tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8389745031109161002024-02-01T22:58:34.378-06:00pretty as the morningUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger200125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-20176102217862144482014-05-05T10:30:00.000-05:002014-05-05T10:30:00.550-05:00Our Yard {A Story of Progress and Love}I already shared a little bit about <a href="http://prettyasthemorning.blogspot.com/2014/04/our-yard-before-story.html">how bad our yard was when we purchased our home</a>. But I wanted to share a little post on the progress we've made over the past three years. <br />
<br />
I shared that the first year or two was mostly spent nursing things back to health and learning about our yard--water flow and sunlight. And I should include that "learning" also meant some failures and dead plants, but also some fun projects. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ARKB95U4UYyi5-QvKDdyUUKSUgwp7pl8GC44hsRjICwXCFdy1FcpRE1zw4QcihTP0lz5i3-DDRgSTesuqwTCmo8MS2whXRTGD46-uLuh_Ww_zhAVpr67MiatNiJuwZrJeBVTReXnXUA/s1600/IMG_4934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ARKB95U4UYyi5-QvKDdyUUKSUgwp7pl8GC44hsRjICwXCFdy1FcpRE1zw4QcihTP0lz5i3-DDRgSTesuqwTCmo8MS2whXRTGD46-uLuh_Ww_zhAVpr67MiatNiJuwZrJeBVTReXnXUA/s1600/IMG_4934.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Last spring we decided to tackle laying in the corner beds around the existing Bradford pears. The grass didn't grow well there in part because of the trees themselves but also because the soil had lots of rocky debris that needed to be enriched. We went a very cost effective, eco-friendly route by killing the grass by laying a layer of newspaper down and then mulching on top. Totally don't regret it! It was super easy and a year later most of the paper has biodegraded and you can already tell that it has increased the quality of the soil. We also fixed up the bed directly across from the patio and laid in heat resistant, full sun trees, shrubs and red yucca. I am a sucker for ornamental trees so we have a few more than the average suburban backyard. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEO7QN0IvfEcHESgeEcdQNz3tLrdNL-o0y5nyZvqrXVYEGJBMYIdds8JkKTQrzWCsgc6Rh6vg4nEHP_neYE-J-qWN-W6GTo7k_O_6JLvFJmRdYNAWaPzMMkGgZO_jn4b0aZY1-AdjlHE/s1600/IMG_4940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizEO7QN0IvfEcHESgeEcdQNz3tLrdNL-o0y5nyZvqrXVYEGJBMYIdds8JkKTQrzWCsgc6Rh6vg4nEHP_neYE-J-qWN-W6GTo7k_O_6JLvFJmRdYNAWaPzMMkGgZO_jn4b0aZY1-AdjlHE/s1600/IMG_4940.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once we laid in the beds that swept around the Bradford pears and the corner of the yard, I felt compelled to carry one of them to the gate--it just sort of made sense with the water flow and it added a sort of garden path you can see below. The bed on the left we extended this spring--it used to stop at that big evergreen but now it goes all the way to the fence now too. One thing we would like to do on this side of the house is to complete the little path to the gate with some stepping stones. Probably some moss rock stepping stones. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Also, this spring we added the bed above--just last week! We had a wind storm blow over a piece of patio furniture that we were storing for a family member and onto my beloved Japanese maple...it was the first tree we planted when we started planting three years ago. It had grown to be beautiful, thick and lovely. And each year of growth I would think about the growth of our family in this little house of ours. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Anyhow, for a combined Easter and Mother's Day gift my sweet husband bought me a replacement and he and my brother planted it and laid in the new bed around it. I like the way it sweeps the patio and I think that it will grow to provide a nice element to the patio area. I know that in Texas sun and heat that it's not recommended to plant a Japanese maple in full sun, but this is where my past one was and it had no trouble as long and I kept it watered in the hot months. They are actually pretty adaptable and the only real difference is that their leaves may turn greener instead of deep purple when they get a lot of sun. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxRUMNsd9W66KYGjlmLQODnMR3TFV2BqzW929n-UnNtWLdD1OtGdkFvFFQKM4mTm_SkIJ7o3ohpJMeT0x6VBeZQ60HLK4j_mWynCLdhP8KsqbeX67ZEfCym1H13y3ulMSVaSwj6mfdfs/s1600/IMG_4942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghxRUMNsd9W66KYGjlmLQODnMR3TFV2BqzW929n-UnNtWLdD1OtGdkFvFFQKM4mTm_SkIJ7o3ohpJMeT0x6VBeZQ60HLK4j_mWynCLdhP8KsqbeX67ZEfCym1H13y3ulMSVaSwj6mfdfs/s1600/IMG_4942.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
While it was a quick, cheap fix for our patio <a href="http://prettyasthemorning.blogspot.com/2011/06/planter-make-overs.html">to fix up</a> the abandoned pots when we first moved in, they were only a temporary fix and the plastic quickly became brittle. I also never liked the idea of plastic for plants--it doesn't retain water well and its just unnatural. So we switched them out for terra cotta pots over time. I would have loved some glazed pots to go out here, but they were waaay out of our price range. The terra cotta came in at 1/4 or less of the price and so I had enough money in the budget to get a few more to layer. Plus with the kind of hail we get in this area of the country I would be so devastated and annoyed if I lost a $100 glazed pot in a spring storm. Plus the terra cotta adds it's own pop of color. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrTpzZZoSbQ0aNRDwRgzK81q9w-79XwABZx6UjFeD__DMtK7itxphq-hXO8Rzr2pOBFnCxmZLPOm9KvUPx_IG69SffkbOg_lauDyQbyQ1gI0tPFtW0iEpgUQb9UIFAsdle9720r3fLh0/s1600/IMG_4947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmrTpzZZoSbQ0aNRDwRgzK81q9w-79XwABZx6UjFeD__DMtK7itxphq-hXO8Rzr2pOBFnCxmZLPOm9KvUPx_IG69SffkbOg_lauDyQbyQ1gI0tPFtW0iEpgUQb9UIFAsdle9720r3fLh0/s1600/IMG_4947.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
The stone frogs represent my alma mater and I got them last month on a crazy good deal--75% off at our local <a href="http://www.calloways.com/">Calloways</a>. They we so affordable ($5 each!) that I got three to tuck around my pots. I am not much for garden knick-knacks but I thought they fit the vibe well. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQuAPCHapAgzQkzWg9SC28vBVjeKQgXEjCRpGr3JBXBa-LA10dk0DrSRnU6HrNIJGzCMIr7PlJCD5sMk9w5ADzjnN2RlWbqSo2DIQQXlLdUf9I4NSwtxfKjnMJCouEcI9BjFEvKWdv0U/s1600/IMG_4933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQuAPCHapAgzQkzWg9SC28vBVjeKQgXEjCRpGr3JBXBa-LA10dk0DrSRnU6HrNIJGzCMIr7PlJCD5sMk9w5ADzjnN2RlWbqSo2DIQQXlLdUf9I4NSwtxfKjnMJCouEcI9BjFEvKWdv0U/s1600/IMG_4933.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
