VmYXCG-XLmnGniYi7tgQLgo1qeWTDMXujdNbMhpl321P7etuOumLGjuAtarKAjjo6TSghMVxDFlZzomsJLr2OcIjapAXlKMnACHoxV_ANt4TdkwHFEH8LO/s640/020.JPG" /></a></div>
So, if you are like us and this is a struggle for you, I hope this can offer an encouraging solution. We've been doing this for almost 2 years and its become a wonderful way for us to budget our time and invest in our family's relationships.Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-39257956548483170232015-02-05T22:16:00.000-05:002015-02-05T22:16:02.407-05:00Two Weeks of MealsSo we recently, well two weeks ago to be exact, shared a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0KiyvOzT10">grocery shopping trip to costco</a>. I wanted to share what we actually ate so you can see how things get repeated, enjoyed as a left over, and used throughout the week. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqi90hT8XH-4Br5s2N0HkY6P05AMDf1f9WuYp0huuQf5NCMS6rVyNcaMJlDuIANwUIzmt6R4hoCR0Q61-GtQeeb3wj-4w5q_vpgZ-LA5Pqq9cld3Ub0Y5X67t5aTu5xBl8dr4IZynVDUcO/s1600/menu+plan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqi90hT8XH-4Br5s2N0HkY6P05AMDf1f9WuYp0huuQf5NCMS6rVyNcaMJlDuIANwUIzmt6R4hoCR0Q61-GtQeeb3wj-4w5q_vpgZ-LA5Pqq9cld3Ub0Y5X67t5aTu5xBl8dr4IZynVDUcO/s640/menu+plan.jpg" /></a></div>
Just to clarify, a frozen feast night is a night when we clean out the freezer and eat all the odds and ends-- it also means mom forgot to wash the food processor to make black bean burgers and this was much easier. Also, I didn't mention when we ate our fruit, but it was eaten mostly at lunch time and breakfasts. For our morning oatmeal, we will add fruit, canned applesauce, or HM canned pumpkin. The smoothies are chia seeds, spinach, banana, water, and either strawberries, pineapples, or both. The combination of the two make for a hearty and nutritious way to start our days. We also do have a lot saved vegetable wise from the summer, so the mention of green beans or our spaghetti sauce, comes from that. Questions-- just ask :)Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-47767727747289037372015-02-04T20:09:00.000-05:002015-02-04T20:09:37.669-05:00A Young Prude and Magic MikeI am as the title of this blog suggests, a young prude. So, let me just begin by saying I did not see the first magic mike film; however, today the trailer for the second film blew up my facebook screen. And since it was relentless, I decided to see what the big deal was. Oh my words. Again, oh my words. Now, this is a personal opinion and a personal view about what I think the issues would be for me should I choose to watch magic mike. Firstly, Channing Tatum is married. He is a married man. He has a wife. There is someone who calls him hubs. Basically, he is NOT my husband. So, watching him just in the preview I thought, "Thats someone else's and whether she is okay with sharing her mate in such a sexual way with the rest of us, I'm not cool with it." I wouldn't watch my neighbor's husband do the same thing. I wouldn't watch the guy in the next city--- heck, what I saw in that tiny snippet made me turn away because my eyes need to be saved for my husband. I didn't just save myself for him on our wedding night-- I will save myself for just him every. single. day. of our married life. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Y1Kl4O2GhZ5ERNuvY1l6LFCHWw6T3czrI5mzSWzlTK4FGcVaYP5lVNnvWEvwDsSPyV_26HnJAZkdEyImFpKmw0OJsgAY9-sbwDj4qYRKCWTmvBcsmxe7HZm-6zc5vCMfhrZ5qqzibR8H/s1600/True-Love-with-a-Happy-Marriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Y1Kl4O2GhZ5ERNuvY1l6LFCHWw6T3czrI5mzSWzlTK4FGcVaYP5lVNnvWEvwDsSPyV_26HnJAZkdEyImFpKmw0OJsgAY9-sbwDj4qYRKCWTmvBcsmxe7HZm-6zc5vCMfhrZ5qqzibR8H/s400/True-Love-with-a-Happy-Marriage.jpg" /></a></div>
"But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband." 1 Corinthians 7:2. Mrs. Tatum might be okay sharing her husband, but my husband is not okay with sharing me. And I am okay with that because I don't think that I could share him with anyone either.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MSYXtZUNbk6qDKPUgCmsQUf_OvGxo7QRkq3uNId4dQyFIfw2uRTXyRxf9vK0WS3Qj1zoL4n_vyiedmE9fnV3hj4aeb0mGwPMFyl2h9kQ6xTlefHuLc_MjSeQHCdhgny2w_nNpoR92VcG/s1600/4677178005_50af62f5fe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MSYXtZUNbk6qDKPUgCmsQUf_OvGxo7QRkq3uNId4dQyFIfw2uRTXyRxf9vK0WS3Qj1zoL4n_vyiedmE9fnV3hj4aeb0mGwPMFyl2h9kQ6xTlefHuLc_MjSeQHCdhgny2w_nNpoR92VcG/s400/4677178005_50af62f5fe.jpg" /></a></div>
"But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints."Ephesians 5:3-- I also don't think I could watch the film and not covet someone else's husband or even any of the other actors whether married or not. Would I begin to think, "Why doesn't my husband look like that?" Or other things... and then dissatisfaction creeps in. Big time. Finding my husband falling or lacking in areas where I really don't even need to think about because he is my one and only. His body should be the only body I desire. Ever. I don't need to see some guys dancing around on the big screen because my husband swept me off my feet from the first day I met him. And praise the Lord, he hasn't stopped and I need not look any further-- nor do I want to despite Hollywoods blatant attempt to tempt me.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgli3L9iYGfQFoyOalKt_vP1t1UJD1WOruCRaEi3kYf4qxZX7r-BFV9cFGSX0Y821tf6Cew27Bl91iwZYO-0Z0GHIe8YqY5R_ppNFK0WehDlsvsuEbzezQK9dK3tVRTAShHjtXCHehPsoW8/s1600/images+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgli3L9iYGfQFoyOalKt_vP1t1UJD1WOruCRaEi3kYf4qxZX7r-BFV9cFGSX0Y821tf6Cew27Bl91iwZYO-0Z0GHIe8YqY5R_ppNFK0WehDlsvsuEbzezQK9dK3tVRTAShHjtXCHehPsoW8/s400/images+(2).jpg" /></a></div>
"But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Matthew 5:28. i think its safe to say we could swap the man with the woman in this passage because in this day and age there is so much sexual imagery designed to tempt females. And yes, I would just be looking at the film. But, I would not in a million years want my husband to look at a movie about female dancers. I just don't think we are being fair-- not many woman want their husbands open oggling other woman. I don't want to do the same with men and call it all in good fun because it's a popular movie. Cause, let me be honest, I wouldn't go and see some male dancers in person-- so why let my eyes see it in film form.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlO0-tbEco5E7-jePalIvEjPbaM3Q8Y_i-XRQtLYxqm3aV1kHZGb_jpkD4LCTqrMHXMe6N5xOZRnJ_fNsWiZMBIoXH8OARcIJfvMslyUkw3vv0UZ077DJC0W47FeSOPZebWCrcq5h0qxW/s1600/download+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlO0-tbEco5E7-jePalIvEjPbaM3Q8Y_i-XRQtLYxqm3aV1kHZGb_jpkD4LCTqrMHXMe6N5xOZRnJ_fNsWiZMBIoXH8OARcIJfvMslyUkw3vv0UZ077DJC0W47FeSOPZebWCrcq5h0qxW/s400/download+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
Our marriage hasn't seen a perfect day since it began. We are two flawed people in need of some big time grace (both from the Lord and each other)-- but man, that guy is mine. He is my one and only. The only guy I need to ever view. To desire. To love. "Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste" Song of Solomon 2:3. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftkUG-MvNecdDDMopO7ryWIIAL37FkPH0jJ4rJlma-Jmp8SOjzOgwFTqL6thjBYT8pldCoCYxZMzFEeF23y-8nE7QORBC9r9BVx3SpIKhsRkQRUzAsdFucuRIrzJM2Sou5sv97LzmTvZF/s1600/images+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiftkUG-MvNecdDDMopO7ryWIIAL37FkPH0jJ4rJlma-Jmp8SOjzOgwFTqL6thjBYT8pldCoCYxZMzFEeF23y-8nE7QORBC9r9BVx3SpIKhsRkQRUzAsdFucuRIrzJM2Sou5sv97LzmTvZF/s400/images+(3).jpg" /></a></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-78882545071015035532015-01-20T22:43:00.000-05:002015-01-20T22:43:48.279-05:00Black Bean Burgers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAuBsYruqjadsMOqT3HDTJCPCulI6hrOD1nFC2PplsKe0s-qkW9Kw-zfBRWhOvO8R0dU6DHbXatzuax4O9ASGIx5nzz5Et6vgZwIWDPSfab-HTyBYjRs5V04XyKLuXCttTytjNCDQ3kXP/s1600/black+bean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMAuBsYruqjadsMOqT3HDTJCPCulI6hrOD1nFC2PplsKe0s-qkW9Kw-zfBRWhOvO8R0dU6DHbXatzuax4O9ASGIx5nzz5Et6vgZwIWDPSfab-HTyBYjRs5V04XyKLuXCttTytjNCDQ3kXP/s640/black+bean.jpg" /></a></div>
I finally found my pictures of our black bean burgers that I took last summer and so I can finally share them with you all. I first had black bean burgers at chilis and then tried them at Bahama Breeze and then got my husband to try them and he agreed-- we needed to find a way to make our own because they are amazing. Seriously, the guy hates black beans. He loves meat. And yet in complete confidence he told me that these were even better than a beef burger. Yes, he likes them better than meat. His secret is safe with me.
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Anyway, I tried some recipes on pinterest but finally took the leap and made my own recipe up and Bingo! Our family black bean recipe was born. These are delicious so I make a large bunch. Also, it seems we tend to serve them to others who are stopping by and they also love them and ask for the recipe-- so here it is!
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With everything I make, modify it to YOUR tastes! I like spices, so I go heavy on them. Start with three drained cans of black beans or three cups of black beans that you soaked according to package directions. Add them into a food processor. Next, add two avocados. This will act as your binding agent-- tried eggs but avocados taste so much better and there won't be a trace of green left in a few minutes after blending if the neon green color weirds you out. At one time, I was that person, but I have come to love avocados in all their neon greenish yumminess. Okay, so begin pureeing. Now, add in 2 tsp of cumin and 2 tsp of chili powder. I also add a tsp of garlic. If I have cilantro on hand I add just a pinch since my husband is weird about it-- but if he isn't home, it's a big handful! Puree some more. Add in a 1/3 cup of salsa. Puree some more. Now, I add some serano peppers in and maybe a teeny tiny bit of red onion. Because I am weird about red onions. This is where personal preference comes in-- if you like bell peppers, add them. Jalapeno-- go for it. It really depends on you. Puree it all up. I wish black beans looked prettier than mud, but just like the black bean soup, the consistency looks like mud. I know, a HUGE selling point. But, hang in there-- the taste is amazing!! Okay, so now grab a spoon-- do NOT-- DO NOT attempt to shape these into burger patties by hand! Trust me, its a big mess. I know. So, scoop out a large amount that looks like it will fit on your desired bun of choice. Use a decent size spoon to get bigger scoops. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUmzBK8rd8kmynuPfxJPS6f1nOCB49C5yLyCtW7wk-nFim6jAe4W2N-GvzK7b5UqBBd2pyUOTSX5EP4cqFh9tABmteNZUFmOaKZUqWgwb3Jy5xPPdN4MaMYDZpG2uaO6Y8kdQflix1Jz6/s1600/128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixUmzBK8rd8kmynuPfxJPS6f1nOCB49C5yLyCtW7wk-nFim6jAe4W2N-GvzK7b5UqBBd2pyUOTSX5EP4cqFh9tABmteNZUFmOaKZUqWgwb3Jy5xPPdN4MaMYDZpG2uaO6Y8kdQflix1Jz6/s640/128.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgec09sVJpWGGzrC1_FhDHGMiYbGHjaDFY8UfQk1ob7Hjpf01sSCKGnoxNBzz_P2xzXlZNPo33XCDlKj2q4a5ZVU9P6Dav7_ZLxtOex426IfoolNmjCd7whp1fbnqKo2wdOl6cLXzBWHHMa/s1600/129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgec09sVJpWGGzrC1_FhDHGMiYbGHjaDFY8UfQk1ob7Hjpf01sSCKGnoxNBzz_P2xzXlZNPo33XCDlKj2q4a5ZVU9P6Dav7_ZLxtOex426IfoolNmjCd7whp1fbnqKo2wdOl6cLXzBWHHMa/s640/129.JPG" /></a></div>
Let them cook on medium heat for about ten minutes on a lightly greased skillet, flip, add cheese on top if you aren't a vegan, and then allow them to cook for about another 5-10 minutes. I haven't tried these on the grill yet, but if you did, I'd use a grill pan or non stick spray.
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We top them with tomatoes or salsa or both. You can add some lettuce and onions or cilantro (yum!)-- make it your burger, but this is a good jumping off point! Enjoy-- these are truly one of our favorite things to eat!
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-50861665140844881822015-01-08T22:55:00.000-05:002015-01-08T22:55:27.059-05:00Healthy Black Bean SoupThe winter chill is upon us and our menu for the week or two has lots of soups on it! Warm the body up from the inside out-- this is one of our favorites and we enjoyed it tonight as the temps plunged under 20 degrees--<i> Brrr!</i> This can be adjusted to your tastes-- like it spicier, add some chili powder or hot salsa or jalapenos-- it's a great base recipe that can be personalized to <i>your</i> tastes-- but here is how we enjoy it!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIY-A02yJl2DhiBCgTOr8qzQmdcyRbnHWKOrMcJG6Cd9ZFrzCIysHxlbG5u90gnsrRcUCaPTDEqGsaVkCKygWBKhVmnh1nlguTAD289BLi7kHsJZQRoy6hyphenhyphenvvlpQIrVpu_8Lvq6xB8sHw/s1600/black+bean+soup+header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIY-A02yJl2DhiBCgTOr8qzQmdcyRbnHWKOrMcJG6Cd9ZFrzCIysHxlbG5u90gnsrRcUCaPTDEqGsaVkCKygWBKhVmnh1nlguTAD289BLi7kHsJZQRoy6hyphenhyphenvvlpQIrVpu_8Lvq6xB8sHw/s640/black+bean+soup+header.jpg" /></a></div>
First, we add two spoonfuls of oil-- we used coconut, but olive oil is just fine and dandy (also, if you've never used coconut oil before, this is not the recipe to begin-- stick with some evoo and it will be delicious!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbsFCuZn6D5D4agdXOGu9c4vNds_gOLWmCZj_pXqGqfEuoKpieTs2mHKAET3oIY5WLBQ1RRHZPacJCKZfhRbLidPIIpeUqgShGRODzTq_E41gkwPrDrz4NsCpQsUAvx2POu1s2IHWPj_O/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEbsFCuZn6D5D4agdXOGu9c4vNds_gOLWmCZj_pXqGqfEuoKpieTs2mHKAET3oIY5WLBQ1RRHZPacJCKZfhRbLidPIIpeUqgShGRODzTq_E41gkwPrDrz4NsCpQsUAvx2POu1s2IHWPj_O/s640/042.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnA-GHaPz09N1HeNY6fphNJmEQtladPOpvW4v34PYpwjHa_Ultx2R7E4BfeyLY2cT3rpKrkfIX2hGOp8M8k9CjmXviyyKwx2J52WRQmTrcfCva6pOTJX8p5lddNPLx7njZNDrr07ABtRA5/s1600/043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnA-GHaPz09N1HeNY6fphNJmEQtladPOpvW4v34PYpwjHa_Ultx2R7E4BfeyLY2cT3rpKrkfIX2hGOp8M8k9CjmXviyyKwx2J52WRQmTrcfCva6pOTJX8p5lddNPLx7njZNDrr07ABtRA5/s640/043.JPG" /></a></div>
Next, add a tablespoon of minced garlic. Notice my handsome helper? This is also a good recipe to make with your kids-- lots of fun and they get bragging rights at dinner.
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We chopped one medium onion and one bell pepper-- don't worry about the size because this is one of those times where size doesn't matter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYXkkpErHoFfWT-I6CjBEbLxbHqyzysDag5aSguLC-rZVueB4-QVNz6J_v1HPLGIDYOf3xPZKBLzRJiaCrmHfvZLfDvNMxp-CyRvQxBDJYlCxewAsVa4UfnZ59IFnsNDdcDO7Uly5bMJF/s1600/045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaYXkkpErHoFfWT-I6CjBEbLxbHqyzysDag5aSguLC-rZVueB4-QVNz6J_v1HPLGIDYOf3xPZKBLzRJiaCrmHfvZLfDvNMxp-CyRvQxBDJYlCxewAsVa4UfnZ59IFnsNDdcDO7Uly5bMJF/s640/045.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sMrYRUo5Laa1PbhyphenhyphenMBrUQFFD8sRLU8kfYGew2Oq0jSY5iOiDg7DGn6DvlxnqT2mbGPbBjwsH_bYmMFGzFw8e2lRiQDeJJoap-HN33TKAtTto00rSR4q-A_NyNsllCQIs2Gk3z2blw68c/s1600/046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-sMrYRUo5Laa1PbhyphenhyphenMBrUQFFD8sRLU8kfYGew2Oq0jSY5iOiDg7DGn6DvlxnqT2mbGPbBjwsH_bYmMFGzFw8e2lRiQDeJJoap-HN33TKAtTto00rSR4q-A_NyNsllCQIs2Gk3z2blw68c/s640/046.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B852PbI9_bY3HDCXgqmEb9xzFOr0KRXJHoQhJfnaHATRHxIwt7dWkS_KFes9eg2PFahOJzjvn3Fv0VaOXXkKv8138hd244JLSJQ7h8iVM2quEJ4u3oV4zyer_kUohIXYeOwbnOdPaJer/s1600/048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B852PbI9_bY3HDCXgqmEb9xzFOr0KRXJHoQhJfnaHATRHxIwt7dWkS_KFes9eg2PFahOJzjvn3Fv0VaOXXkKv8138hd244JLSJQ7h8iVM2quEJ4u3oV4zyer_kUohIXYeOwbnOdPaJer/s640/048.JPG" /></a></div>
We sauteed all of that with a few red pepper flakes and salt and pepper (this up to you on how much) and breathed in the heavenly aroma (disclaimer-- this soup will also open up your nasal cavity-- esp. if you lean on the spicier side of things-- added bonus if you have a cold!).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgO5gFGtig93kkjz-P69XqfET93Bx4wTfj4Zq9bS7r5fSs6QfOgxsVdfYKMqh6idHXmTZ4INeP55O5JaqaickfDVOCFjKvY11HLKIhkoUHAHS4N-6nO4Gyz6isAWiei-s9_wsYZu2QIYN/s1600/049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgO5gFGtig93kkjz-P69XqfET93Bx4wTfj4Zq9bS7r5fSs6QfOgxsVdfYKMqh6idHXmTZ4INeP55O5JaqaickfDVOCFjKvY11HLKIhkoUHAHS4N-6nO4Gyz6isAWiei-s9_wsYZu2QIYN/s640/049.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGq0MyWmJN7eHK9DwJWP66nEwCaKbhyphenhyphen_MLZMdiGlqGvlQTtbVwqGbDiRfuuprYZCkDLyLi9gDgwsoAjDkEUytvVYvlwpqwJLLRm6Z2Rb-d6sIipnGmODkNWJnWLuCudEyOLQUpGLjsfYm/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFGq0MyWmJN7eHK9DwJWP66nEwCaKbhyphenhyphen_MLZMdiGlqGvlQTtbVwqGbDiRfuuprYZCkDLyLi9gDgwsoAjDkEUytvVYvlwpqwJLLRm6Z2Rb-d6sIipnGmODkNWJnWLuCudEyOLQUpGLjsfYm/s640/050.JPG" /></a></div>
Next, we added two and a half cups of vegetable broth. We just made a <strike>Big</strike> HUGE batch two weeks ago and yeah, well, thats why we are going to be immersing ourselves in soup! I can't wait-- literally, I LOVE soups in the winter!
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuHBNwZGz6UlKWhiuWKjhU5kcXggQDTtPkORg8foWiL965VSO4XwlCXlHZDW6xE4yaUCSFuxKKwWnVYjM-Jjs05KKC7aOya7rg2jZbYUcLm5qh2FDNO1RdUIJv_sd9eIpmveuoVLc6IoC/s1600/053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmuHBNwZGz6UlKWhiuWKjhU5kcXggQDTtPkORg8foWiL965VSO4XwlCXlHZDW6xE4yaUCSFuxKKwWnVYjM-Jjs05KKC7aOya7rg2jZbYUcLm5qh2FDNO1RdUIJv_sd9eIpmveuoVLc6IoC/s640/053.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbX4LkwAq59w3ukcQOJsJvNMtZ2GMqn156L2kQOC34qxJPxA4iZGzUlZvx62A8Ttt58HhwfQhps3tE4qrof2yrmPRLVV2jmj1UEYTz79UQVCfaiHsXrRed_lZ2FptB6fJQy11U7njSf8kX/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbX4LkwAq59w3ukcQOJsJvNMtZ2GMqn156L2kQOC34qxJPxA4iZGzUlZvx62A8Ttt58HhwfQhps3tE4qrof2yrmPRLVV2jmj1UEYTz79UQVCfaiHsXrRed_lZ2FptB6fJQy11U7njSf8kX/s640/054.JPG" /></a></div>
Anyway, back to the current pot of soup-- next, we added two cups of water.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hiy3U7OI17MxM_vMPiotP3v66lzX2qVEry596qe0j-grxpzW9E85m7AvanSxMJAA2xKcZLObM1JMkURDMgUVlGZo23EJuiE1tN4ZDIAANo2y93ZULuhjkBHSTiBMH3jcMlTlsvzreAEp/s1600/055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hiy3U7OI17MxM_vMPiotP3v66lzX2qVEry596qe0j-grxpzW9E85m7AvanSxMJAA2xKcZLObM1JMkURDMgUVlGZo23EJuiE1tN4ZDIAANo2y93ZULuhjkBHSTiBMH3jcMlTlsvzreAEp/s640/055.JPG" /></a></div>
Now, onto the beans-- the star of the soup! We added three cups of rinsed black beans-- a little nervous about how much you like black beans-- cut it back to two and just add one cup of water-- see, you can totally adjust this to your tastes!
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEv1MGSfni2LjPCFm7EfMw0RdXcRbZV-iFinw23Wi8BP5uX0GR6rDqZjoblinBejxlWTxS3_m00w9hVmiAIrB9pe3e7hA7HA_KYS-u1ZK4FVk4W4N-DnPjhv55slfqEVeYclr8x8qdp_D/s1600/047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhEv1MGSfni2LjPCFm7EfMw0RdXcRbZV-iFinw23Wi8BP5uX0GR6rDqZjoblinBejxlWTxS3_m00w9hVmiAIrB9pe3e7hA7HA_KYS-u1ZK4FVk4W4N-DnPjhv55slfqEVeYclr8x8qdp_D/s640/047.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSvWdNhVdrdLMA4QTQ7jcS-bif2MqtwWZwCRd47Yo0KRznbO2mIgYD4Y1Y2CZ6k062pumv1ZBsqaccLzPNkC9WxYRvCzGBjXX4VrmDGzA1-mtavOp8yfJTFXelws8UJ9cN0HRrPgd9z8i/s1600/051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSvWdNhVdrdLMA4QTQ7jcS-bif2MqtwWZwCRd47Yo0KRznbO2mIgYD4Y1Y2CZ6k062pumv1ZBsqaccLzPNkC9WxYRvCzGBjXX4VrmDGzA1-mtavOp8yfJTFXelws8UJ9cN0HRrPgd9z8i/s640/051.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvcLUUQofMeN1HV5DPeOnMxCmF6_JEXZezy-CrMLPgi_lgeQwYyptvJ0edL2QtibLqKdytEaD13v9NsmZFR3WPtAZ2FzN8pdCDgI8zfdWzbjo2bIcow9h4I6hdvaCVn36exLuIHui4kDT/s1600/052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUvcLUUQofMeN1HV5DPeOnMxCmF6_JEXZezy-CrMLPgi_lgeQwYyptvJ0edL2QtibLqKdytEaD13v9NsmZFR3WPtAZ2FzN8pdCDgI8zfdWzbjo2bIcow9h4I6hdvaCVn36exLuIHui4kDT/s640/052.JPG" /></a></div>
We added one cup of salsa.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkdJgQ10_862_1WJKTP8gJ61ylZK39qau5Yyj1nXdr0276ewzXQarrcvt3_ZnTErJTuvDZj2orBogfj6EcbI-SIIq6p6-cgEA1vUdK0SKoyObr0IYfshiPF5L5i4utHnj8x_k4h2kGJW1/s1600/057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwkdJgQ10_862_1WJKTP8gJ61ylZK39qau5Yyj1nXdr0276ewzXQarrcvt3_ZnTErJTuvDZj2orBogfj6EcbI-SIIq6p6-cgEA1vUdK0SKoyObr0IYfshiPF5L5i4utHnj8x_k4h2kGJW1/s640/057.JPG" /></a></div>
A tbs. of cumin and a bay leaf.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsW8LquNQhV47hn83NGFMypK5OMeloNdFpRxejZJEht8ShSQ7QRirL_V9Gkhj_XKNYn-46CTiSOX_aVURaF9CbL72teDRDuHjnFVGgNS8BeETuIssJwezA0QBDeZHFnHKnX49tlHhYTfWd/s1600/056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsW8LquNQhV47hn83NGFMypK5OMeloNdFpRxejZJEht8ShSQ7QRirL_V9Gkhj_XKNYn-46CTiSOX_aVURaF9CbL72teDRDuHjnFVGgNS8BeETuIssJwezA0QBDeZHFnHKnX49tlHhYTfWd/s640/056.JPG" /></a></div>
Now let it simmer to a low boil for about 20 minutes. While we wait, here is what we were up to this weekend: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmuNN3lYmTJvs3MCBGxQWAMk_ENTGiZ64To7kWZgjLhVwVs1JNWUYQ2rXZoFftxp3QlEZldcokzoJJUWcum6jtJ11Y5QcmhpN6I_oRdCgJd5lSgvmNucHDV7YbAa0E6fCrLrmAvTcx-wA/s1600/declans+dedication+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmuNN3lYmTJvs3MCBGxQWAMk_ENTGiZ64To7kWZgjLhVwVs1JNWUYQ2rXZoFftxp3QlEZldcokzoJJUWcum6jtJ11Y5QcmhpN6I_oRdCgJd5lSgvmNucHDV7YbAa0E6fCrLrmAvTcx-wA/s640/declans+dedication+collage.jpg" /></a></div>
Our Baby got dedicated-- it is such an honor to raise all of our children in the ways of the Lord and keep ourselves accountable with our church body as their parents.
Our daughter celebrated a birthday and we had a fun afternoon celebrating with family. She is such a delight to our family-- she adds the sugar and spice for sure!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs55Uy_veN1yn4AS1GBXL41v56jvSyMz-Kd6I0RAYOaCccpQjXBF38EjkA-25A4HdYaehB5nr5reKmI2pdLYzbYKSQXWCT7RH3o411OyAZzUPD9m3IZPFvDqpOkwLyAHdg6rTHTUVstTQA/s1600/calliesbirthday+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs55Uy_veN1yn4AS1GBXL41v56jvSyMz-Kd6I0RAYOaCccpQjXBF38EjkA-25A4HdYaehB5nr5reKmI2pdLYzbYKSQXWCT7RH3o411OyAZzUPD9m3IZPFvDqpOkwLyAHdg6rTHTUVstTQA/s640/calliesbirthday+collage.jpg" /></a></div>
Okay, back to our soup-- time to blend it up. I start on low and then high (time will depend on your blender). <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwv2BH-F-rzVptmNbx_znt4gPfh7YKx0VHVNlFvt2U_JXxuW1DEozIIgw8oaL4hYBENn-tos8LV66LFFxbJ-ho-VW_d1Wuc9KV2BGZE-N_T4PcHvLodX4KQ0ajskEOkXeE3-wEwJn4LIR/s1600/058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwv2BH-F-rzVptmNbx_znt4gPfh7YKx0VHVNlFvt2U_JXxuW1DEozIIgw8oaL4hYBENn-tos8LV66LFFxbJ-ho-VW_d1Wuc9KV2BGZE-N_T4PcHvLodX4KQ0ajskEOkXeE3-wEwJn4LIR/s640/058.JPG" /></a></div>
At this point it looks like mud-- but I promise you, it tastes amazing!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUM9_Jo5Db85xIL3HBKLBVRmv1cAd7U9teGQnvAteupamyTFZlnoQWYuzKAr2PjM2-n1Mc7U-p2HxYP0k2ZFt1_M-cUfV2iyUpAEG0hrBWnBheLBdywydR25OVEBDkueWh6wfbgeIwpaJz/s1600/059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUM9_Jo5Db85xIL3HBKLBVRmv1cAd7U9teGQnvAteupamyTFZlnoQWYuzKAr2PjM2-n1Mc7U-p2HxYP0k2ZFt1_M-cUfV2iyUpAEG0hrBWnBheLBdywydR25OVEBDkueWh6wfbgeIwpaJz/s640/059.JPG" /></a></div>
If you stop here, it's completely vegan-- but we couldn't help ourselves and added a small scoop of sour cream and sprinkled on some cheese. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tZbskFtUURlLyhM_t_ZyikXVR5Q7VLO5Uz2wyYIBCMLX96pEtMUtz5k5yiDV1uqQ6erS0uZAdLWpbdDxmSA3h38ER5hPO_gzqxFcAiXp0wSBc8lVvsz_S6cbAJg6hMXhoeaQmWke9bfF/s1600/060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tZbskFtUURlLyhM_t_ZyikXVR5Q7VLO5Uz2wyYIBCMLX96pEtMUtz5k5yiDV1uqQ6erS0uZAdLWpbdDxmSA3h38ER5hPO_gzqxFcAiXp0wSBc8lVvsz_S6cbAJg6hMXhoeaQmWke9bfF/s640/060.JPG" /></a></div>
It was delicious!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7DAR0X8J4brrqo09hjw3uHQGJuA42Ypg_D-RYJbGiYEKAAHOYkH7kheIcMTr1kMRwskA5oHKzNJppusqtEizNkCBwhkpmk2nLqPBp1r_0Wy4inw1vpO9LWUhVVV0VQx0OsIzXraWtt8k/s1600/063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG7DAR0X8J4brrqo09hjw3uHQGJuA42Ypg_D-RYJbGiYEKAAHOYkH7kheIcMTr1kMRwskA5oHKzNJppusqtEizNkCBwhkpmk2nLqPBp1r_0Wy4inw1vpO9LWUhVVV0VQx0OsIzXraWtt8k/s640/063.JPG" /></a></div>
I hope this soup makes it on to your table and would love to hear what you and your family enjoy on cold winter evenings! "Soup is a lot like a family-- each ingredient enhances the others; each batch has its own characteristics; and it needs time to simmer to reach full flavor."- Marge Kennedy
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-87198973368251185792015-01-05T23:26:00.000-05:002015-01-05T23:26:12.178-05:00Missing and LongingI know we have been absent here on the blog but we just like many others succumbed to a busy holiday season. We enjoyed lots of special family time, birthdays, and most importantly celebrating Christ's birth. I had planned to begin blogging again by sharing our family's favorite black bean burger recipe-- but while I was searching for those pictures I kept stumbling across garden images. I have to be honest here, we are all aching to get back into the yard to garden. The produce we grew last year is still blessing us at meals, but I think that's just fueling the anticipation. We all keep peeking out windows and longing for the day when we can turn up the soil and put our first seeds in. I did find this pictures of some gardens we were able to visit last summer that I had hoped to share back then, but why not now on the eve before we are about to get some snow?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDbiKHjvguW1lbM6YOoSOmk0jrWl34p6bkq_pcw5fkF4tDAhYbT35Gy7I8sa0b9bVKygXM56dtJH6ypllfPB9H4T_8gOtbWX6ueTxTvXxyHumW6GmNDPX1KWNZiHAHogLoxRQJdxs60Uk/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoDbiKHjvguW1lbM6YOoSOmk0jrWl34p6bkq_pcw5fkF4tDAhYbT35Gy7I8sa0b9bVKygXM56dtJH6ypllfPB9H4T_8gOtbWX6ueTxTvXxyHumW6GmNDPX1KWNZiHAHogLoxRQJdxs60Uk/s640/4th+of+july+2014+134.JPG" /></a></div>
This is my parents back yard garden. My father was raised by an Italian immigrant who gardened along with many of their neighbors. I can remember helping in my grandfather and dad's garden. My dad's has always been what I call a salad garden-- lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant and squash. We are hoping to help get him going with peas and beans this summer and maybe some radishes.
He has been adding compost and grass clippings to it for years and the soil is very productive.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNdFWB62hXwkV3rbLkBA4eeqCXrlXFZCaXUalZkjTRtpX3XW25FOZOqo-F9blF6jn1lIZ9lJxDHIw-qriRteye-nasCTGc3p7vK7ynX929H-0OFOJx8jrByX5ZiFC8I2qKP-IZQvRAkPW/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqNdFWB62hXwkV3rbLkBA4eeqCXrlXFZCaXUalZkjTRtpX3XW25FOZOqo-F9blF6jn1lIZ9lJxDHIw-qriRteye-nasCTGc3p7vK7ynX929H-0OFOJx8jrByX5ZiFC8I2qKP-IZQvRAkPW/s640/4th+of+july+2014+149.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDEeEL6ynAre50RDMqxICNj7YAHY8D2K8_4g3zdXuYrPHS0iia82PmOBWp1_WOhBWZhAz5QRiVa_8zjaJH6elNTtS9VWKd3Cfg9-Omw67qJUsh0DyXs81i6a1_NYEkGUEHgIdtQe5t3is/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDEeEL6ynAre50RDMqxICNj7YAHY8D2K8_4g3zdXuYrPHS0iia82PmOBWp1_WOhBWZhAz5QRiVa_8zjaJH6elNTtS9VWKd3Cfg9-Omw67qJUsh0DyXs81i6a1_NYEkGUEHgIdtQe5t3is/s640/4th+of+july+2014+150.JPG" /></a></div>
While we were visiting my parents, they were watching a friends garden. Actually, it's way more than that. Their friend is a professor at a college and has turned some of the land there into rented plots for people to garden. All the gardens must be organic and pesticide free and it is amazing-- they are growing some really productive plants!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxodb5fIvvrFi8RFDkG4I2Mxfk_gjo3oIAaFuT3XIGv8fLOk-l6g704BgnD94bmWjBw6L0oyTdlYi7KoZgv4uKoJ0F_9-vaJRdmQl3_RQ4A12aTn9VwOhQbQN_82wJ4U3VZFGipMWkWVC5/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxodb5fIvvrFi8RFDkG4I2Mxfk_gjo3oIAaFuT3XIGv8fLOk-l6g704BgnD94bmWjBw6L0oyTdlYi7KoZgv4uKoJ0F_9-vaJRdmQl3_RQ4A12aTn9VwOhQbQN_82wJ4U3VZFGipMWkWVC5/s640/4th+of+july+2014+151.JPG" /></a></div>
We helped harvest peas (which are now being enjoyed by us through out the winter) and some basil (our basil last year was a dwarf variety and not great for saving). <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKiRFC7jL7fnYvTW0yx6Nu-Z1hMtJbzsu5kPNcqpLHYs9lpaVUuBN5jktR0F_yDZp-P4f5eHmMON35h8gQMqeTXxq_8NkpznAJ6JN9Ra5aLMWhHEPeADzYPJzQP7rz9xOZ5RFMsF9Ohuw/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKiRFC7jL7fnYvTW0yx6Nu-Z1hMtJbzsu5kPNcqpLHYs9lpaVUuBN5jktR0F_yDZp-P4f5eHmMON35h8gQMqeTXxq_8NkpznAJ6JN9Ra5aLMWhHEPeADzYPJzQP7rz9xOZ5RFMsF9Ohuw/s640/4th+of+july+2014+194.JPG" /></a></div>
We love visiting <a href="http://longwoodgardens.org/">Longwood Gardens</a> and their vegetable garden is drool worthy!