And finally, we got rid of the bunny brothel aka the side deck, laid some sod and planted a few hostas in a small bed over here. Plus we expanded the bed on the right to include a Japanese maple I got on an Arbor Day special for $9. It was a sad twig of a thing but I fertilized it and this spring from the nice rain we've had it has probably grown 6 inches in every direction. We will see how it does but I think it should do well and if not--it was a $9 investment! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
We also added a few decorative moss rocks over the past two summers. Because while we would love to have laid stone around all the beds, that would be an over-upgrade for our house and neighborhood. But the moss rocks add some interesting depth and texture year round and their reddish tone tie in well with the terra cotta pots and fence stain. Plus they make excellent climbing and jumping rocks for a certain little garden helper. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
We have a ways to go--there are still a few plants left to purchase to fill in our beds and we had a late February freeze that nearly killed/made my loropetalum look ragged. And of course there is the power of time--time for the plants we have planted to grow and fill in. We've planted around 10 red yucca in the beds--they are hot weather rock stars, grow fast and stay green in the winter and their late-spring flowers last all summer long. Currently they are about a 12-18 inches in diameter but the ones in our front yard that have been there 3 years or more are 3-4 feet in diameter and 2-3 feet tall. So once the red yucca grow a bit some of out beds should really fill out. Last year's plant of red yucca have already doubled in size and the same for out early spring plant this year. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
It is exciting because I love to work in the yard and I love the slow and steady process. I will try to post an update here again, maybe next spring?</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-23799578856913117472014-04-22T11:00:00.000-05:002014-04-22T11:00:01.911-05:00Our Yard {A Before Story}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
This post has been sitting in my draft box for 3 years. Yes, you read that correctly...3 years. I think it's just really important to say that out loud. We've been in our house a little over three years now and besides completely repainting the inside of the house the backyard has been the most drastic improvement. We are on our third year of a five year plan, so I offer all of this to say...it takes time. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
And since everyone loves a tragic before story, here's ours...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
When we bought the house the backyard was a disaster. And I mean this in the sweetest way possible but the yard was a well loved play space for three kiddos under the age of five. There were two swing sets and a play barn and a few places where I think pirates must have buried some treasure and forgot to cover the hole back up with grass. Some of the giant, grassless holes were also a place where water liked to pool and stand. A fact that definitely freaked our family (and our realtor to a less extent) out. These facts under normal circumstances or rather in a normal yard may not be too bad, but our yard is a typical suburban back yard--shallow and small. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
And then there was the fence...oh, the fence. It was sagging into our neighbor's yards in no less than three places, there were 8 rotted posts because the builder didn't use fence grade posts, they used something cheaper that wasn't meant to have water and dirt sit against it. The same goes for the pickets, they were rotting from the bottom where they hadn't already fallen off or the dogs hadn't poked a whole through at the bottom. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Below are two of the "befores" we snapped the day we moved in. See how the fence isn't straight? That's not an optical illusion or bad camera work that's what a fence that your 10 lb dog could knock over onto the sweet little neighbor girls looks like. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifliZ270WkUdUU4cCeexQMzJS6-rILdj3yLzyjqAaRWfxoDQPkcp72hOznTia8l7r4ZdIcRVI35_EYt0t7xXjA-4zDqeg6DWf4U2Nbb9fMIvINzlOoLKRfCBkqPfhLi_Jkh-axhS1h_uc/s1600/IMG_0200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifliZ270WkUdUU4cCeexQMzJS6-rILdj3yLzyjqAaRWfxoDQPkcp72hOznTia8l7r4ZdIcRVI35_EYt0t7xXjA-4zDqeg6DWf4U2Nbb9fMIvINzlOoLKRfCBkqPfhLi_Jkh-axhS1h_uc/s400/IMG_0200.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
We had the play equipment removed as part of our purchasing contract but you can also see the pirate holes in the bed above and two of them in the yard in the photo below. Serious fun was had in our yard. </div>
<div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwMo4MCYrf66-45iFXIbHrL-NQ2ZtIfNTsaNFgOsQ64-0ooNmNn2OdPb6c5IVOp2WsXdmca0mjjMwITSulBY8bgGfBfnP0FfUjL5MnF2eGwTB2mlnhg8k6lr-cb9bKOB7XSy7PLhPHes/s1600/IMG_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwMo4MCYrf66-45iFXIbHrL-NQ2ZtIfNTsaNFgOsQ64-0ooNmNn2OdPb6c5IVOp2WsXdmca0mjjMwITSulBY8bgGfBfnP0FfUjL5MnF2eGwTB2mlnhg8k6lr-cb9bKOB7XSy7PLhPHes/s400/IMG_0211.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I'm not sure that you can get a real feel by these two pictures, but we had hedges running along the back side of the house in shallow beds and two medium sized Bradford pears, one in each corner (there is one in a mirror image spot from the one pictured above) to work with and of course the falling down fence. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you can remember we moved in when I was 9 months pregnant which meant that I wasn't really up for a family fence replacing party. But these high north Texas winds, a small bitey dog and dogs and kids on all sides of us meant that the fence needed to be high on the priority list. So the first, unglamorous order of backyard business was having a new fence put up. <br />
<br />
I wish I could say that our first fence purchase was wonderful, but it wasn't...we still have a few issues with it currently and would never recommend our fence contractor (send me an e-mail if you live in the DFW area and want to know who NOT to use!). But the new fence, none the less was a huge improvement over what came with the house. We went with the cedar board on board with metal posts for privacy and durablity. And since our house was one of the first in the neighborhood to be built, we have since watched all our neighbors upgrade over the past few years--very fun!<br />
<br />
Our first year here we mostly focused on the lawn--filling holes, fertilizing the grass, filling in dead spots, fixing sprinkler heads and observing water flow and sun. We also spent time throwing out all the trash, debris and abandoned yard items and toys left behind by the previous owners and shaping some of the existing bushes across the back and I did a<a href="http://prettyasthemorning.blogspot.com/2011/06/planter-make-overs.html"> cheap pot makeover</a> but mostly it was a learning year. We wanted to watch the sun in it's various positions and learn so that we made wise choices.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGx8GET9Lb-jnZjkoWr25XJN0lVfeLMd0A7cPXQWtfF_i7RwA6ni8voRiid4mAwTh1KyeEP9QKXtJt72eU98fKOMSoskxnPluf0PtScLdKVvKzXHZwnvJaikUPY9jMx6DwcWQbG8-E-5s/s1600/IMG_0199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGx8GET9Lb-jnZjkoWr25XJN0lVfeLMd0A7cPXQWtfF_i7RwA6ni8voRiid4mAwTh1KyeEP9QKXtJt72eU98fKOMSoskxnPluf0PtScLdKVvKzXHZwnvJaikUPY9jMx6DwcWQbG8-E-5s/s1600/IMG_0199.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
In our second year we got rid of this odd little raft of a side deck that was wedged between the house and the fence. We lovingly called it the "rabbit brothel" because it appeared to be a nice mating and nest building place for animals. It was also causing some water issues we thought might one day affect the foundation of the house. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Buf2uZQHWj8cEKNCDMzAFGG-gxaSiEgHzVsEz9riKijrvCzQdhrcXxeemBJpjklO4uG-dtgzdEQn-WSlz3Q80aYupYqX6xQ8rgPkfgBlX2b-558_46ivBMaBewUfJ-1HxTzMA_l4ohw/s1600/IMG_0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Buf2uZQHWj8cEKNCDMzAFGG-gxaSiEgHzVsEz9riKijrvCzQdhrcXxeemBJpjklO4uG-dtgzdEQn-WSlz3Q80aYupYqX6xQ8rgPkfgBlX2b-558_46ivBMaBewUfJ-1HxTzMA_l4ohw/s1600/IMG_0214.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Another thing we did in year two, that you will see the full effect of in my next post is put solar screens across the back half of the house. Our first summer despite keeping the thermostat higher than we wanted the AC ran non-stop, our bill was high and we were never comfortable--not cool! So we installed solar screens to help with energy efficiency in our Texas home. Side note...the solar screen company claimed that you recover the cost of the screens over 18 months on your energy bill but since we had them done in March before the summer heat--we saw our full investment recovered in 4 months. Also, our unit is not running nearly as often or as hard and it is waaaay more comfortable. Anyhow, the unintended side effect of solar screens is that aesthetically it created a nice uniformity across the back of the house. You can see in the above picture how the widows looked at the beginning. </div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-92121742003983297922013-12-16T14:00:00.000-06:002013-12-16T14:00:02.830-06:00Advent for Ordinary Moms<div style="text-align: justify;">
We are now in the third week of the Advent season. Just reading that I am sure gets some of your blood pressure's climbing with visions of shopping lines dancing in your heads. For those of you who may not be Christian, Advent is the four weeks leading up to Christmas where we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Christ child. We are also in the third week of the Christmas season--the one of shopping, attending parties and all that other good stuff. Without boring you completely to death, the "church year" for mainline Protestants is divided into different seasons--we are in Advent right now, there is the season of Lent which leads up to Easter, but the bulk of the calendar year the church is in what we call "ordinary time." Ordinary time is a time where nothing huge is going on, but there are a steady rotation of lessons that hit on many of the different aspects of our lives with God. It is called "ordinary" because it is just that. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But right now we are in the Advent or Christmas season, which means time for reflection and prayer, but it also means fitting in about ten times more errands, the daily commute taking a little longer each day, making baked goods and then trying not to eat/burn the calories of said baked goods, being pressured by Pinterest to create the perfect handmade Advent/countdown to Christmas calendar filled with and activity a day to teach "meaning" to your children and create "fun and magic" and all those great things. As some of you may already know I am a pastor of a medium-sized congregation, which means that this time of the year my calendar is full and my family is required to be a bit more flexible. So if you want me to come up with, prep and execute a thoughtful and fun craft or activity every night while also making a healthy home-cooked meal and get everyone washed and in bed on time, well you might as well induct me into the bad mother's club right now. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Don't get me wrong, I love crafts and crafting with my child. You only have to look around my blog for two seconds to get that vibe. And I love having fun with my daughter and creating special memories. And we love teaching her about our faith and about the special stories of our faith. I am not knocking any of those things, because I love all of them. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But this is my third Christmas season with a child and this year we have another on the way (yippee!) and over the past several years I have undergone a slow transformation and come to a bit of a conclusion. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>I am an awesome ordinary time mom. </strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you want a over-planned and well-executed Advent calendar I am not your gal.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you want an activity-a-day month, sorry, can't do it. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you want to pack everyone up in the car, after dark (right around bed time) to go see lights on a school/work night, it's probably not going to happen. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But if you want to come home randomly from pre-school/work one day in March and go for a "nature hike" around the neighborhood and talk about all God has made, I am your girl. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you want to go to the library and look up books on kindness in the middle of July on a Tuesday afternoon to beat the heat, I'm all about it. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you want to make cookies one Saturday afternoon in September just because we can, I'm there and likely have all the fixins in the pantry and leaf cookie cutters already in the arsenal. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have grown to be a peace with our lives not looking like a board on Pinterest during Advent because when you step back and look at the whole year, when you take into account ordinary time (which by the way takes up MOST of the calendar year), I pretty much nail it. That doesn't mean that I am perfect, it means that we have found a pace and a rhythm that works for us to create special moments as a family, to do special activities together and to teach our families values and faith stories. And no one is getting stressed out about it. I am an awesome ordinary time mom--and you know what? Ordinary time takes up way more of the calendar and (hopefully) way more of my child's memories and understanding of who they are and who we are as a family. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And being an awesome "ordinary time mom" has made me a better Advent mom. I can't track down 25 books, wrap them and remember every night to unwrap one in a meaningful and snuggly way by the fire. But I can, every night at bedtime read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Story-Christmas-Pamela-Dalton/dp/1452104700/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1386869284&sr=8-4">The Story of Christmas</a>, taking the time to sing "Away in the Manger" on the page where baby Jesus is lying on the hay, because it's my daughter's favorite. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I can't do fun activity after fun activity each and every night (we have six church Christmas parties to attend this week people--six!), but I can make sure that like all the other evenings of the year dinner is (mostly) healthy and (semi) on time. I can make sure that we pray before bed and that our prayers reflect what is happening in our lives, in our world and in our faith. And on the weekend we will sneak in a Christmas light watching stroll around the neighborhood with friends, we will do a movie night snuggled in jammies, but we will do them at our ordinary time pace. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am not writing this for the moms that can and will do all those special activities each and every day--more power to you, certainly I have no judgment and probably have more than a few high-fives to pass around. I am writing this for the ordinary time moms--those of you that need permission to let go of the seasonal expectations and be the awesome mom you are year round, at the pace you do it at year round this Advent season. Because most of the year is ordinary and most of our lives are ordinary and the faith story of the season is certainly about a God that not only digs the ordinary, but preferred to burrow down deep into the ordinary of this world through a small child, born not of royalty but of ordinary people. </div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIoDVqZIg1pSlZBqYPTPUgmYgl7A8P4TJjut__TCS88_R9wrAUEh1gKYjT5ZOxovI6HovnzGWDRvxIG6YYfhwX8VZV1TN0kocUt7xnk__sGEqT4tLf-ERkakbwwyRMSubDJMhbLM0y1s/s1600/2013+Santa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIoDVqZIg1pSlZBqYPTPUgmYgl7A8P4TJjut__TCS88_R9wrAUEh1gKYjT5ZOxovI6HovnzGWDRvxIG6YYfhwX8VZV1TN0kocUt7xnk__sGEqT4tLf-ERkakbwwyRMSubDJMhbLM0y1s/s400/2013+Santa.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This year's Santa picture from our church Christmas festival, of which we all showed up, looking decent,<br />
and matching and didn't plan a single bit of it. I call that a WIN!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-82343069006601919082013-12-02T17:00:00.000-06:002013-12-16T13:47:34.504-06:00Woah, Baby!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Guess what? Spring 2014 we'll be welcoming a new family member! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgim4F75lO7WwZzUhwsGsO34ZAWP2SKmql3YjizG5wAsywRxY8Tz5Hor1BUoyONlobaU0SGoK-FVGvKksygtnb_4SXQOFTDAGfdV1qQ0BOLZrn9r7qCT9s9gPxqyodysZCzxkVd97w1pUk/s1600/Baby+Photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgim4F75lO7WwZzUhwsGsO34ZAWP2SKmql3YjizG5wAsywRxY8Tz5Hor1BUoyONlobaU0SGoK-FVGvKksygtnb_4SXQOFTDAGfdV1qQ0BOLZrn9r7qCT9s9gPxqyodysZCzxkVd97w1pUk/s400/Baby+Photo.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And we can't wait! </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-92039659084057228782013-05-14T09:00:00.000-05:002013-05-14T09:00:00.295-05:00Tuesday Crafties {Painted Blocks}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Today's Tuesday Crafties is a Toddler Crafty...we decided to paint our own set of wooden blocks. Over the winter I had made several sets of <a href="http://www.caravanshoppe.com/product-category/toys/">Olio blocks</a> as gifts. I had some left over plain wooden blocks that A ran across in my craft supplies and asked her favorite question, "paint, mommy?" So I said "sure why not!"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDYTjN5tkh_0-QO_KCnT-Fn2XLputtoYa4aFoToXQauYa95c3NPD-QR9PCwjdR9kgAtFIzMvHXPY1OngxJ6jVhxm3wXmY66DbAJ_5joogKVWCkZRt3w3vsBfKHFk1D29EJ5NoUajZz0U/s1600/IMG_2410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDYTjN5tkh_0-QO_KCnT-Fn2XLputtoYa4aFoToXQauYa95c3NPD-QR9PCwjdR9kgAtFIzMvHXPY1OngxJ6jVhxm3wXmY66DbAJ_5joogKVWCkZRt3w3vsBfKHFk1D29EJ5NoUajZz0U/s400/IMG_2410.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I picked three colors to keep it simple, using a acrylic craft paint and adding a bit of water to keep her little layers of paint thin. I also put a separate brush in each color to prevent too much mixing.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4w7QoFLDlM6W6hO5tnCOlTCSJE6h8cSxuk27Ydlz0SDyH_573XPoDbqJQHeXFc25sq-6uqgQnavithfKwSEaW1unlZSDgZAvKSWpKEXDPJ8xmSWaA1L85e_AAZFSfUCG0lo5KESxvQU/s1600/IMG_2411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4w7QoFLDlM6W6hO5tnCOlTCSJE6h8cSxuk27Ydlz0SDyH_573XPoDbqJQHeXFc25sq-6uqgQnavithfKwSEaW1unlZSDgZAvKSWpKEXDPJ8xmSWaA1L85e_AAZFSfUCG0lo5KESxvQU/s400/IMG_2411.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
We didn't wear a smock with this project (but should have). We totally own and recommend <a href="http://www.bibbitec.com/bibbitec-bibs-smocks-aprons/the-ultimate-bib-2.html">this one</a> if you are looking for one. </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-19301256885430457492013-05-09T22:35:00.001-05:002013-05-09T22:35:18.790-05:00Three Things...<div>
Three things since I last posted...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
1) We live with a two year old now and it's awesome!<div>