They have numerous gardens and this year it was neat to be able to identify the plants and see how we could incoporate some of their trellis methods (last year many of ours collapsed under the weight of the plants).
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Finally, here are some from our own yard... ah how we miss you!
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As we wait, the garden once again reminds me of a biblical lesson to wait upon the Lord and wait for Him. Do I anticipate Him? Long for him? Love how the garden reveals truths that God has for me.
Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-74050073401053450822014-11-23T21:36:00.000-05:002014-11-23T21:36:12.024-05:00Surrendering My Mommy Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6OHADSA-y6BFvwrcY1L9_-FuSMMaWtzzNAQzdLxhcv-gl6_itveZRAfOmCVId7U4DiSbHx4CYx64ye0ZBaXD6LAp7lobg8jS6HbHBANLxZPFnvBHiegE3eiM6xCJeaUIjCzqJyMLCo4a/s1600/147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz6OHADSA-y6BFvwrcY1L9_-FuSMMaWtzzNAQzdLxhcv-gl6_itveZRAfOmCVId7U4DiSbHx4CYx64ye0ZBaXD6LAp7lobg8jS6HbHBANLxZPFnvBHiegE3eiM6xCJeaUIjCzqJyMLCo4a/s640/147.JPG" /></a></div>
This past week our littlest guy was sick. The last in a long line of all the boys in our family falling prey to a nasty bug that claimed each one for about five days. I was feeling pretty tired and my poor baby was up needing mommy from 4-6 am. one night. We sat in the bathroom with a steamy shower running. I held him upright and patted his back. We watched some elmo on youtube. I consider it a blessing to my love on my littles when they aren't feeling well. And my poor little baby needed lots of loving that night.
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When we both awoke the next morning sometime around 8 I realized we had a field trip with our co-op that day. Thankfully our night time vigilance had resulted in our baby feeling much better. But there was still laundry. Cleaning. Schoolwork. Four kids to tend to. Meals to make. And oh yeah, that field trip again. And I felt like I had run a long race. Exhausted just begins to cover it.
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I stopped, and prayed, "Lord, I just woke up. Today seems pretty normal and yet overwhelming. I don't think I can do it-- I'm just giving it to you. Please equip me and enclose our home in peace that passes all understanding."
We made the field trip... a few minutes late... but together, and clothed, and happy, and in a teachable spirit. It was amazing.
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Seeing apple cider and apple butter made was a cool experience.
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My Little bug trying to swipe an apple-- love him to pieces.
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We came home and had a peaceful lunch. My oldest and I put the Christmas tree lights on. Love that he can help with the "big" decorating jobs.
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My littlest thought the tree was on fire and kept trying to blow the lights out-- it was adorable to hear, "Dat hot!" over and over again followed by intermittent puffs.
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And my middle two put on the sweetest nativity story re-enactment. Here he is pushing Mary on the donkey to Bethlehem.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkM60pImKa95gv3BF32N0J8piOaHvacGLVV_WYEkIXHMZykZLaP77VQ38byYuivQrHiUwZtYCwo4RxmhtbskCVXFPVP2FW6tzfNmZMFPrP6R44vh7xOeyzAIf1pEkIZGuRXgqOOdanqnw/s1600/161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkM60pImKa95gv3BF32N0J8piOaHvacGLVV_WYEkIXHMZykZLaP77VQ38byYuivQrHiUwZtYCwo4RxmhtbskCVXFPVP2FW6tzfNmZMFPrP6R44vh7xOeyzAIf1pEkIZGuRXgqOOdanqnw/s640/161.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrPx4CjdABgShzVNwcA-ol7d5O53xwtPSsXwEsScUErFb69GZbBss_eGIR3HraESivsDQGIoHXKq5e-8HcL9zsnzkfX6wGFxGGmxgxdP39nlKookdJBJhSkWRcYMFomOzGxSG83shDWH9/s1600/162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYrPx4CjdABgShzVNwcA-ol7d5O53xwtPSsXwEsScUErFb69GZbBss_eGIR3HraESivsDQGIoHXKq5e-8HcL9zsnzkfX6wGFxGGmxgxdP39nlKookdJBJhSkWRcYMFomOzGxSG83shDWH9/s640/162.JPG" /></a></div>
My heart was so full. I hadn't done it. I couldn't have done it. But here was God showing me His love in these four beautiful little beings. We were working and playing together in a wonderful harmony. God in my weakness, delighted in making a beautiful day for us.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj89prdijoNFyq8bLkmytvXj3xFRDbnlPIcMbqQ498Kbz1hrgXdb2ZgKSTjNXYW_XTEnYlxGInA99kbJfhhI6Jab5C3ZRdTK7xKkWGtzt9rPmLqx3riXrJlp0DdfiML1bJ6FAtI0zQPmfy/s1600/165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj89prdijoNFyq8bLkmytvXj3xFRDbnlPIcMbqQ498Kbz1hrgXdb2ZgKSTjNXYW_XTEnYlxGInA99kbJfhhI6Jab5C3ZRdTK7xKkWGtzt9rPmLqx3riXrJlp0DdfiML1bJ6FAtI0zQPmfy/s640/165.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24knolPnF5P3nlW4NQ0ArdgAeWLiDvtxtFouSPrY8GTKxr-nGxCRk9gKtgyLa0Q_r7v3E0KBCopyVgard_KLZm3WElNeB_btKPbVmSmP5pi9Yvd9tB6fTs2lDozVF5pRWlenCOAzh2-Fr/s1600/166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24knolPnF5P3nlW4NQ0ArdgAeWLiDvtxtFouSPrY8GTKxr-nGxCRk9gKtgyLa0Q_r7v3E0KBCopyVgard_KLZm3WElNeB_btKPbVmSmP5pi9Yvd9tB6fTs2lDozVF5pRWlenCOAzh2-Fr/s640/166.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSLxrAt2iqS7MIoVKT7XcCqCHF6MSCjMPAKxxTAtGTfWW_YcRSMtXWWYR7rrBVitoAXlbh1N64luOY30ExbO5UBhAHB7-aDLKiNo2AQ7tHJkZ5S21dlLzpSuSQ5M4aPiIWf2BFHvzc1Kv/s1600/167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSLxrAt2iqS7MIoVKT7XcCqCHF6MSCjMPAKxxTAtGTfWW_YcRSMtXWWYR7rrBVitoAXlbh1N64luOY30ExbO5UBhAHB7-aDLKiNo2AQ7tHJkZ5S21dlLzpSuSQ5M4aPiIWf2BFHvzc1Kv/s640/167.JPG" /></a></div>
How awesome is that? How awesome is He?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tjUImFI9fCy5kuEwN9FRVH4InBx_zFyAqroL3YkkxiaDCFWZ9YMiT_a9fE5KSniXaJIUXy61LhPRAKTg5BkQGBWTzhK1VG-o7CKYH6S0Vth0sbRKo57d4KNWK0xPgZN7vPQAyb4h_vVT/s1600/173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tjUImFI9fCy5kuEwN9FRVH4InBx_zFyAqroL3YkkxiaDCFWZ9YMiT_a9fE5KSniXaJIUXy61LhPRAKTg5BkQGBWTzhK1VG-o7CKYH6S0Vth0sbRKo57d4KNWK0xPgZN7vPQAyb4h_vVT/s640/173.JPG" /></a></div>
and then after all the days festivities: we napped. For like two and a half hours. Amazing! Thank you God for naps and field trips and clothed children who are getting along so wonderfully. There is something to be said for surrendering our all-- even the mundane like field trip days when you are exhausted-- to a great and big loving God.
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-57371814893321246882014-11-03T20:55:00.000-05:002014-11-03T20:55:04.557-05:00Getting Organized and Simplified-- Starting with JUNK DrawersSomewhere between a Disney trip, finding out we were expecting baby four, bed rest, having baby number 4, a kitchen remodel, and just life in general we had accumulated stuff and clutter and it was getting the best of me as a mom. My husband and I have become intrigued by the tiny house movement and mostly their ability to live with less (Not so much the smaller space because with 6 people I feel we are small enough thank you very much). So, we have begun several projects in order to scale back and do more with less. Lots less. I mean a LOT less. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEges6qauY5p7KBs9szliC1PS2nuqgoAPCCOj_V5A7LoVmwN32u3FaaGZ5NJS-Ex14KaTAGMUJirDzxB3WD3peSvs1qaohmxOV8V84zk1EOLnRTT7GQ_hBfs3kjTNpNViS6DqgIy22ai1fB9/s1600/fall+2014+169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEges6qauY5p7KBs9szliC1PS2nuqgoAPCCOj_V5A7LoVmwN32u3FaaGZ5NJS-Ex14KaTAGMUJirDzxB3WD3peSvs1qaohmxOV8V84zk1EOLnRTT7GQ_hBfs3kjTNpNViS6DqgIy22ai1fB9/s400/fall+2014+169.JPG" /></a></div>
The first place I began was our kitchen junk and silverware drawer. This is the entire contents dumped out. Yuck! I always dump and clean out whatever I am organized so I can have a "fresh" slate to work with. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PW2iG4O531wpNl-73b3M_BWf3wVBLCWAH6A8o-CkSk5GGAA0pEJmVmnejyINKqRQggDI7kh2VGBNdK_ppb0nc8Eh-hXGtIj6pDATCgJAluc97gVCyh-lvQLhfcRlYBpP2bmqC0r9IBZh/s1600/fall+2014+170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PW2iG4O531wpNl-73b3M_BWf3wVBLCWAH6A8o-CkSk5GGAA0pEJmVmnejyINKqRQggDI7kh2VGBNdK_ppb0nc8Eh-hXGtIj6pDATCgJAluc97gVCyh-lvQLhfcRlYBpP2bmqC0r9IBZh/s400/fall+2014+170.JPG" /></a></div>
I got some small <a href="http://www.target.com/s?searchTerm=nestable+drawer+organizers&category=0%7CAll%7Cmatchallpartial%7Call+categories&lnk=snav_sbox_nestable+drawer+organizers">organizing bins from the silverware drawer aisle </a>at Target. I used the long ones here and the rest I saved for another project. I have since labeled each bin so the hubs and kids can see where everything's place is. I also waited a month to share this to make sure this worked. You see, it's not like I totally neglect these drawers-- I would clean and "organize" them and then within a week they'd be pretty much right back to their hot mess of clutter. I'm happy to report that a month later our drawers still look like this which is a huge victory!
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Next, I tackled under the sink. We use all cloth napkins, paper towels, and Norwex cleaning cloths, so it can get crazy underneath with everyone putting them away in all sort of disarray. We needed a better system.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12AdIxdLJthcatxP1j7Od5xkkeZXxI1iPo7wccl6_ZTebKGVg4QaBMr-ZpA3KibypLO6IhOgUcN_Z12OYAbkvwTc_dDWbgd8odEg5PlAN6DJ4527a4RbTcaygumFo1GYO13jnFSq7yit1/s1600/fall+2014+173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12AdIxdLJthcatxP1j7Od5xkkeZXxI1iPo7wccl6_ZTebKGVg4QaBMr-ZpA3KibypLO6IhOgUcN_Z12OYAbkvwTc_dDWbgd8odEg5PlAN6DJ4527a4RbTcaygumFo1GYO13jnFSq7yit1/s400/fall+2014+173.JPG" /></a></div>
I got four bins that seal (also from target) and applied some cute labels and stored everything away nice and tidy. One bin for norwex cloths, one for napkins, one for kitchen towels, and one for small misc. cleaning items. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievJpJtv0ZDwlEHBL_7WN8uXHaAP4F5GQstG-mIKQcOcDkV57Xz5uFPBrl9311DZbO1CRWD31H3mqIdqfQGQzWIVE32j8vhrrqOr2jwjXtq5IuYtQugLceGmJMgqIXy1Q3ToRBHZ7cOneq/s1600/fall+2014+174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievJpJtv0ZDwlEHBL_7WN8uXHaAP4F5GQstG-mIKQcOcDkV57Xz5uFPBrl9311DZbO1CRWD31H3mqIdqfQGQzWIVE32j8vhrrqOr2jwjXtq5IuYtQugLceGmJMgqIXy1Q3ToRBHZ7cOneq/s400/fall+2014+174.JPG" /></a></div>
Ahh-- so much better!
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Now, onto our night stand drawer which is the other junk drawer in the home. I started with these two junk drawers because we needed these two to be cleaned up and an example of how great a better organized and simplified life can be. I didn't get a before picture-- but trust me, it was stuffed! Here is my cute little helper staying busy and keeping me on task! Our nightstand <strike>is</strike> was a catchall for everything from old Christmas card pictures to pacifiers to bobby pins and safety pins and books-- just about everything got tossed inside.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6n7oytW0asRWTnaO8TyMTKFPpKweiVb-FcJgxdBLahQ8L9GXoOnKlGkCIUdYWC8_SaLqLZkPZdg9fdDJwgP3UYQBR0ByalWsAIG3YCIN81F7Q0JbTAiVvlPG3Rm8eCMPTbPLbkpluWFL/s1600/fall+2014+215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm6n7oytW0asRWTnaO8TyMTKFPpKweiVb-FcJgxdBLahQ8L9GXoOnKlGkCIUdYWC8_SaLqLZkPZdg9fdDJwgP3UYQBR0ByalWsAIG3YCIN81F7Q0JbTAiVvlPG3Rm8eCMPTbPLbkpluWFL/s400/fall+2014+215.JPG" /></a></div>
I used some more of the drawer organizers from target and cleaned out all of the paper. Things that were meant to be saved went into files or picture boxes and things meant to be trashed met their end.
This is so much better! A little cubby for hair ties, one for medical/baby items that we often need in the middle of the night, and a spot on the side for our badger rubs which we often use at nighttime. Books and tablets go in their basket on one of the shelves under the drawer. This has made our lives so much easier-- truly I don't know if that makes us sound shallow but truly-- I don't have time to waste digging around for things or cleaning out the same space every few weeks only to have it go right back to being trashed.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6i-m9tnLjPFSzNOuTLGUKlYwELS1Kt1A-bE9BBvYvZWNyt6UkukqoK5Ls5mr6Vq1g2BppB0lOg_AITmXUU1yQXac7w1ofoahn_2efjGrTbzioQO66prIAwZBquhi6XjDIJAIZVC4JIcoo/s1600/october+2014+1665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6i-m9tnLjPFSzNOuTLGUKlYwELS1Kt1A-bE9BBvYvZWNyt6UkukqoK5Ls5mr6Vq1g2BppB0lOg_AITmXUU1yQXac7w1ofoahn_2efjGrTbzioQO66prIAwZBquhi6XjDIJAIZVC4JIcoo/s400/october+2014+1665.JPG" /></a></div>
Our next project that I am hoping to share is a shared "closet" space for all of the kids in one room-- it's been amazing! AMAZING!!! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOzTrzuhMcAIGL2NPcWrnGjfik2ZJgmBWTx3Op2S0vbsHyYVPj_1FCABGQ0zCckZxcrHWggCxITE_nYC-Gw8sx_lDmxmNCkGCRo9Qpolb2HHXkQN_Kd1R0-5oaPbPIbgzO7YeAy4C0847/s1600/october+2014+1607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOzTrzuhMcAIGL2NPcWrnGjfik2ZJgmBWTx3Op2S0vbsHyYVPj_1FCABGQ0zCckZxcrHWggCxITE_nYC-Gw8sx_lDmxmNCkGCRo9Qpolb2HHXkQN_Kd1R0-5oaPbPIbgzO7YeAy4C0847/s400/october+2014+1607.JPG" /></a></div>
So, how about you? What's an area you have mastered in home organization or one you cringe about? Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-55358587129573561802014-11-02T09:55:00.000-05:002014-11-02T09:55:12.255-05:00From Lawn to Garden: Getting Rid of the Last bit of Lawn for the Spring<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvrEAKmO6VCzLCERAdNxNIQRk0PVZivDYJYLR1RUO1rVXdHB4KuAL1_-hKBbxirrstDbpYOXPM7OrlHd5HeVkfBKjvHs3kzeBneKnRRdQSqvz7fkuzg8jgxFs2Yevk5ui0va7KK42C5yB/s1600/october+2014+1803.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizvrEAKmO6VCzLCERAdNxNIQRk0PVZivDYJYLR1RUO1rVXdHB4KuAL1_-hKBbxirrstDbpYOXPM7OrlHd5HeVkfBKjvHs3kzeBneKnRRdQSqvz7fkuzg8jgxFs2Yevk5ui0va7KK42C5yB/s320/october+2014+1803.JPG" /></a>It's hard to believe our growing season has for the most part come to an end. We still have some potatoes that I'm experimenting with growing in a container and I'm curious to see if we will get any since it's colder now.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCNbEe0znzedGCXEsQcc7G0Qzsb3eSh__s0tgw65eNlC5rJvW0blT0TjzeGkIF_P1trhTbHIElU8JaAUgTVNDCNnMJLZm4eD4ZJF5HdBC5sCZtiAC4QKUc1Z9Hxxi0PxL363pNs5LgmTT/s1600/october+2014+1856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlCNbEe0znzedGCXEsQcc7G0Qzsb3eSh__s0tgw65eNlC5rJvW0blT0TjzeGkIF_P1trhTbHIElU8JaAUgTVNDCNnMJLZm4eD4ZJF5HdBC5sCZtiAC4QKUc1Z9Hxxi0PxL363pNs5LgmTT/s640/october+2014+1856.JPG" /></a></div>
Just because our harvest has almost ceased doesn't mean our work has. If you would like to begin a garden next year, START NOW! That was one of our biggest regrets this year- that we hadn't had this idea to transform our yard into a vegetable garden. If we had, I believe more of our yard would have been able to be converted and more nutrients put into the soil well ahead of time. So, we are trying <a href="http://www.backtoedenfilm.com/">Back to Edens</a> methods as much as we can. We have a large area to cover and were very grateful to our dairy farming friends for letting us come and get some au natural fertilizer-- what a huge blessing to add this into our soil! Alas, it would take me several trips to cover our entire garden, but some is much better than none. We laid down newspapers, the manure, and then a mulch. We were hoping for wood chips and despite calling tree companies and going to home improvement stores, couldn't get our hands on any. But again, we are doing more than we did last fall and hopefully we will see healthier soil next year. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLCyCzQVw2iwIGaPnpsRcKMfY7fj_KPGqQ2M4GqgviMpg0bkiwXEaIAxWRiMuWWxczbcdS-IGHkDgyc_zgX9qXTo9dwSq1z5ME3wSAAQPuMDyM-j5sgvFhFI4G7r0kpa22Gk4e9OU3cR-/s1600/october+2014+1855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQLCyCzQVw2iwIGaPnpsRcKMfY7fj_KPGqQ2M4GqgviMpg0bkiwXEaIAxWRiMuWWxczbcdS-IGHkDgyc_zgX9qXTo9dwSq1z5ME3wSAAQPuMDyM-j5sgvFhFI4G7r0kpa22Gk4e9OU3cR-/s640/october+2014+1855.JPG" /></a></div>
Here are some pots that produced poorly so we are even strengthening the soil in them as well. I wanted to show this because even if you have a patio garden or do strictly boxed gardens, you still need to put some nourishment back into your soil. You can use rabbit, chicken, cow, or any farm animal's manure really as they are all good sources of nitrogen. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqSL1_ncxU9tKFSfFakBGDXaNoOfCA9aU_aXMZhrK8B5VOYMeNEEIlNFeeKTH3wVFgujT_AGyvId37T2Ed6aChSk6L2ARNyfOZCIH15FzYM3bAKVS370Rrt1NUT1u_p_Waeo-VlFh-zUf/s1600/october+2014+1854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqSL1_ncxU9tKFSfFakBGDXaNoOfCA9aU_aXMZhrK8B5VOYMeNEEIlNFeeKTH3wVFgujT_AGyvId37T2Ed6aChSk6L2ARNyfOZCIH15FzYM3bAKVS370Rrt1NUT1u_p_Waeo-VlFh-zUf/s640/october+2014+1854.JPG" /></a></div>
As I mentioned in the title, we are converting more of our tiny yard into growing spaces. We removed our pond and will have a nice fertile area for next spring. Very excited as once the pond was out, we saw how much more land was there than it looked like. We also brought forth a smaller box frame and some pots in the hopes that they will kill the grass under them this winter and we can grow and expand more. Moving grass is a LOT of work, but this should help us out. You could also begin to cover your lawn with cardboard and leaves NOW and that will help you convert your yard (or some of it) into growing space next year without so much back labor. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1QOL-THEIl_1TNTgS4zCDoh6cxAYwfmP_ubIf0zKdGQ9PMVBe9LlcrvVrqlZwasOcWAnhRUiIOF9OcUWoG0GiZ7sNvOI-_6Mykh2akXZmHd9v7ifGfayQqtVrHnX6j_tX98Xx9sPwGyo/s1600/october+2014+258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1QOL-THEIl_1TNTgS4zCDoh6cxAYwfmP_ubIf0zKdGQ9PMVBe9LlcrvVrqlZwasOcWAnhRUiIOF9OcUWoG0GiZ7sNvOI-_6Mykh2akXZmHd9v7ifGfayQqtVrHnX6j_tX98Xx9sPwGyo/s640/october+2014+258.JPG" /></a></div>
In the rear of our shed we had these boxes last summer.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDtVHexgOtgTTQ3RN6sPoESnoFa56CFPaVOKl_DCS4afp9nO9HcagtzLplAlbEr_urBueiSYqFO5Gt3N38fu5oQleVffwf4UOeJXcek4GdNSF_rCIDh9sRhoHVYkL1zd0LlyLWpPbDu13/s1600/october+2014+1857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjDtVHexgOtgTTQ3RN6sPoESnoFa56CFPaVOKl_DCS4afp9nO9HcagtzLplAlbEr_urBueiSYqFO5Gt3N38fu5oQleVffwf4UOeJXcek4GdNSF_rCIDh9sRhoHVYkL1zd0LlyLWpPbDu13/s640/october+2014+1857.JPG" /></a></div>
They have been moved to the front of the shed to a patch of grass we never got to this summer. Our hopes are that they will once again kill off some of the grass and make it easier to clear the area this spring. If they do, they will move up to the old pond area and grow lettuces there and once again, kill off the last few areas of grass. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAOBT4uQC9cprAZsNdwol9n0pdgw96vjYKwAmY9iXK_6gUyLyepz_R7dW5S1S0Vsqyo3Tu_-LT7ZiSkRHPDNJhFOjRxy-U5QP2kATUuLMmV0SWOtbieslX0YoPzDR1Ik1DSHmbEpMb3GW/s1600/october+2014+1860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAOBT4uQC9cprAZsNdwol9n0pdgw96vjYKwAmY9iXK_6gUyLyepz_R7dW5S1S0Vsqyo3Tu_-LT7ZiSkRHPDNJhFOjRxy-U5QP2kATUuLMmV0SWOtbieslX0YoPzDR1Ik1DSHmbEpMb3GW/s640/october+2014+1860.JPG" /></a></div>
Now, the area that used to hold the boxes (in the rear of the shed) has been cleared with minimal work from us this week. We covered the ground with cardboard, manure, and mulch to prepare the area even more since it used to be a stone driveway! We moved the cucumber trellis over and will have our cucumbers growing in the rear of the bed and then another smaller fruit in the front-- although I think swiss chard would do awesome here! We will see. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpd1QFhHnap8NQFx6kPGaBmm2OW8cJeJ9rg_4pQ6V_oLdvgrtiI6-n1tHz_WUKtfDhfUiKUspyMg1I9jaAdaE3S_7nqKgCaFtD3r6Obm8wGpLuH05gwt6UgUcgvjXW7Ff9batzhX4wJI8c/s1600/october+2014+737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpd1QFhHnap8NQFx6kPGaBmm2OW8cJeJ9rg_4pQ6V_oLdvgrtiI6-n1tHz_WUKtfDhfUiKUspyMg1I9jaAdaE3S_7nqKgCaFtD3r6Obm8wGpLuH05gwt6UgUcgvjXW7Ff9batzhX4wJI8c/s640/october+2014+737.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppBvOl13nHVpheAJ1uDJcFgW8CirV-lQ-OkfgPnmD79qBi-4aV7j4meQwkjs4LBU84zUi76SN99kdqv6H1dhVMxuUDHhxBw3qH6qWSNF774h8Tih-_u9mNElodMIEslTQ0uM_M3muRb4T/s1600/october+2014+1861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppBvOl13nHVpheAJ1uDJcFgW8CirV-lQ-OkfgPnmD79qBi-4aV7j4meQwkjs4LBU84zUi76SN99kdqv6H1dhVMxuUDHhxBw3qH6qWSNF774h8Tih-_u9mNElodMIEslTQ0uM_M3muRb4T/s640/october+2014+1861.JPG" /></a></div>
In the old cucumber bed which was actually very small bed wise last year-- we dumped dead plants all summer under the trellis to prepare that soil (which was also a part of the former stone driveway). We just cleared out the weeds this week, turned the soil, and will be adding cardboard and some leaves soon to help prepare this large area for growing next summer. Perhaps our beans will go in this year although I need to check our crop rotation guide and see what will do best in this corner. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFECoXhvQpKbKtgodK-no3qWW_oXvVTfkVEzmspbfPe3KkGhTyJ-Rzb80NuqKXlTZqusxRSQmXQ-8hueLBJXTjWFhJs66tp2F_F9P8Ly_boh3Lgu6eyB087n98UJhkyTMtSZ9jHthOy4xq/s1600/october+2014+1859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFECoXhvQpKbKtgodK-no3qWW_oXvVTfkVEzmspbfPe3KkGhTyJ-Rzb80NuqKXlTZqusxRSQmXQ-8hueLBJXTjWFhJs66tp2F_F9P8Ly_boh3Lgu6eyB087n98UJhkyTMtSZ9jHthOy4xq/s640/october+2014+1859.JPG" /></a></div>
The blueberries are blessing us with some lovely fall foliage and the strawberry plants have grown to a nice healthy size. Hopefully next summer we will enjoy the fruits of our patience and tending. We have plans to add cantaloupe or honeydew next year and are looking forward to supplying a lot of our fruit as well as vegetables. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGWi09UhemwHG9YtdE-AjqJwSnERzZNzdIYn1vllNC-VTqAQ-8iXspRX-dhog5ApvAvbqlMee_Wsqu7Wui6FB_XIB7QWH6UzauOCi-M0v7Nal-df1SajAA8TtUaZg9JkROmd0yYeG7_P_/s1600/october+2014+1416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGWi09UhemwHG9YtdE-AjqJwSnERzZNzdIYn1vllNC-VTqAQ-8iXspRX-dhog5ApvAvbqlMee_Wsqu7Wui6FB_XIB7QWH6UzauOCi-M0v7Nal-df1SajAA8TtUaZg9JkROmd0yYeG7_P_/s640/october+2014+1416.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzu5LnDrkiraXTmtiJqPhLcKWHaigGvDr4O_MIfOrdNAOxocy4L2Rq518JN1zrdHcqOaSHkfXAG8EioWbW5p3K8oVaNPVv7Kgpa16vRaHX8soO709gb-Q9YLpsEzvF26OEtwXZBo4zcYkY/s1600/october+2014+1661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzu5LnDrkiraXTmtiJqPhLcKWHaigGvDr4O_MIfOrdNAOxocy4L2Rq518JN1zrdHcqOaSHkfXAG8EioWbW5p3K8oVaNPVv7Kgpa16vRaHX8soO709gb-Q9YLpsEzvF26OEtwXZBo4zcYkY/s640/october+2014+1661.JPG" /></a></div>
Now, you may be wondering if all the hard work is worth it. Yes-- so very much!! We are still pulling onions and pretty much at least two meals a day we are still enjoying at least one thing from the garden in our meals. Whether it be salsa, tomato sauce, frozen peas, vegetable broth, veggie soup-- the list really does go on, but YES it has been so worth it! It cut back on our grocery bill tremendously last year and to be honest, it was a harder year as we had to put more time in to preparing the ground and deal with lots of rain and cooler temps than what is normal. We are already looking at our seeds for next year-- and we saved lots of our own which will be exciting to see them grow and produce next summer. We are going to be using lots of <a href="http://www.rareseeds.com/store/vegetables/newitems/">Baker Creek </a>seeds this year as man of theirs preformed super well. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NiR8AzsiIEsklAqmAv20uZ367qeUCS1scL5JhN7teBl9I4Czc44kHPrCbA4DYukWvZYHl3Znpwr5CaO8kiLna5T2LdjTJvl2P76gKCdo6OWJ_XRQhQIaXRwpLkBf-2Tu2MuNmNzBY4YZ/s1600/october+2014+1816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NiR8AzsiIEsklAqmAv20uZ367qeUCS1scL5JhN7teBl9I4Czc44kHPrCbA4DYukWvZYHl3Znpwr5CaO8kiLna5T2LdjTJvl2P76gKCdo6OWJ_XRQhQIaXRwpLkBf-2Tu2MuNmNzBY4YZ/s640/october+2014+1816.JPG" /></a></div>
So, can I encourage you to try and grow more? Expand and produce more of your own food? It is such a rewarding experience! Do you have questions? We'd love to help-- or do you want to share what you do in the fall to prepare for the next spring?
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-64057491955241426192014-10-24T22:32:00.003-04:002014-10-24T22:32:38.252-04:00Healthy Home Remedies for this WinterI feel like I need to start this off by saying I am only a mom to four. I am not a professional holistic advisor or doctor. However, again, I am a mom to four. A mom of four who hates taking her kids to the doctors where every other sick person will be sure to visit that same day. I learned early on with my first born my doctors really didn't do anything for my son's cold other than advising Tylenol and motrin. Fun times. As each baby came along and we began to put in our fair share of sleepless nights with sick little ones we also began a more clean and healthier lifestyle. And that didn't just mean changing the contents of our fridge and pantry but also our medicine cabinet. I'd like to share some things we use as a family that have helped us stay home from the doctors a whole lot (in fact, other than my two middle children's febrile seizures, I can't really remember a time we took them to the doctors for anything but a well visit).
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aBUJuTqrUpnDFi7j8Ql5GciBstsHeBSDqJB8BIiQKbTuLqJG7S0j413VgK6hBdcUfiH5viwgk2RglOF8iiDIbO_rbw4_A3YufUWcqNrW_cNLsyJ99FICra2gHRmVRmRctwA2CABqEklb/s1600/october+2014+183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aBUJuTqrUpnDFi7j8Ql5GciBstsHeBSDqJB8BIiQKbTuLqJG7S0j413VgK6hBdcUfiH5viwgk2RglOF8iiDIbO_rbw4_A3YufUWcqNrW_cNLsyJ99FICra2gHRmVRmRctwA2CABqEklb/s640/october+2014+183.JPG" /></a></div>Let's begin with our tea drawer-- so many wonderful choices but these are our three favorites! The Tummy relief is great for my son who has a miserable time with stomach bugs or anyone who is feeling queasy. We like the breathe easy and cold relief straight up-- no sugar (more on that later) and maybe a tiny bit of raw honey for some of the kids. These normally give you relief for about two hours and then I just brew another cup. We have been using these for about a year and the kids will say, "I'm stuffy-- can I have some tea?" Love that they associate the tea with relief! I love the kids versions and my husband prefers the adult breathe easily-- but both are very helpful!
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT4jfJ-LTVnE206Lg6oOpovoBRSxhUcFnPJXVf1GNUasLXMwyJagRRyyPt44ozu6Y1YgpB7FXcPWtKB0tOs-fpVS6sZIKnci37EB7E4GQ63VtUEEA6NCwUrJbQrn_2uIS8SeQek5bvlJr/s1600/october+2014+184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDT4jfJ-LTVnE206Lg6oOpovoBRSxhUcFnPJXVf1GNUasLXMwyJagRRyyPt44ozu6Y1YgpB7FXcPWtKB0tOs-fpVS6sZIKnci37EB7E4GQ63VtUEEA6NCwUrJbQrn_2uIS8SeQek5bvlJr/s640/october+2014+184.JPG" /></a></div> My dear friend T just told me about elderberry syrup last month and it is amazing!! I have the kid version which can be used with children as young as 1 (hooray!!!) and the kids love it! They call it the berry medicine and we just used this and some rub on a recent cold and they made it through beautifully and so much faster compared with over the counter cold meds. The adult version is also very berry tasting but works wonders. It does cost about 10-20 dollars a bottle, but before you choke on sticker shock remember a bottle of cold meds. is about 7 dollars, a visit to a doctors office even more, antibiotics another couple of bucks and so on. Plus, the relief felt was much faster, and enjoyable if that makes sense. There were no weird side affects-- no medicine colored with dye-- it just works wonders! I am so happy my sweet friend shared this with me and I plan on never running out because it is that awesome! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlN74x3LXvJtl_p__SemggPsCIObgPQOxVX_imkwHCkvQC1vk1KXA6Fr5QVtvXcF9Q2xU_8Ui7ADDZIqcAgJsSwU5WvEHRNmlLjT4DuLmiX9IYDBhKsCuwul9XqRw9ts6sbYA0OwgS6PGK/s1600/badger+rub.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlN74x3LXvJtl_p__SemggPsCIObgPQOxVX_imkwHCkvQC1vk1KXA6Fr5QVtvXcF9Q2xU_8Ui7ADDZIqcAgJsSwU5WvEHRNmlLjT4DuLmiX9IYDBhKsCuwul9XqRw9ts6sbYA0OwgS6PGK/s640/badger+rub.jpg" /></a></div> Ahhh <a href="http://www.badgerbalm.com/p-395-aromatic-chest-rub.aspx">badger rub</a>. This is our favorite product and I try to send it to people in get well packages with some tea. We have been using this for a good two or three years now and each tin lasts about a year for a family of 6-- so yes, it costs 10 dollars but it is worth every penny. We rub it on our chests for colds and stuffiness and also on our feet. Yes, we rub it on our feet at night and wear socks. And it works wonders! We actually like this so much we have become "badger tin" addicts as my husband calls it and keep our nightstand loaded with all sorts of their aromatherapy products.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CUTiZ1uKu3lPpyqD0Y6SPE8HKAidWvQbMf5uBYI9rRwxhssIqd_PlEngxRtA3NiUeMEOdhfxfSPUqC8Xhs3r1bYOw-3L7YcMJ7rWlegs5v3yx4oIweF1BuMUg-vOTawOtFMIaExCc49A/s1600/13211-Mullein%20Garlic%20Compound.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2CUTiZ1uKu3lPpyqD0Y6SPE8HKAidWvQbMf5uBYI9rRwxhssIqd_PlEngxRtA3NiUeMEOdhfxfSPUqC8Xhs3r1bYOw-3L7YcMJ7rWlegs5v3yx4oIweF1BuMUg-vOTawOtFMIaExCc49A/s640/13211-Mullein%20Garlic%20Compound.jpg" /></a></div> Plagued by ear infections? Even stuffy noses? Garlic oil stinks to high heaven-- and then some-- but despite its odor, it works super well! I had heard reports about it for awhile and finally bit the bullet a few months ago and added it to our "medicine" cabinet. About two months ago we had perhaps the entrovirus-- just a nasty cold and we used this and some other oils and were cleared up super fast! The immediate difference when we switched from cold meds to oils and natural remedies while battling this cold was amazing! We felt better-- we didn't feel all drugged up-- but like our bodies were fighting the colds better equipped then before. I don't know if I am putting it into words well enough, but trust me, you will feel better about feeling better!
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKP162ORs0-jSdrMAUDHqB5fB_4poQSCmxWZ7qyqbUfsAG_5kssK9gzqDiIKWycy5KbL9v8MUsJfljudbqGyLLlVSgqXLYQsIFp6zI3K9DTNjPruLlSnKXPyaknzSlaLoZXdzTPFYfqdC/s1600/drink_water_not_sugar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDKP162ORs0-jSdrMAUDHqB5fB_4poQSCmxWZ7qyqbUfsAG_5kssK9gzqDiIKWycy5KbL9v8MUsJfljudbqGyLLlVSgqXLYQsIFp6zI3K9DTNjPruLlSnKXPyaknzSlaLoZXdzTPFYfqdC/s640/drink_water_not_sugar.jpg" /></a></div> This is such a simple free thing to do-- drink water and leave the sugar behind. Sugar just feeds any illness and water flushes it out. Do you want to feed a virus or get rid of it? Make educated beverage choices and this can aid you greatly in battling a cold or flu.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEw5A8bren6B80H1nGHEEunElqjvk-TQN1o5Fc2vtbZeDbeKQqeYog1mHsnWUy93i1cbYRM6kuXsDTLoZGxvSvAwH69L1RzyqMrlUsHxtO848enhduxa7bW2CFSWJcMnRKjUr0vaVVLMoB/s1600/essential-oils-4-bottles1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEw5A8bren6B80H1nGHEEunElqjvk-TQN1o5Fc2vtbZeDbeKQqeYog1mHsnWUy93i1cbYRM6kuXsDTLoZGxvSvAwH69L1RzyqMrlUsHxtO848enhduxa7bW2CFSWJcMnRKjUr0vaVVLMoB/s640/essential-oils-4-bottles1.jpg" /></a></div> We are only just beginning to get into oils and so I won't mention any here other than the garlic oil; however, they are worth a look in to and it is well worth your time to explore all the benefits and usages.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97isCSjQUVyeirvywN2oe0siWe3X82jlUT0sXKUwchwBh9aQMlqcUfU16L_ub9ltGUSkHh23ytqkMr1PEarfmC8J3fVTkFbtAfbLy4UqM_EH2JF7ijA5aN8CJvPQ5z8ArY0fOaibXjCxx/s1600/october+2014+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97isCSjQUVyeirvywN2oe0siWe3X82jlUT0sXKUwchwBh9aQMlqcUfU16L_ub9ltGUSkHh23ytqkMr1PEarfmC8J3fVTkFbtAfbLy4UqM_EH2JF7ijA5aN8CJvPQ5z8ArY0fOaibXjCxx/s640/october+2014+008.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49g7iOmq5HJyvggtBdUBOoQGsgn8xtvWyZok7Ern9HLcENN_ieYpQYWpoqCJN7p2ucic_NwwGGYNu-2mmqxzyR2yY5lHatE-k2ecHvQwh4K_30rlHVdEOUHG9yQCVKSFI2UnXGSJcZ63c/s1600/october+2014+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49g7iOmq5HJyvggtBdUBOoQGsgn8xtvWyZok7Ern9HLcENN_ieYpQYWpoqCJN7p2ucic_NwwGGYNu-2mmqxzyR2yY5lHatE-k2ecHvQwh4K_30rlHVdEOUHG9yQCVKSFI2UnXGSJcZ63c/s640/october+2014+038.JPG" /></a></div> Lastly, don't eat crap foods. But even people who eat well still catch a cold so decide now what you want to fill your home with-- more drugs or holistic remedies? Again, these are not the opinion of an expert-- just a mom. Just a mom who has found that these things truly work and work so much better compared to what we had been using.
So, you tell me: what do you use? What do you think is worth a try?
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-17809076248726011152014-08-22T01:40:00.000-04:002014-08-22T01:40:57.664-04:00One Very Real life Homeschool Day (for us anayway)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPzQ5yx0HEjVB-rYzFqQRXGll6UtzwlG7ZjhDBAfWLDe-Ok-2bj8XdpR5I1IcCn899s0w3PsC6BqrbBAIjQowQr_t4yuYQmD-OrBfLN6A_C6dcnt5ggiHOiVzFSW7sLDJNnbMlQwXn8Gh/s1600/homeschoolday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPzQ5yx0HEjVB-rYzFqQRXGll6UtzwlG7ZjhDBAfWLDe-Ok-2bj8XdpR5I1IcCn899s0w3PsC6BqrbBAIjQowQr_t4yuYQmD-OrBfLN6A_C6dcnt5ggiHOiVzFSW7sLDJNnbMlQwXn8Gh/s640/homeschoolday1.jpg" /></a></div>
I wanted to invite you in to our homeschool day and what our routines looks like for multiple ages at the elementary level. Now, as the day was progressing it was quite apparent that this was probably not our best day and the crankiness was soaring as we came back from a long weekend break. But, hey, it's real and that's our real life-- good days and cranky days and everything in between. Also, in order to protect my children's privacy no meltdowns were photographed-- also because I was dealing with the meltdowns and that took precedence over documenting our day for this post. I hope that makes sense but I do want to convey to people who think people can only homeschool because they have perfect children and are a perfect mom. Trust me, we are a fallen family in need of Jesus' saving grace and mercy and some big doses of love and forgiveness are a must as well!
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_ZpULDOiOMVrUhihLems81HxkzXwA3x5jOQxzEmdx6DvzW4jKmWm_C2dS27skLDPJrSgVlaQ2YzcEFaCAbVZSjaTTl533UV7l4wcObxYEv0dGRJRxdBT4b7EVPJELYxsoVpbA6d1dEEo/s1600/229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_ZpULDOiOMVrUhihLems81HxkzXwA3x5jOQxzEmdx6DvzW4jKmWm_C2dS27skLDPJrSgVlaQ2YzcEFaCAbVZSjaTTl533UV7l4wcObxYEv0dGRJRxdBT4b7EVPJELYxsoVpbA6d1dEEo/s640/229.JPG" /></a></div> Now, on to our actual day of school. We begin each day reading from<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Egermeiers-Bible-Story-Elsie-Egermeier/dp/1593173369"> Ergemeir's Bible </a>and our current family read aloud (currently we are visiting Mary Lennox and Dickon in Their Secret Garden). Then we clean up breakfast and move onto our first block of the day. I have our school work divided into two days and we rotate between the two days schedules. Then I broke down each day into what we call blocks. This way we stay on track and all stay together throughout the day. I set the timer for each block (except block 2 as these require more reading and work) and if someone doesn't finish in the allotted time frame they must complete it in their own time; furthermore, if they do finish their work, I generally encourage them to keep going or they can take a small break to use the bathroom, play, or sit with our 1 year old and play with him. Instead of doing her assigned handwriting on this day, my daughter had a special writing assignment on being kind to her brothers. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmkfNPl_f1jlogFuo7NlznjsLcAoMQAtKPuvikwx2Yp8A-IqdSGoTbnX2w3R1B_Yao3cooDdVD02Fjwfg6iotchaPxA1rcYH6obQPne5iXOxna4m6TjuHqZabhd1hKQVK5v0HrWJLRMeR/s1600/230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmkfNPl_f1jlogFuo7NlznjsLcAoMQAtKPuvikwx2Yp8A-IqdSGoTbnX2w3R1B_Yao3cooDdVD02Fjwfg6iotchaPxA1rcYH6obQPne5iXOxna4m6TjuHqZabhd1hKQVK5v0HrWJLRMeR/s640/230.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-ulcBpN6v5xxYOwm3N-BhpEimSIfvc0X-49oUlxlBleBuzNUxzLnX7Tb-qjfRVrCSJ6gxXQ_eyXY4EESHe_nKhdww8fjDXdtf1S7ZUJB2ZU6UiIQ5LU0tDgBtRjHcLZcmYqiy7GV-1w8/s1600/231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-ulcBpN6v5xxYOwm3N-BhpEimSIfvc0X-49oUlxlBleBuzNUxzLnX7Tb-qjfRVrCSJ6gxXQ_eyXY4EESHe_nKhdww8fjDXdtf1S7ZUJB2ZU6UiIQ5LU0tDgBtRjHcLZcmYqiy7GV-1w8/s640/231.JPG" /></a></div> The boys began their first block's work-- my oldest was doing his<a href="http://www.pearables.com/Responsibility"> Lessons in Responsibility</a> and my youngest began his math. The purpose of the blocks is so that I can divide my time and theirs with independent and dependent learning. When someone is doing math I try and have the other two working on something they can complete on their own so I can devote my (almost) full attention to them.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsG09EIOjKvkFoX2VEjCVzPxy-kj3yQpn6ZqzcoWGWNFcW-fTYSKK4-DaAtlm6AtSmJ8ufKpOumDzvaP-xcv1ZYXT6LpqdbO2bvGWCQC5XnbMKFi2ULrXZQiCDs5iXDCg90IXRA3hOjWn/s1600/233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBsG09EIOjKvkFoX2VEjCVzPxy-kj3yQpn6ZqzcoWGWNFcW-fTYSKK4-DaAtlm6AtSmJ8ufKpOumDzvaP-xcv1ZYXT6LpqdbO2bvGWCQC5XnbMKFi2ULrXZQiCDs5iXDCg90IXRA3hOjWn/s640/233.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ndP79X3swj4cLo-G6N_5G5q-sWJzAmyEund4U6uGdNQYsomBEN16xF0Ag0YBUNS_kl4nW8EiWfrMR5xP0DceL5FH3RFHLK8dlPA9UpDOndkRj05Q0HHtNwxHe8r6BnKnSOTruo4yjktF/s1600/234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ndP79X3swj4cLo-G6N_5G5q-sWJzAmyEund4U6uGdNQYsomBEN16xF0Ag0YBUNS_kl4nW8EiWfrMR5xP0DceL5FH3RFHLK8dlPA9UpDOndkRj05Q0HHtNwxHe8r6BnKnSOTruo4yjktF/s640/234.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATCs3IqycxZ63d5ayRyq0GUdUvI5o92Q9hU7Hkeqgd_hJ-JOBGaOfCbzOESUBJdl6amnDTFT8MP4UlJVVsh2NJ3Tdb826sFbZUIMeeh6LOoPGPpH8l5kiCAM6L3OH6fAvisXi7Audio9q/s1600/235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATCs3IqycxZ63d5ayRyq0GUdUvI5o92Q9hU7Hkeqgd_hJ-JOBGaOfCbzOESUBJdl6amnDTFT8MP4UlJVVsh2NJ3Tdb826sFbZUIMeeh6LOoPGPpH8l5kiCAM6L3OH6fAvisXi7Audio9q/s640/235.JPG" /></a></div>
After block 1 we move on to Block 2 which is our big group learning each day-- either science or history. I used to do them all on the same day but I feel like splitting them up has been a huge blessing with a busy 4 (almost 5) year old and a climbing one year old. We are able to slow down and spend more time on the subject of the day and do more with it rather then splitting our time each day. It has so far been working very well this year for us. We love <a href="http://www.themysteryofhistory.info/">Mystery of History </a>and should be wrapping up book 2 probably around our 90th day of school since we have about 30 lessons left and a few projects to complete. After that we have some music history and state history that we will visit before beginning book 3.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbGIScdnrHKczihXy-JWcHdNk9ZBEzchFX1Jjpx7w0Gd3e3EPdFmF5QTJUh6z0Cu8mQ6862_aeebZfDVBEx4DKWnR48jAQMN_bFuzQQMzfksmisdMMG6dUgYYGIErgvUat_61U4Xw-CzV/s1600/236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbGIScdnrHKczihXy-JWcHdNk9ZBEzchFX1Jjpx7w0Gd3e3EPdFmF5QTJUh6z0Cu8mQ6862_aeebZfDVBEx4DKWnR48jAQMN_bFuzQQMzfksmisdMMG6dUgYYGIErgvUat_61U4Xw-CzV/s640/236.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfo6N1vRd2J2Ykwov5h-Uv8sy-r3J4Lx80c1tSvlVHY6KTb78nsncwAeSqHW9BCo0kR4Nv0eKH8wACZbRuRE4j-RiQpfzrAp7i4J6_r_kLOufiTn6V3fnLuBmVyG4TLfOqonJ0nk5xe8K/s1600/238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfo6N1vRd2J2Ykwov5h-Uv8sy-r3J4Lx80c1tSvlVHY6KTb78nsncwAeSqHW9BCo0kR4Nv0eKH8wACZbRuRE4j-RiQpfzrAp7i4J6_r_kLOufiTn6V3fnLuBmVyG4TLfOqonJ0nk5xe8K/s640/238.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLSJvGB63VGwp-WH24VmISU3iBYkJrnaz17KKaaPqW9jghVYXvuLiREAOn6eVVqxG7qyYsPcap4Xd7_RxCBxbEDEI4OhaFZ-DzEz-6FfQv8_c_7hFKh2gX8ViV2wJCSd6h27Cm1i1tD5k/s1600/246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKLSJvGB63VGwp-WH24VmISU3iBYkJrnaz17KKaaPqW9jghVYXvuLiREAOn6eVVqxG7qyYsPcap4Xd7_RxCBxbEDEI4OhaFZ-DzEz-6FfQv8_c_7hFKh2gX8ViV2wJCSd6h27Cm1i1tD5k/s640/246.JPG" /></a></div>
Throughout the school time I try and give my one year old some special things to play with and often times the older three will join him. I do think he enjoys some solitude play as normally he ends up getting elbowed out a bit.
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We switched up our spelling for my oldest and I am not sure yet how I feel about it-- I think I like it but want to make sure before I pass it along to you all. My daughter is taking a break from spelling and working on a few different phonics books as I felt her spelling would benefit more from this as well as her reading skills. That's one of the reasons I love homeschooling-- tailoring it to each individual child. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjPKaLo_Ew8GJD5A_A4D9AKwEbWhHDQaLMg0aNCjcbmU3VGQWJ33h3H-4F4SiSoPByY4cU_pF10qbRVj0ypRkqDEW7tSE0m2L9ZlIAL-qy77AQWnNqkJy1vUkgeEplR0iP-ULekKsPLZy/s1600/237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjPKaLo_Ew8GJD5A_A4D9AKwEbWhHDQaLMg0aNCjcbmU3VGQWJ33h3H-4F4SiSoPByY4cU_pF10qbRVj0ypRkqDEW7tSE0m2L9ZlIAL-qy77AQWnNqkJy1vUkgeEplR0iP-ULekKsPLZy/s640/237.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcwGGI_umA_DJgBtB02pLx2I2Ch6c2L8GoK06Qxr1qJflyF5UQawy6WRZWwywVzHI2x4hzMqQay-nHRRp1mROnnrCg9YaSv6HoOYpqZaV2No935jzXKJ1qA0Mx-9jgFeNrO-6bJu5Hr8-/s1600/240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcwGGI_umA_DJgBtB02pLx2I2Ch6c2L8GoK06Qxr1qJflyF5UQawy6WRZWwywVzHI2x4hzMqQay-nHRRp1mROnnrCg9YaSv6HoOYpqZaV2No935jzXKJ1qA0Mx-9jgFeNrO-6bJu5Hr8-/s640/240.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicE4_e1VzalJ_I919Jy0H0qGhbf7Ve9u3eF9bGEegE0_TCmK3FTb8JS3Cj6ClsnpVj9rP9aMxufq8S6IyFYgICoQU8HgQfkPNGtMpwIV8I3vnymnaUpZZgYdrAFxvf-V9QbZ5bsgPRNmS-/s1600/241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicE4_e1VzalJ_I919Jy0H0qGhbf7Ve9u3eF9bGEegE0_TCmK3FTb8JS3Cj6ClsnpVj9rP9aMxufq8S6IyFYgICoQU8HgQfkPNGtMpwIV8I3vnymnaUpZZgYdrAFxvf-V9QbZ5bsgPRNmS-/s640/241.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzh1Dvcmdrefr_V3eB2qYnvRwiiV49SC-uu3KbDV2JI0YprNMP2nZcVjsGgZmh9-HAT8eEH3Xc3JKfmIWlF_qfK6NxTfHa7-yXdcRcVMc_zK2OSPkBNNmojg3pSDL7inGiKA15PhIRwWl/s1600/243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpzh1Dvcmdrefr_V3eB2qYnvRwiiV49SC-uu3KbDV2JI0YprNMP2nZcVjsGgZmh9-HAT8eEH3Xc3JKfmIWlF_qfK6NxTfHa7-yXdcRcVMc_zK2OSPkBNNmojg3pSDL7inGiKA15PhIRwWl/s640/243.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirncTFctRwUwkJBXGq3XPQUjr-fzp0enVHgA_m7GgDEN4b-6DJHuUg_06my_qQMuzamKKaQAILyPD-DF-WRhKudQ3F8mB2TPZC7rkJ8iqcUHmKfk4SSs4OUpvvi7qP_6-MB-8XlDjudT8F/s1600/244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirncTFctRwUwkJBXGq3XPQUjr-fzp0enVHgA_m7GgDEN4b-6DJHuUg_06my_qQMuzamKKaQAILyPD-DF-WRhKudQ3F8mB2TPZC7rkJ8iqcUHmKfk4SSs4OUpvvi7qP_6-MB-8XlDjudT8F/s640/244.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco-IWsCvTBRIB1zHZ6X9kIQWyDIBYW0uWlgDqJEh3_rlL_LDZnmTus6S6KNAaIEUAAs5CuaGIaNf9VWOcfy8biyUEm7SvgBqCPb7NCl1oHGt3cwykvu43MVgOPPmWWLUSvsnFdKagvU6j/s1600/245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhco-IWsCvTBRIB1zHZ6X9kIQWyDIBYW0uWlgDqJEh3_rlL_LDZnmTus6S6KNAaIEUAAs5CuaGIaNf9VWOcfy8biyUEm7SvgBqCPb7NCl1oHGt3cwykvu43MVgOPPmWWLUSvsnFdKagvU6j/s640/245.JPG" /></a></div>
Both of my older two kids use <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Adraw%20write%20now">Draw Write Now </a>for art and I love this curriculum so much! They can both do it independently and it frees me up to help someone else at the table. My youngest was gifted an entire<a href="http://www.abeka.com/"> ABeka </a>kindergarten curriculum so even though it has been something I have shied away from, he is enjoying it and free is always good. I also have my daughter doing their first grade math to boost her confidence with some math skills and give her a "I can do this" feeling before completing 2nd grade math which we began at the end of this year. She is doing about 2-3 lessons a day and gaining confidence which is an answer to prayer. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzUXdeZDjpNOIyFOQdtbAZRaEFG8yenyDJnuYleKj6qTyWDG5XP_jVso7F_UPSIeKHwhkuyztKXitAn_olLPTIRq2OUiD3W01vbjYjzCSxbjac4-xTGAQjG13M5GizgosX785vO_0gnop/s1600/247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzUXdeZDjpNOIyFOQdtbAZRaEFG8yenyDJnuYleKj6qTyWDG5XP_jVso7F_UPSIeKHwhkuyztKXitAn_olLPTIRq2OUiD3W01vbjYjzCSxbjac4-xTGAQjG13M5GizgosX785vO_0gnop/s640/247.JPG" /></a></div>
At different times through out the morning our middle two (ages 4 and 7) have what we call busy boxes to work on. My 4 year old boys is mostly sensory items and play while my daughter who is 7 has one filled with sewing items, one with hair items for her to style her dolls hair, and one with some fairies and gems for dramatic play. They like them a lot and they've been a nice addition to our day. Some days they might opt out and ask me to do a particular activity that I set out for someone else's school or their 1 year old brother and I'm happy to allow some variety. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizidwVYl_ZxkyLspaJ2cRyp-pgL3Gw1Dl4FglFhJpIPAmmQexpXpc2qhbczXWjerG55o4RFJrmg6kkKqZZ0qT9UEDDUJeBZhwaHfmWZLp_-LsLbUbjaij0bMeqjNmqHg9cc2uM0gBJNpjp/s1600/257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizidwVYl_ZxkyLspaJ2cRyp-pgL3Gw1Dl4FglFhJpIPAmmQexpXpc2qhbczXWjerG55o4RFJrmg6kkKqZZ0qT9UEDDUJeBZhwaHfmWZLp_-LsLbUbjaij0bMeqjNmqHg9cc2uM0gBJNpjp/s640/257.JPG" /></a></div>
This particular day as I said before we had the duplo legos out of storage and the kids were loving them.
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Also, he loves to climb the steps and on this particular day he actually managed to get his pants hooked on an imaginex toy and had to climb back down. We quickly rescued him-- but I couldn't resist a quick pic of him meeting his match! Silly goose!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmKeYwqieCObph7WHYA67engf3VjBNxpPzzsga_3ejGHx_Kj6qIsOseht6XvfLDtBGZ6pevZznySefDp0LDNFv_tDSaVr3K4csO9nceHYSoglPKLERd_nnkt51behEaMNNszsjlGMlch7/s1600/256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtmKeYwqieCObph7WHYA67engf3VjBNxpPzzsga_3ejGHx_Kj6qIsOseht6XvfLDtBGZ6pevZznySefDp0LDNFv_tDSaVr3K4csO9nceHYSoglPKLERd_nnkt51behEaMNNszsjlGMlch7/s640/256.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxPYwKh62rN73XmjPy1vL3xFxacpgTdB77Yp-U5FMhbtQUGFxs_Nr-FJ4kXNBGBKA8qD3-zD4s4GBnxr8NhZHWMgZW9IqzkTOTirRnfCrtGbcSXUrKjiu4MDhCdezpocX-eYnfDD8ApTg/s1600/259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxPYwKh62rN73XmjPy1vL3xFxacpgTdB77Yp-U5FMhbtQUGFxs_Nr-FJ4kXNBGBKA8qD3-zD4s4GBnxr8NhZHWMgZW9IqzkTOTirRnfCrtGbcSXUrKjiu4MDhCdezpocX-eYnfDD8ApTg/s640/259.JPG" /></a></div>
The kids also get a quick snack most mornings and will work on puzzles or phonics games in their free times. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9MXal-eKhq_nNdwjkEE0BtjbtOlSBgwFia1_9jCo0aquQpk6HjHFKWY408PhvCsBQ17lSeZTx3uMY8867_eZ_cZDxiWy8eIJcQKMWL4GWoB42ZONUt6cYHv8ZYwkgL34U_fZ85a8fDa-/s1600/253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh9MXal-eKhq_nNdwjkEE0BtjbtOlSBgwFia1_9jCo0aquQpk6HjHFKWY408PhvCsBQ17lSeZTx3uMY8867_eZ_cZDxiWy8eIJcQKMWL4GWoB42ZONUt6cYHv8ZYwkgL34U_fZ85a8fDa-/s640/253.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWQEznXIQ1TWTVAqiBOYVKbv5DxfM8x-hvbIu8iWmLF69GGACCvLJ5ArETJ22bvVLulCJVZm-kFA8GbJPaqA0TGysTShJh0A4UWM_Sxjc98BgTS6YAQYny3TCsIJQPQl_r6UDqyqSIF80/s1600/258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWQEznXIQ1TWTVAqiBOYVKbv5DxfM8x-hvbIu8iWmLF69GGACCvLJ5ArETJ22bvVLulCJVZm-kFA8GbJPaqA0TGysTShJh0A4UWM_Sxjc98BgTS6YAQYny3TCsIJQPQl_r6UDqyqSIF80/s640/258.JPG" /></a></div>
My oldest is on book 4B of Singapore math and he is doing really well with it. While he has math, my four year old worked on a cutting project right next to me.
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Our older two are working on some Map books that I got from CBD to expand their geography skills and sincemy daughter had learned about grid maps, I suggested they play battleship.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoo_4O61XZXI8WqMn6M2W73SFzMpf0oMEa9wNX6e6tdM4Jk90cKs1jlgIBTkkgeyEShv1LNtUMZ87VspkfFXm7Fb35LgI_9f4miFq0WVsyVaJLMw7L17KLlQov-9STBSerozCn18_GvWWR/s1600/265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoo_4O61XZXI8WqMn6M2W73SFzMpf0oMEa9wNX6e6tdM4Jk90cKs1jlgIBTkkgeyEShv1LNtUMZ87VspkfFXm7Fb35LgI_9f4miFq0WVsyVaJLMw7L17KLlQov-9STBSerozCn18_GvWWR/s640/265.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pZ-FkVcA9obkuq1ixwpWYehHp-GxBh1NTGUBc5m_Y4ib7d1w3vSS6YBKuwsDAvUFZw7A1nOZD21vKtKMsUfLnvDZ9-DdWV66TY6wnPY-upf2sl5HBCfSMsgZ6sZGNAVLEOt6OaIvNBbV/s1600/266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pZ-FkVcA9obkuq1ixwpWYehHp-GxBh1NTGUBc5m_Y4ib7d1w3vSS6YBKuwsDAvUFZw7A1nOZD21vKtKMsUfLnvDZ9-DdWV66TY6wnPY-upf2sl5HBCfSMsgZ6sZGNAVLEOt6OaIvNBbV/s640/266.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1JyI-WuLbynbPpS6th4gcU66oDgd8noDqTzU0lmial-OAVHx96ILbaFl6gFEr4q0l3XkarWFjPQNsP6Wyx_rKPxU7s4JdfOjazw6LwQ3IUxt5UdtZdtEYsh9nFpiw9_FKdedzxs7-yO_/s1600/267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1JyI-WuLbynbPpS6th4gcU66oDgd8noDqTzU0lmial-OAVHx96ILbaFl6gFEr4q0l3XkarWFjPQNsP6Wyx_rKPxU7s4JdfOjazw6LwQ3IUxt5UdtZdtEYsh9nFpiw9_FKdedzxs7-yO_/s640/267.JPG" /></a></div>
Sadly, the game lasted about ten minutes most of which was not harmonious and no one won. A lesson that will need revisiting on many levels. What I thought was going to be a lesson on grids ended up being a lesson in patience and concentration. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvd1Wugcl8lYTWL_7uZ3590AnISXnB8_St3Shj3kAzicfaJ-_hoHeze6IgeEnM6g48nZwuNvVH_NesB0ueFlGDwoxwhWfwTC5BQfS9QAeaIju_VzdbHaBju4yf9Y2YG57Ccv3goao3Bt2/s1600/264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWvd1Wugcl8lYTWL_7uZ3590AnISXnB8_St3Shj3kAzicfaJ-_hoHeze6IgeEnM6g48nZwuNvVH_NesB0ueFlGDwoxwhWfwTC5BQfS9QAeaIju_VzdbHaBju4yf9Y2YG57Ccv3goao3Bt2/s640/264.JPG" /></a></div>
So here is what the table normally will look like (minus mom) with everyone doing their work. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZIYpGvehbOqUGnWCQcy4NdXlenEQzStj5rfqvN3Xl8rZV4n_35Y5c1Gda6E6u7AfhLZVdxt3bKXyKJrkKb_iZtETriZYtpjBYIwmEtYL-ml2P9EEnz3UEod_KDaT-svnJcT6N61VDkZt/s1600/239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZIYpGvehbOqUGnWCQcy4NdXlenEQzStj5rfqvN3Xl8rZV4n_35Y5c1Gda6E6u7AfhLZVdxt3bKXyKJrkKb_iZtETriZYtpjBYIwmEtYL-ml2P9EEnz3UEod_KDaT-svnJcT6N61VDkZt/s640/239.JPG" /></a></div>
And more then we'd like to admit, this guy is on the table at any given moment whenever the opportunity arises.
So, that's a general quick overview of what happens and here are our block schedules for each day: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEirecaaRgBPYXZi0s2_oPjDwUlNvLBesj2DMkYymfE8X3CvvY1Q9r12CSeIf78VCjfVKJZY5q5Bgb7kV_hsk3WOIoXkeKmMtRnKIrYmecv6JrHfffdWZN3FU7Zs4JGtz20KLh60PFaE_/s1600/homeschooldayblockday1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkEirecaaRgBPYXZi0s2_oPjDwUlNvLBesj2DMkYymfE8X3CvvY1Q9r12CSeIf78VCjfVKJZY5q5Bgb7kV_hsk3WOIoXkeKmMtRnKIrYmecv6JrHfffdWZN3FU7Zs4JGtz20KLh60PFaE_/s640/homeschooldayblockday1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiHOqoa8wgcDuJ4wkxz36XBe88tiJLj9DZWZuUL4PqWiMYbaaIAfvy2IWkYUXrgM0TYy78Zbw0zvkzpv9Q7imEYYF62XX_qkW4xSOl5OASiDW6xUreXiyqN8b4ttKY_7qlPXbC2XlOIZf/s1600/homeschooldayblockday2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbiHOqoa8wgcDuJ4wkxz36XBe88tiJLj9DZWZuUL4PqWiMYbaaIAfvy2IWkYUXrgM0TYy78Zbw0zvkzpv9Q7imEYYF62XX_qkW4xSOl5OASiDW6xUreXiyqN8b4ttKY_7qlPXbC2XlOIZf/s640/homeschooldayblockday2.jpg" /></a></div>
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-53230568713581578262014-08-07T23:14:00.000-04:002014-08-07T23:14:41.648-04:00From Lawn to (Yes We did it!!) Vegetable GardenI feel like we can celebrate God's goodness and faithfulness in providing through our backyard garden. What used to be a backyard of holes and weeds is now a productive food source and its pretty darn cool!
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We have been enjoying being out back so much! We grill homemade pizza and eat out on the patio several times a week.
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The garden has blessed us with pickling cucumbers in abundance which is awesome! These were something we needed to make our own pickles and relishes as the majority on store shelves come with yellow dye and sugars and some other odd and ends. Our homemade ones fill the fridge, pantry, and freezer (and yes, you can freeze pickles if its to hot to can when you have them in abundance).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ0BxFUBvOimAS2nGudX-W7TfpCG8P3DM2zseC3kHX5n-m_RDVojrEtvCH3hunH-0ZzNOvLSKXIA60yb5exnfnlZliKL-AzPe_LKaLr9HKrZWoLAz1b1LBt2iuoS7O9G6E9F0iCQaAOLC/s1600/174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJ0BxFUBvOimAS2nGudX-W7TfpCG8P3DM2zseC3kHX5n-m_RDVojrEtvCH3hunH-0ZzNOvLSKXIA60yb5exnfnlZliKL-AzPe_LKaLr9HKrZWoLAz1b1LBt2iuoS7O9G6E9F0iCQaAOLC/s640/174.JPG" /></a></div>
My husband's favorites are the bread and butter while I'm a dill pickle girl myself. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IDewdTYjwt4v30o0uh4VuRwL095DGBjR3TYG64ET-MNH9fpHEUGceOpjF0UhO3ACxknBYXSaIJlU-3BCesDxMLnn8517sA-YXNo_nRFYb2Y2vM1vAwajvZhxyEFX62sLhvAYiVc86O0b/s1600/176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IDewdTYjwt4v30o0uh4VuRwL095DGBjR3TYG64ET-MNH9fpHEUGceOpjF0UhO3ACxknBYXSaIJlU-3BCesDxMLnn8517sA-YXNo_nRFYb2Y2vM1vAwajvZhxyEFX62sLhvAYiVc86O0b/s640/176.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFuYiZIu7QKt8G-pr66gPIcYPl6bHOZnoAy5A3oL43GMvV348TAUjrA0gS8mXvuPv_PqTkx_wtXcIthCxggCxAy3DcOIw2NtSjYRI0-Zr41WZPfHL3FMrnCGtzgSrxMjFxNPEchwFXg_l/s1600/177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFuYiZIu7QKt8G-pr66gPIcYPl6bHOZnoAy5A3oL43GMvV348TAUjrA0gS8mXvuPv_PqTkx_wtXcIthCxggCxAy3DcOIw2NtSjYRI0-Zr41WZPfHL3FMrnCGtzgSrxMjFxNPEchwFXg_l/s640/177.JPG" /></a></div>
Another cool thing we have been blessed to experience is seed saving. So far we have snow peas and cucumbers saved. This photo was taken last week of a lettuce plant I let bolt and just today I collected the puffy white heads that contained the seeds and have stored them as well.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWELvEru0MdmgpQXwWo58mL8bJu28krNHaDl9AoRwEvR8KmNVf0RiLB_tcNJrNgj6r-sxbPvdYYlfDofWBZW327hTvFb_cJGtQ7v730a5Qf1571-uz6n-R18XCfKQyUZcmuCBhgLf_tqL5/s1600/183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWELvEru0MdmgpQXwWo58mL8bJu28krNHaDl9AoRwEvR8KmNVf0RiLB_tcNJrNgj6r-sxbPvdYYlfDofWBZW327hTvFb_cJGtQ7v730a5Qf1571-uz6n-R18XCfKQyUZcmuCBhgLf_tqL5/s640/183.JPG" /></a></div>
Okay, this is a freaking garden miracle for the northern east coast-- we grew an artichoke from seed!!!!!!!! I was doubtful it would even grow since these are pretty much only grown in California but my husband wanted to just see. And wow, just wow! I think the cooler summer helped it develop and grow.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnGAXmx0_N0Gdbig6oEQluktogUulKAIk7uKzLtUNjDAH0FflBwWC7VUBerDtqLgKLAp1tGROm7yDZP54WkTmB3o3T5IAi7eziLC5nEsLufbH5NhYvVrIU-frH0X-2jxT_Zv_HBrIpjMj/s1600/186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGnGAXmx0_N0Gdbig6oEQluktogUulKAIk7uKzLtUNjDAH0FflBwWC7VUBerDtqLgKLAp1tGROm7yDZP54WkTmB3o3T5IAi7eziLC5nEsLufbH5NhYvVrIU-frH0X-2jxT_Zv_HBrIpjMj/s640/186.JPG" /></a></div>
Now to split it 6 ways! Ha!