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkk-slxpyi1-1AkvbQ7Hqz_ugFt2QiiUzEpkA6cV66xIarZimwVAY9JLDgpTc7oE96VjEgnMWLp_98UVVX23_ABEm9EeSh-b2Itl3oHuTQi6Nvn0pI9aTIpkZTZF7HDiSTAfvxpHJkKk/s1600/IMG_2194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkk-slxpyi1-1AkvbQ7Hqz_ugFt2QiiUzEpkA6cV66xIarZimwVAY9JLDgpTc7oE96VjEgnMWLp_98UVVX23_ABEm9EeSh-b2Itl3oHuTQi6Nvn0pI9aTIpkZTZF7HDiSTAfvxpHJkKk/s400/IMG_2194.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
2) My wonderfully creative and adventurous sister was published on <a href="http://quarterlette.com/">Quarterlette</a> and you should go <a href="http://quarterlette.com/love/a-lollapalooza-romance/">check out her article about her time at Lolapolooza last year</a>, because it's about to be music festival season!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
3) I'm preaching every Sunday through the summer. It's work people, but I love it. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I miss you all and I miss blogging--we are just sort of living in the present, in our living, breathing, everyday ordinary lives. It is oh so good. If you want a peek into our daily lives I am on<a href="http://instagram.com/prettyasthemorning"> Instagram</a> daily. I kinda love capturing the small moments through out our day via pictures. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-68964212536002298932013-02-07T17:00:00.000-06:002013-02-07T17:00:01.643-06:00Hey, there<div style="text-align: justify;">
Just thought I would check in real quick with all the folks out in blogland. We are doing well, the weather is already warm here in Texas, I'm wearing florals and I am pretty sure that winter left with January. It will be in the 70s here today even though my news home page said that the northeast is expecting 2 feet of snow! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The warmer weather has triggered two seasonal obsesions--landscaping and music festivals. So right now I am mapping out my three stage plan for this spring's back yard project (which as you all might know if part of a larger, five year plan for the whole back yard), purchasing music festival and concert tickets, planning little toddler picnics in the backyard and looking forward to stealing kisses from my mister under the warm sunshine. Life is pretty darn good.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-74777443742357407612013-01-05T09:00:00.000-06:002013-01-05T09:00:01.598-06:0012 in 12 ReviewRemember my <a href="http://prettyasthemorning.blogspot.com/2012/01/12-in-12.html">12 in 12</a>? Yeah, me neither...I kid! I thought being the new year I thought I would check in on last year's 12 in 12 and see how I did. So without further ado....<br />
<br />
1) <b>Try and new cut and color.</b>..done and sort of done.<br />
I went darker in the fall and decided to commit to growing it out long. I found a great stylist that gave my long hair some shape. <br />
<br />
2) <b>Learn how to wear lipstick. </b> Done and if I could revise this intention I would have said "learn to wear lipstick AND actually wear it." I found a gloss based lipstick in a red that I love for my everyday look. <br />
<br />
3) <b>Decided on a paint color of the formal living/dining and paint it.</b> DONE! And I freaking LOVE it! But truthfully I got this one barely under the wire. We had swatches painted all over the walls for the better part of the year. It was so bad that one of my sister's friends asked "are you going for an abstract look?" and my poor color bling hubby was like "um, can we pick something? This is driving me crazy." His request was in August and I decided on a paint in October....eek! Then I did my normal thing where I trim in my spare time at night and then roller one Saturday. My goal was to have it done before we decorated for the holidays and let's say I was rollering the last coat as the mister was dragging the boxes out of the attic. I will post pictures soon, promise.<br />
<br />
4) <b>Run in a race. </b>Check. I did the Jingle Bell Run in Fort Worth with my sister and T. Little A tagged along and it was fun. I might try another one this year<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPUI0HF17frPDN9CsKai-4fC7PKlzMk8sGnNCf2oHXqJvTwy11XdxLuiu1PYc0w3Zeoe7eVfC6pRnd1xw4MCjUIcZ2Qj77I-Jqxdotwy5Y-XXj9ZtzXKs0yB21YmM7MV6BaPa3k0Wx80/s1600/IMG_7558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPUI0HF17frPDN9CsKai-4fC7PKlzMk8sGnNCf2oHXqJvTwy11XdxLuiu1PYc0w3Zeoe7eVfC6pRnd1xw4MCjUIcZ2Qj77I-Jqxdotwy5Y-XXj9ZtzXKs0yB21YmM7MV6BaPa3k0Wx80/s320/IMG_7558.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
5) <b>Refinish the bed frame I bought at the flea market. </b> Fail. Well, not really, it's taken me a while to decide on painting versus refinishing and then there are only so many hours in the day...and I did that little thing called going back to work. I am not feeling too bad about this one.<br />
<br />
6) <b>Begin building our food garden in the back yard. </b> Nope, we didn't work on this one. Instead we focused our time and money on fixing up the existing landscaping and put in a new bed. It's a process.<br />
<br />
7) <b>Get the creative room pulled together.</b> <a href="http://prettyasthemorning.blogspot.com/2012/01/creative-room-makeover-after.html">I got that one done first thing this year </a>and we have really enjoyed it. We have a few more plans to tweak the room this year but we have a great base.<br />
<br />
8) <b>Visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. </b> No, but this one is going straight to my list this year!<br />
<br />
9) <b>Take Adelaide to the place T and I got engaged.</b> We accomplished this in a pretty special way. You can read more about it <a href="http://prettyasthemorning.blogspot.com/2012/04/special-day.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
10) <b>Visit two art museums that are not in my city.</b> I didn't get this done, but I am at peace. We used the heck out of our DMA membership. Adelaide and I spent much of the summer going in the morning to look at the collection, gabbing lunch at the cafe and heading home. But I would like to continue to seek out opportunities to soak up art with my little family.<br />
<br />
11) <b>Finish a sewing project from a pattern. </b> That's another big, fat no. I am starting to think that I have a real problem with patterns, because I have done several sewing projects but I have drafted the pattern myself or just free handed it (Adelaide's nap mat cover for school and a stole for worship). Oops. <br />
<br />