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Our carrots were another crop I was apprehensive about and we have pulled some crazy freakish looking carrots up but also a good amount that look straight and narrow. So that gives me hope too that our soil is beginning to loosen up and enable them to grow better.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrw4H2gAIim0d_8FRXYnUBj16JI5KkP5SWlsqrT3iGOg6z2G7jCSVbsBZJN-QRKC9I6sIP9Ttv4tgOL2FSIgYcbH6cpjc0406O3bLIGsytqaGGBlLYCgvTeoyMExgf_uc9WNsKkOG5yoK/s1600/184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFrw4H2gAIim0d_8FRXYnUBj16JI5KkP5SWlsqrT3iGOg6z2G7jCSVbsBZJN-QRKC9I6sIP9Ttv4tgOL2FSIgYcbH6cpjc0406O3bLIGsytqaGGBlLYCgvTeoyMExgf_uc9WNsKkOG5yoK/s640/184.JPG" /></a></div>
Our pickling cucumbers did take a hit while we were away and they snapped the trellis twine and we had to restring them up but this week we were back to regular production and pickling. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHiApN-kl3vt5Hp-EKlCmWBn6MefACf7pZJH9miyDu1or1391tEkEdNudH1LjH1Juz2Jvci1JrGh07xbh0GrK0GJ0tzcSAuAl74im5KS-VBTYV35AUeLb062X8Gmfk8pHzJMZkZaAn-Ee/s1600/185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHiApN-kl3vt5Hp-EKlCmWBn6MefACf7pZJH9miyDu1or1391tEkEdNudH1LjH1Juz2Jvci1JrGh07xbh0GrK0GJ0tzcSAuAl74im5KS-VBTYV35AUeLb062X8Gmfk8pHzJMZkZaAn-Ee/s640/185.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9vmazVDtAHOYOw5jvaGe_bwHntv5Qrmi0TafG94W3Ab1TwQQUCclNEt4E5O9DAHIAzJUz2ir0IWiWgJS6kxohpahPSAaK4J_TFGFPiep_7Fc-zZi9YWHQwVTb39s-GRVJgOpMX1NGJ-b/s1600/197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9vmazVDtAHOYOw5jvaGe_bwHntv5Qrmi0TafG94W3Ab1TwQQUCclNEt4E5O9DAHIAzJUz2ir0IWiWgJS6kxohpahPSAaK4J_TFGFPiep_7Fc-zZi9YWHQwVTb39s-GRVJgOpMX1NGJ-b/s640/197.JPG" /></a></div>
The tomatoes are very lovely-- so neat to grow heirlooms as you get some mammoth looking freakishly shaped fruit! Its very cool! I do wish we had gone with a different canning variety as ours is a bit on the small side. Also, very strange but our tomatoes have really stopped flowering and what I mean is we don't have fruit growing throughout the plant-- just really on the lower levels. Normally I get them all over so again, not sure if this is the cooler summer or heirloom characteristics, but anyway we are still picking these daily and have made sauce for spaghetti twice and pizza once and our hope is we can freeze some too.
The fall plants have been planted and here is some cabbage coming along. I have it surrounded by egg shells to deter the slugs and little caterpillars that seem to like these and so far they've been left alone.
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Our beans are just gloriously going all over the place.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRNnwZAmotrFMjoOxi9NQJn_X8mI83-Ui_LoKGDyIjNj6uzxE95Iffe7siwSZkNrtTx9zamvOALln2zHer1DBqnpTxfyL1xEpMNrLEB9NwLe4_zfMDGSCP_5rNgLT5lqD8fuDR2NiJTSS/s1600/188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSRNnwZAmotrFMjoOxi9NQJn_X8mI83-Ui_LoKGDyIjNj6uzxE95Iffe7siwSZkNrtTx9zamvOALln2zHer1DBqnpTxfyL1xEpMNrLEB9NwLe4_zfMDGSCP_5rNgLT5lqD8fuDR2NiJTSS/s640/188.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GoCTCfQwbPBlc0jZuswGcBoNnj6Zeg2f0IluCtc76TddJzO1i-ZU_d3X4d9HWtVv1xzF_tSeQAr8OGEdUQrgTggDxIg63bAltOMyNWW18gEKrAmXR29HCtnUYHj5bP8gKaPmxNdOmbr0/s1600/189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GoCTCfQwbPBlc0jZuswGcBoNnj6Zeg2f0IluCtc76TddJzO1i-ZU_d3X4d9HWtVv1xzF_tSeQAr8OGEdUQrgTggDxIg63bAltOMyNWW18gEKrAmXR29HCtnUYHj5bP8gKaPmxNdOmbr0/s640/189.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMuwR1pT23KRh09dCYL3tvObMW2AHpX3L1FxQ1N75t-h5QVLCP3ZkaLZ98XyyAryoh5HwGs3GVcZqC6iCMDvHj2oIS6ItMsEZ4s3dnJP6oUiBtD-tweQkOlx-BfZ7HstAfAlBLR3MF56b/s1600/190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQMuwR1pT23KRh09dCYL3tvObMW2AHpX3L1FxQ1N75t-h5QVLCP3ZkaLZ98XyyAryoh5HwGs3GVcZqC6iCMDvHj2oIS6ItMsEZ4s3dnJP6oUiBtD-tweQkOlx-BfZ7HstAfAlBLR3MF56b/s640/190.JPG" /></a></div>
The purple pole beans are amazing in flavor!
Our regular cucumbers are doing well. You can see behind them we have dumped all the old pea plants so they can directly break down back into the soil. We will be layering some newspaper, manure, and woodchips there soon to prepare this area to grow next spring. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2guxunFFccGizf9cg-gHWjfYZMQhwqoiWet14sGpIe3ftuNUWqis-MM8fqttHQKOzt8Y3kcKJnR0NlQNFQKUdHJwY7g2w8sC-ptvg71ODRz0iXTWGyIbBm9ndTn2clvSs0FCIj_VF-dUm/s1600/191.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2guxunFFccGizf9cg-gHWjfYZMQhwqoiWet14sGpIe3ftuNUWqis-MM8fqttHQKOzt8Y3kcKJnR0NlQNFQKUdHJwY7g2w8sC-ptvg71ODRz0iXTWGyIbBm9ndTn2clvSs0FCIj_VF-dUm/s640/191.JPG" /></a></div>
The zucchini have been eh. We are getting 1-2 a week but considering we have five large plants I was expecting more. Again, not sure if its because we planted these later or because theyre in the boxes, but next year I may order a different variety or from a different supplier.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6u_rtAUb9VKPnUaCxCUiqQvYWQF8-nm0l9fGSc_6Jx0SuuZtIuuRjIqRNgfAHkfqswcDCGCxu4X-aNWL2wOq1AzsVvTqT6vtq0PpHBL77CjK27S2IR6CH-lAlVq3D67bruO4vvp9qufJG/s1600/192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6u_rtAUb9VKPnUaCxCUiqQvYWQF8-nm0l9fGSc_6Jx0SuuZtIuuRjIqRNgfAHkfqswcDCGCxu4X-aNWL2wOq1AzsVvTqT6vtq0PpHBL77CjK27S2IR6CH-lAlVq3D67bruO4vvp9qufJG/s640/192.JPG" /></a></div>
We estimate the corn to be between 10-12 feet at this point. It's ginormous! We have about ten ears growing so hopefully we will actually get some corn which would be amazing!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzMl_Cl9u8ezokJ9ysy2W1ATyhxEgjtIDxfNp9OW2ld3J8NZoY0YtDbTahnMGLLrrbU1BB51H859fTS1VNpDvc3rP-TpzczuLCDu4R0zZVMkpBehozUffxwR-d_fGIE_V_CTp1vx-Bl8E/s1600/193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzMl_Cl9u8ezokJ9ysy2W1ATyhxEgjtIDxfNp9OW2ld3J8NZoY0YtDbTahnMGLLrrbU1BB51H859fTS1VNpDvc3rP-TpzczuLCDu4R0zZVMkpBehozUffxwR-d_fGIE_V_CTp1vx-Bl8E/s640/193.JPG" /></a></div>
Here is a little bean tee-pee that was getting attacked by rabbits so it's a little late to the game but producing flowers so we should have more beans soon.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjib0N4-MifHbY1B9lArI5Cv2VZLbVAniE1eC9FUBxp7u2Gcxag0_uqOD_jB12FcDaBqaM2z_BcyM7BiwW7xIHhdwByoeUavQZF-8NUJO0YRmeEj8-d7rDz1bnU889cWeDzusmn1xPeiODo/s1600/194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjib0N4-MifHbY1B9lArI5Cv2VZLbVAniE1eC9FUBxp7u2Gcxag0_uqOD_jB12FcDaBqaM2z_BcyM7BiwW7xIHhdwByoeUavQZF-8NUJO0YRmeEj8-d7rDz1bnU889cWeDzusmn1xPeiODo/s640/194.JPG" /></a></div>
We let a radish go to seed and it has produced tons of pods! The pods are actually edible and the kids have enjoyed a few but they are too spicey for me. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqdMAEPWZiO6aaKSNM0ew9EU1cAYA15MxNzxsIpBpGwA5upx5Rl-x-GuGyfINVEX9FOmDyw_cbGWtcf2m8FBIIoHcQ1d18aYIow1Fvzz7KEj07phd6Dl9chyphenhyphenvqyPFH5iNi-572SW3uMAc/s1600/195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqdMAEPWZiO6aaKSNM0ew9EU1cAYA15MxNzxsIpBpGwA5upx5Rl-x-GuGyfINVEX9FOmDyw_cbGWtcf2m8FBIIoHcQ1d18aYIow1Fvzz7KEj07phd6Dl9chyphenhyphenvqyPFH5iNi-572SW3uMAc/s640/195.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAtI3l7nq7ZrS1Z1YPkA-veE9XKGUyzpGdHypPRACJRJuEVN4E2zQxFjwKvDdsx4CkL3cl4hf_P0-YzKB4mY7unzff2gFK7dG85mjYow5-1cEKocyXXhHmdo85Y-Gi3tiwoR2tuq8aQC0/s1600/196.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAtI3l7nq7ZrS1Z1YPkA-veE9XKGUyzpGdHypPRACJRJuEVN4E2zQxFjwKvDdsx4CkL3cl4hf_P0-YzKB4mY7unzff2gFK7dG85mjYow5-1cEKocyXXhHmdo85Y-Gi3tiwoR2tuq8aQC0/s640/196.JPG" /></a></div>
The swiss chard is still going strong and if I could tell people to plant one thing, this is it! It keeps producing, is edible cooked and in salads, freezes like spinach, and it's pretty easy to grow as well!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK3UfCqUOlmybKAlWHrs4xMT_74SZ9IReJglMxalsxiXoPtccGHRabB7tF3JprZeOzFpgaOSWD54ht_R_JkpryZjs7XIyUH7U2sO6MCNrDfddtfqEyfvIg73w5lRcuetY0G_IBDPVhmjx/s1600/198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK3UfCqUOlmybKAlWHrs4xMT_74SZ9IReJglMxalsxiXoPtccGHRabB7tF3JprZeOzFpgaOSWD54ht_R_JkpryZjs7XIyUH7U2sO6MCNrDfddtfqEyfvIg73w5lRcuetY0G_IBDPVhmjx/s640/198.JPG" /></a></div>
And heres the family again finishing up their dinner while I took the pictures. See all the pretty sunflowers? They're drawing bees in for us!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQd8ifQ1SzwxOWkzzQL-zB8MPzUUEKj52zQC6wOrPV37XCZd41kr7kBEWN-tdgECSGWc6NM6ls0jn8wA_UJY2L_-MokIijWSq5CSNPHulIqOZSHeYaPfg2OCBvMY7EaMKvdF2gJU__foKS/s1600/199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQd8ifQ1SzwxOWkzzQL-zB8MPzUUEKj52zQC6wOrPV37XCZd41kr7kBEWN-tdgECSGWc6NM6ls0jn8wA_UJY2L_-MokIijWSq5CSNPHulIqOZSHeYaPfg2OCBvMY7EaMKvdF2gJU__foKS/s640/199.JPG" /></a></div>
And they make pretty pickings too!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUDqWmMKsnTZUFIl7_xqMW6c2vIO6mOqmjhU5p5vpXsHdEmdrHa85i5aSjmAvBcq2-KDWRdK15O2YzaZYfixUiH31DPnCLOZxxLsmNrTtZ2pIyuX_QPvPXE-P5_vancpaW2ODxf57JoLJ/s1600/200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmUDqWmMKsnTZUFIl7_xqMW6c2vIO6mOqmjhU5p5vpXsHdEmdrHa85i5aSjmAvBcq2-KDWRdK15O2YzaZYfixUiH31DPnCLOZxxLsmNrTtZ2pIyuX_QPvPXE-P5_vancpaW2ODxf57JoLJ/s640/200.JPG" /></a></div>
So, that's a month long overdue update but it's so nice to be out there growing, picking, and yes, still planting! We are learning what worked well, what we'd like to try next year (velour beans are on my list for sure), and how to keep turning the last bits of lawn into more garden! Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-84163039089521217122014-07-09T09:12:00.000-04:002014-07-09T09:12:37.765-04:00From Lawn to Garden: Post 13-- Beginning to see the Fruits of all our LaborWe have been insanely busy with summer and the garden and its been awesome because we've been together for the ride and loving (almost) every minute of it! I did take pictures of our garden two weeks ago that I meant to share but then our computer was being funny and I couldn't share them, but to give you an idea of what was going on then here we are.. or were...or whatever:
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XixObmWeUQKXSMgU9IfDqHg6nCKJ0UU2KT6gpn3q19V6FJwGmlOIVC4VcQ-a89U2KMdoyTul0MaaRJYqf_Q8OahpHbER8uadFVadFVOfj3xY-w1Dh-hIn3r_iHxW6W2sBeqfLx1Tr6LO/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XixObmWeUQKXSMgU9IfDqHg6nCKJ0UU2KT6gpn3q19V6FJwGmlOIVC4VcQ-a89U2KMdoyTul0MaaRJYqf_Q8OahpHbER8uadFVadFVOfj3xY-w1Dh-hIn3r_iHxW6W2sBeqfLx1Tr6LO/s640/4th+of+july+2014+176.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNaWgmtHBMHmd2_AsNerc4ZLN-heUf3qhulXKSrrVx2dsUocRXGzWfx-KxSEKChXy_VTi3s8zBCzlON8M3gS7yUw32jCYaRubGZvUdBQfv4U93hZ7QV6tr8R8Gs2-A2XG7lvy1ZN8zYxv/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPNaWgmtHBMHmd2_AsNerc4ZLN-heUf3qhulXKSrrVx2dsUocRXGzWfx-KxSEKChXy_VTi3s8zBCzlON8M3gS7yUw32jCYaRubGZvUdBQfv4U93hZ7QV6tr8R8Gs2-A2XG7lvy1ZN8zYxv/s640/4th+of+july+2014+177.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGYUCRz3jY57vrBqm62dr6HFYq7737IBn1rczpYCuUnX3w3TrULHejNx6FZMtoAv-v-NMkOozCUZegAOf-Hs7uwzSOyYC9x3WpRcijBrHC_SLO2whN6sZYq-wztVoD_1q3HpXZyWaTFOv/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGYUCRz3jY57vrBqm62dr6HFYq7737IBn1rczpYCuUnX3w3TrULHejNx6FZMtoAv-v-NMkOozCUZegAOf-Hs7uwzSOyYC9x3WpRcijBrHC_SLO2whN6sZYq-wztVoD_1q3HpXZyWaTFOv/s640/4th+of+july+2014+184.JPG" /></a></div>
Now, we picked our first batch of onions about three weeks ago and they have been curing and drying. I just snipped the tops off and they are drying out for the last week or so and then will be stored. We have a second batch going and soon we will be planting more for the fall. We did sets for the white and red onions and I'm happy with how they turned out. Our green onions we did from seeds and they are almost ready to be enjoyed fresh!
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROhOkfk28u2AAw-rIlfZNveGq5noGhCifZzkEO76bUpkEOjM3SMgbq88wGBsOD9UjoQS2NIrF4TFqDo1zVReBSe5J13INYy5fMHh-RrPxaJwtbcLKwWeWgwiS0crvlO1H2H50h6IATEgu/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROhOkfk28u2AAw-rIlfZNveGq5noGhCifZzkEO76bUpkEOjM3SMgbq88wGBsOD9UjoQS2NIrF4TFqDo1zVReBSe5J13INYy5fMHh-RrPxaJwtbcLKwWeWgwiS0crvlO1H2H50h6IATEgu/s640/4th+of+july+2014+324.JPG" /></a></div>
We are harvesting carrots, peas, and swiss chard on an almost daily basis. Every time I think, "This will be the last week of the snow peas for sure..." I am pleasantly surprised when they just keep on producing. I am almost soooooo happy we did the swiss chard since our spinach was a bust so far and the swiss chard just keeps on producing!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6o1Q8Xj3tfrpBm0GbAf5QxXw9ZeHcz7TE8IEQbr9Msd238ViixxKDIrbl0L5t6PVwPdCtpKGJ_QV4naBsdgPrbramHKIlQrkaefwZEJyP45u8CH49yJQ9ujflHAght67SCBVy77Gj6JI/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6o1Q8Xj3tfrpBm0GbAf5QxXw9ZeHcz7TE8IEQbr9Msd238ViixxKDIrbl0L5t6PVwPdCtpKGJ_QV4naBsdgPrbramHKIlQrkaefwZEJyP45u8CH49yJQ9ujflHAght67SCBVy77Gj6JI/s640/4th+of+july+2014+323.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZv_raFLPTAsoAr78xtVu79IAAksoAvgKtEqUDDUlAZ0ZhDv2UDYZ0r29daALwsjB7yhIP5TWL8m7aCArjR5EVsMBhlzkcQ0UUxigP5D_cwRlwAlC7N3TYin4k2MNzt-zzGMzg-HTuj9n/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQZv_raFLPTAsoAr78xtVu79IAAksoAvgKtEqUDDUlAZ0ZhDv2UDYZ0r29daALwsjB7yhIP5TWL8m7aCArjR5EVsMBhlzkcQ0UUxigP5D_cwRlwAlC7N3TYin4k2MNzt-zzGMzg-HTuj9n/s640/4th+of+july+2014+325.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWauykmtwttxukgtxjvncV06_SGwX33nzygchBf2HI0l51qXb4AmbzLFOaCOCQsfieAS4HCa5CmrJ_s9ciCUP1zjIWi6gBLilijXLki6NrG41vxC6zA54PHmztBE1W8UfNGp0veZjnD8Xf/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWauykmtwttxukgtxjvncV06_SGwX33nzygchBf2HI0l51qXb4AmbzLFOaCOCQsfieAS4HCa5CmrJ_s9ciCUP1zjIWi6gBLilijXLki6NrG41vxC6zA54PHmztBE1W8UfNGp0veZjnD8Xf/s640/4th+of+july+2014+336.JPG" /></a></div>
Our pickling cucumbers are doing really well and we have about 8-10 cukes that will be picked by the end of the week to be made into our first jar of refrigerator pickles.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBowP_SahcEH9MQaE0kWhAEUc2Romtdz9fZ8-7ygaMZbYVl4FWNKJHE2htreerMMHWx-vIsvD2JL-8JJwMvvqecKg-dIQw014xy8baWPLQy2cUBQKfQsulYSVuIXQZX0J2vFojbGj9T6_/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBowP_SahcEH9MQaE0kWhAEUc2Romtdz9fZ8-7ygaMZbYVl4FWNKJHE2htreerMMHWx-vIsvD2JL-8JJwMvvqecKg-dIQw014xy8baWPLQy2cUBQKfQsulYSVuIXQZX0J2vFojbGj9T6_/s640/4th+of+july+2014+326.JPG" /></a></div>
I am positively giddy over the tomatoes and cannot wait for the first red one to be enjoyed. For now though the plants just keep growing and producing more fruit which is very exciting in and of itself.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEBUgTIOmpgJ7cuNt136T0Lo7SS0CDAya3QpfQHbLa1fRJBofXlFztTu39PCpUZQe6T4Kz8jD6oWyq_pnkUSzVZkMMaT_hKr7GA2RlnTFQtfuqao8s6O6KtJfUinSEP973yojSsxSLTBR/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEBUgTIOmpgJ7cuNt136T0Lo7SS0CDAya3QpfQHbLa1fRJBofXlFztTu39PCpUZQe6T4Kz8jD6oWyq_pnkUSzVZkMMaT_hKr7GA2RlnTFQtfuqao8s6O6KtJfUinSEP973yojSsxSLTBR/s640/4th+of+july+2014+327.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrWNIBX6qa9UtDFsRFXi6YsFuJRx_0BqYPNTyBvopTCAbGsM6NUTgK35QG2FxJCcgBrcNo8mONluM0kn2rIMNwball1p7Pg2vtkzeRv0UMPC7mdekRUSp5uz1EQGBJV5zKtRxazLP29Ed/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmrWNIBX6qa9UtDFsRFXi6YsFuJRx_0BqYPNTyBvopTCAbGsM6NUTgK35QG2FxJCcgBrcNo8mONluM0kn2rIMNwball1p7Pg2vtkzeRv0UMPC7mdekRUSp5uz1EQGBJV5zKtRxazLP29Ed/s640/4th+of+july+2014+328.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ACFF5n-pSBRO_rHYA7RJrSxEnU7bKuCz0S7WWFGH0DSLMW5QJc2WUGf10QIh2WEp9rsMotyxXRFbbjWSyXw3sFv0aPJPN1NbwuEtDELeFMgP05qe3rhaho8EZVmBuaBcaNFNUDly3j6T/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ACFF5n-pSBRO_rHYA7RJrSxEnU7bKuCz0S7WWFGH0DSLMW5QJc2WUGf10QIh2WEp9rsMotyxXRFbbjWSyXw3sFv0aPJPN1NbwuEtDELeFMgP05qe3rhaho8EZVmBuaBcaNFNUDly3j6T/s640/4th+of+july+2014+329.JPG" /></a></div>
Our pole beans are flowering and in august hopefully we will be swamped with beans! I can't wait since fresh beans from the garden taste unbelievably yummy! I love how some of the beans and grape vine have started to intertwine-- it gives it such a wild earthy feel.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRP9NlCumdyFxbm3GM4GY4eIEejj0OOTbXnrjmGhJ9twcQKNz3eAjdUqzIIIwZXfeLZFoKS87HV45bh-QGRN4oo9RZDAmK56SuGtTA5kloCyWCzIXXWiWOUp9dlI2MeAU3IfEJb8cDeZ5q/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRP9NlCumdyFxbm3GM4GY4eIEejj0OOTbXnrjmGhJ9twcQKNz3eAjdUqzIIIwZXfeLZFoKS87HV45bh-QGRN4oo9RZDAmK56SuGtTA5kloCyWCzIXXWiWOUp9dlI2MeAU3IfEJb8cDeZ5q/s640/4th+of+july+2014+330.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlDAbm3B5qJnxorcGWboPkdCGtMe4nVxYy_zl0YJrRFCKOPr3v1BcdBWX5wcwJDaaS8eX4V_9-gmxKss66e3lvvdFkoVMssUh4lUWVJrQ-wl7n3u5r91cyOiJx0GE_iURYnNHxSnyF3Z0/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlDAbm3B5qJnxorcGWboPkdCGtMe4nVxYy_zl0YJrRFCKOPr3v1BcdBWX5wcwJDaaS8eX4V_9-gmxKss66e3lvvdFkoVMssUh4lUWVJrQ-wl7n3u5r91cyOiJx0GE_iURYnNHxSnyF3Z0/s640/4th+of+july+2014+331.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYkpBzaXylOHpJ21gFR4F10WAy7o2j-08ws2xKfvnKP66ni0C0nsTkI1ke-lUC6ijwYV2sxN8ikeb3h-inxfspOKmLKRlkS-_edtN-5q3K563meuMUhDjq5fwtrHwrFSqR4FFdQ-m-83z/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYkpBzaXylOHpJ21gFR4F10WAy7o2j-08ws2xKfvnKP66ni0C0nsTkI1ke-lUC6ijwYV2sxN8ikeb3h-inxfspOKmLKRlkS-_edtN-5q3K563meuMUhDjq5fwtrHwrFSqR4FFdQ-m-83z/s640/4th+of+july+2014+332.JPG" /></a></div>
Our zucchini is coming along-- although some of them are turning yellow which is odd since we planted black zucchini. Hmmm.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxWg13ulQ1fjJD6CrI0gklifDnvM_Ffj4ZechDgseriGibgSETeQ7gyaARQCnx0jjL9fYuVRTb75Z6-xOfj3k7KZuBKa6CuYWieW_1q8fH_Ty8qHz3Rmkd0ZCXJFlXyNnfBW7STMxUMRK/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxWg13ulQ1fjJD6CrI0gklifDnvM_Ffj4ZechDgseriGibgSETeQ7gyaARQCnx0jjL9fYuVRTb75Z6-xOfj3k7KZuBKa6CuYWieW_1q8fH_Ty8qHz3Rmkd0ZCXJFlXyNnfBW7STMxUMRK/s640/4th+of+july+2014+333.JPG" /></a></div>
Our corn was knee high and then some by the fourth of july so we are excited to see if we get any from this sometimes tricky and finicky crop. Keep on praying!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0AZFNjBWNR5F4JX1zfW-CTaTSmywHqj7xkrrKt1zyI_vkm-6vdaXZAT399WRPCyRiUN4wf5MdlKcdx4gXQf8c-azPmKMMMHss9Hw05tiIO_wvq3l-BcDSYEo4D-Cb8c59FYWfyvTCzUg/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0AZFNjBWNR5F4JX1zfW-CTaTSmywHqj7xkrrKt1zyI_vkm-6vdaXZAT399WRPCyRiUN4wf5MdlKcdx4gXQf8c-azPmKMMMHss9Hw05tiIO_wvq3l-BcDSYEo4D-Cb8c59FYWfyvTCzUg/s640/4th+of+july+2014+334.JPG" /></a></div>
And there you have it-- some of the highlights of whats growing. One of the nice things is we planted herbs throughout the garden so now as I weed I am delightfully intoxicated by different aromas which adds a slight delight to a never ending task. What's growing in your garden? What's your favorite recipe for pickles?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEiwQOiL9bFxU0VbX4PVftlGIP08Rct7GItkzRm3tozfG65Yt47wJwVaJqGo1hUcAZJ2DRCxeYyvXUWKAdEFGtdJnux-HjxqoxJ8ibjd1AZwicXTDr2Rky7KIsV_zWZb6-lY2yYI2DYPi/s1600/4th+of+july+2014+335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEiwQOiL9bFxU0VbX4PVftlGIP08Rct7GItkzRm3tozfG65Yt47wJwVaJqGo1hUcAZJ2DRCxeYyvXUWKAdEFGtdJnux-HjxqoxJ8ibjd1AZwicXTDr2Rky7KIsV_zWZb6-lY2yYI2DYPi/s640/4th+of+july+2014+335.JPG" /></a></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-11753350573723554962014-07-01T13:52:00.000-04:002014-07-01T13:52:21.558-04:00What Type of Seed--- What Type of Plant-- What Type of Produce to Buy for Clean EatingI always hear people say, "But why buy organic? Its so much more money and they use some sprays and pesticides too!" This is all true. Organic produce is more money and they do sometimes use sprays. So, what should you buy? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswI7pfoGIWQlchIvzj5_mCUfCG25XkM0v5HD-u63lJK3kZf3UR2cnPKFQcJsalVlP3DX9C0YEO566SrfHEETTkrtf8AcgZ-nT1WAKZEAq78NrJmtbw90fdgXAFwJ0tQ9Cm1sP3KypeauQ/s1600/134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswI7pfoGIWQlchIvzj5_mCUfCG25XkM0v5HD-u63lJK3kZf3UR2cnPKFQcJsalVlP3DX9C0YEO566SrfHEETTkrtf8AcgZ-nT1WAKZEAq78NrJmtbw90fdgXAFwJ0tQ9Cm1sP3KypeauQ/s640/134.JPG" /></a></div>
First, Let's start with your seed. Ideally, this is the best way to go. Order your own heirloom organic seeds and grow them yourself with no pesticides or chemicals. To be truly at its best, you need to bring the plant up right and that begins with it's seed. A GMO seed has it's DNA interlaced with pesticides. That means even if you buy seeds from the store and grow them organically, the GMO seed will still most likely contain pesticides and genetic modifications already. So your best bet is heirloom seeds which have been passed down for at least 50 years (or before GMOs became so widespread and abundant), your second option is to buy organic seeds and raise them organically, and your third best option is to buy any old seed and raise the plant organic (although this should be a last resort-- but it's still a step in the right direction). We have ordered seeds from <a href="http://www.incredibleseeds.ca/">Incredible Seeds </a>and <a href="http://www.rareseeds.com/">Baker Creek seeds</a> and been very happy with everything we've grown from them. It does take more preparation and planning, but if you're not quite that committed or perhaps some of your seeds didn't do so well then we can now look at what type of plants to buy...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPxZfkd01s8405LxcDkqcaHAOolVB71vv308PgqGUGyolhGbFx81BwerU0xH2W3veDj1KJu0jzduUE5EzonE9v9ig6ifm4L4Tx-ERhx8M_lIB3USH4nZdiieeOzowYblEktIcGoEDi5Tq/s1600/135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPxZfkd01s8405LxcDkqcaHAOolVB71vv308PgqGUGyolhGbFx81BwerU0xH2W3veDj1KJu0jzduUE5EzonE9v9ig6ifm4L4Tx-ERhx8M_lIB3USH4nZdiieeOzowYblEktIcGoEDi5Tq/s640/135.JPG" /></a></div>
So buying a plant you want to ask the grower about its seed and growing conditions. What type of seed-- heirloom? Organic? was it GMO? If you are buying your plants from any big box stores then we can just assume it was a gmo seed. These plants will grow bigger and faster but that's not always a good thing. Sometimes though, this is your only option so now that you have your plant, raise it organically. Try not to treat the plants and use organic compost and manure to help it grow rather then something like miracle grow. Better yet, look around on craigslist or ask some gardening friends if they have any extra you can purchase for them. Another option is to look for an organic nursery. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNN1j9EcduEcssTe9y_Yr7GP68tTUQN6HnTUFNAD32PmZpMqvcRhAIMX42-cF80vWJdSmnIFoynh6Y5Igiul7-ddNd6Q56z9Zr9SNmrOw5Z3EU6lFMRd09xX1w3lLbhtmO3W6dydfRE5E4/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNN1j9EcduEcssTe9y_Yr7GP68tTUQN6HnTUFNAD32PmZpMqvcRhAIMX42-cF80vWJdSmnIFoynh6Y5Igiul7-ddNd6Q56z9Zr9SNmrOw5Z3EU6lFMRd09xX1w3lLbhtmO3W6dydfRE5E4/s640/042.JPG" /></a></div>
Now, let's say you didn't plant seeds or grow plants and let's be honest, even if you did those two things, you may still need to purchase some produce whether in the summer or throughout the year. So what do you look for and where do you go? You might think I'd say the farmer's market but I know many farmers who sell there and have no issue with Monsanto. So even though your food is growing closer to home, if it's being grown under the same conditions they are using hundreds of miles away it doesn't matter. So, no matter where you buy you are looking for non GMO organic produce. This means their seeds were not genetically modified and their plants have been raised as organically as possible and your produce is now the best it can be and as close to what God had in mind.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlDOAx7nxwf_-EV3YHXsJuIeDpa5AbkIOVm8jJR9y7l64Cw1fAJHJ59HB7yxHDryBrD4wbk2Ts8TWPOsbHj-nGYJzonjLps7gAKBwuuux1q2xYC2vDCFGjlg8ur3yR_YMWKdPcgBlM6YG/s1600/051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGlDOAx7nxwf_-EV3YHXsJuIeDpa5AbkIOVm8jJR9y7l64Cw1fAJHJ59HB7yxHDryBrD4wbk2Ts8TWPOsbHj-nGYJzonjLps7gAKBwuuux1q2xYC2vDCFGjlg8ur3yR_YMWKdPcgBlM6YG/s640/051.JPG" /></a></div>
Okay, so you just took all that in and you might still be thinking-- but why GMO free and why heirloom anyway? Why shouldn't farmers use these methods in order to produce more food to meet the needs of our society? And I'm here to say if more people grew even some of their own food then these farmers would perhaps not need to mass produce and modify plants to produce these outrageously large plants and produce. Also, and this is kind of blunt, America has an obesity issue-- bigger plants that are modified contributes to people having more and eating more and it's not better for you. Corn is one of the most GM crops and is used for corn flakes, corn chips, cereals, etc. and do people really need to eat that many corn products in such crazy abundance? Probably not. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxM6GgNMTA2CwnGVCc0D0WcvSoPDx8AXNOmV-a_ETd40VDyKb7AV9qtW4wpElS0x3cnEgWxLENlCPqKkTDQzi6fKxX2bGeEY34i-XovBZRVo3zRWgdpo7jrnM4LPffSKRPgHqQbxiceJVR/s1600/045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxM6GgNMTA2CwnGVCc0D0WcvSoPDx8AXNOmV-a_ETd40VDyKb7AV9qtW4wpElS0x3cnEgWxLENlCPqKkTDQzi6fKxX2bGeEY34i-XovBZRVo3zRWgdpo7jrnM4LPffSKRPgHqQbxiceJVR/s640/045.JPG" /></a></div>
Now, lets talk price tags again. Organic is the most expensive but in order to save: grow your own, eat seasonally, and preserve it while it's at it's peak. And in the end, any fruit or vegetable is still better than a bag of candy so at least start there and then continue to educate yourself and make decisions that help bring growing conditions and seed quality back to what it was once designed to be. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-12702999150469343502014-06-27T22:06:00.001-04:002014-06-27T22:06:14.813-04:00Clean Eating Veggie Fried Rice or QuinoaOkay, so I have wanted to update y'all on our garden but our camera card is having some uploading issues so the next best thing? Sharing this awesomely yummy, very healthy, and clean eating easy to make meal perfect for summer when veggies are at their peek! We have made this with rice and quinoa and quinoa is our favorite, but rice is just as tasty and a little cheaper as the cost of quinoa right now is skyrocketing. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAe1YzWeAtOVlNordqLvy21-QcQWpBtjLDiXhOOC7_UJIte2zrTFCVCZwiwsY747knnQYldwZOyl3i6qorvC727eiqdBrN5iBKfI6AQ_kiJm6k0me5o2xiC-Amqwz8_I8f2Smt-chz_w4y/s1600/june2014+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAe1YzWeAtOVlNordqLvy21-QcQWpBtjLDiXhOOC7_UJIte2zrTFCVCZwiwsY747knnQYldwZOyl3i6qorvC727eiqdBrN5iBKfI6AQ_kiJm6k0me5o2xiC-Amqwz8_I8f2Smt-chz_w4y/s640/june2014+014.JPG" /></a></div> First I begin to cook my rice or quinoa according to the packages directions. There are 6 of us who eat this so I normally cook 2 cups of the grain with 4-5 cups of water and get about 5 cups when its all cooked. While my grain is cooking, I begin stir frying my veggies in coconut oil. You can use olive oil, but trust me, the coconut oil really compliments all the flavors in this dish. This particular night I had on hand carrots, peppers, zucchini, spinach, and some snow peas fresh from the garden. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGO4Wwu9xgrJMnUV6sWuxcuZ5L9QBbsEjDz_KB_8WLKqyPCkCsgZPzslTUZlWAHCLvbaNPhmYC81-GbDBYautII9BFr0V9okK1-bdSDGHbKsVL-esu1f5DNPIRqEj-rDftBq7-r_nYXiTl/s1600/june2014+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGO4Wwu9xgrJMnUV6sWuxcuZ5L9QBbsEjDz_KB_8WLKqyPCkCsgZPzslTUZlWAHCLvbaNPhmYC81-GbDBYautII9BFr0V9okK1-bdSDGHbKsVL-esu1f5DNPIRqEj-rDftBq7-r_nYXiTl/s640/june2014+015.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIbb4g1uO3BjL4G16Ivh6NcVCzb6PEJ9c9kaGq8iB_wd2mEhvGPy1jo-1Aq7R45cO0NqyE3FPpq7otOXeYjF0X4J-Z1CnTRIdc6Y8TzgIFDBz3FrIafQeSlYbcyz63EI1EyDdbv5L0YLf/s1600/june2014+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIbb4g1uO3BjL4G16Ivh6NcVCzb6PEJ9c9kaGq8iB_wd2mEhvGPy1jo-1Aq7R45cO0NqyE3FPpq7otOXeYjF0X4J-Z1CnTRIdc6Y8TzgIFDBz3FrIafQeSlYbcyz63EI1EyDdbv5L0YLf/s640/june2014+017.JPG" /></a></div> Thankfully that's about how many snowpeas we have been picking every day and sometimes almost twice that. We have been freezing the excess we can't eat and will use those for stirfries when our pea season ends. I add some pepper to the veggies and just kind of stir them here and there. Did I mention how easy this is? It needs to be since I'm busy with this cutie pie who is into everything!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMytKLhPQw52ka1CvtgsfoZl08TTs5288at66Qvnxg_wR37K00SI1XQqFSTcUsnmQf55uBXwHeO5Pm2csAJk74lwSw97MTGrP2uGn8KTHDCb5Ayyg8i9F91bo-fhZxPJSdXpILe05-Zrv/s1600/june2014+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMytKLhPQw52ka1CvtgsfoZl08TTs5288at66Qvnxg_wR37K00SI1XQqFSTcUsnmQf55uBXwHeO5Pm2csAJk74lwSw97MTGrP2uGn8KTHDCb5Ayyg8i9F91bo-fhZxPJSdXpILe05-Zrv/s640/june2014+016.JPG" /></a></div>
When it looks like your quinoa or rice is done, push all the veggies to a corner. Then in a separate side of your frying pan/skillet/ pot, crack two eggs and kind of scramble them up a bit. Let them cook till done and stir into veggies.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xgOIBHxfVJVzGGxRy_h1a4WB2HAP8092VbyoAEIlxVnfNkdrp5ozNkstyL8tfrhm7SeRt56rtlbqB86aV_wYFszzOsStaOl3gnH1i8hyOAfIuW31oXrlQXj_6WfhG2pPlaCDtxrzwpL-/s1600/june2014+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xgOIBHxfVJVzGGxRy_h1a4WB2HAP8092VbyoAEIlxVnfNkdrp5ozNkstyL8tfrhm7SeRt56rtlbqB86aV_wYFszzOsStaOl3gnH1i8hyOAfIuW31oXrlQXj_6WfhG2pPlaCDtxrzwpL-/s640/june2014+018.JPG" /></a></div>
Add your grain to the skillet. Stir it all together. I add a nice heaping tbs. of sesame oil as one last hoorah and then we just eat it right up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dTYt3RFV6wXYE-rtf58ez_nARJjVsgXuNG1ysWu53iFduWbfQ2aTP0G97ltgaCsVOCAT4MpFVTU49njgvitefvoemECdyNaWRTxhSr2vQJdm_yHy8twadIyOohT1JrY9X7o5ZIvE7toV/s1600/june2014+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dTYt3RFV6wXYE-rtf58ez_nARJjVsgXuNG1ysWu53iFduWbfQ2aTP0G97ltgaCsVOCAT4MpFVTU49njgvitefvoemECdyNaWRTxhSr2vQJdm_yHy8twadIyOohT1JrY9X7o5ZIvE7toV/s640/june2014+020.JPG" /></a></div>
So there you have it-- quick, full of veggies, clean eating, kid friendly, and if you use quinoa it boosts the protein in this dish even more! I hope you love this and if you use any neat vegetable combination please share!Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-39910207103840892932014-06-02T21:55:00.000-04:002014-06-02T21:55:45.326-04:00Summer YumminessWe finally feel like we are on break... early morning wake ups with the sun and days packed with silliness, gardening, and together time. I've shared a lot about what goes on <i>out back</i>, but inside, we have been busy too. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmADLsypMBg4sx8AlAXTJKClezdFbxoMHWZPh7ogIi97LuG2xnCABFH4rQS7E0SjG6glF13ALURpkwjJ7E66YPHHVzyDWiiR8IrwiyXVFlXg4izjK9Hv41vYN0xv4kiO97uBFwke2zcehl/s1600/may+2014+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmADLsypMBg4sx8AlAXTJKClezdFbxoMHWZPh7ogIi97LuG2xnCABFH4rQS7E0SjG6glF13ALURpkwjJ7E66YPHHVzyDWiiR8IrwiyXVFlXg4izjK9Hv41vYN0xv4kiO97uBFwke2zcehl/s640/may+2014+001.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoY8DDev8nqf_kjMAd7F3dm5LcVoBuuWwclH05BFK_GkzplLwSyLHRRRI-q_P6WFq50kPRnIipHH4tn_Wnq4JVb4sffwR1jXSAT1LB7nvfAWbCILKAUatXpZlZ8wCV8h7z9OkvrrAGaca/s1600/may+2014+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSoY8DDev8nqf_kjMAd7F3dm5LcVoBuuWwclH05BFK_GkzplLwSyLHRRRI-q_P6WFq50kPRnIipHH4tn_Wnq4JVb4sffwR1jXSAT1LB7nvfAWbCILKAUatXpZlZ8wCV8h7z9OkvrrAGaca/s640/may+2014+002.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrp29YwPZ36e5rFiCOL7YkOCKhie3edEdleJ2qhKWs_CE9ymT-kMDPX71T8MveOMjjtF2k3pRThmyB0xMBIOdxkWvg95agzhs55aES0g8UgDUKr_LDRP1Fuzl10k1f9WsL8v8khSFLilS7/s1600/may+2014+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrp29YwPZ36e5rFiCOL7YkOCKhie3edEdleJ2qhKWs_CE9ymT-kMDPX71T8MveOMjjtF2k3pRThmyB0xMBIOdxkWvg95agzhs55aES0g8UgDUKr_LDRP1Fuzl10k1f9WsL8v8khSFLilS7/s640/may+2014+003.JPG" /></a></div>
We pickled radishes. The kids and husband liked them-- but whooo-weeeee--- they smelled potent! We've realized fresh radishes are much spicer and sharper then the ones in the store so they can really pack a punch. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-n1Tg7TE8LMqP1dVlL5-qxxNLd_3eov6kFJy2ZeHTANF-p9P9kyj4_6X14ZXj6Gf5mPZJ1Q2lm2Ucrvp0INRzwldd6NHZHcG7zGovIHExl-iGEqXJjiL83F8a2lwCu2LXLcvNIUWUrJFb/s1600/may+2014+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-n1Tg7TE8LMqP1dVlL5-qxxNLd_3eov6kFJy2ZeHTANF-p9P9kyj4_6X14ZXj6Gf5mPZJ1Q2lm2Ucrvp0INRzwldd6NHZHcG7zGovIHExl-iGEqXJjiL83F8a2lwCu2LXLcvNIUWUrJFb/s640/may+2014+009.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8Azp2Nat6bbrcGsGO_7XO0n9Nd9g8jWoFIUf7BOdetAnAXvNvlq_Nwjo97Etgs_vsvaLdawDqpLeyCRZKGVnMNBJtkaJQy6YpW_MHkp2oQbgiRkavHMXK6SX2rOx_c3IpbaiC-Epp1fz/s1600/may+2014+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8Azp2Nat6bbrcGsGO_7XO0n9Nd9g8jWoFIUf7BOdetAnAXvNvlq_Nwjo97Etgs_vsvaLdawDqpLeyCRZKGVnMNBJtkaJQy6YpW_MHkp2oQbgiRkavHMXK6SX2rOx_c3IpbaiC-Epp1fz/s640/may+2014+010.JPG" /></a></div>
We also picked our first small batch of lettuce and arugula and added in some store bought spinach and tomatoes to make a very yummy salad. The kids were so proud of their backyard lettuce and kept pointing out our red leaf lettuce with every other bite. We added in a few radishes but I must confess, I had to pass a lot of mine on to my son-- they are that spicy. Not spicy hot... just spicy flavorful spicy if that makes sense...
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3x0DFd7J_QPDC_lkbwFLVmNwuZ-NXmjtimD19GIc3k9WinuJgcLUuIqcSKLzudHqoZnLtxabFueXIXVa4iHL5omBDKNlz5ccftzu83JjRrQypBjV8Zs5aaG3Djg6oNJhHlMUihGMcc6G/s1600/may+2014+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3x0DFd7J_QPDC_lkbwFLVmNwuZ-NXmjtimD19GIc3k9WinuJgcLUuIqcSKLzudHqoZnLtxabFueXIXVa4iHL5omBDKNlz5ccftzu83JjRrQypBjV8Zs5aaG3Djg6oNJhHlMUihGMcc6G/s640/may+2014+011.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSr7r659PnJMUq8xKjfkZdF7W2hr6_5ioMbJfYevY_WStRSeQ4Go5FaJjwQEm_9uOWh2EY8lgzun2bW9yYM6HZFAiYjvLVPOi4jkx5-gM0mEAXQDpHQpVPPM9isVDOMQCFnnyllYxu8I5/s1600/may+2014+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSr7r659PnJMUq8xKjfkZdF7W2hr6_5ioMbJfYevY_WStRSeQ4Go5FaJjwQEm_9uOWh2EY8lgzun2bW9yYM6HZFAiYjvLVPOi4jkx5-gM0mEAXQDpHQpVPPM9isVDOMQCFnnyllYxu8I5/s640/may+2014+013.JPG" /></a></div>
The kids also talked me into buying a watermelon this week at the grocery store. The 6 of us ate half of it in one sitting and then I made the rest into three jars of watermelon jelly and the last quarter into 12 popsicles. I just pureed with blueberries and a small dab of vanilla yogurt and the kids devoured them three nights in a row after dinner. That's one of the things I love most about summer-- all the fruit! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXVwOW6CXZApF9_DX2q46d6ypU5D-FRZBwSJviTiPYq4LR7Jd19V-8fRgPN47qprmR1F7XE4yWzmXSTa5Ri1jEjwtpq8Wl5kRFokt_uh1FL3o2zaVSTvxCgaKTuihDXQ4Hjjf6g6ui5gr/s1600/may+2014+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXVwOW6CXZApF9_DX2q46d6ypU5D-FRZBwSJviTiPYq4LR7Jd19V-8fRgPN47qprmR1F7XE4yWzmXSTa5Ri1jEjwtpq8Wl5kRFokt_uh1FL3o2zaVSTvxCgaKTuihDXQ4Hjjf6g6ui5gr/s640/may+2014+014.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvbn5UN0w__AGzcKJAsl3jsF94nyI6HIH2-4yJj4B2uaoK83qaljLo38oblwt_hCKKvsFlPi187eBnvaxmf7w9nMl42HIrjstk0qE5d220RY43CZnfJ5Yzhmj-90edDYINofuyBL7E1GH/s1600/may+2014+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvbn5UN0w__AGzcKJAsl3jsF94nyI6HIH2-4yJj4B2uaoK83qaljLo38oblwt_hCKKvsFlPi187eBnvaxmf7w9nMl42HIrjstk0qE5d220RY43CZnfJ5Yzhmj-90edDYINofuyBL7E1GH/s640/may+2014+015.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeGzHd-QEAefIpGppj_OGy44BVXtkkCqQg1Q_csTAfDlOgadxSw5kE9QNQfolhqwpeEE6IT10M4M84_gzWQgr-S4UraqUNB3TEUJPYj8e-f-mmTYYfrGD3VlQ87NDa-jQWxfYdQasEAUy/s1600/may+2014+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFeGzHd-QEAefIpGppj_OGy44BVXtkkCqQg1Q_csTAfDlOgadxSw5kE9QNQfolhqwpeEE6IT10M4M84_gzWQgr-S4UraqUNB3TEUJPYj8e-f-mmTYYfrGD3VlQ87NDa-jQWxfYdQasEAUy/s640/may+2014+016.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBdHj6XWIwD-k2FaSoqyKJhiW6m9UZQGOyZpDZpbsZzQcMKFJKBGJdQ6HyqfVGtcoy3ht9IIg-Q4GJmJSvoWwyNhXNCaRRmZPWg7qrStpUwDYr-DUHnqhVXE4jdI_LMMCwAFcTA-1nU54/s1600/may+2014+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBdHj6XWIwD-k2FaSoqyKJhiW6m9UZQGOyZpDZpbsZzQcMKFJKBGJdQ6HyqfVGtcoy3ht9IIg-Q4GJmJSvoWwyNhXNCaRRmZPWg7qrStpUwDYr-DUHnqhVXE4jdI_LMMCwAFcTA-1nU54/s640/may+2014+017.JPG" /></a></div>
And speaking of fruit, this morning we were up and at 'em at 6:40 and at the strawberry patch picking away by 7:50 (and that patch is 35 minutes away.... I'm kind of bragging on ourselves a bit since we are NOT good typically at getting out of the door in a timely manner. It takes prep work and no one needing to use the bathroom right before we walk out the door which means <i>everyone</i> has to go... anyway).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFPCFDE6z9Mzm_Wh8JvkwtwBpF2mcyuBaONMrWz1uCVuYfEyAqe-mW9L70ACZHcswKYLCdmiwJmDtgq7qP9nRaKKfVvCCUsqJROEqhE3LR018tpymm7yXoh5lw8fNx3334q-c-9Jy8JiS/s1600/may+2014+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFPCFDE6z9Mzm_Wh8JvkwtwBpF2mcyuBaONMrWz1uCVuYfEyAqe-mW9L70ACZHcswKYLCdmiwJmDtgq7qP9nRaKKfVvCCUsqJROEqhE3LR018tpymm7yXoh5lw8fNx3334q-c-9Jy8JiS/s640/may+2014+018.JPG" /></a></div>
We go to <a href="http://www.weaversorchard.com/">Weavers Orchard </a>and they are so sweet there! We did plant our own strawberry plants but are picking the blossoms off this year to strengthen the plants for next year. BUT according to the weaver farmer one plant can give you about a quart of strawberries and we have 30 plants. I'm a little giddy about that.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfaEakBqKyBFSiX_qT4kJtjWDeUbYdbCVRBwJCir4RVPJH5Z-Lv6Enrjuc7gT1p3dqCUOdhV3kJqetPDjDk06NZjQpOPc24HSjc1FFRDRn7atOjq4jalOlhfA8mH6cxw9IX8tApFOGk5u/s1600/may+2014+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfaEakBqKyBFSiX_qT4kJtjWDeUbYdbCVRBwJCir4RVPJH5Z-Lv6Enrjuc7gT1p3dqCUOdhV3kJqetPDjDk06NZjQpOPc24HSjc1FFRDRn7atOjq4jalOlhfA8mH6cxw9IX8tApFOGk5u/s640/may+2014+020.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76x-et7mj77RrgX9BuDmFQvm_JzgV_e7MqBSz6kia5U01bXCSJl5VFmFa0mO09VZTbHttBI-EJOxqWaTt1wX7zQ5TmApT0va6QyoBaqrr6HnZYgoowso3CLi6ic41XwZc7ox6thAZRzSJ/s1600/may+2014+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76x-et7mj77RrgX9BuDmFQvm_JzgV_e7MqBSz6kia5U01bXCSJl5VFmFa0mO09VZTbHttBI-EJOxqWaTt1wX7zQ5TmApT0va6QyoBaqrr6HnZYgoowso3CLi6ic41XwZc7ox6thAZRzSJ/s640/may+2014+023.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg-3Yb1l77UFnokTf6AnF-2Q4gc4-kMA3WWiCaRdlR8m_9GXjJhG09Juu9At3zo70vcr7R1GzMGc7wBWDNwTPyPXlFzJLfpG5lQ3_HnJdfbQMt03cYE4cRDuPJrnQItZgpFIfXHSwPTwT/s1600/may+2014+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJg-3Yb1l77UFnokTf6AnF-2Q4gc4-kMA3WWiCaRdlR8m_9GXjJhG09Juu9At3zo70vcr7R1GzMGc7wBWDNwTPyPXlFzJLfpG5lQ3_HnJdfbQMt03cYE4cRDuPJrnQItZgpFIfXHSwPTwT/s640/may+2014+024.JPG" /></a></div>
If you go strawberry picking, wear a hat! You might feel silly, but we all had our hats on and were the only people not getting mauled by gnats.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaojWvYkKwCbSPDewuto9QyhopmYbufl6mqcO0WhDhtiLuGXHz6UkqnROnQnVxn7nV7Yca5qjEvCJedJ7Nk7M4sLrEsMi3RtJzRLdH2cGgac-j53LyQSJqC2ro2FRukehx_XvVcHoGrSGk/s1600/may+2014+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaojWvYkKwCbSPDewuto9QyhopmYbufl6mqcO0WhDhtiLuGXHz6UkqnROnQnVxn7nV7Yca5qjEvCJedJ7Nk7M4sLrEsMi3RtJzRLdH2cGgac-j53LyQSJqC2ro2FRukehx_XvVcHoGrSGk/s640/may+2014+025.JPG" /></a></div>
The kids did awesome! Last year it was a disaster-- as soon as we got to the furthest par of the patch with all the other pickers my three year old had to pee. And the porter potty was about two football fields away across the patch. I ended up making three trips to the porter potty that day. Picked probably three strawberries due to the fact our little baby at the time did not care to be strawberry picking (or in our case, picking, hiking to the potty, then hiking back, and then repeating the process three times).
This year all four of them were terrific! They picked their fair share and filled their bowls. Little guy ate a muffin the whole time and watched us. Noone ate a single strawberry. This is a personal family first-- we normally walk out of there drenched in strawberry juice. I didn't say anything about this a head of time (shoot, I wouldn't have minded a few on the side) but it was like an unspoken rule among the three of them.
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When we got home and when the three littles were napping and my oldest was reading, I began our jelly. We picked 17 pounds of berries and ate about a pound or two just today (apparently the don't eat the berry rule at the patch gives way to the consume so many berries at home mom has to change outfits and mop the floor a few times... but its all in good yummy fun).
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbP8UNUH_6BRbyqQuLN7wZYA8br6RNR25Jw709BTzKTgvF8MNt4AM8vamgekVzys2CIzcJVIeKJuvYLcH4LJhMBH9Xp70HBCtEBoj-GcgV9QaD4BFuGLnQapfCR2sVqDHWwGhC27u_w_6/s1600/may+2014+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbP8UNUH_6BRbyqQuLN7wZYA8br6RNR25Jw709BTzKTgvF8MNt4AM8vamgekVzys2CIzcJVIeKJuvYLcH4LJhMBH9Xp70HBCtEBoj-GcgV9QaD4BFuGLnQapfCR2sVqDHWwGhC27u_w_6/s640/may+2014+027.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7bkRmyCGy6Q5FG5xzvV3oXYDrjDHSleEiRAOJT0AyOqlM7ioqBuak5BpGOhkaNHK3xK7T15kb58-z1EYp3I6Kfx8bLcqPgpwkcyYB3VXB0Re5jhCbcBDa0X-9r_mrrboBgWK4d-A1jeK/s1600/may+2014+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7bkRmyCGy6Q5FG5xzvV3oXYDrjDHSleEiRAOJT0AyOqlM7ioqBuak5BpGOhkaNHK3xK7T15kb58-z1EYp3I6Kfx8bLcqPgpwkcyYB3VXB0Re5jhCbcBDa0X-9r_mrrboBgWK4d-A1jeK/s640/may+2014+028.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJMs11n6KdtnrJWR-u72Xefcwj4fq7-hFxBrcrndPgIA71wG-glRN0wJKjz8VVuPoJixksTcfhbJNbwCfp5QZsiDLAjLOWgeUWCFVDJlQosvUYEr2qw7VnkE4no2GPSQ0GM7WvmZ9g8Aa/s1600/may+2014+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJMs11n6KdtnrJWR-u72Xefcwj4fq7-hFxBrcrndPgIA71wG-glRN0wJKjz8VVuPoJixksTcfhbJNbwCfp5QZsiDLAjLOWgeUWCFVDJlQosvUYEr2qw7VnkE4no2GPSQ0GM7WvmZ9g8Aa/s640/may+2014+029.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmL1vaG8nHdcwVX5sbpQ1icJ8Ql5gMy05RTSTv-F9daGJqvveCBi9LPB_JJRj4OdaH2tgR1BAbHSI0Mitp-8TwMSeyun777lQTh5fDdedMO91nGK4ARFmlx-acOg21_lldGERb8d3uP4Q/s1600/may+2014+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmL1vaG8nHdcwVX5sbpQ1icJ8Ql5gMy05RTSTv-F9daGJqvveCBi9LPB_JJRj4OdaH2tgR1BAbHSI0Mitp-8TwMSeyun777lQTh5fDdedMO91nGK4ARFmlx-acOg21_lldGERb8d3uP4Q/s640/may+2014+030.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_ajl5kuQkoeY-_qIzKmmapK3OabKQt18JULBhKcprjanO5u0_n1Nlm3o1Dx4uu9zCHTsFc-k42R2wSRn9IP9Zw9ZchE73FCuPCRrHt3mzQ2MsBaQUkeOHs-UhitYtKHg4VuSexg417Cl/s1600/may+2014+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_ajl5kuQkoeY-_qIzKmmapK3OabKQt18JULBhKcprjanO5u0_n1Nlm3o1Dx4uu9zCHTsFc-k42R2wSRn9IP9Zw9ZchE73FCuPCRrHt3mzQ2MsBaQUkeOHs-UhitYtKHg4VuSexg417Cl/s640/may+2014+031.JPG" /></a></div>
After three batches and several diversions we got our years supply of strawberry jam in 20 various jar sizes.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG8Wq55MSOAu4iMNEhOE4hhgHn0cEyATqZewK-k6XYcIhV5OQU495yJ8px1DJeyqctASvhitR86kkamtR83mxbsbZ_BEszJNoXJ7OPCVfeYsUIS33pG95umjiYwJ8klb_9x6YVKlwTS9Hu/s1600/may+2014+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG8Wq55MSOAu4iMNEhOE4hhgHn0cEyATqZewK-k6XYcIhV5OQU495yJ8px1DJeyqctASvhitR86kkamtR83mxbsbZ_BEszJNoXJ7OPCVfeYsUIS33pG95umjiYwJ8klb_9x6YVKlwTS9Hu/s640/may+2014+032.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-awmW_cDvS8mtsg8e4G9NaXHyxMODA8xoJXDErMN96twefV_B91ST0FjcS3W9tXt-hr59TTGeBuyezyYrtIE5WD7DvjsxTDhVKgB72CzClaPSZx0z5ClNkrSTKKo3le075zvZ-Nr7o0lX/s1600/may+2014+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-awmW_cDvS8mtsg8e4G9NaXHyxMODA8xoJXDErMN96twefV_B91ST0FjcS3W9tXt-hr59TTGeBuyezyYrtIE5WD7DvjsxTDhVKgB72CzClaPSZx0z5ClNkrSTKKo3le075zvZ-Nr7o0lX/s640/may+2014+033.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7c1YBXOt7UNz-3gPxyvv1jixquZ6XmUh2pih8zYGUgpqrK1cN81ry6wylXFGwyrgEBUGZaTDB-qafH3Ywl1dXm0gM8Yu9UWJl-gcgev00O3O24OMvFUgf-AK7gywiwlyu08CcD3A4qj4f/s1600/may+2014+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7c1YBXOt7UNz-3gPxyvv1jixquZ6XmUh2pih8zYGUgpqrK1cN81ry6wylXFGwyrgEBUGZaTDB-qafH3Ywl1dXm0gM8Yu9UWJl-gcgev00O3O24OMvFUgf-AK7gywiwlyu08CcD3A4qj4f/s640/may+2014+035.JPG" /></a></div>
I can also tell its summer because we fall into bed at dusk exhausted, but filled with summer fun and yumminess.Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-16359561221735911482014-05-28T20:45:00.001-04:002014-05-28T20:45:15.108-04:00My Mom's Macaroni and Cheese-- Healthified!! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQmq7IfmdTWffn1bImg892wczQLKTT1_vsdvyOpo6tqP18_HY0ZrRAdHh9azG9TCW55Y76tJpZSY7NNTenJJOLCeRtSAbnXtvwFJgEwmWBTf_V-FDlqXydA0-x_w7V4kTEZu6JY1ehZ8y/s1600/moms+mac+n+cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQmq7IfmdTWffn1bImg892wczQLKTT1_vsdvyOpo6tqP18_HY0ZrRAdHh9azG9TCW55Y76tJpZSY7NNTenJJOLCeRtSAbnXtvwFJgEwmWBTf_V-FDlqXydA0-x_w7V4kTEZu6JY1ehZ8y/s640/moms+mac+n+cheese.jpg" /></a></div>
I'm going to tell you something and just give it to you straight: My mom makes <strike>the best </strike>the most incredible mac n' cheese in the world! Back in the day when I was a tyke there was a church covered dish dinner. As the story goes, my dad stood up to share something and ended up going on and on about how good my mom's mac n' cheese was. I was in the crowd thinking, "well, of course it is!" My mom was in the crowd mortified. She never made it for the church again-- but lucky for us 4 kids, she kept making it almost weekly for us. Seriously, whenever I have a baby my mom will say what can I make for you. <i>Mac n' cheese</i>. Or she'll ask what we'd like when we come over for dinner. <i>Mac n' cheese. </i> There is one small problem-- my husband hates baked mac n' cheese. It pains me to say this, but he was raised on the boxed orange crap and won't eat mac n' cheese unless it's orange. I'm not gonna lie, it did cause some dinner time rifts earlier on in our marriage. BUT, we have reproduced and three of our four kids love baked mac n' cheese just like their mama(my daughter truly is daddy's girl... sigh). So at nights when Daddy has to work, I'll whip some up. It's no where near what my mom makes because she must add some love that's all her own and I also have to confess that for years I somehow managed to curdle the cheese and milk mixture which led to many, and I mean many, teary nights. But, I've got it down pat now and decided to up the healthiness factor of mom's mac n' cheese so it can be a one dish vegetarian meal. And it was <i>gooooooooood.</i> The boys and I devoured it. So, here's what you'll need: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWs3doTPik4C5caTL4JtY6RXYeue4iPpAndOcoEEVRDFyIU3RhZMQAw7F-7RNiRNdqnlTnqA99I8NkaujyqqY-0H4SfvexPR-tnioEQGRtoU2BMqIOh7qA9Uf6Iy0pLj6ddtlXrsluUESf/s1600/moms+recipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWs3doTPik4C5caTL4JtY6RXYeue4iPpAndOcoEEVRDFyIU3RhZMQAw7F-7RNiRNdqnlTnqA99I8NkaujyqqY-0H4SfvexPR-tnioEQGRtoU2BMqIOh7qA9Uf6Iy0pLj6ddtlXrsluUESf/s640/moms+recipe.jpg" /></a></div>Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-87014488971480621782014-05-25T22:50:00.000-04:002014-05-25T22:50:14.476-04:00From Lawn to Garden-- Eating Our First Veggie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36L7jU3ODypqdNrf6SdDdxO0IlXK5olF1vBOg3TIpIHVe2ZWnsJ-yRWGwgugcNoYnOrpTS_ESoJwvHCj0Qv61_SXffqurBLbemYbluXRHoumWeM1vC2Fd1kjyni7xn3P7LloweiV09Tqf/s1600/025.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi36L7jU3ODypqdNrf6SdDdxO0IlXK5olF1vBOg3TIpIHVe2ZWnsJ-yRWGwgugcNoYnOrpTS_ESoJwvHCj0Qv61_SXffqurBLbemYbluXRHoumWeM1vC2Fd1kjyni7xn3P7LloweiV09Tqf/s320/025.png" /></a> This week areas about 20 miles from us were hit with a massive hail storm. We were unsure if we would also be pelted so as fast as we could we rushed to cover as much as we could to protect it from the possible impending doom. We used jars, bowls, glasses, laundry baskets, and tarps to secure our little plants safety. Thankfully, we were spared and just as quickly as we covered everything, we had to uncover it once we knew the danger had passed since a humid warm front moved in and we didn't want anything to wilt.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWJe9kL3Ve_wUXwqJIemh-Hx_BV7pSJ_E8ERHzpE3QTumQ5L1RLYkbWhfOnUDsSXjxSvE8cNKuqYo4Gi9VE6Gd9DWu6ZzEIMHwSUkTMkLcfoE12ddA-Tmo6fL7fHouAppZXOU_IC88425/s1600/gardenhail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWJe9kL3Ve_wUXwqJIemh-Hx_BV7pSJ_E8ERHzpE3QTumQ5L1RLYkbWhfOnUDsSXjxSvE8cNKuqYo4Gi9VE6Gd9DWu6ZzEIMHwSUkTMkLcfoE12ddA-Tmo6fL7fHouAppZXOU_IC88425/s640/gardenhail.jpg" /></a></div>
Tonight as we were eating our dinner out back we noticed a radish poking its red root above ground and so with a little tug up it came. My husband was overjoyed and it fueled his excitement for all our gardening work. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1FKk59H8ref1l-3vt6KDTHaH3PZayg9nJVOarWXp3jSyOy5j8sLZiVTzApNSq8MlyGnXrUjC-nouNgfqg_hw68zSwDG7YjUPMlPzgqU14NlH3gO4NDtoOvsbEv6vf087_ps46rMdK4vp/s1600/may+25,+2014+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1FKk59H8ref1l-3vt6KDTHaH3PZayg9nJVOarWXp3jSyOy5j8sLZiVTzApNSq8MlyGnXrUjC-nouNgfqg_hw68zSwDG7YjUPMlPzgqU14NlH3gO4NDtoOvsbEv6vf087_ps46rMdK4vp/s640/may+25,+2014+077.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicWlKRtrTufMqQyHvJC6kucYtX46zMFAHaWEcyHvlSexUi5FTBxqDbezh0HX6m_x0ycyVNrEFA0h5fD5Sc39evyLoIFRMHpr8WQvzGv5ZWB8QMiWvC-XQN5SPm3TwnXLpyjp26SxeZ5SF/s1600/may+25,+2014+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgicWlKRtrTufMqQyHvJC6kucYtX46zMFAHaWEcyHvlSexUi5FTBxqDbezh0HX6m_x0ycyVNrEFA0h5fD5Sc39evyLoIFRMHpr8WQvzGv5ZWB8QMiWvC-XQN5SPm3TwnXLpyjp26SxeZ5SF/s640/may+25,+2014+078.JPG" /></a></div>
We quickly cut it up into four small pieces and test tasted the first fruits of our labor--- and it was delicious! I've never liked radishes before but this was much better than any I've had from the grocery store (or that accidentally snuck onto my salad plate). <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsr200d2FfnN6F1wGQK2BBsCabjbeBCt9NNi8UcFL6kLSCO9tGv6PdJxHLotq2opI1wVMYBA2TqP99WNfmpDovYIrj35o4jKbiHS4JpS2pBhjxa8vxOoqVPcyq2HkRCfAPxET71fjSPDR/s1600/may+25,+2014+079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsr200d2FfnN6F1wGQK2BBsCabjbeBCt9NNi8UcFL6kLSCO9tGv6PdJxHLotq2opI1wVMYBA2TqP99WNfmpDovYIrj35o4jKbiHS4JpS2pBhjxa8vxOoqVPcyq2HkRCfAPxET71fjSPDR/s640/may+25,+2014+079.JPG" /></a></div>
Thankfully more radishes will be picked later this week when we can get a decent amount all at once to make oven roasted radishes. After this first batch is done, we plan on planting more since they grow so quickly.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECxttxwIMq2j_LXwWyQ-1o-rUoZOcIb0sDguTjV2aQB8lDsg8VOWdgKjpg2uS05GjTLhDkLq7aDnq7rItoDMddXCQc-9ukg8tOw4GvdMahP2a-pyfqv6opPENq-UEKmW7iNaZEfa3ViJh/s1600/may+25,+2014+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECxttxwIMq2j_LXwWyQ-1o-rUoZOcIb0sDguTjV2aQB8lDsg8VOWdgKjpg2uS05GjTLhDkLq7aDnq7rItoDMddXCQc-9ukg8tOw4GvdMahP2a-pyfqv6opPENq-UEKmW7iNaZEfa3ViJh/s640/may+25,+2014+081.JPG" /></a></div>
We also discovered that we have our first few pea blossoms on the snow pea plants!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_R7GRemWzcITWDlxA_MkaYyaVlG2JGXGSMS1CblP_DbY9fUj0U4SAsQutK3zTD0WG1FQ9ptD2w2byl_Hc30xvg3eGIMVxPqVlulLqTA1Z_OlZprlfAGLbYMwztm_1-1QjwG2Cso7KVmZK/s1600/may+25,+2014+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_R7GRemWzcITWDlxA_MkaYyaVlG2JGXGSMS1CblP_DbY9fUj0U4SAsQutK3zTD0WG1FQ9ptD2w2byl_Hc30xvg3eGIMVxPqVlulLqTA1Z_OlZprlfAGLbYMwztm_1-1QjwG2Cso7KVmZK/s640/may+25,+2014+080.JPG" /></a></div>
The lettuce is growing but seems to kind of plateaued. I plan on researching some organic homemade fertilizers this week but would love to hear from you if you have a tried and true one that works.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUiiyX6HkHuGtfjgyMlwZmLPEeZhOIcda06qf1ArXD-e-S3vsuka2dtbOUfggzhwOdNfXzlrI09fu8k4i9k2SnfWY7qbJVa5H5Sje_WodsOSDpIIl-tuHTnmzPfPfJXphLEaIa7M8_0BS/s1600/may+25,+2014+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUiiyX6HkHuGtfjgyMlwZmLPEeZhOIcda06qf1ArXD-e-S3vsuka2dtbOUfggzhwOdNfXzlrI09fu8k4i9k2SnfWY7qbJVa5H5Sje_WodsOSDpIIl-tuHTnmzPfPfJXphLEaIa7M8_0BS/s640/may+25,+2014+082.JPG" /></a></div>
The white and red onions are growing super fast! The chives have been doing well but my daughter shared with me tonight she picked a few slender whisps to eat since they smelled so good. Oh brother. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGtymX6OTD4hMr5yYYkAA2FKGPYwpyjpkI7bdZH6iiUw-UEQ7Aj5n6vW08PKKlqOguzPxWZQvkqliBOEde4UOWHR7_ocg0y9jMzSukAVredTEu-f33c38c8r_GMlidk0U7xInUz8L0WhF/s1600/may+25,+2014+083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGtymX6OTD4hMr5yYYkAA2FKGPYwpyjpkI7bdZH6iiUw-UEQ7Aj5n6vW08PKKlqOguzPxWZQvkqliBOEde4UOWHR7_ocg0y9jMzSukAVredTEu-f33c38c8r_GMlidk0U7xInUz8L0WhF/s640/may+25,+2014+083.JPG" /></a></div>
We have some little swiss chard shoots doing really well. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo5MUPldXNIalq-Mw4SI-Y6U84CaFoRyK0nAl8ftks4D_UP9UrfCiC6aedLD1kPZcfRo3bqm-6xfTBfU56zbM4RovVejDI7QBaXQfKU6N_pRblwP8LuDUM3NOQtLOmW4u9_QrnPwfVfk4/s1600/may+25,+2014+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjo5MUPldXNIalq-Mw4SI-Y6U84CaFoRyK0nAl8ftks4D_UP9UrfCiC6aedLD1kPZcfRo3bqm-6xfTBfU56zbM4RovVejDI7QBaXQfKU6N_pRblwP8LuDUM3NOQtLOmW4u9_QrnPwfVfk4/s640/may+25,+2014+085.JPG" /></a></div>
Our tomato plants have been taking off for the most part. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeypRKbCD9pwv28NPDf1A4cgCXnxmxiaXnaRK6XV-OpIEDvMOiCsQkCZg90XxtawgbXSh7HwgDM0DsnsJNLpRDl4qUdC4oUratAF1mKOZhBRGZD52eTYYpodsDA2Qusm7LCkbguC0mLqE/s1600/may+25,+2014+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTeypRKbCD9pwv28NPDf1A4cgCXnxmxiaXnaRK6XV-OpIEDvMOiCsQkCZg90XxtawgbXSh7HwgDM0DsnsJNLpRDl4qUdC4oUratAF1mKOZhBRGZD52eTYYpodsDA2Qusm7LCkbguC0mLqE/s640/may+25,+2014+084.JPG" /></a></div>
We have three pole bean trellises back near our shed and not all of our seeds sprouted so I'll go in this week and spread out the ones that did a bit more. Something small has been eating the leaves off these so I'll also be looking into grub pest control. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6fzHyTAGakSNHcn3Hr7YXYIfa1B7LYfioZaEk2EcLFnNkjqq7gnZyKuU1BMPt7iWcBlB02KAKmZBxxolxCb4nIukZu1HK9qBEOhOyxPKfY_E_kA-h2DNOYOkwriHe7wJqG9G-5DWhxL2/s1600/may+25,+2014+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6fzHyTAGakSNHcn3Hr7YXYIfa1B7LYfioZaEk2EcLFnNkjqq7gnZyKuU1BMPt7iWcBlB02KAKmZBxxolxCb4nIukZu1HK9qBEOhOyxPKfY_E_kA-h2DNOYOkwriHe7wJqG9G-5DWhxL2/s640/may+25,+2014+086.JPG" /></a></div>
Zucchini and the regular cucumber plants have sprouted this past week also. About half of our cucumbers that we planted grew so I'm debating on whether to plant more or to just spread the current ones out a bit. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5C1Jwjea9SC48U-iFS6AbinZFEpgy-QHewnrfESIPeuvitWrx7B2S1dRaRtvySO2kvb5InAuUNSXwcK1eF5HYVLp9FG-3_5Ihp7fpkgGRKMItcPV4vPnL8gZIN6z8XRl7k4uvlYGIzoe/s1600/may+25,+2014+087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5C1Jwjea9SC48U-iFS6AbinZFEpgy-QHewnrfESIPeuvitWrx7B2S1dRaRtvySO2kvb5InAuUNSXwcK1eF5HYVLp9FG-3_5Ihp7fpkgGRKMItcPV4vPnL8gZIN6z8XRl7k4uvlYGIzoe/s640/may+25,+2014+087.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZvZOMWO1fL5HyqM2-YHv2JJFXqYoqw2LMr0U8gLvtea96Pdo98BXcy3aP_RzaRYyAJF0xvKuWFrKYJntt39_gWB7XIGujqWYOY6Op08KgDCVH2dz8jEFA2kaKvpKvzU9CtLivoP8Pvmt/s1600/may+25,+2014+088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZvZOMWO1fL5HyqM2-YHv2JJFXqYoqw2LMr0U8gLvtea96Pdo98BXcy3aP_RzaRYyAJF0xvKuWFrKYJntt39_gWB7XIGujqWYOY6Op08KgDCVH2dz8jEFA2kaKvpKvzU9CtLivoP8Pvmt/s640/may+25,+2014+088.JPG" /></a></div>