12) <b>Attend at least one concert.</b> Ha! This one is the biggest yes of the bunch. I joked to someone that if you followed me on Instagram, you would think that my life was all food, cute baby raising and concerts. This year I got to see the Old 97s, Florence and the Machine, Bob Dylan, A Fine Frenzy, and several DSO concerts. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HfrBoN5dQ5RdGe7WW1P6XIxaHNpiuO1tA_neccjHvyahAomnxmvtGLUiHeszqz8tiFMuJk3vf_tRQ_w-0y-wpWaTUVU-yk0svlYp9LVBcTnhjnDxQCnyjParJinoNTKaZKRwZ5ERJ_Q/s1600/IMG_7263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HfrBoN5dQ5RdGe7WW1P6XIxaHNpiuO1tA_neccjHvyahAomnxmvtGLUiHeszqz8tiFMuJk3vf_tRQ_w-0y-wpWaTUVU-yk0svlYp9LVBcTnhjnDxQCnyjParJinoNTKaZKRwZ5ERJ_Q/s320/IMG_7263.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
All in all it was a great year. <br />
<br />
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-70986854054599609662013-01-03T17:00:00.000-06:002013-01-03T21:50:47.575-06:002012 A Look Back<div style="text-align: justify;">
I did a <a href="http://prettyasthemorning.blogspot.com/2012/01/2011-look-back.html">recap of 2011</a> and really enjoyed it, so thought I would do the same for 2012, with a slightly different twist. I think every year is full of surprise--some good and some not so good and this year was no exception, but on the whole I think this year was all about finding our grounding here in Texas.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Top 6 Moments of 2012*:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1) Adelaide celebrated her first birthday with a special trip and then a party with our friends and family</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7vbLIrqoQmlom-h300WPORFa7qSo1wxkkMgDHBlf3O40Fs_KiLYjIbUYheFc0v33z1WyHQ0RBR2Du3cqlHqwqY7HTxGBpmZogYkHMOF4y1BQ7iemAWAJaVp7HoqG_eclfdXoasTTGfo/s1600/IMG_6617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7vbLIrqoQmlom-h300WPORFa7qSo1wxkkMgDHBlf3O40Fs_KiLYjIbUYheFc0v33z1WyHQ0RBR2Du3cqlHqwqY7HTxGBpmZogYkHMOF4y1BQ7iemAWAJaVp7HoqG_eclfdXoasTTGfo/s400/IMG_6617.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2) T celebrated his 30th birthday</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISAtq1o092qgWnxn9cJhnccn2JugSbawHDlp1mjB7Pf5osIn-sIyBL8JDbWi2GBs-uz79pYf3asJ0Rswt7ZwlQ9z4256kTZJ2kJ8xDARbu_nWkWTfF5X9Sdqs-5ujY4o6Cw_YC4LApws/s1600/IMG_8090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISAtq1o092qgWnxn9cJhnccn2JugSbawHDlp1mjB7Pf5osIn-sIyBL8JDbWi2GBs-uz79pYf3asJ0Rswt7ZwlQ9z4256kTZJ2kJ8xDARbu_nWkWTfF5X9Sdqs-5ujY4o6Cw_YC4LApws/s400/IMG_8090.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
4) <a href="http://prettyasthemorning.blogspot.com/2012/09/change-change-we-are-here.html">I went back to work</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
5) We went on vacation to the beach</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSPL4HlzeIBwP-0tDZGSQuLmn3PmqDYnfvpKbeH5Fn0g1SGQvkpF5G2d7TFV00FilZK7hahSVKFpZgfScAfHIeD-8SRy7TLtnJxbnWr_KDm5FX5QBL-a6tJTXvQC_bhvgmIHUkUvEOKc/s1600/IMG_9456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSPL4HlzeIBwP-0tDZGSQuLmn3PmqDYnfvpKbeH5Fn0g1SGQvkpF5G2d7TFV00FilZK7hahSVKFpZgfScAfHIeD-8SRy7TLtnJxbnWr_KDm5FX5QBL-a6tJTXvQC_bhvgmIHUkUvEOKc/s400/IMG_9456.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
6) We continued to enjoy living near our family</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2yWQsHgpyXqOz68sHOV8nlocZdiZTDVWQZNoOhXOaFgDhPl-Y0Y4lV4AphNfXBM1mV0tgqSbktsaRgdPudI3oF_TLrbWXkONi_S1w-ZtbD4cn-HFJQL-qMyDPXH89QHqLxYrhLHyavY/s1600/IMG_0815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT2yWQsHgpyXqOz68sHOV8nlocZdiZTDVWQZNoOhXOaFgDhPl-Y0Y4lV4AphNfXBM1mV0tgqSbktsaRgdPudI3oF_TLrbWXkONi_S1w-ZtbD4cn-HFJQL-qMyDPXH89QHqLxYrhLHyavY/s400/IMG_0815.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
*Because I couldn't narrow it down to 5!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What were your top moments of 2011?</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-57034579663799714102012-12-19T17:30:00.000-06:002012-12-19T17:30:03.167-06:00The Peace of Wild Things<div style="text-align: justify;">
My friend, colleague and poet, <a href="http://www.thomdawkins.com/">Thom Dawkins</a>, asked on Facebook a few weeks ago if poetry still mattered. I believe his question was directed at his fellow poet community, but I answered, of course it matters, poetry speaks truth through simplicity and grace and communicates things about the human heart that the heart can only identify. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As I have mentioned here before I work with a school in my building, where my daughter attends. So in the days following the incident in Newtown, I have waded though my own family's grief and processing, as well the community of teachers and staff here at the church. And I know that poetry still matters because what has brought me comfort has been the words of author, poet and theologian Wendell Berry. It is a poem I memorized years ago and committed to heart and so I leave it here with you:</div>
<br />
THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS<br />
<br />
When despair for the world grows in me<br />
and I wake in the night at the least sound <br />
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,<br />
I go and lie down where the week drake <br />
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.<br />
I come in the peace of wild things<br />
who do not tax thier lives with forthought<br />
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.<br />
And I feel above me the day-blind stars<br />
waiting with thier light. For a time<br />
I rest in the grace of the world, and I am free.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-65646877633288396482012-12-10T17:08:00.000-06:002012-12-10T17:08:00.188-06:00Currently Reading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRVCpMH3lPSxDOKAsPpGkT5HMe19Zareqbmi09Peh5xvLXaGCXdlq8nQXfZXyqNNK6YlRXyW-VcVwi5v8WYC_hXkalTLiBdNb5YY2PoKB0LayqPKoGuCi7HBe4b-Sb6SeX8qT5spyjS8/s1600/book.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTRVCpMH3lPSxDOKAsPpGkT5HMe19Zareqbmi09Peh5xvLXaGCXdlq8nQXfZXyqNNK6YlRXyW-VcVwi5v8WYC_hXkalTLiBdNb5YY2PoKB0LayqPKoGuCi7HBe4b-Sb6SeX8qT5spyjS8/s1600/book.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am a bit of a book evangelist. If I am currently reading something that I am totally into I tell everyone I see about it! I guess I just get caught up in the power of books to illumenate new ideas or tell a story or articulate the complexities and simplicity of the human soul. Anyhow, this holiday season I have been reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tinsel-Search-Americas-Christmas-Present/dp/B004KABHH6/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355162700&sr=1-1&keywords=tinsel+hank+stuever">Tinsel</a> by <a href="http://www.hankstuever.com/stuever-bio.htm">Hank Stuever</a> and I LOVE it. It provides an honest, provocative and yet tender look at what Christmas has come to mean in the subburbs--not just any subburb but in our neighboring subburb--by following three families through thier Christmas festivities for three years. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-36056607046770757382012-11-30T17:30:00.000-06:002012-11-30T17:30:00.809-06:00Good Help is Hard to Find<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHladPYGQjl8Ws_zUGre5RfSTU7SOrDD4mFwZRBKlqz1XqrJ7TVrG6Smqo2VOwP8Lea_CquaO2yJMogX5SSLsb47L5FF2qKTIpJigpbqGVSH-HVuknGEGWE4T4qkLbYQXSgcY0yxX_B_s/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHladPYGQjl8Ws_zUGre5RfSTU7SOrDD4mFwZRBKlqz1XqrJ7TVrG6Smqo2VOwP8Lea_CquaO2yJMogX5SSLsb47L5FF2qKTIpJigpbqGVSH-HVuknGEGWE4T4qkLbYQXSgcY0yxX_B_s/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I pack my lunch everyday that I go to work. This little peice of information is part fact and part brag because I enjoy being able to eat healthy, fresh, homemade foods. Three days a week I pack Adelaide's lunch for school and I enjoy providing the same for her. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the past month or so we have discovered the double meaning of the word "help" or as we most often pronounce it "hep." At first we taught Adelaide the word "help" to curb some of the fits when she would get frustrated trying to do something--they didn't come very often but we wanted to equipt her with words not yelling, not frustration. But probably three weeks ago she discoved that help can be something you do for someone else, as well. And so about half of the time now she will say "hep mama" to offer her services on whatever project I might be working on. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of her favorite things to "hep" with lately is cooking and packing lunches. She will sit on the counter (she is still very tiny and takes up almost no room) and I will stand in front of her (for safety) and we will put together salads, fill containers with fruit, stir ingredients and her favorite thing--shake spices into whatever we are cooking! Sometimes when I go to zip up my lunch box I have to remove the small porceline bowl she piled on top of my sandwich along with a lid from an unused tupperware container, sometimes I have to slice a few extra apples slices because my helper wants to sample the goods, but good help is hard to find. And cute, sweet, smiley help is even harder!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-56104795747191646152012-11-15T13:26:00.002-06:002012-11-15T13:27:06.412-06:00Family, Food and Tunes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
If you follow me on instagram you would think my life is all cooking, building box houses for a certain unnamed toddler and going out with the mister (or friends) to catch concerts. And you might not be too far from the truth these days...</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwJpKORAcpbacMJgjJhKLPbGhUMc0RmCziMT2tBZwDy2H8zp9pzyTvGMPBL46WT99XWqPg_YNpiNm2jQjaol0kqakguf77Ljf4oo_2mP5t77LKTP5lRdvcXipQWBXfGQQTRl56lRgJX0/s1600/4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLwJpKORAcpbacMJgjJhKLPbGhUMc0RmCziMT2tBZwDy2H8zp9pzyTvGMPBL46WT99XWqPg_YNpiNm2jQjaol0kqakguf77Ljf4oo_2mP5t77LKTP5lRdvcXipQWBXfGQQTRl56lRgJX0/s320/4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tried my hand at maple brusel sprouts...they were delicious even if they did skunk up the house a bit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStQUpDBBq-t_mxUMPzV0QpXaIRSrMyFQIQYX25P3pQGYuPL99Yn4bH1ZLVcqI6fsIihulf-FqGaITSzGYXkHKxTxVsrJnMekXIXKvJncnwCV0RV9vr9SzTGD_AY5JaHgCSYsh6NxwpI0/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjStQUpDBBq-t_mxUMPzV0QpXaIRSrMyFQIQYX25P3pQGYuPL99Yn4bH1ZLVcqI6fsIihulf-FqGaITSzGYXkHKxTxVsrJnMekXIXKvJncnwCV0RV9vr9SzTGD_AY5JaHgCSYsh6NxwpI0/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The proud owner of a box house complete with indoor plumbing. <br />
We have since tricked it out with no less that 5 sheets of stickers. We are both pretty proud.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwkVxR0rvJnJ2W3l1zk7-ZuTdZbTKDpxY1tfdh1GYpRbzZWka1ZHJvc8xhpgSyR0ycNJKdIoIbODG0gstLDAOKOrXifUUXugyH_1lZIT56Qn0AvhyrQlHmaNOl62O5_BHbmjCstX44DA/s1600/1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwkVxR0rvJnJ2W3l1zk7-ZuTdZbTKDpxY1tfdh1GYpRbzZWka1ZHJvc8xhpgSyR0ycNJKdIoIbODG0gstLDAOKOrXifUUXugyH_1lZIT56Qn0AvhyrQlHmaNOl62O5_BHbmjCstX44DA/s320/1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Old 97s, Florence and the Machine, Bob Dylan, A Fine Frenzy, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra,<br />
Lucero the mister and I are back in the swing of things catching live shows...ahh...so good for the soul!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-14747357354455598712012-10-17T20:55:00.002-05:002012-10-17T20:55:23.247-05:00Some Things I've Been EnjoyingHere are some things around the web and home I've been enjoying lately...<br />
<br />
This sweet post <a href="http://jenloveskev.com/2012/10/11/being-a-parent-of-a-2-year-old/">about parenting a two year old</a><br />
<br />
These <a href="http://ramblingrenovators.blogspot.com/2012/10/download-laundry-symbol-art.html">free printable laundry symbol posters</a>...I'm thinking instead of in the laundry room it might look cute framed over our laundry baskets, no?<br />
<br />
The layered mums we planted in our front beds<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGV-Vi3BL0azFKveAmkFl710Gw7GFqRf1W9cudJ9EUUS01vNPtcngiqPdBuXhlDhQSLBcQbauPEKQRH7O6gxLwGSuJOgvBk-Qw5__HLZqBwXhHnE6LFQbpNJer129KGy7w8W8gli9EYUI/s1600/IMG_9770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGV-Vi3BL0azFKveAmkFl710Gw7GFqRf1W9cudJ9EUUS01vNPtcngiqPdBuXhlDhQSLBcQbauPEKQRH7O6gxLwGSuJOgvBk-Qw5__HLZqBwXhHnE6LFQbpNJer129KGy7w8W8gli9EYUI/s400/IMG_9770.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Learning to throw the frisbee...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR74yQrUOcTBgt3VX3PVayJ7jWIzkZp5XGcImnBrA_dMFPYczGuSH6Yo4wzwnY6-q3CexfVH27vOg6I8vKQixYU0zR-UTYrwhh2SMxzJ89GFGaUj-59jeFJ1KY2F6REFeo8dgMcf2RCH8/s1600/IMG_9746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR74yQrUOcTBgt3VX3PVayJ7jWIzkZp5XGcImnBrA_dMFPYczGuSH6Yo4wzwnY6-q3CexfVH27vOg6I8vKQixYU0zR-UTYrwhh2SMxzJ89GFGaUj-59jeFJ1KY2F6REFeo8dgMcf2RCH8/s400/IMG_9746.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
...and tiny pony tails :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZeClXzMBVfUELJkABpqOudSS2B2e_gHMNEySm_pRamR7NmoFsAqq136BQrc04ZlBCIp9sNlESe2YMrXXJfGl2EjuFXH3iSkv6qtVHBXdOJVYp3P0ZRTO3-ViMPJdtSk-JbQmaVowMDak/s1600/IMG_9764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZeClXzMBVfUELJkABpqOudSS2B2e_gHMNEySm_pRamR7NmoFsAqq136BQrc04ZlBCIp9sNlESe2YMrXXJfGl2EjuFXH3iSkv6qtVHBXdOJVYp3P0ZRTO3-ViMPJdtSk-JbQmaVowMDak/s400/IMG_9764.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I will be making these <a href="http://nancycreative.com/2012/09/21/pumpkin-cupcakes-with-cinnamon-cream-cheese-frosting/">pumpkin cupcakes</a> sometime this fall. Yum!<br />