So, that's what is going on at our little Urban Daisy back yard vegetable garden. This week I did get a little discouraged because while doing some canning research I found that you should grow approx. an acre of food per person in your household! Yikes! We don't even have a half an acre of land! I had to take a step back and realize that, yes, there are people who can grow so much more than us or are more experienced and produce greater yields; however, we are doing more than noting. And sadly, nothing is what most people do. There has been so much joy in doing this project. So much excitement in tasting that first little radish. As we drive around seeing very few backyard gardens it breaks our hearts. To think that was us-- well, I'm glad we've changed and been encouraged to continue on. We are no experts. No gardening geniuses (that's for sure)... BUT if we can do this, anyone can! So can I encourage you to plant something this week? Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-72915440589252355402014-05-17T16:59:00.001-04:002014-05-17T16:59:09.754-04:00From Lawn to Garden Week 12-- We have fruit!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qnaAenR0oNjoy0fHlQfUGcwcMlCKNFbXFxrDK256ZbFKuHX1frP3hI4lxUsrw8n9wOPHaPCLfc-hpwrLkMi6gGfaUomevBmzCByiVfXqempjlpQzy_m9-m-KykvMau2S7EzL1A45ZSnW/s1600/025.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qnaAenR0oNjoy0fHlQfUGcwcMlCKNFbXFxrDK256ZbFKuHX1frP3hI4lxUsrw8n9wOPHaPCLfc-hpwrLkMi6gGfaUomevBmzCByiVfXqempjlpQzy_m9-m-KykvMau2S7EzL1A45ZSnW/s640/025.png" /></a></div> Lots of warm weather mingled with some decent rain storms means that our plants took off! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPSvq3r9ZKMoWqMTb9QsY7zZOvhSISXqICcOY4mD0teflpQHrlM6QmgGxZsKxFf4hW6tYxtjM6D21j7xw1PuhiYWqfHzyfvnHN7-bG_SVKE9w6vPjQy7mxWytKYakMBZiOjxwgFU4-UNU/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPSvq3r9ZKMoWqMTb9QsY7zZOvhSISXqICcOY4mD0teflpQHrlM6QmgGxZsKxFf4hW6tYxtjM6D21j7xw1PuhiYWqfHzyfvnHN7-bG_SVKE9w6vPjQy7mxWytKYakMBZiOjxwgFU4-UNU/s640/001.JPG" /></a></div> We woke up to a beautiful morning! The first thing on the agenda was for my husband and three oldest kids to plant our blueberry pushes. They arrived from <a href="http://www.truevineranch.com/">True Vine Ranch </a>in excellent condition as promised. They are three year old plants and one of them already has at least 50 blueberries on it! While they prepared the ground and added peat moss and pine chips, I painted the kitchen ceiling. <i>Finally</i>. My little one year old played nearby with some containers as we checked a big to do item off our home improvement list. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GQ8kwR13OGOzdBHX49K6MkzKZzwP8A6wCtv9lC07FvA0Oxhc1sGYFfZ1iuWaCUPY6r_PseUb1JdL9C6tFh94dQ9afTtR-wO1AKUHpvP5Y3Z0zZ62DkoUXLwB7OjAcs1j0d-gSlD13RjL/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7GQ8kwR13OGOzdBHX49K6MkzKZzwP8A6wCtv9lC07FvA0Oxhc1sGYFfZ1iuWaCUPY6r_PseUb1JdL9C6tFh94dQ9afTtR-wO1AKUHpvP5Y3Z0zZ62DkoUXLwB7OjAcs1j0d-gSlD13RjL/s640/002.JPG" /></a></div> After we finished painting and my little guy went down for his morning nap, I headed out back to join the others. I showed my daughter how to hoe in between the beds. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11UIj2zQBYgSSIKyAT-lHVWPUhwzM7g6FgDgFzXslvW13QJbxGsLvAZrG0T39wfuAl1tBdUCrvHSZp3yCU5yYHRptPDHpNDQm-JDjGWkV2IN1zTVAcqEFAPekqgBV00Ebpxddw4mFcQ4U/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11UIj2zQBYgSSIKyAT-lHVWPUhwzM7g6FgDgFzXslvW13QJbxGsLvAZrG0T39wfuAl1tBdUCrvHSZp3yCU5yYHRptPDHpNDQm-JDjGWkV2IN1zTVAcqEFAPekqgBV00Ebpxddw4mFcQ4U/s640/006.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvgH0Rch-yrmnNO4pkFOzgjaTAgX52akVH1AaXljdXRyOealHrjzTGDQecS4pmxhh4e-J2zvqUdcw-6ATUoEGQrrWgdH_mIeSk-6Mnw-kYKMUzOQZ7MhotRVBjKKDSfYa09MFj40lueAY/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvgH0Rch-yrmnNO4pkFOzgjaTAgX52akVH1AaXljdXRyOealHrjzTGDQecS4pmxhh4e-J2zvqUdcw-6ATUoEGQrrWgdH_mIeSk-6Mnw-kYKMUzOQZ7MhotRVBjKKDSfYa09MFj40lueAY/s640/003.JPG" /></a></div> Our peas are growing nice and tall. We have homeschooling friends down in Virginia who harvested their first pea this week so hopefully in a few weeks we will join them! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2sn_AdO1mMuODcJCctSIlvMANxQIsI3LsuUtlM0dxXHkWY5aLZro-v6fyHr-7sN5Xm9C04wfZi-zrQBGfEQlhl3H1ze_D48ySOEaYqcUJcow55ZJLstSk-9RA3Xixm1jRyUYrh5H9aJr/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2sn_AdO1mMuODcJCctSIlvMANxQIsI3LsuUtlM0dxXHkWY5aLZro-v6fyHr-7sN5Xm9C04wfZi-zrQBGfEQlhl3H1ze_D48ySOEaYqcUJcow55ZJLstSk-9RA3Xixm1jRyUYrh5H9aJr/s640/004.JPG" /></a></div> Our radishes are doing super well-- they are an instant gratification seed! They grow so rapidly and we are really looking forward to them being done shortly but for now it's fun to see how quickly they grow. You can also see our carrots which are slowly but surely growing. I did plant a few more seeds today as we only have 14 carrot plants right now and we will see if they mature. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsxCE6ChAN0EtPHaL0RvI_AsTwUqT8AqtMDg5pL5L4wdPZaDi2mtqKhyFFHgZum9W2zGBIrzuNa4bccb1mREOxVHAcbqApQ50ZRE78f9rqW4Y3hS2XNIOyA4mBfAY-_etSeQy9BCf0OW0/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNsxCE6ChAN0EtPHaL0RvI_AsTwUqT8AqtMDg5pL5L4wdPZaDi2mtqKhyFFHgZum9W2zGBIrzuNa4bccb1mREOxVHAcbqApQ50ZRE78f9rqW4Y3hS2XNIOyA4mBfAY-_etSeQy9BCf0OW0/s640/005.JPG" /></a></div> The lettuce plants are now about 4-5 inches high and growing quickly. We have them planted at all different intervals so they all aren't ready to be picked at once. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7UOj2B3FqTL-acEGxtK2yW5m3BvWHSW7JEuqpAuQR6tH4Tt1lDT3ephKI2op5Nmqw4nZeU6tHjtlqPmqOU2WEb-qUEKzDGiQK1IcWGxurHJ6yypGRAZRjr1wU1NQB1_YfZq2zKT-JDwD/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7UOj2B3FqTL-acEGxtK2yW5m3BvWHSW7JEuqpAuQR6tH4Tt1lDT3ephKI2op5Nmqw4nZeU6tHjtlqPmqOU2WEb-qUEKzDGiQK1IcWGxurHJ6yypGRAZRjr1wU1NQB1_YfZq2zKT-JDwD/s640/008.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAyiA_rIgBDj5rM04Dj4DtkJspIjLEADzUwi1soHL6AOLef4gOwiUy0YYbH8rP_FVyLMeO52LFQTZoKMOulZPzrEX4r3tIpijmxopXA9XXuBYH1LdKmYoquHAqKzEf43eKzIxyuKGDEkt/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAyiA_rIgBDj5rM04Dj4DtkJspIjLEADzUwi1soHL6AOLef4gOwiUy0YYbH8rP_FVyLMeO52LFQTZoKMOulZPzrEX4r3tIpijmxopXA9XXuBYH1LdKmYoquHAqKzEf43eKzIxyuKGDEkt/s640/009.JPG" /></a></div> Newly planted this week and beginning to grow are our pickling cucumbers and regular pole beans. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNjMtN_wBpEq2AAbTvJWZnIEISo7c5CirstH0DMHe3acBtGAiWp2B7Cb4HRIjfEOyMfYUTehZfb87ozpbAJh_GA4DVdKdJU-otqHvnqSLGQKLCNxqce_2VX1Fbplq8Kk-nUjuB-B7aWLQ/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNjMtN_wBpEq2AAbTvJWZnIEISo7c5CirstH0DMHe3acBtGAiWp2B7Cb4HRIjfEOyMfYUTehZfb87ozpbAJh_GA4DVdKdJU-otqHvnqSLGQKLCNxqce_2VX1Fbplq8Kk-nUjuB-B7aWLQ/s640/013.JPG" /></a></div> We just planted purple pole beans and hopefully those too will begin to sprout and grow (Isn't my little helper<i> adorable</i>?!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6vIT_7HNdm_3uIGkbYH3VgmJ0bqi-EEIFItRodvw9_7nOMdCs0kac6Nqvm6YSaHVy1jEDu9OnYHnm2nCknHIMnF_5ZmC6J-QsnKbCi9s6C26h8LHvqmkCRnkfGXog-WdeGDuTW2dYL5V/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf6vIT_7HNdm_3uIGkbYH3VgmJ0bqi-EEIFItRodvw9_7nOMdCs0kac6Nqvm6YSaHVy1jEDu9OnYHnm2nCknHIMnF_5ZmC6J-QsnKbCi9s6C26h8LHvqmkCRnkfGXog-WdeGDuTW2dYL5V/s640/011.JPG" /></a></div> Behind the shed we were going to just fill the entire area with new soil since this area used to be stone driveway. However, when my husband decided to switch to an easier compost bin we had leftover lumber from my previous attempt that I never had time to finish. So, we hammered them into some awkward beds, filled with soil, and now peppers and zucchini are growing there. We still need to plant our regular cucumbers back there and that will be our last big thing to plant. The corn also got planted in between the one side of the shed and fence in a 9x5 seed rectangle and I am a little bit skeptical about how it will do. This is more of our year to learn how to grow corn and this is our trial run. If it works, awesome, if not, we will learn how to improve it next year. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuKT5UWByXTbiuBTTUlW36hlnEyuESlus_cg_EZu0raeDQ6dWrCcecgfssrI4VWkH3OoyWBL8HErXRTb1n0T3TFWqF7AYeYSgjloSX6Ju3ZVkcwiGMz3aKd5H5zYYHew2S0UYcwem1yIo/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnuKT5UWByXTbiuBTTUlW36hlnEyuESlus_cg_EZu0raeDQ6dWrCcecgfssrI4VWkH3OoyWBL8HErXRTb1n0T3TFWqF7AYeYSgjloSX6Ju3ZVkcwiGMz3aKd5H5zYYHew2S0UYcwem1yIo/s640/010.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgZwPdLx1QE4avTS0gKL1NuWP0q5ugU-Am84T0verM9WBURj_9oZjeYzwRFr1m-A-LZdJ9A0VxAWI6a5e2bPj9EhTzBFBgxC24-8HCnJzsBDR5W_sm3d1LCWQm7iTdV1uf-sEZBavoTjk/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgZwPdLx1QE4avTS0gKL1NuWP0q5ugU-Am84T0verM9WBURj_9oZjeYzwRFr1m-A-LZdJ9A0VxAWI6a5e2bPj9EhTzBFBgxC24-8HCnJzsBDR5W_sm3d1LCWQm7iTdV1uf-sEZBavoTjk/s640/012.JPG" /></a></div> The three year old grape vine has two little bunches of grapes! The kids are ecstatic! Well, honestly, mom and dad are as well! This is the first fruit of our labor that we can visibly see so far and it fueled confidence and excitement into our morning of work. The strawberry plants continue to do well and soon we will begin plucking their blossoms. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzCLV_mNFQa5exH44BYZgJ3GI4LUa9mQWassOjpRzOzwoqyylMwl9Y6LiofKhWHwmXVDHqAwzLpunWaSiDdVc4CvjWIXxM5Dht9QbHvVSbCYTysSknPu5O2TdEiktkUsc_DMV76Coyf6U/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqzCLV_mNFQa5exH44BYZgJ3GI4LUa9mQWassOjpRzOzwoqyylMwl9Y6LiofKhWHwmXVDHqAwzLpunWaSiDdVc4CvjWIXxM5Dht9QbHvVSbCYTysSknPu5O2TdEiktkUsc_DMV76Coyf6U/s640/014.JPG" /></a></div> So there you have it... lots of growth and excitement! All of our seedlings that we grew over the winter are now planted. We have 40+ tomato plants growing and I planted a row of canning tomatoes today as well, ya know, just in case we need more. We have decided to call our little backyard garden the Urban Daisy seeing as the first summer that we lived at our home I planted daisies from seed and they come back every year so the name sort of pays homage to our first "grown from seed" plant. Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-42698222571402138112014-05-16T16:02:00.000-04:002014-05-16T16:02:20.200-04:00Homeschool Year in Review 2013-2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5nHbNlCfltu0HoGY_FcD1brgolMBQRZhNgPAoyp8HEWQ_zqajpnQrZHRWuHD7sDcJhaE4U_Rs6g0RUguiwLakXMKc9nZHkZzC2hR-xZzpxSN_afy0XgF3iYe4JeKGe0mI7EjLHTyA4Hu/s1600/homeschool+review.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy5nHbNlCfltu0HoGY_FcD1brgolMBQRZhNgPAoyp8HEWQ_zqajpnQrZHRWuHD7sDcJhaE4U_Rs6g0RUguiwLakXMKc9nZHkZzC2hR-xZzpxSN_afy0XgF3iYe4JeKGe0mI7EjLHTyA4Hu/s640/homeschool+review.jpg" /></a></div>
It's hard to believe we finished up our fourth official year of homeschooling! Wow! I still feel like we're newbies on one hand and on the other moving into the more seasoned club. This year was a learning cure-- it was my first year with three at the table and one baby. One very demanding baby. Don't get me wrong we adore him and couldn't imagine a day or second with out him. However, he did have a bit of colic when he was little and even as the months went by there where very many days that I taught and stood rocking a fussy baby. He also took a long time to learn how to nap-- it just didn't come naturally to him and in all fairness, the house is a much louder environment for baby #4 compared to baby #1 (who also didn't care for naps as much as our middle two). That being said I think this left me with a feeling that we didn't do all that we could have done, we skipped a lot of the hands on activities, and some days, we were truly surviving and not thriving. However, we will not always have a newborn as a part of our school year and it was a season. And a lot of times it was a very good season. I would nurse the baby while my daughter did her reading lessons. This forced me to sit, relax, and listen to her. It also allowed my oldest son to become a more independent learner which is something it turns out he excels at. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsnIiWKAM5Bv2UnOpU9hJnj9293LNh71x7ka2bg62EfdTzTDkXUebIlhTy3IWVQvaQTCRs9bS5zciz5Ivb2HEHFRcvvbbj5Vw4Sgs4ad4ipBy6HZgYGxLohZD9qKGvgXiWZQgCE5xdg3Z/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsnIiWKAM5Bv2UnOpU9hJnj9293LNh71x7ka2bg62EfdTzTDkXUebIlhTy3IWVQvaQTCRs9bS5zciz5Ivb2HEHFRcvvbbj5Vw4Sgs4ad4ipBy6HZgYGxLohZD9qKGvgXiWZQgCE5xdg3Z/s640/009.JPG" /></a></div>
This year was my 4 year olds first official year doing school with the older kids. He did amazing! Seriously, I am really looking forward to teaching him to read as he is so eager and like a little sponge. He had his own Bible apologia coloring book to do along with the big kids during Bible time which he really enjoyed. He had explode the code books that we did which he also really enjoyed. To kind of round out his time with us, I picked up additional little workbooks with him while we were at various stores. He generally listened into our history lesson as well and if he could, did some of the hands on crafts that the older kids did. One area we are going to have to work on this coming year will be his speech and listening while mommy does read a louds. He likes to hum or under-talk while I'm reading and it gets distracting. I do plan on speaking with our family doctor about his speech as he physically cannot make certain sounds. He gets a little frustrated as he knows what should come out and struggles with the right sound. Next year he will officially be doing kindergarten/1st grade work. He will advance with his reading lessons and math and I have a feeling he will be like my oldest son who just hungers and thirsts for knowledge. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjB-h4udcniCYKJZxLBY3XWw5XVNvWMYpCDS8FYgeJ1K5Q9PpnsijBIhqrPn0DwqSVq8mCVmf_MFvpRIKRRgM8aWjWFAlzTM4H2PD1rawfWneUdn91E3yFZUORuena4nka4aXuTEjMWBb/s1600/850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjB-h4udcniCYKJZxLBY3XWw5XVNvWMYpCDS8FYgeJ1K5Q9PpnsijBIhqrPn0DwqSVq8mCVmf_MFvpRIKRRgM8aWjWFAlzTM4H2PD1rawfWneUdn91E3yFZUORuena4nka4aXuTEjMWBb/s640/850.JPG" /></a></div>
Our 7 year old daughter who started the year as a 6 and a half year old and ends as a seven and a half year old really seemed to get a lot of help from doing her explode the code books and spelling books. She still struggles with the "aha" moment with reading and so we will continue working on that next year. She did do really well with BOB books and I think I'll order a few more sets to continue to build her confidence as we work towards that moment where she takes off. She has also come along way with math and did well with the Singapore books. She also loved her Draw Write Now books and I hope to get her more for next year. She struggles with wanting to quit before she's ahead and not putting her all into her lessons. When she wants it and puts her heart into her work, she blows me away. Getting her to that point is the challenge. She did like our Apologia botany series I think more than my 8 year old and has requested next year we do one of the animal books. She loves animals and I hope we can put together some special field trips as we study birds of the air and fish of the sea (which means we can explore mommy's favorite animals== sharks!!!== in greater detail== yay!!).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1ZXF1-ziqazOmJ36QXs2MfDExKUVD3OR6cwkbRef3QWutMxVHgWyO_PIRM-9cCkcwtlHqMOk3MYUl9ubOW-yXwZoGfLEKaO7gXCO6Bbjtlze_Lua0MDVb814aqmbMyZ1gYyBoBJh_h_T/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1ZXF1-ziqazOmJ36QXs2MfDExKUVD3OR6cwkbRef3QWutMxVHgWyO_PIRM-9cCkcwtlHqMOk3MYUl9ubOW-yXwZoGfLEKaO7gXCO6Bbjtlze_Lua0MDVb814aqmbMyZ1gYyBoBJh_h_T/s640/001.JPG" /></a></div>
Our eight year old continues to amaze me. He does all of his spelling, logic, explode the code, and art on his own. Some days he was even able to do his math without help. We tackled division, multiplication, fractions, geometry, and more together and my little fellow math lover and I bonded over numbers. That's not to say we don't have some areas to work on-- attitude. If he gets told to try again or do it over, well, its not pleasant. This is a character issue and even more then I'd like him to memorize math facts or spelling words, I want to work on his heart issues in this matter. He also has horrible handwriting. Phew, I feel like I needed to get that of my chest, BUT next year, he will probably have a few books to help us really get it under control and more legible. We will also be adding in a foreign language and hopefully getting back to music lesson(sadly, this was one thing that we let go as we learned to manage a household of 6 and just adjust).<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIihTkoqJ42t8ctoo5dbkdbcklvaelXuz9yA7e81P1-STETdiLhmuzPRPgHQZOZY93Rpx1_b-k2r_tMXtEeNGfPXa5pEnoZLqtaKRZ2zVdMIYy0CNokbH6mWa7OYQ9Y7k7FdPsxJJltkTG/s1600/030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIihTkoqJ42t8ctoo5dbkdbcklvaelXuz9yA7e81P1-STETdiLhmuzPRPgHQZOZY93Rpx1_b-k2r_tMXtEeNGfPXa5pEnoZLqtaKRZ2zVdMIYy0CNokbH6mWa7OYQ9Y7k7FdPsxJJltkTG/s640/030.JPG" /></a></div>
For me personally, this was a tough year. The baby still doesn't sleep through the night which means I don't sleep through the night. We also had a rough flu in march, kitchen makeover in November, and a long snowed in winter. It left me feeling a little more emotionally raw if that makes sense and I'm thankful that this was the first year I did a Bible study at our church. It wasn't always easy to get too, but I sure did need that. It was our first year without a TV in the home and I loved it! I feel like the kids haven't missed it, my husband and I have grown closer together, and now I wonder when we had the time before. I also had to let myself off the hook== I couldn't do it all and didn't plan as well for the year as I coulda shoulda would have. This next year I prayed about it and instead of beginning in July, we won't start back up again until August. After a lot of prayer and talking it over with my husband, once we made the decision I felt so much peace about our next year. I am going to use the extra time to prepare-- I mean really prepare. Have copies of history tests all made in advance, daily activity boxes for probably all four kids but at least the younger two, a workable schedule, art projects prepared in advance, and hopefully, an entire first floor of our house mini makeover. Since I work from home and have my desk in our main room, our school area, and our first floor play area as well as dining room all together-- we need to just get a system that works a little better. Our plan is to get a newer computer table that could possibly fit two computers in the future, replace our coffee table with an ikea expedia shelving unit, and repaint the room. We have grown as a family and spend so much time in this room and we'd like to make it work better for us all. Getting rid of the coffee table will open up play space and changing our desk situation along that wall will allow us to store more things neatly and effectively. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oXJigAl8Loo-kxgV-CjWcOsi-py9mFZbh5l65ivWL2r8Iaqcto-9bOchOGYv5DgvGdHCsYClu8wxU976o4_miQXOx491Rm-nSE4eP9JoDB0wBhtbXeQU-RK5p3P4LujFhgHTXGfsCZkq/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oXJigAl8Loo-kxgV-CjWcOsi-py9mFZbh5l65ivWL2r8Iaqcto-9bOchOGYv5DgvGdHCsYClu8wxU976o4_miQXOx491Rm-nSE4eP9JoDB0wBhtbXeQU-RK5p3P4LujFhgHTXGfsCZkq/s640/008.JPG" /></a></div>
What we loved about this year: BOB books, explode the code, Draw Write Now, Spellwell, Singapore math, and mystery of history. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcpAzEFVTVI440ID1chOYzAuA_p1WmCZ4xRVDHufWFvcnO2Dsd6AQLf_LwMYuo58ihFkAXuKCBttHpj4kW-lzUS-4q894RH3nSI_EUlTBzORH-gSnS6_fYb7CR2w0hyphenhyphen2dBAdeEYKuAiZZ/s1600/086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcpAzEFVTVI440ID1chOYzAuA_p1WmCZ4xRVDHufWFvcnO2Dsd6AQLf_LwMYuo58ihFkAXuKCBttHpj4kW-lzUS-4q894RH3nSI_EUlTBzORH-gSnS6_fYb7CR2w0hyphenhyphen2dBAdeEYKuAiZZ/s640/086.JPG" /></a></div>
We were kind of meh about botany-- it was really detailed and not that that's a bad thing but I think sometimes they kind of couldn't really grasp one or two concrete things since so many facts and terms were coming at them. I also liked our notebooks from the year before for astronomy a bit better. Also, apologias Bible was awesome, but next year I'm on the lookout for something that will cater to a 5-9 year old a bit more. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sgn9RI9AWvFjF1FO6YTkO779EPEyT7YIomxT2THIjwrlivKJeXxNit5JK-pcQ7bbzeRkyAiV7V1nsVMlOZwpeD9U9Lc8QKBcv-Dom0tWMSRQp4hFTlQ9oLKqmb8duj2JC78AIIgPH3v4/s1600/089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7sgn9RI9AWvFjF1FO6YTkO779EPEyT7YIomxT2THIjwrlivKJeXxNit5JK-pcQ7bbzeRkyAiV7V1nsVMlOZwpeD9U9Lc8QKBcv-Dom0tWMSRQp4hFTlQ9oLKqmb8duj2JC78AIIgPH3v4/s640/089.JPG" /></a></div>
Next year we will be adding (Lord willing): Studying French, Musical composers, handwriting, a new Bible curriculum, character training books (we did these maybe two years ago and they were neat and I just found more books in the series so I'm excited), and possibly typing or a computer program for my older two. Mommy will be a bit more on top of things and it's my goal to put together activity boxes per child per day. Something they can do independently while I work with others or even with a buddy. I'll also be getting my 5 year old a new copy of teach your child to read in one hundred easy lessons as this did help my oldest son and a very begrudging little girl reader. I'm also hoping to plan out some awesome read alouds-- we did those the second half of this year and loved them! Every morning we began our day with scripture reading and a chapter or two of a book and it was so sweet. I love sharing literature together. Pray for us as we prepare to change some things and for a smoother less bumpy year. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUInz-ccDp273C8MPxXIBSuz2SaGTpVf7DFRb31cL8wOkngbFCn6HhB6cTkguN74KAaTH15_Z2jmC0awA9B4d8_p_eR2U-mOI7wluGomTtKIPRx6Tzj_L4difKywQomptM_QUXRR915ktH/s1600/124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUInz-ccDp273C8MPxXIBSuz2SaGTpVf7DFRb31cL8wOkngbFCn6HhB6cTkguN74KAaTH15_Z2jmC0awA9B4d8_p_eR2U-mOI7wluGomTtKIPRx6Tzj_L4difKywQomptM_QUXRR915ktH/s640/124.JPG" /></a></div>
What about You? How was your homeschool year and what are you looking forward to next year?
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-73314085119456478192014-05-12T22:19:00.002-04:002014-05-12T22:19:54.359-04:00From Lawn to Garden Post 11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG3-dZ3hV_JEQsUxXh-01ESFI842fnqAOIiGVYrniVYTgiekbb-SHBNE_TjCx6Rxx72vyvVmODWMzH0i5uovjQuGS2PcOWs2LBGj7zWDKrf0KbxkX-MjeV_mNWNQ_KM_qkqESBQZiSGzl/s1600/025.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG3-dZ3hV_JEQsUxXh-01ESFI842fnqAOIiGVYrniVYTgiekbb-SHBNE_TjCx6Rxx72vyvVmODWMzH0i5uovjQuGS2PcOWs2LBGj7zWDKrf0KbxkX-MjeV_mNWNQ_KM_qkqESBQZiSGzl/s640/025.png" /></a></div> I really need to get up on the roof and take a new picture but spend most of time outdoors weeding and planting and then weeding some more. It is very therapeutic sometimes while the kids are napping and resting to slip out back and weed for 20 minutes. As much as they keep coming, if we don't get them while they're small we will have a garden of weeds instead of food which would be right back where we started from. We are trying to do this as organically as possible so weed killers are out of the question. Before I share some pictures of the gardens progress, I'd like to share<i> WHY </i>we are doing this. Our two main reasons are: financially. The cost of food is skyrocketing and we like to eat healthier organic options because of the other reason being that food is being overly chemically modified. Your food travels on average <a href="http://chge.med.harvard.edu/topic/local-and-urban-agriculture">1500 miles from where it was picked to your grocery store</a>. This means to make the trip, food needs to be treated to go further. This makes it more harmful to eat and more expensive to purchase. Back in the days of my grandparents, they lived in an Italian community where milk was delivered, bread was baked by Mr. Ricci, and nearly everyone grew and canned a substantial amount of their own food. I can remember sitting with my grandmother shelling peas and helping my grandfather pull weeds in his garden. Somewhere along the line of my parents generation, food began to travel further and become more processed. Things like kraft mac n cheese and fruit snacks became kids food staples. The way people ate shifted. We are hoping to go back, back to when the answer to where does your food come wasn't solely answered with, "The grocery store." I asked my kids this question just to see what they said to see if what we have been doing has had any impact on them and they rattled off, "Well our eggs come from the S. farm, our milk from the other farm, and we have vegetables growing out back, and somethings from the grocery store." I'm not going to lie right here, I was beaming. Hopefully our kids will continue the tradition of eating better and more locally.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenLr04RU9quDf4At5CViW58ic0Jnw4Kcok56F0FyBFLkIlz9VjmU5oVfaDBqBn_c-UTX2d-l6Fa16m_ot7jDAyCbpuV65_uuD8OyvYkTlv5rbw29P7nJVzxg0YR5nONU3E1CNA8Js8ket/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphenLr04RU9quDf4At5CViW58ic0Jnw4Kcok56F0FyBFLkIlz9VjmU5oVfaDBqBn_c-UTX2d-l6Fa16m_ot7jDAyCbpuV65_uuD8OyvYkTlv5rbw29P7nJVzxg0YR5nONU3E1CNA8Js8ket/s640/003.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4x02vdFW6uUu7EABJXVJDpcwDXgeShwucEl90cHd8kIBvY6D3zJQwfU894UUWwEawiD7Oh9VYw_XsO1v5ZMlA7-Vn2l_4epBCMbHkIrcI4giGD5DztYX5tjIiXCAd3lHFg5b9b_LyyDg/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-4x02vdFW6uUu7EABJXVJDpcwDXgeShwucEl90cHd8kIBvY6D3zJQwfU894UUWwEawiD7Oh9VYw_XsO1v5ZMlA7-Vn2l_4epBCMbHkIrcI4giGD5DztYX5tjIiXCAd3lHFg5b9b_LyyDg/s640/004.JPG" /></a></div> Now, Onto the garden. We have been building trellises and here I am working on a compost bin. Don't get too excited though because I haven't made much progress. The trellises took priority and we have all but one finished. Woo-hoo! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Sm-VbPiyCNlIcwt4wN_jLz9m47CF-C860gV-0LBViCqenKxlJNj8zCgKKA8Om7IuxtCQIbrT2oL0-yETUR7y8Linf4cCURVE6R4Gx-pGhbQ1Y56Z1ByqXLedfPfPX4LopdHwbTPZHMwV/s1600/094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Sm-VbPiyCNlIcwt4wN_jLz9m47CF-C860gV-0LBViCqenKxlJNj8zCgKKA8Om7IuxtCQIbrT2oL0-yETUR7y8Linf4cCURVE6R4Gx-pGhbQ1Y56Z1ByqXLedfPfPX4LopdHwbTPZHMwV/s640/094.JPG" /></a></div> This is our first regular blue pole beans. Very excited for them to begin growing. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_lS-FNDleK9ey52Tz_9ifKiZWCMHlWCX4I9RR5QyslgtwWph-XlZAir4TO1gJcZr-lnonhok3du2KgCO87wF3UNY0rgFmWmPP95wy2dYZ-2RjfcZht8iDlgRkai6Rvf8F3omBr4U17aY/s1600/096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_lS-FNDleK9ey52Tz_9ifKiZWCMHlWCX4I9RR5QyslgtwWph-XlZAir4TO1gJcZr-lnonhok3du2KgCO87wF3UNY0rgFmWmPP95wy2dYZ-2RjfcZht8iDlgRkai6Rvf8F3omBr4U17aY/s640/096.JPG" /></a></div> Good news-- our strawberry beds are completely finished and are now growing plants. We won't get any berries this year as we will be picking the blossoms to strengthen the plants for future years, but it's exciting to think that hopefully next year we won't have to go berry picking. We ordered our strawberries from <a href="http://www.edenbrothers.com/">Eden Brothers </a>and are so far pretty happy with them. Also, our two blueberry bushes are due to arrive this weekend and are already more mature plants so we should be able to pick some this summer! We ordered those from a small family farm that just does blueberries (warning, do NOT order from Dimeo-- horrible reviews and customer service). <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2BhyphenhyphenuJ7ay5MZpGd3-9cItsniZG8A1pYMhQU2TfOVa60LU1638_tWs-ZY2Y6jJQohZiGsjeT1CYe-XOURaCB2f3IhDEu9bL3pX63l9FOCJlJmxs4Ez1SCGnwHUISngqfQ-KtaZ8E3_jTy/s1600/095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2BhyphenhyphenuJ7ay5MZpGd3-9cItsniZG8A1pYMhQU2TfOVa60LU1638_tWs-ZY2Y6jJQohZiGsjeT1CYe-XOURaCB2f3IhDEu9bL3pX63l9FOCJlJmxs4Ez1SCGnwHUISngqfQ-KtaZ8E3_jTy/s640/095.JPG" /></a></div> Our grape vines are beginning their new growth and seeing as this is their third year, hopefully we will get some grapes! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_41hbm89Pgm611oqON0T09mrc9C5ZdcmUL8Z6d2xyoD42RBWqI6bWFBtwykEIqzn-49bEiuvnJ0GygfDZnlT3DZnhRfEJj8qi77C-ZMJVO11qBQ6xu4zrqlerUReQJWREKEpoNvistoIa/s1600/088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_41hbm89Pgm611oqON0T09mrc9C5ZdcmUL8Z6d2xyoD42RBWqI6bWFBtwykEIqzn-49bEiuvnJ0GygfDZnlT3DZnhRfEJj8qi77C-ZMJVO11qBQ6xu4zrqlerUReQJWREKEpoNvistoIa/s640/088.JPG" /></a></div> Moving along to the vegetables, the peas are really taking off! We measure them by which piece of twine they're at and last week they moved up two pieces! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Tbrr2HdYDdTD52zaxt3WOydwUR_MkECjRAWSH60jt9ooQzL0Cpxa07cKYV6F6qhK9beFm4PxQaTgP5YGdoHL3NobpthqEDmB1-WIKSWQ5EJMcVEe1TUB0XflJHmKzQKn1Mqvmtqa80Wn/s1600/089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Tbrr2HdYDdTD52zaxt3WOydwUR_MkECjRAWSH60jt9ooQzL0Cpxa07cKYV6F6qhK9beFm4PxQaTgP5YGdoHL3NobpthqEDmB1-WIKSWQ5EJMcVEe1TUB0XflJHmKzQKn1Mqvmtqa80Wn/s640/089.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNEM8z4j1m_XG4mtqmLlQu2dTJokPopTV1E-_7k3w85jcToKrNgp6oQQoAKeKKyJPSnXriTaQZ0CwzXN4GONQEZtji3kVs50lX3uRkWjdocin1nwbi6l7-OYJkqjRFsdXDIN9EbAnNXh_/s1600/090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRNEM8z4j1m_XG4mtqmLlQu2dTJokPopTV1E-_7k3w85jcToKrNgp6oQQoAKeKKyJPSnXriTaQZ0CwzXN4GONQEZtji3kVs50lX3uRkWjdocin1nwbi6l7-OYJkqjRFsdXDIN9EbAnNXh_/s640/090.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEb_oYQTh8RUpovKlhppkn4sTJ01vWwIcPgTDi2QCrDAjyjt4-EeLThPs-xX-kDOykd-Oy_NnqDUbRHacTpMoeBtv6wsjjtK4S397ueIrbp83tlvY2B0Ug73tn3VH4jcNXoZb6CsTE3NX/s1600/091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEb_oYQTh8RUpovKlhppkn4sTJ01vWwIcPgTDi2QCrDAjyjt4-EeLThPs-xX-kDOykd-Oy_NnqDUbRHacTpMoeBtv6wsjjtK4S397ueIrbp83tlvY2B0Ug73tn3VH4jcNXoZb6CsTE3NX/s640/091.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRol3Xhfd4SxxUPqEt5fL8I_v9nGdVrNwv4BqmNgBTJsbOtfpUW-qrczL6D_cuaE-1Wn3BpcAFiWFjlXbR9jU08FyUrisQd8lSpVYDcXCGSpfiNa48-FWDgH4KojD3aMpnzLsjwlvpYgOQ/s1600/101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRol3Xhfd4SxxUPqEt5fL8I_v9nGdVrNwv4BqmNgBTJsbOtfpUW-qrczL6D_cuaE-1Wn3BpcAFiWFjlXbR9jU08FyUrisQd8lSpVYDcXCGSpfiNa48-FWDgH4KojD3aMpnzLsjwlvpYgOQ/s640/101.JPG" /></a></div> The beans, lettuce, carrots, radishes, onions, chives, and arugula are all doing well. I did break down and spread some pine mulch around some of these to try and slow down the weeds, but other than that, everything is doing well. The radishes were doing so well that I ended up planting more on the border of our tomatoes... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1Syozy2DGrykPh7kJPuBgkb8eFMjIHAenqq43DDVWNWR2ncpZVpvQpAWoBSxo8uw-z7aiWJbBbneYbF9ZNcspn4CZP_C1poJ55y7Baf2jxddFlbVxt6Vw4mfF-6XHbqJGyd92A3jLrpi/s1600/092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho1Syozy2DGrykPh7kJPuBgkb8eFMjIHAenqq43DDVWNWR2ncpZVpvQpAWoBSxo8uw-z7aiWJbBbneYbF9ZNcspn4CZP_C1poJ55y7Baf2jxddFlbVxt6Vw4mfF-6XHbqJGyd92A3jLrpi/s640/092.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sUnxOZSk-c-VvsQhFGlKYmjYW_u0e2PUKwQwnAmdyZ5wdupxxwM2V9x-rQIfTZd3mWaCURKJtIGErqjsmOyaXENN2dFEpgb9G4OvK3VDHDX2lPxJNKAJTaNJ1qB1n3NBvYq1RYTlOUrW/s1600/093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sUnxOZSk-c-VvsQhFGlKYmjYW_u0e2PUKwQwnAmdyZ5wdupxxwM2V9x-rQIfTZd3mWaCURKJtIGErqjsmOyaXENN2dFEpgb9G4OvK3VDHDX2lPxJNKAJTaNJ1qB1n3NBvYq1RYTlOUrW/s640/093.JPG" /></a></div>... which are finally being transplanted outside. Gradually. I've got them under crates to deter the birds from eating them and so far it's worked. I do have an update on the bunny. Our neighbors cat got the better half of him. The upper better half that is. I guess that is another natural method of pest control. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE9P6aLSjy9XD6_5z_n0sHy3oakn5uLco3-Q66XcPBWZ0abx-1tw2QDHLVo-F0gvX9VdAS9_FK40rUI7HMg23sc0xXYEaXmEv9O4UN13WPzcRS7aPMJqsIZ3VBkHmaS1FW3xmlwyZeASk/s1600/longwood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE9P6aLSjy9XD6_5z_n0sHy3oakn5uLco3-Q66XcPBWZ0abx-1tw2QDHLVo-F0gvX9VdAS9_FK40rUI7HMg23sc0xXYEaXmEv9O4UN13WPzcRS7aPMJqsIZ3VBkHmaS1FW3xmlwyZeASk/s640/longwood.jpg" /></a></div> We did take a break this weekend while my husband blessed me tenfold over three days as we celebrated mother's day. He managed to surprise me with a trip to one of my favorite places in the whole world Longwood Gardens by taking the backroads. I had no idea where we were going hence the gardening clothes from that morning still being worn-- but it ended up working since we got caught in several downpours. I'll tell ya though, the rain brought the fragrances of all the blooms to life! It smelled amazing! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjNXwUBIu7S-WL-5d_AU3b_mUZFgJ6jkUgqp_8MXfF1NDOWI_UDcLBWOyiKcIi-mU80RvuxV3wXNLrb8INlKe6qUhF9azGu1pudm0yGgMV7EU8A5aSJsrs0uj9fhrt7sQD_j986SsdUk-/s1600/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjNXwUBIu7S-WL-5d_AU3b_mUZFgJ6jkUgqp_8MXfF1NDOWI_UDcLBWOyiKcIi-mU80RvuxV3wXNLrb8INlKe6qUhF9azGu1pudm0yGgMV7EU8A5aSJsrs0uj9fhrt7sQD_j986SsdUk-/s640/PicMonkey+Collage.jpg" /></a></div> On Sunday we went and spent the day with my mother and siblings and we had so much fun! We took walks, played baseball, kickball, ate dessert, and just enjoyed one another's fellowship.
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-54234514769324987692014-04-28T16:07:00.001-04:002014-04-28T16:07:20.547-04:00From Lawn to Garden Post 10 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLeepDLYTnSixzaMBimK-3Qv4s9cRXdzT7b_Yrmwyp6rEEoT-DhlJk9Ay2TDZnovDBhI19Adb3lwL8V3mKPTjUZILWmE-FrNIDbfjOwvrkWonkyAfuMcllV6iebNfwjh2uZ4CunenhZWM/s1600/025.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLeepDLYTnSixzaMBimK-3Qv4s9cRXdzT7b_Yrmwyp6rEEoT-DhlJk9Ay2TDZnovDBhI19Adb3lwL8V3mKPTjUZILWmE-FrNIDbfjOwvrkWonkyAfuMcllV6iebNfwjh2uZ4CunenhZWM/s640/025.png" /></a></div> I am so excited that our yard no longer resembles the above picture. We have dug out 99% of the grass that is in front of the shed and behind the shed beds are in place, a trellis for cucumbers is being constructed, and a dual composting bin is being built. Lots of changes! I was just about to head outside while my kids were napping or reading and plant some marigold seeds but have been faithfully taking pictures and not sharing them so I felt a blog update was long overdue.
We did have a lovely easter celebration with extended family. What a joy to celebrate that Jesus is alive! ""Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?""- 1 Cor. 15:55
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ_UfaSDxx0HhVTMLYIVxcU9E6uRQzgvEEIIP6C8KzGcId2jc_y4SruV6eGqWyhfrGhWVhFp47bkODdHT4U3OUohppXdvUIYrzbmv4E1XAcKmPWeO4U_U2K7Gn9Q7mx2LOUMnojNCgmVB/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ_UfaSDxx0HhVTMLYIVxcU9E6uRQzgvEEIIP6C8KzGcId2jc_y4SruV6eGqWyhfrGhWVhFp47bkODdHT4U3OUohppXdvUIYrzbmv4E1XAcKmPWeO4U_U2K7Gn9Q7mx2LOUMnojNCgmVB/s640/003.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bYgMQQCvK35b1uj9nrDIT3lOSST7qFQeGEmbIy3HV9hxez6GY-dm32NdjhtHHgAHAeSV7zOpC0Rbol5Uh517abnjJ80B9acfQFWFRHOTzCwHrexNecnXBUE6F6wTfhk9SscDtJL8iSUR/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bYgMQQCvK35b1uj9nrDIT3lOSST7qFQeGEmbIy3HV9hxez6GY-dm32NdjhtHHgAHAeSV7zOpC0Rbol5Uh517abnjJ80B9acfQFWFRHOTzCwHrexNecnXBUE6F6wTfhk9SscDtJL8iSUR/s640/017.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1nubqE_k4kuGSc0_EiulSrep57jjh6rttu-cZCPo1Uiq0DN-t3a8WsEB1o3JrmDMxXtPFlCpgub3TBr_RbKEAlkp51v-xg75Ip0S-HT7W8-8XjbmUiqq5ZQJjTJW3srtRNmimk4cwR0U/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1nubqE_k4kuGSc0_EiulSrep57jjh6rttu-cZCPo1Uiq0DN-t3a8WsEB1o3JrmDMxXtPFlCpgub3TBr_RbKEAlkp51v-xg75Ip0S-HT7W8-8XjbmUiqq5ZQJjTJW3srtRNmimk4cwR0U/s640/022.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtFS55kg6nQmevop39QxUHonByocQxzJoQG_QTWkSXSC-iUnpUbn_mjW_hO4ZurStEPXhX1Rl3vHRX-VI21iQvTjCjovyvzWNnIADL63vRdLtGFVFVIRpg_adat60JjFZpllP1PCWRGA0/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtFS55kg6nQmevop39QxUHonByocQxzJoQG_QTWkSXSC-iUnpUbn_mjW_hO4ZurStEPXhX1Rl3vHRX-VI21iQvTjCjovyvzWNnIADL63vRdLtGFVFVIRpg_adat60JjFZpllP1PCWRGA0/s640/023.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihA56h8WmiY9f77SN96dhlOAtzrW_o-sLCtwQW-sUrgGkvq3BRKtykqsFGxHLPEYB5dEJYNbj08ht1mzbrb29SmZNBTcNZ0lnyQPKqp0PtVnCIoHxGZRX0xIeijaYpNE2YKv1XWQfBAu0J/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihA56h8WmiY9f77SN96dhlOAtzrW_o-sLCtwQW-sUrgGkvq3BRKtykqsFGxHLPEYB5dEJYNbj08ht1mzbrb29SmZNBTcNZ0lnyQPKqp0PtVnCIoHxGZRX0xIeijaYpNE2YKv1XWQfBAu0J/s640/024.JPG" /></a></div>
In the garden so much is going on and being done. Today we were outside planting swiss chard, marigolds, and sunflowers and my husband set up a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=50+foot+soaker+hose&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=3527195728&ref=pd_sl_2heiwdo20q_ee">soaker hose </a>in the future home of the tomatoes. I didn't have my camera with me since I was busy planting, but I wanted to give you an idea of all that can change from a day to day basis. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5sMW0dnejSX9cdNFNbduRACAe2DWY7jknYUmGryLIoWCk2za4CUBm5IS3rG_tpewiAMSIaXyPk22EwgNwTsuKccxu25xXbTYeym5veJB8HBiHHQXrbErxmPOwCl2-KCOkmvehcDXhZB9/s1600/047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5sMW0dnejSX9cdNFNbduRACAe2DWY7jknYUmGryLIoWCk2za4CUBm5IS3rG_tpewiAMSIaXyPk22EwgNwTsuKccxu25xXbTYeym5veJB8HBiHHQXrbErxmPOwCl2-KCOkmvehcDXhZB9/s640/047.JPG" /></a></div>
First, heres my gardening girl putting her boots on before we begin. This boots have been a HUGE mess saver! Worth every penny and then some. However, they can get hot so I'm sure if the weather ever decides to stay warm we may switch to good ol' crocs at that time. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaH0WYoy99GJ20fAQA76gpJ2lqGyZY_GPFOjY1n9911EIs8v8Nhb84onvepIf4bF8WtBYU5YLBf885b_Je6nWMD54LGUXnctC0NYGOD8IwQ-HHWRYdbxVKaT1OPP1HF5iuLqrEU4ohYMCz/s1600/045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaH0WYoy99GJ20fAQA76gpJ2lqGyZY_GPFOjY1n9911EIs8v8Nhb84onvepIf4bF8WtBYU5YLBf885b_Je6nWMD54LGUXnctC0NYGOD8IwQ-HHWRYdbxVKaT1OPP1HF5iuLqrEU4ohYMCz/s640/045.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJ2xmeP-MmqU4dIqak8aWWW_izIDqS2XpAko6Hz1jUHzoLf5eyZm2q0WAQhkztVNw_Xe2YDk0WxpXFce0Jeci6EkdfMA5DqP2DjpSvCuoNztFZ_-J-t6L2cG1Apz5OZf6i5vfdSo0BRzp/s1600/049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJ2xmeP-MmqU4dIqak8aWWW_izIDqS2XpAko6Hz1jUHzoLf5eyZm2q0WAQhkztVNw_Xe2YDk0WxpXFce0Jeci6EkdfMA5DqP2DjpSvCuoNztFZ_-J-t6L2cG1Apz5OZf6i5vfdSo0BRzp/s640/049.JPG" /></a></div>
Our peas are growing and growing! I've been <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/bsharks/vegetarian/">pinning snow pea recipes </a>in anticipation of their bounty! Just since we took this picture they've grown about two inches and this was just last week!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHz6QeRLA8kuIW3U-rAoD86pzrGGRmjj6702h08K1GaGgcBx1SW31O2PDBvT5ImTA6jUQQ_m-u9z5KJImmRbCOz2ipBHinNpUYMHdL_VrH7K8UwkoJ_Euo-3f5ISQLW5NvoHcDv2dhdTP/s1600/046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXHz6QeRLA8kuIW3U-rAoD86pzrGGRmjj6702h08K1GaGgcBx1SW31O2PDBvT5ImTA6jUQQ_m-u9z5KJImmRbCOz2ipBHinNpUYMHdL_VrH7K8UwkoJ_Euo-3f5ISQLW5NvoHcDv2dhdTP/s640/046.JPG" /></a></div>
Our chives are in containers and growing nicely!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TQh-P5uxPJ7lCXl9C7tMs2QrzVLo1Z8czif5iP7EE1Rcvsig2erFiKpjfhaesLVU7GCST7fD04mFcV0LVMocTYo2lj_rnGOvlYDxU57zU91gjVcqt4k9jI6T4y2ksGEoHQ07L7hvss0Z/s1600/048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TQh-P5uxPJ7lCXl9C7tMs2QrzVLo1Z8czif5iP7EE1Rcvsig2erFiKpjfhaesLVU7GCST7fD04mFcV0LVMocTYo2lj_rnGOvlYDxU57zU91gjVcqt4k9jI6T4y2ksGEoHQ07L7hvss0Z/s640/048.JPG" /></a></div>
We also have bush beans in an old plastic tub container that had cracked but is holding the plants nicely. Again, since this was taken, the plants have several leaves and inches of growth (just since last week!!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7_T-kJ9eA02XcZhOdTwJwf1a-l3FsfxM4-OijjmHTLoWjHXcg6a0LwWzkv9FBJFKpPBtSGjdEO21fyMIkMz_dj5ENNJqb5uNRyzw8jqIUZD9mz5kTzAEkd2DDj7bZL0_-Ni3k7Wb0y5d/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7_T-kJ9eA02XcZhOdTwJwf1a-l3FsfxM4-OijjmHTLoWjHXcg6a0LwWzkv9FBJFKpPBtSGjdEO21fyMIkMz_dj5ENNJqb5uNRyzw8jqIUZD9mz5kTzAEkd2DDj7bZL0_-Ni3k7Wb0y5d/s640/050.JPG" /></a></div>
Our lettuce is coming up. I'm going to say that I much prefer starting plants outside than indoors. The seedlings seem so much hardier and tolerant of the weather and soil. The lettuce plants are all doing well and a week and a half ago we planted another row of each. We paused last week and didn't add any more but I think this week we will plant a few more. Once the cucumbers get going we hope to plant some more in their shade and extend the growing season for them. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_kkHvrBN4NZjlcJzWhl15BWkqxkuVmuiHiu_mbpNE7FZ4shLFutmDOhQ-raaKAjc-OO3cGndR9_td0ilX65DEFcBT6gvR9SmEuB7j5KKDeKkjwpG7BIefSgfy4iS3m8qXq_NGxKTBZ_e/s1600/051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_kkHvrBN4NZjlcJzWhl15BWkqxkuVmuiHiu_mbpNE7FZ4shLFutmDOhQ-raaKAjc-OO3cGndR9_td0ilX65DEFcBT6gvR9SmEuB7j5KKDeKkjwpG7BIefSgfy4iS3m8qXq_NGxKTBZ_e/s640/051.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3dWqopWcsOk9Bb-9UfQ2Tt2T7B1QLmg2b_sStQRoR12aWwv6GSIRz2BZrjywMaTEda01ucCcM8gNE6BiZ_ZOWvYPsUo7n9aqgec8pbwIW589ndD1coijYbXMXWD1ZcKd_6aQzIj4Kr8G/s1600/052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3dWqopWcsOk9Bb-9UfQ2Tt2T7B1QLmg2b_sStQRoR12aWwv6GSIRz2BZrjywMaTEda01ucCcM8gNE6BiZ_ZOWvYPsUo7n9aqgec8pbwIW589ndD1coijYbXMXWD1ZcKd_6aQzIj4Kr8G/s640/052.JPG" /></a></div>
We have red, white, and scallion/green onions all growing with the green onions being the only ones started from seed. The tops of the onions are soaking up sunlight and doing very well.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkqfrLf2PeqqBaNLy8j34A8vcq8PyUJy9VAGjBRQ5K9owkkbUnK4mpWC7b2qVobbB8ovvN-1Nmc1XfEQPFy26yZTLp0Q__yO_RZCw-mZ2eI3nbvnpsO9qobtDa5YIzgVbMBpa5HzOUiSX/s1600/053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCkqfrLf2PeqqBaNLy8j34A8vcq8PyUJy9VAGjBRQ5K9owkkbUnK4mpWC7b2qVobbB8ovvN-1Nmc1XfEQPFy26yZTLp0Q__yO_RZCw-mZ2eI3nbvnpsO9qobtDa5YIzgVbMBpa5HzOUiSX/s640/053.JPG" /></a></div>
And here you can see the garden on a whole. We are maximizing every square inch! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO08rV7Jp2e2T-p0dikHWqCnc6w2v_rTQa0LT734TeEmC_IklaWxiqoeHR3VxNX_C-uHzrBSWVLl5TV5GUC_SFUfGvyrlolt4W_45WaLMGdo-5qoUVtUq3neF_0nWHsakfjWaOKGQ8kZ9h/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO08rV7Jp2e2T-p0dikHWqCnc6w2v_rTQa0LT734TeEmC_IklaWxiqoeHR3VxNX_C-uHzrBSWVLl5TV5GUC_SFUfGvyrlolt4W_45WaLMGdo-5qoUVtUq3neF_0nWHsakfjWaOKGQ8kZ9h/s640/054.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh485CXSj3w_Zl5bwScAJiSZcrT0MzBiPqBbOuxjwDnNsiDkz0I_M4Ws465IBQ8cIuIEQKxvOkqXdf28SLXgG0QAqmkb9mRF3Wl01oC7Q6lB8UNc55S8JHtrVUG1IzYQnAVmRq8anbBIssi/s1600/055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh485CXSj3w_Zl5bwScAJiSZcrT0MzBiPqBbOuxjwDnNsiDkz0I_M4Ws465IBQ8cIuIEQKxvOkqXdf28SLXgG0QAqmkb9mRF3Wl01oC7Q6lB8UNc55S8JHtrVUG1IzYQnAVmRq8anbBIssi/s640/055.JPG" /></a></div>
We do need to finish our pole bean trellises this week but last week I played around and made this little trellis (maybe for some grape tomatoes?) but def. not for the big tall pole bean plants. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJH1wMzbXskVZz9RDR8Pk35fosmtvDU2v-flcpMva5Hq1Bhe8mgLlOEjp0lzCI1JQqm0x2TaOXh-WAVhpIml2-6wUDEKi7ltaorkeY38PoxLBr5r67IK3JofbalANhHjqAifmhDBTX-OiW/s1600/056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJH1wMzbXskVZz9RDR8Pk35fosmtvDU2v-flcpMva5Hq1Bhe8mgLlOEjp0lzCI1JQqm0x2TaOXh-WAVhpIml2-6wUDEKi7ltaorkeY38PoxLBr5r67IK3JofbalANhHjqAifmhDBTX-OiW/s640/056.JPG" /></a></div>
These are the tools that we have used to cut the grass and weeds up. A regular shovel, a yellow twisty thing, and a clawed rake. I'm sure they have some technical terms, but this is our lingo for them and it makes a tons more sense! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6mEyuSjGsSDtcu0bNyDgU8aBgpyv13sP5nQqyWnyw_ay6Oekcs4ZAnyOpUxofQ0aiwK2smxmv8KtN2dKcVxUq2mqpu7u7b2uUNscZFLx8FUqcp7y5W5NSVEvNvsHD-9Ts2NX0S1QVs7T/s1600/057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6mEyuSjGsSDtcu0bNyDgU8aBgpyv13sP5nQqyWnyw_ay6Oekcs4ZAnyOpUxofQ0aiwK2smxmv8KtN2dKcVxUq2mqpu7u7b2uUNscZFLx8FUqcp7y5W5NSVEvNvsHD-9Ts2NX0S1QVs7T/s640/057.JPG" /></a></div>
Now, moving on to some unwelcomed garden guests. The birds were pulling the onions out and then just leaving them nicely on the ground. I guess they are beggars who'd like to be choosers as they stole and then returned them. Um, thank you?! We also <i>had</i> a rabbit issue. We put the have a heart trap out a few weeks ago with some carrots. The carrots were eaten and then the bunny disappeared. I thought perhaps it took the carrots as a parting gift to remember us by and left. Days went by. Weeks passed. I thought clearly the rabbit was humane and took the hint and left. <strike>I was sorely mistaken</strike>. An idiot. She hadn't left! She had babies!!!! So, now, thanks to pinterest, we will be trying a tobacco sauce voodoo mix to spray around the yard (completely natural and not harmful <i>in the long run </i>to the rabbit). Sheesh! Anyway, we did tie some good ol' fashioned tin plates to poles around the onions and the birds have called a truce and have stopped pulling up the onions. Score one for us pests, I mean God's creatures.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLkBMfmFAc4ktjf7lqzC1o3_3xavhWY0TfkJ8kb550jeLT41xq7S1USfHQXYFNwaLdrSrRwpBCBXpwTgqKYeQ68gtQgUzYI6Q_iK1rM7FBZnu6Ge5bAuwuq1canrRww9uIfmMu_0Sde02/s1600/060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLkBMfmFAc4ktjf7lqzC1o3_3xavhWY0TfkJ8kb550jeLT41xq7S1USfHQXYFNwaLdrSrRwpBCBXpwTgqKYeQ68gtQgUzYI6Q_iK1rM7FBZnu6Ge5bAuwuq1canrRww9uIfmMu_0Sde02/s640/060.JPG" /></a></div>
As we have worked to clear out the pond and behind the shed, our kids have found this rather interesting moss. We call it magic moss for the reason it looks so teeny and magical and it magically keeps the kids busy digging it up and they magically unbeknownst to them have cleared some land in search for more of it. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NFAXf5gUeXOlUXmody8OAYk-WnQpWwdEyYTbVfMtqd4HHkcv7_Md-q35ftU7LEmmJ7Ii6BVZRUOpEo3LOYtryTvPTBXIqaj68moE1ayfuAHcNo10VENHHf6Wmzp8pJ-Wly9cyzkCXeTW/s1600/062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NFAXf5gUeXOlUXmody8OAYk-WnQpWwdEyYTbVfMtqd4HHkcv7_Md-q35ftU7LEmmJ7Ii6BVZRUOpEo3LOYtryTvPTBXIqaj68moE1ayfuAHcNo10VENHHf6Wmzp8pJ-Wly9cyzkCXeTW/s640/062.JPG" /></a></div>
Our little guy loves to play out back. In the car or better yet, the dirt. I jokingly told my husband we've let be grass fed... or dirt fed. We do take it out of his mouth and most of the time it's from him putting his dirty hands near his drooly mouth... but not all the time. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsVfpH9h5iLQGXW3plq_3vnCIcVrfeGtlV1ihpAMLWeF_PpxhBhWURpLtElQM1DiCPQ981b5HONpB66eRRxQmNDhcnGSN4u3y7M3PjBnh992GeuQ-Uz6lE7tAqBM9PaDwJTf9GLF6c7da/s1600/063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsVfpH9h5iLQGXW3plq_3vnCIcVrfeGtlV1ihpAMLWeF_PpxhBhWURpLtElQM1DiCPQ981b5HONpB66eRRxQmNDhcnGSN4u3y7M3PjBnh992GeuQ-Uz6lE7tAqBM9PaDwJTf9GLF6c7da/s640/063.JPG" /></a></div>
And lastly, we began work on a quick stone path from the edge of the grape trellises to the back gate so we can wheel our little wheelbarrow thing with more ease and also to establish beds in the back.
It's been busy. And a lot of work. But man, its so rewarding! " Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty." Proverbs 28:19
<a href="http://bsharks26.blogspot.com/2014/01/from-lawn-to-garden-part-one.html">
Want to see our other posts, click here</a>. Have a solution for rabbits, please share-- we can use all the help and ideas we can get!
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-32872672177878435582014-04-24T21:52:00.002-04:002014-04-24T21:52:49.849-04:00Journeying Back and Rejoicing in Today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4J2VbWVzE-JrKkKXOtVpyEUu3qMU6hV2mL1C1KctOsoEK4ig4Eg8gChvZB2oB7yG2VkYADWpMSZQlTPhV52e3CwlTIAEB1NhSzKzwhhM2drUeiLumhrDDlQ1LqIsU8cA5Fm3M9hr4GF91/s1600/famlw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4J2VbWVzE-JrKkKXOtVpyEUu3qMU6hV2mL1C1KctOsoEK4ig4Eg8gChvZB2oB7yG2VkYADWpMSZQlTPhV52e3CwlTIAEB1NhSzKzwhhM2drUeiLumhrDDlQ1LqIsU8cA5Fm3M9hr4GF91/s640/famlw.jpg" /></a></div>
Declans birth story for me begins almost two years ago. This is our family the summer of 2014 and right around this time I had suffered a miscarriage and was also going through early premenopause due to having cancer as an infant. For me my emotions were crazier than normal. The thought that while my sisters will be having babies, I'll be joining my aunts for the change of life. Sigh. Even though you try to think rationally and look at all the positives, the truth is my heart was hurting. I wanted another baby so badly but all I could see ahead of us was heartache and more miscarriages. “The Lord is near the broken-hearted.” – Psalm 34:18<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3DZoFzhdSfsze20ahTmXL0Q3SNRnNnMIrmGqMycKTvuA2cyzM1z3Ujs8zTnV2-6BBC9zbHhuwFgkObSY_y2LNFXPIH_-oGeB8M1RDo99cnBWwIxAWu7g8o03qDIFOqUqDw_WVdWPM4x3/s1600/Disney+World+2012+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3DZoFzhdSfsze20ahTmXL0Q3SNRnNnMIrmGqMycKTvuA2cyzM1z3Ujs8zTnV2-6BBC9zbHhuwFgkObSY_y2LNFXPIH_-oGeB8M1RDo99cnBWwIxAWu7g8o03qDIFOqUqDw_WVdWPM4x3/s640/Disney+World+2012+050.JPG" /></a></div>
During all of this emotional unrest, we went to Florida with my parents. As I prepared to go down a water slide lying on my stomach I did think, "I'd feel awful if I were actually pregnant right now... but that's silly..." and down I went. We came home from the trip and entered back into our normal busy life. I was late but thought it was yet another miscarriage and so just kept it between my husband and I. At about 7 or 8 weeks late I let my hopes rise once again, took a test, and it was positive. After a trip to the doctors to confirm what we suspected might actually be a viable pregnancy, we were excited to share right away this announcement: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPqaYlUa4qKpiCbF8fTpHk_nPaUevo4QqWLOT-zoUVLbXvUS_O2nK-5LFvXUbWxgpAcgikzE6ZZg-ezCFK9oh5JzLacyKrMkb9CaU2U0oVJLobdJcMut6D8hi2aZp3_K4nfCzEVRSWgGz/s1600/baby+%234+announcement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimPqaYlUa4qKpiCbF8fTpHk_nPaUevo4QqWLOT-zoUVLbXvUS_O2nK-5LFvXUbWxgpAcgikzE6ZZg-ezCFK9oh5JzLacyKrMkb9CaU2U0oVJLobdJcMut6D8hi2aZp3_K4nfCzEVRSWgGz/s640/baby+%234+announcement.jpg" /></a></div> We shared immediately because we were pretty certain we'd need all the prayers we could get to help sustain this little fighter.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxHG8LwatWYN4HXPXxBa8l6xm313i89mRKMnHFmOlRhk3xV10OtYYAUias2C2JPTUfJ1-Awhz_P88vmClVh4bhAbx-iRsQ2ihvxNMsSH6WEW-Rz1c2uw23GPTLQCOu1MHoExNQSNzhF-g/s1600/bible+verse+with+baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxHG8LwatWYN4HXPXxBa8l6xm313i89mRKMnHFmOlRhk3xV10OtYYAUias2C2JPTUfJ1-Awhz_P88vmClVh4bhAbx-iRsQ2ihvxNMsSH6WEW-Rz1c2uw23GPTLQCOu1MHoExNQSNzhF-g/s640/bible+verse+with+baby.jpg" /></a></div>
The pregnancy was what we expected and then some. We knew it would be rough but it surpassed our expectations. But last year on April 24th, it was finally decided my body had reached its limit and it was time to deliver our little baby boy. We felt joy. And fear. I was so scared going into this delivery-- my blood pressure was out of control. My platelets were dangerously low and so they moved our C-section up so I could be awake and my husband could be present for the delivery. My IV got loaded with a cocktail and my brain got fuzzy. I remember thinking that the room was too bright. I had been in a windowless hospital room for more than 24 hours and I was overwhelmed. I was shaking from the meds. and the fear that they wouldn't move fast enough. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zk4o86CQPzmylFAPpMRlZFgK-lVBDPjyroal0iJ5M76chzEXsPFqUMRidkkraRRx7n5DXSyxgvmGRQOiCLAcxmjsJskq8Hffjf0Icd0DSONB24SV_-zK2qI7LnDONwEA0gcno5kNL8PV/s1600/117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zk4o86CQPzmylFAPpMRlZFgK-lVBDPjyroal0iJ5M76chzEXsPFqUMRidkkraRRx7n5DXSyxgvmGRQOiCLAcxmjsJskq8Hffjf0Icd0DSONB24SV_-zK2qI7LnDONwEA0gcno5kNL8PV/s640/117.JPG" /></a></div>
And then we heard a cry. It was beautiful. We heard his weight-- 5 pounds 14 oz-- and they brought him over for a quick intro. We didn't hear the time of birth. His height. It was so fast. -- <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EQQeuXIB-EB6NlWdFI_9Xg4Jx7vS8JOqwIDl8d_bKCT_cl9dN5Qz_V4N_MQq1U6jU3eR1C8FxEZ9CDMQ4TtUIxmrVp5sOYv_Hkmr8rWqgApbUKpKBsSlq6AT5zwpo2EHqDmel5Fbxt1z/s1600/123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EQQeuXIB-EB6NlWdFI_9Xg4Jx7vS8JOqwIDl8d_bKCT_cl9dN5Qz_V4N_MQq1U6jU3eR1C8FxEZ9CDMQ4TtUIxmrVp5sOYv_Hkmr8rWqgApbUKpKBsSlq6AT5zwpo2EHqDmel5Fbxt1z/s640/123.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojHi5uidoASKsJKVf13sxNYbCKk-I3nKTw-rTPlaagZldKDufykuXacULRYIP2vu9nSxh9rRf4xSabdsF3BHj0jxZyDDrmHKoTmeKJ3T8OsBvsC7bsYsm_93P9apfoeHLorlLDBjwowuf/s1600/125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojHi5uidoASKsJKVf13sxNYbCKk-I3nKTw-rTPlaagZldKDufykuXacULRYIP2vu9nSxh9rRf4xSabdsF3BHj0jxZyDDrmHKoTmeKJ3T8OsBvsC7bsYsm_93P9apfoeHLorlLDBjwowuf/s640/125.JPG" /></a></div> My husband got to co-hold him and then he was taken to the nursery. I was brokenhearted to see him go, but I knew the doctors and nurses needed to get him stable and could take much better care of him in that moment than I could. I was taken to the OR and after a few hours they couldn't stabilize my blood pressure and sent me back down to labor and delivery. At this time hours after delivering, I still couldn't wiggle more than my toes. I was swollen with water retention and my alarms were persistent. As I came back to labor and delivery one of my favorite parts of Declan's birth day happened: I had become the wards most frequent visitor and knew the wonderful nurses there really well. One of my favorites was there to greet me and she leaned down and whispered, "I'm going to sneak you into the nursery so you can see your baby." I just started to cry happy little tears. I have no idea how she maneuvered my bed in to see him, but as I entered there was my calm husband sitting by Declan's little bassinet. They unattached all of his wires and brought him over and laid him on my chest. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cP6t5Yw8fVjTy3lwKEuJ4ge90J58n5-fSYwJP1TmZZFFMTfH9exfxUFKVa8HkQOYLvO97UXlrmEEo-K5DIs_0hkTfLzR7BuAOSaoiNJW44xiLQ1bs6nGylzgLRUf45VUuk3jiZ4BZl5U/s1600/136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cP6t5Yw8fVjTy3lwKEuJ4ge90J58n5-fSYwJP1TmZZFFMTfH9exfxUFKVa8HkQOYLvO97UXlrmEEo-K5DIs_0hkTfLzR7BuAOSaoiNJW44xiLQ1bs6nGylzgLRUf45VUuk3jiZ4BZl5U/s640/136.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39Tm8J0T0UJoDb7wEvS2G3pK0BAl2O6QDAD1sqGhkQ-Z4EUAFLIAnTlTuzjqvB3vEpKwCG9OF_UklewX8vCm6DKGCS_9RywD-doRYKfknReUVAZsVslfszvbkl-x2eo42TgveaKEXbrdW/s1600/138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39Tm8J0T0UJoDb7wEvS2G3pK0BAl2O6QDAD1sqGhkQ-Z4EUAFLIAnTlTuzjqvB3vEpKwCG9OF_UklewX8vCm6DKGCS_9RywD-doRYKfknReUVAZsVslfszvbkl-x2eo42TgveaKEXbrdW/s640/138.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeg6KQsmBgLoSRZYtAEf5yTmchuPE3AGogbkpV2yqLo9sA4-WT2SdcWnUhURM2pPKE5f5bnyG4uUmyS-o8tPkZx3kpD90Wt0LQpDH7R0AMAKgYIlJ8N5yw_bwrcAZiiDt6lSA4-LUUqrK/s1600/139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeg6KQsmBgLoSRZYtAEf5yTmchuPE3AGogbkpV2yqLo9sA4-WT2SdcWnUhURM2pPKE5f5bnyG4uUmyS-o8tPkZx3kpD90Wt0LQpDH7R0AMAKgYIlJ8N5yw_bwrcAZiiDt6lSA4-LUUqrK/s640/139.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98r-fuWLVHT58XnyIE_k3s_jn8jXQsO_cb7kOA93PY6V4P2p7wpxMkqk2EbgAq2fn7hcLkhm_WI8pl0yH-YOTj9Bfs8GisoF8oQ71b2mcq7-NSXXT_GFvZ-eVdGi7ceNQDzWd6b14hFMq/s1600/142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi98r-fuWLVHT58XnyIE_k3s_jn8jXQsO_cb7kOA93PY6V4P2p7wpxMkqk2EbgAq2fn7hcLkhm_WI8pl0yH-YOTj9Bfs8GisoF8oQ71b2mcq7-NSXXT_GFvZ-eVdGi7ceNQDzWd6b14hFMq/s640/142.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72augPfkThpN3mCVZQw7BmtAidpmTR8yrK_ijO0yMdDz9R-SSuke7DKiFhu4lIMNXikzJg__dSjY-tL4MO01-iKCvHIe-YZ4tLwcpNNAZHNrV83caQVW_oxSWkqv5Ymj1zdcrNrCPbq5R/s1600/143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72augPfkThpN3mCVZQw7BmtAidpmTR8yrK_ijO0yMdDz9R-SSuke7DKiFhu4lIMNXikzJg__dSjY-tL4MO01-iKCvHIe-YZ4tLwcpNNAZHNrV83caQVW_oxSWkqv5Ymj1zdcrNrCPbq5R/s640/143.JPG" /></a></div> He was so pink! I was so thankful that the nurses knew exactly what I needed and helped me "hold" my baby. They gave me 15 minutes which were some of the most blessed moments of my life. Then I had to go back to my room and he had to finish his mandatory 12 hours of nursery time. I don't really remember the rest of the afternoon into the evening. My husband announced the babys birth on facebook and reported his height as 28 inches instead of 18-- poor guy was trying to manage the baby and I and was going back and forth. I kept sinking into drug induced sleeps and haziness-- why anyone would willing be a drug addict boggles my mind. Once the babys 12 hours were up pretty much on the dot, they brought my little bundle into me. My nurse helped me to a half sit. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz23l-2kfRoys8Haqn5ZgA5vya0EOP-StQXo8focsjjb_dSxmzMTmhfFG98DiWlpmtr3u3z7XEj_-n6MhvYKgDbjneKP2FMpMjzcqFKZevTO9qDgjkHL7vrBl03b-i_tYNhtro4CeRGfna/s1600/154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz23l-2kfRoys8Haqn5ZgA5vya0EOP-StQXo8focsjjb_dSxmzMTmhfFG98DiWlpmtr3u3z7XEj_-n6MhvYKgDbjneKP2FMpMjzcqFKZevTO9qDgjkHL7vrBl03b-i_tYNhtro4CeRGfna/s640/154.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9nFhOF-fBHvIeojnHIAyXkpY5rSB-A2P7iHoKyJxcncWkstjLtV_2dkF02cI9xLvM0QyV29YsjP91geK-lIMSpjROXwcApz_9Kaz294kIiZO3jmw3Ove4mw1zuzWsoDvsIXEqCl8N1wI/s1600/155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9nFhOF-fBHvIeojnHIAyXkpY5rSB-A2P7iHoKyJxcncWkstjLtV_2dkF02cI9xLvM0QyV29YsjP91geK-lIMSpjROXwcApz_9Kaz294kIiZO3jmw3Ove4mw1zuzWsoDvsIXEqCl8N1wI/s640/155.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMopG5z4YIfQaItnR23ochUxK1Wvqd9QMh-jHSU9zV8MhYBDUjJo30hXXw43LEfq5I2r0bWRxxIGX8n5fzd0ZwVCQ1KsdzhgCJWmQxLMMcbti4yGvhGej68qdEshnaxR1_m8hnot7iQ9B/s1600/156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMopG5z4YIfQaItnR23ochUxK1Wvqd9QMh-jHSU9zV8MhYBDUjJo30hXXw43LEfq5I2r0bWRxxIGX8n5fzd0ZwVCQ1KsdzhgCJWmQxLMMcbti4yGvhGej68qdEshnaxR1_m8hnot7iQ9B/s640/156.JPG" /></a></div> My hands and arms trembled as I held this little five pound bundle. I kissed his little pink face. Then kissed him again. After a few minutes my strength was gone and my husband took him. He really was super daddy this entire day. Just amazing. He changed the baby. Fed him. Brought him over so I could kiss him. Oversaw his care and blessed us both. Then he sang us both to sleep. And that was my baby's birth day. Others might be able to relate. Maybe you walked a similar path or had other hardships surround the entrance of your little one into the world. For me, I needed to go back and remember what I have spent an entire year moving away from. God was with me in some of my hardest moments. And He provided the love for my baby when my arms couldn't. He sustained my husband. And now today... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY9BXl-W2krS5U_a0FNwME4AH3qEtp72EMcLxKAxR-JMpYGOwjBKEx_BHC4ma5WjS68AMj9-K7xpdvbJGSl-HTPSjl2YqMxgVJLEIUEeXz95SWfWtqNW-GhHFA7fZI6QI8rR_LNIpRA-c/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGY9BXl-W2krS5U_a0FNwME4AH3qEtp72EMcLxKAxR-JMpYGOwjBKEx_BHC4ma5WjS68AMj9-K7xpdvbJGSl-HTPSjl2YqMxgVJLEIUEeXz95SWfWtqNW-GhHFA7fZI6QI8rR_LNIpRA-c/s640/004.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nmi1QF7VQ1AdJb-Q4wRf4_LWXiEdZ1INUnBEPiqMPY8amjbWtuLn7evTlQq6pwFdKS73sjrqPJGGSmbL1mLJxNRLe1jzGARRw3siaqvFVnApj4Ay8ojAryk0qNBuvz6DTsLjRyfTi6Ru/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nmi1QF7VQ1AdJb-Q4wRf4_LWXiEdZ1INUnBEPiqMPY8amjbWtuLn7evTlQq6pwFdKS73sjrqPJGGSmbL1mLJxNRLe1jzGARRw3siaqvFVnApj4Ay8ojAryk0qNBuvz6DTsLjRyfTi6Ru/s640/008.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqGg0B1kMbqpV2g-9f6_ufRgw3prsqF2UM1QEceCNUdKYqhiCWF4zZ3Cj7VgcmLV6ghVYyo3FR1HryMQw9_t58gU4XuzSSqkoSnyKysu5dcc3m5XXbqNSfFTk8r21POBUtWbwh_E-x9sv/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggqGg0B1kMbqpV2g-9f6_ufRgw3prsqF2UM1QEceCNUdKYqhiCWF4zZ3Cj7VgcmLV6ghVYyo3FR1HryMQw9_t58gU4XuzSSqkoSnyKysu5dcc3m5XXbqNSfFTk8r21POBUtWbwh_E-x9sv/s640/012.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWhr66i58mt6pF0-DbopyuN0rMnFePgLd29H3pp9Hu3J4VBmLDtAkTCNBk5ww4FpvcOYzGnQEmV2facYEDSYMZf6GDn7TT45wh_PUcISLhyV89HC5geFLtw38f8-zgaHyTxH-hlJUr6Cx/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWhr66i58mt6pF0-DbopyuN0rMnFePgLd29H3pp9Hu3J4VBmLDtAkTCNBk5ww4FpvcOYzGnQEmV2facYEDSYMZf6GDn7TT45wh_PUcISLhyV89HC5geFLtw38f8-zgaHyTxH-hlJUr6Cx/s640/033.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9NS_viesr1p8DHtDYGdA1E3bWBDpP0DQ0X4bS0BBrOlI5W43U8BSEA7cv3B9mvtMObip-mTTz6nZH371uzuy_Xbg21NVVgssmicZruhV1WhMobyg3r4Qe7HX7EVEc7S-G6OJpn4QpZAE/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb9NS_viesr1p8DHtDYGdA1E3bWBDpP0DQ0X4bS0BBrOlI5W43U8BSEA7cv3B9mvtMObip-mTTz6nZH371uzuy_Xbg21NVVgssmicZruhV1WhMobyg3r4Qe7HX7EVEc7S-G6OJpn4QpZAE/s640/034.JPG" /></a></div> Today he is small and mighty. He is my cuddler. My little love bug. Has a strong will-- don't take his toy or try to change his course. So curious-- explores everything and then comes crawling back to momma to make sure I'm still watching and available for a hug. I feel like God has restored the time lost those first few days tenfold. He is a mommy's boy and I love it. He loves it. He also adores his daddy and older siblings. He has been a gift from heaven to all five of us. We are so thankful to God for the work He has done in this little boy's life. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJGlM0X3BXdRez3wrplAr7halHujs1Lb3TBaSGddXnX49XIH1FKTo4ftDQ_ooffi1daSbOHdaFEbGCc0BMnU46Hwbav8_zs-uNnDWDwC4RIg_RVYriL0X3nCJ5BMVK5sumBY5vEynumY7/s1600/declan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJGlM0X3BXdRez3wrplAr7halHujs1Lb3TBaSGddXnX49XIH1FKTo4ftDQ_ooffi1daSbOHdaFEbGCc0BMnU46Hwbav8_zs-uNnDWDwC4RIg_RVYriL0X3nCJ5BMVK5sumBY5vEynumY7/s640/declan.jpg" /></a></div> Happy Birthday sweet baby boy.
Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-62263722090302457812014-04-11T22:02:00.000-04:002014-04-11T22:02:50.129-04:00From Lawn to Garden Post 9 - Outside Growth Begins!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4_MdbeRlhUUwENLqr1ZiqbrqLCJ8wFDfoyMIGYTKIL0cTNEygnrtT5ap_Sfh1UDQR1uAmrE1qpS_N39gw3lmBsC3hBdi27Lo-ShRiIz_nxQFJwDnY-LwZdKMQtKbJoDvUA1rkykIICkT/s1600/025.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4_MdbeRlhUUwENLqr1ZiqbrqLCJ8wFDfoyMIGYTKIL0cTNEygnrtT5ap_Sfh1UDQR1uAmrE1qpS_N39gw3lmBsC3hBdi27Lo-ShRiIz_nxQFJwDnY-LwZdKMQtKbJoDvUA1rkykIICkT/s640/025.png" /></a></div>I can't believe its been over three weeks since my last update. All I can say is that between getting the garden ready and a very mobile 11 month old, I feel like we've been busy-- a good busy, but phew, it's been crazy. I do recall asking my mother in law what my husband was like as a baby and she said, "He was so busy and into everything that I took him to the doctors and asked him when it would stop. The doctor said sometime around when he turns 3! It was exhausting!" All I can say is that our tan children must take after their daddy more because those are my two busy bees! But, it makes for some funny stories for when they're grown and chasing their own kids!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3l5f5JwNOMg6KRkxNKXoJioA31C6RpqlN2MaYbvP8w7TZcSyjkcxofn_yZLoz16DcguJlBOHXF8KIwjTF8bfnIxdhFf278ap7Wa0rjxs0sLde_sIc6h31ofnv_z37twNptME9ZBJ2-vAc/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3l5f5JwNOMg6KRkxNKXoJioA31C6RpqlN2MaYbvP8w7TZcSyjkcxofn_yZLoz16DcguJlBOHXF8KIwjTF8bfnIxdhFf278ap7Wa0rjxs0sLde_sIc6h31ofnv_z37twNptME9ZBJ2-vAc/s640/011.JPG" /></a></div>
There are two very exciting things going on:
1. Our snow peas have sprouted! I have to confess I was getting very nervous since right after I planted these we got a light dusting of snow, but now they are doing beautifully! I did plant two more sections two weeks later and so it might spread harvesting and eating them out or they'll all start growing really fast and even out. You just never know. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbsg0-t5TW6QjGI71VmHSkxOSCez_1qtWG-aHWoUB3S2I2nOymvHkyPyBkrMDnsS4YVG7a1SYSdnthyphenhyphenO89KJAxu7rxtkxHjcF5vhs6MgsQA_qnUhtHmTH_VvXPR4h1WNIBtqHPKi0vCLc/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbsg0-t5TW6QjGI71VmHSkxOSCez_1qtWG-aHWoUB3S2I2nOymvHkyPyBkrMDnsS4YVG7a1SYSdnthyphenhyphenO89KJAxu7rxtkxHjcF5vhs6MgsQA_qnUhtHmTH_VvXPR4h1WNIBtqHPKi0vCLc/s640/017.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAb7YkAU6GEyTEy6nnzLxplpo7CG6_gLhdKv8jkVtMV7My5AGm6IVWW9V0DY5Zcx0OG5pBdBiezdSdh_V3Rk-bhe4Ge3a5piSK2KkOtPuwfVPjdZGe8E6gC09s1M7Pka63WsqfYWpNw1RF/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAb7YkAU6GEyTEy6nnzLxplpo7CG6_gLhdKv8jkVtMV7My5AGm6IVWW9V0DY5Zcx0OG5pBdBiezdSdh_V3Rk-bhe4Ge3a5piSK2KkOtPuwfVPjdZGe8E6gC09s1M7Pka63WsqfYWpNw1RF/s640/018.JPG" /></a></div>
2. We have finally begun to get rid of the main portion of our <strike>grass</strike> weeds. Let's just call it what it is-- a bunch of crab grass and dandelions and clover. I can't say that I'm sad to go because in truth I am overjoyed! We had originally planned to rent a sod cutter but the only place that rented them was a bit of a drive and there were some other complications, so we took the money we would have spent on the sod cutter and bought some other gardening tools and have been doing it by the sweat of our brow. Well, not quite the <i>sweat of our brow</i>, but our arms are getting quite the workout! A lot of people were worried our kids wouldn't enjoy this and they love working with the hoes and rakes and especially finding the worms!! Can I say that again, they <i>love</i> finding the worms! Thankfully our yard is quite populated with them which is awesome for the soil. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMCxz5FEiLwn2rP6qDbS_Ht8uz2zXNooDy-pyXv9Zl-gM9MDerXlT7vn3CtllVsnR5o9F4W_dChsMZWhyQ7-BnOxZAh1K0vtuhMDJ8wh35Qam_Xo14XNSiSH0_8SGc1qA7q471YMgsAXZ/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOMCxz5FEiLwn2rP6qDbS_Ht8uz2zXNooDy-pyXv9Zl-gM9MDerXlT7vn3CtllVsnR5o9F4W_dChsMZWhyQ7-BnOxZAh1K0vtuhMDJ8wh35Qam_Xo14XNSiSH0_8SGc1qA7q471YMgsAXZ/s640/019.JPG" /></a></div>
After a two days of digging, we are about half way through the yard! At the end of yesterday I began breaking the dirt up into sections and dug out a small walking trench for us to easily access everything. Then we planted a row of two types of lettuce (we will plant a two rows for the next few weeks so we get our lettuce spaced out) and some carrots as well. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3fwuBSDVXZVmZWKdi72x0mfdevnmYPUZEXeLbljaO_VEUbHcXyAxHJNg3QtYDNT-qNwATMvcvnxSpD_4wLASwHmDTLoLXP97rG5Ti-_34qJysMhy27qJWfjgc_5FX912uGqeDxqcmROT/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3fwuBSDVXZVmZWKdi72x0mfdevnmYPUZEXeLbljaO_VEUbHcXyAxHJNg3QtYDNT-qNwATMvcvnxSpD_4wLASwHmDTLoLXP97rG5Ti-_34qJysMhy27qJWfjgc_5FX912uGqeDxqcmROT/s640/023.JPG" /></a></div>
Earlier in the week we planted chives in containers and onions and garlic along patches of the fence. Speaking of the fence, our neighbor who lives on the other side of the fence finally noticed something was going on. I was prepared for her to think we're nuts (which she does) but she actually thought it was a pretty cool idea. Phew, I was nervous she was going to turn us into the township and even though we've read through the zoning laws and made sure we're in the clear, you just never know. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRPgE-Fp5CcVwTfq1v1037EnC3BUjpecPrteAvjHzJ_2ab_Hk5fcIeoRLk5IcLMwXghd5h39QqLDBXFiodqAkykhADV_xYN-PyPOqairTQZeLdIXP1nAN-sR74OowTriJdi0hBQhHFLEG/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRPgE-Fp5CcVwTfq1v1037EnC3BUjpecPrteAvjHzJ_2ab_Hk5fcIeoRLk5IcLMwXghd5h39QqLDBXFiodqAkykhADV_xYN-PyPOqairTQZeLdIXP1nAN-sR74OowTriJdi0hBQhHFLEG/s640/022.JPG" /></a></div>
Out behind the shed our strawberry beds are almost both done and truthfully we haven't done too much here since we have some time before the zucchini, corn, and cucumbers go in.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxjJ5t-Jxz2BCRf1-MF6VEz8qfdUzMPO5j0Fu60K6uCcYQ3KXE0dUmR9AKbVZ6nmLCrGClj47HWV-4ggrsYOCZfflX90dne1QGt8bjY5QI70DfikcWRv-h7RE4D9_STPHraVf7NWe9Xbu/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxjJ5t-Jxz2BCRf1-MF6VEz8qfdUzMPO5j0Fu60K6uCcYQ3KXE0dUmR9AKbVZ6nmLCrGClj47HWV-4ggrsYOCZfflX90dne1QGt8bjY5QI70DfikcWRv-h7RE4D9_STPHraVf7NWe9Xbu/s640/020.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRA2-jI024fWywCZdxyRiJxBcdXSGl2kvX8b0evQMNaoAxlLFUqKycOsQu4ZxodjECPQHAbgih7vprq0eQ5h3SFS3l6mawfBhWGOvaM9MOboHubYvqnPc95uyGHOTLgH65sX_NZZi14dCI/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRA2-jI024fWywCZdxyRiJxBcdXSGl2kvX8b0evQMNaoAxlLFUqKycOsQu4ZxodjECPQHAbgih7vprq0eQ5h3SFS3l6mawfBhWGOvaM9MOboHubYvqnPc95uyGHOTLgH65sX_NZZi14dCI/s640/021.JPG" /></a></div>
The kids have loved watering things outside-- they will faithfully ask me about watering the onions and now lettuce and carrots. Its a fun activity for them to do while watering with a water can is still realistic. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLBO9whqiy0J4rSfsTsGr-DG-ddK80hDX40xPwoujhry2MPYWdnERlbznmakUBaO0nU3QKbWfdi1WhyphenhyphenPG3TuVZT5wMlnW9ddkVabed_whJ5Tqw9tD_xWxY6Chvyjb_8Sb6o59JMkbnwzD/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLBO9whqiy0J4rSfsTsGr-DG-ddK80hDX40xPwoujhry2MPYWdnERlbznmakUBaO0nU3QKbWfdi1WhyphenhyphenPG3TuVZT5wMlnW9ddkVabed_whJ5Tqw9tD_xWxY6Chvyjb_8Sb6o59JMkbnwzD/s640/024.JPG" /></a></div>
I'm not going to sugar coat this experience and say there haven't been cranky moments, but on the whole it has been a wonderful family activity. We've been spending so much time together rout back and working on projects with one another. Our kids have such an ownership of what's being planted and growing! When our peas began to sprout we all celebrated! We've also been enjoying finding verses on gardening. "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." 1 Cor. 3:7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88ItI0wipuLlQHWnqxr8a_Csd4nyT6-s9FsRejj0rSEsj3IfKaMKEjDC-wkt78drAYe1wMWeKwA1Y7MCC2uK3xw97uibkr7XqOS57Jfas6H36uiwYEcD1lPL_fSV0COVLle6K4dsTBT7B/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88ItI0wipuLlQHWnqxr8a_Csd4nyT6-s9FsRejj0rSEsj3IfKaMKEjDC-wkt78drAYe1wMWeKwA1Y7MCC2uK3xw97uibkr7XqOS57Jfas6H36uiwYEcD1lPL_fSV0COVLle6K4dsTBT7B/s640/025.JPG" /></a></div>
And real quick-- here is how things are progressing indoors-- everything is doing well except our spinach: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-6-wUPnEJ9auCnu0p9grvnR4c5HCkL8HNK1hMCKpela6ufzYzdTh82o3ZvRk6XKgXaH7NqyUOEL_rxA8sKuXXL9dw2nflS-1HCAnPMProW8Yrx0TGRPuxUVC01oPht7zEYEVgvWNUeL6/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-6-wUPnEJ9auCnu0p9grvnR4c5HCkL8HNK1hMCKpela6ufzYzdTh82o3ZvRk6XKgXaH7NqyUOEL_rxA8sKuXXL9dw2nflS-1HCAnPMProW8Yrx0TGRPuxUVC01oPht7zEYEVgvWNUeL6/s640/006.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkVbvgx35KO7JTUJoV_39HSyL6LHjQLYt_zSoBIW5o93y9PeeaP4qKWQl6S_ELlL6IcL19l2y99-4ZExZdQI3ZrByrNrYTjfD183enhlyUjyJr5t-sn4mLlkzTdMFdtITOJGYAQ1hWL2A/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkVbvgx35KO7JTUJoV_39HSyL6LHjQLYt_zSoBIW5o93y9PeeaP4qKWQl6S_ELlL6IcL19l2y99-4ZExZdQI3ZrByrNrYTjfD183enhlyUjyJr5t-sn4mLlkzTdMFdtITOJGYAQ1hWL2A/s640/007.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VwrzREu-1nIjJjwqjxG_p8MGmFJLbFlV9MZHucctrXLuS7XWi9Rekfv9aMu_lkr4QurqvReGiEYg1Z6fhTz8o8N990PzJNzG_zKraIXhqvZMHteI-FBhGFfMcSwDay8kTvCl_L-A0O0v/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VwrzREu-1nIjJjwqjxG_p8MGmFJLbFlV9MZHucctrXLuS7XWi9Rekfv9aMu_lkr4QurqvReGiEYg1Z6fhTz8o8N990PzJNzG_zKraIXhqvZMHteI-FBhGFfMcSwDay8kTvCl_L-A0O0v/s640/008.JPG" /></a></div>
What are you planting? Any tips on growing carrots? Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5690151281930472906.post-33565429477385961652014-03-23T10:55:00.000-04:002014-03-23T10:55:01.018-04:00From Lawn to Garden (Post 8)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAUoCJY5NfHJFFGOktjk2b3rM_HsQ7do6pPZ9YKPk6xQnN3ESmLjBiVQuZAkJ6VzMATLWI8Q7u2jadeBQwKKz9EFLjhL9YBZUF-Lw_yOxkdc0E6nkvW76jb3cfdE0cOq7zjI1G3IFznuU/s1600/025.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYAUoCJY5NfHJFFGOktjk2b3rM_HsQ7do6pPZ9YKPk6xQnN3ESmLjBiVQuZAkJ6VzMATLWI8Q7u2jadeBQwKKz9EFLjhL9YBZUF-Lw_yOxkdc0E6nkvW76jb3cfdE0cOq7zjI1G3IFznuU/s640/025.png" /></a></div>
We were blessed with yet another gorgeous day while my husband had off-- Praise the Lord! Sadly my little buddy has a fever so we are home for church and all just hanging out and quietly occupying ourselves today which does mean I can catch up on the progress we've made. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxcSOuaavx5jhS97TpSAdze0odbtJbXM4LtAIQLYXxMrhdfSVj71seLqcEAIycUOPGzSa9q9_f8TJ7aQbJEtlhMbvmwH119QnL_6jPAQ_OmjOu18BE2nb9pHH9zgRMyGQ6ySj3qgFLe7h/s1600/owen+napping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrxcSOuaavx5jhS97TpSAdze0odbtJbXM4LtAIQLYXxMrhdfSVj71seLqcEAIycUOPGzSa9q9_f8TJ7aQbJEtlhMbvmwH119QnL_6jPAQ_OmjOu18BE2nb9pHH9zgRMyGQ6ySj3qgFLe7h/s640/owen+napping.jpg" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAXvXrPb3jrfx6QBUHX8eZBB_FepylzAfh69BVOZO0t5URK8juco-Qlvvhg1lm9nZ-zLDffZ1X5vBzctT8m7zkuZT-ElmB1iXSwfo5VCWFys0kHjan2QwpKLvO9mwTOz6cV_yq12dXSiv/s1600/easyerdecor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAXvXrPb3jrfx6QBUHX8eZBB_FepylzAfh69BVOZO0t5URK8juco-Qlvvhg1lm9nZ-zLDffZ1X5vBzctT8m7zkuZT-ElmB1iXSwfo5VCWFys0kHjan2QwpKLvO9mwTOz6cV_yq12dXSiv/s640/easyerdecor.jpg" /></a></div> Inside the house we have put out our Easter decorations (please excuse some of the bunnies missing ears) which makes me very happy as its such a wonderful day to celebrate that Christ rose again and He is alive! Our inside seedlings are also doing quite well. We transplanted our cabbage plants into their own containers and they survived the transplants and continue to flourish. I have to be honest, I've never particularly cared for cabbage before but after all this nurturing and care I am actually looking forward to eating some. I think my kids are in the same boat-- they've always loved their veggies but this year they are anticipating them like never before. because they are theirs and they have helped out with growing and tending them. Its pretty cool. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHnVk_d3KU9K58Bg5COZAgZT4qWbRHHtpB1uIg02yic4xAYTxKH_mAe3Z-d6Cs1LVYPYWzLbSJ3aNUdXQLqJi_yW7uEiZQ5Ktk0VeBoR1TnGpKRuuYHLYzU4NUmZk-9rvTLfJD4gkpouO/s1600/134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHnVk_d3KU9K58Bg5COZAgZT4qWbRHHtpB1uIg02yic4xAYTxKH_mAe3Z-d6Cs1LVYPYWzLbSJ3aNUdXQLqJi_yW7uEiZQ5Ktk0VeBoR1TnGpKRuuYHLYzU4NUmZk-9rvTLfJD4gkpouO/s640/134.JPG" /></a></div> We have had to move some plants to the basement to get them to sprout quickly and this has encouraged even our most stubborn plants to get moving. If you do this just check on them frequently because once they do sprout they will grow very long stems in search of the light and this could weaken your plants. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJfBvauex1eMREDJX59JVhocoBfLwstP3zwnV2-L9f9mIchvsArYB5c06E7WTqzpZHDwPn_ldqDZMLjvN3G5_U83RqmZLQvFOY17L5uYog4Hl-8V7qjAg259roZE3gQnALs_mpOXwUi9e/s1600/135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQJfBvauex1eMREDJX59JVhocoBfLwstP3zwnV2-L9f9mIchvsArYB5c06E7WTqzpZHDwPn_ldqDZMLjvN3G5_U83RqmZLQvFOY17L5uYog4Hl-8V7qjAg259roZE3gQnALs_mpOXwUi9e/s640/135.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvD6tzqTxx-t4RDgojHe70xupCLDn0v7xOQbbmU2GMa_xVS4z_T-1hQ9SThM1vjBTkN9K46snZYe9kvaZa4mkkNvTgIh7HmQA7Tn5VjjQmPNsg0FtEMMAvlk9npMfv7sIzSzSO4lJ53eY/s1600/136.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQvD6tzqTxx-t4RDgojHe70xupCLDn0v7xOQbbmU2GMa_xVS4z_T-1hQ9SThM1vjBTkN9K46snZYe9kvaZa4mkkNvTgIh7HmQA7Tn5VjjQmPNsg0FtEMMAvlk9npMfv7sIzSzSO4lJ53eY/s640/136.JPG" /></a></div> Now going outside, we have planted some peas in the ground and we will just watch them very closely as this week our area may get snow. I didn't start all our peas and later this week when it warms up a teeny bit again hope to get the rest in the ground as more trellises are almost completed. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp40NB4C7YTm4M-uGNr4aQObOcRnXWHETJpUEyoqPnQSbMgLJNPDJORCApi-V2JPUyHeUYZTEzqw5hEgw0osGDl35UJuZEppTEJDbMvEnf8BKAZHzA2llmaHjm03C4NNto0WffQZkBW9KT/s1600/137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp40NB4C7YTm4M-uGNr4aQObOcRnXWHETJpUEyoqPnQSbMgLJNPDJORCApi-V2JPUyHeUYZTEzqw5hEgw0osGDl35UJuZEppTEJDbMvEnf8BKAZHzA2llmaHjm03C4NNto0WffQZkBW9KT/s640/137.JPG" /></a></div> We have been practicing <a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/home/">Dave Ramsey's </a>envelope system for saving up for things that we know we would need adhering to his mantra of it will be a blessing not a burden when you make the purchase and we frugally saved up and sold things on ebay for our picnic table. This one actually was lower than what we budgeted, so we got some outdoor rugs as well: <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7JWOsMO6Ti5rKJN3GvehIzlsUK6XuyrLi2zDOL4iM81AbqNeX_9PhFrnB_aSpFv3fQnWijmXScqyhNgej-74nypQX8XVcb71E9qLS58EGrKCmeGCDbpl4Pky5JaHRuFSPT_mIgO2MJ06/s1600/140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7JWOsMO6Ti5rKJN3GvehIzlsUK6XuyrLi2zDOL4iM81AbqNeX_9PhFrnB_aSpFv3fQnWijmXScqyhNgej-74nypQX8XVcb71E9qLS58EGrKCmeGCDbpl4Pky5JaHRuFSPT_mIgO2MJ06/s640/140.JPG" /></a></div>
While I scurried around and took these pictures heres where our little guy was hanging out as daddy was trimming back my rose bush. The rose bush needs to go as each year it just grows and grows and bottom line, its taking up valuable space where we can grow food so it's slowly meeting it's demise. On a different note, can you believe this little cutie pie is almost 11 months? He is so busy and has loved being outside-- he is normally right besides me playing in the dirt or with his own shovel-- love it! "Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUUpAntEz4Ju1pRus9SkansTgV5HOWDFE6pQOldEx67VULOlbBWum1OM41YzS0J9oWpFIcLwUhuPz1s0Bu9cXIL0mk70Vq1q7IWtRu1myJMvHD3ij9-sTVWGKUmyUVZSgwbNgCPxlBNml/s1600/138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXUUpAntEz4Ju1pRus9SkansTgV5HOWDFE6pQOldEx67VULOlbBWum1OM41YzS0J9oWpFIcLwUhuPz1s0Bu9cXIL0mk70Vq1q7IWtRu1myJMvHD3ij9-sTVWGKUmyUVZSgwbNgCPxlBNml/s640/138.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZEBnZkwkiJ8MF-KWm-yyDq7cr1JQ8KmZq1jJ_UTW9FzvbrWJKywGuJcbFZYbWuTK5DxFmO3BDfFmLM9PJ22m21ZKS8OCnntxO7hYl-aObg47mmxKcoruILYCYYVieB9PailQNM2B5LSM/s1600/139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZEBnZkwkiJ8MF-KWm-yyDq7cr1JQ8KmZq1jJ_UTW9FzvbrWJKywGuJcbFZYbWuTK5DxFmO3BDfFmLM9PJ22m21ZKS8OCnntxO7hYl-aObg47mmxKcoruILYCYYVieB9PailQNM2B5LSM/s640/139.JPG" /></a></div>
In addition to all of the yard work and beds that need prepared for vegetables and fruit, we also have a great deal of painting to tackle after a long winter and the kitchen remodel last fall. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMZg2K2arinF5Ys5dm5mGBSuPasQMPhzlfS7__eN_r1JIYbtMWBsxyg5Xv2WX8hKDc8QwaESSlJEtaC5_jBkvImgOPGwgmBcZ626s4oAIsTEGHbvdpTvumUxC6vSJ5ii-qhjlJ2z2yr2f/s1600/paint+projects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVMZg2K2arinF5Ys5dm5mGBSuPasQMPhzlfS7__eN_r1JIYbtMWBsxyg5Xv2WX8hKDc8QwaESSlJEtaC5_jBkvImgOPGwgmBcZ626s4oAIsTEGHbvdpTvumUxC6vSJ5ii-qhjlJ2z2yr2f/s640/paint+projects.jpg" /></a></div> Thankfully the porch has a new coat of paint on it (do you like the shade of green-- my four year old helped me pick it out) but the rear of the house needs doors, wall exterior, and trim all done. Little by little and by God's grace we will get it done. After a long day of working together and tackling projects, we were blessed by some family visitors and even got to celebrate my brother's 25th birthday with him! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyYF3YzQ2WWymZmZT_N5Ys_gq_MzH3pIMJuP8fJBTzdXD3HJjsYtE5laWNl391QjWtK6NO2SPQ0QLD0oE4QkA8FGLl4NYDN9jsjxDlKHBy1qJD1Fhyu1zbs11h77au8g5j2MWpnsCSrAO/s1600/lukebirthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyYF3YzQ2WWymZmZT_N5Ys_gq_MzH3pIMJuP8fJBTzdXD3HJjsYtE5laWNl391QjWtK6NO2SPQ0QLD0oE4QkA8FGLl4NYDN9jsjxDlKHBy1qJD1Fhyu1zbs11h77au8g5j2MWpnsCSrAO/s640/lukebirthday.jpg" /></a></div>
Grandma was also up and snuggled our little man who wasn't feeling well and for a brief moment a very busy baby. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_8t4QZnO3fyeEjvBox25ctMHRPJn7Yz8othmLT7C6izaPI13Zru7p1TpNqgG5RS6iEP2GbTEpNcIROjyStdeTGjNaFJhjQgCD6wJhyywHUryt4-XPsjOOlvqfNftBzc3fxUS_SqLSqOE/s1600/grandma+books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_8t4QZnO3fyeEjvBox25ctMHRPJn7Yz8othmLT7C6izaPI13Zru7p1TpNqgG5RS6iEP2GbTEpNcIROjyStdeTGjNaFJhjQgCD6wJhyywHUryt4-XPsjOOlvqfNftBzc3fxUS_SqLSqOE/s640/grandma+books.jpg" /></a></div> Very thankful to see our garden progress and for the added blessing of time with loved ones! Hope you all had a great time enjoying the recent beautiful weather!Beckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01612865955127319429noreply@blogger.com0