<br />
And I ordered <a href="http://www.target.com/p/merona-womens-long-sleeve-shift-dress-in-leopard-print/-/A-14169472?ref=tgt_adv_xasd0001&AFID=Performics_rewardStyle_0004cb139802daee0ae0ac84a1005f15&LNM=Primary">this dress</a>...and it's waaay nicer than I expected (you know you sometimes have low expectations for bargain hunting, too)! I'm gonna pair it with black tights and booties for the office this winter. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-26224324094140300992012-09-17T22:30:00.001-05:002012-09-17T22:30:01.898-05:00Change, Change, We are Here<div style="text-align: justify;">As you can sense from my absence I am in the midst of a transition, a evolution in what it means to live and breathe and love in this life of mine. Many of you come here to see my lastest crafty endeavors, I am still crafting, I am just having a harder time finding time to photograph, edit and post my little creations, where as I would rather just enjoy them. Some of you come to keep up with my family and more specifically, Adelaide. And I must be honest, the longer I parent and blog the increasingly less comfortable I get with the idea of sharing much of our lives on the internet. Certainly, what you get here is a small bit of the depth of what it means to be our family, it is edited, but it is still a part and I mindful of how sharing that part, even ever so small, might impact my family. <br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreBV1r8QNAmDLAJ1TU1MzCKanWQn4fGRhyphenhyphen05cMI9W037iz-45_X8JCcccpf3GIYNfJIHZ4dkeO_W6OVm5YqYIRGgRZOrqiUmaZ8ndCnM-EGyK_BjuPp5szceIam_zrATyH4Hwd0PABIg/s1600/Ordination+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgreBV1r8QNAmDLAJ1TU1MzCKanWQn4fGRhyphenhyphen05cMI9W037iz-45_X8JCcccpf3GIYNfJIHZ4dkeO_W6OVm5YqYIRGgRZOrqiUmaZ8ndCnM-EGyK_BjuPp5szceIam_zrATyH4Hwd0PABIg/s400/Ordination+Photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My ordination in 2008</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Which brings me to probably my biggest piece to share. I returned to work about three months ago. After 15 unplanned, unexpected and delightful months staying at home with Adelaide, I returned to full time work in July. I am very fortunate to work in a vocation that is family friendly, in fact that is an understatement extrordinare. I have been hesitiant to share much about what I "do" for a living out of respect. Out of respect to a readership that is very diverse, out of respect for myself and my own sense of privacy and out of respect for the people I work with because I only want to represent my vocation and the people I share it with in the most positive way--because it is the most joyous of honors to be a part of this work together. But for those of you that are curious, I am an ordained minister. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNtOokodGo0TSU4aTC_hlDv79HTsoHR5bcYwLoXaNUJIGqrJzaPRVD2AD7lMJ3O3DhBCMMHeV3drHWuYyCg_uhSYQaiGtk7lrhomE5TYo0KP-HTWU5dCo5VAjMB4tvpdLmefMKUCwjC0/s1600/Geist+Christian+Church+RC+08Sept1004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtNtOokodGo0TSU4aTC_hlDv79HTsoHR5bcYwLoXaNUJIGqrJzaPRVD2AD7lMJ3O3DhBCMMHeV3drHWuYyCg_uhSYQaiGtk7lrhomE5TYo0KP-HTWU5dCo5VAjMB4tvpdLmefMKUCwjC0/s400/Geist+Christian+Church+RC+08Sept1004.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At a ribbon cutting for our new building at my first church in 2008</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I love what I do and as I already mentioned it is incredibly family friendly. I work 4 days a week in the office and get one week day off to spend at home with Adelaide. And in what other vocation is it not only encouraged but often expected that you bring your family to work with you one (or more days a week). So unlike people in more traditional jobs Adelaide is only cared for by someone other than T and I briefly 4 days a week, instead of 5. Also, her care? She started pre-school this fall at the church I serve. In a culture that is not very family and motherhood friendly, I am SO grateful that my child's care will be onsite (actually about 40 feet from my office) where I work. This is so rare and I am so grateful to have found work that is meaningful to me and that fits my family's place in life. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGHn3yOSU-anxJXgVvSlAXHDJS8ajq7l8Pj2JU0ICwTcD1p1pMEDvGe8lD0sBgISxZgkfa7hyphenhyphen5UcRHlnq49QrlOUHIt96lpjqTI1hjvFJNWlceUaodjzupwe1xMHW9kHLlR0c8g3fxYo/s1600/5110_592679678194_18311633_35016397_2438507_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGHn3yOSU-anxJXgVvSlAXHDJS8ajq7l8Pj2JU0ICwTcD1p1pMEDvGe8lD0sBgISxZgkfa7hyphenhyphen5UcRHlnq49QrlOUHIt96lpjqTI1hjvFJNWlceUaodjzupwe1xMHW9kHLlR0c8g3fxYo/s400/5110_592679678194_18311633_35016397_2438507_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leading worship in 2009 at a friend's ordination</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">What does this mean for the blog? It means that this past year I have had time to write and edit photos during afternoon naps and after bed, but now sometimes I will chose to spend that time differently, being more present to my family, our household and all that that entails (you know the glamourous parts of life--laundry, dishes, picking up raisins off the floor!). It means that as I continue to wrestle with the balance of sharing your life on a blog that I may try a few new things, we shall just have to see. It will be a balance I will have to live into, since photography is a love but as a few of you all know writing has always been my original love. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">P.S. The title of this post was inspired by a Pablo Neruda quote I first discovered <a href="http://dearbabyblog.com/">here</a> and adapted to reflect this new phase, this wild, open-hearted and crazy way in which things are constantly changing, the way we are invited to fling our hearts wide open and hope for the very best. Change, change, we are here. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-24859041927629147722012-07-06T14:49:00.000-05:002012-07-06T14:49:27.342-05:00Summer Lovin'Here are a few pictures from our recent goings on...<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5C0jnkEHwiSeiBdMO4qwtWsBLzSDfZ_RCrIJvyUCkJFlMqOuh0SVrdk14ZiPeviKQZq5Q3PDnC5qW2gbWqmnpgMNIbhqjxiTh9lQoOZI1XosbcxRoCGBCNbhwd4gNNwgfxYWgBeWJeM/s1600/IMG_8055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl5C0jnkEHwiSeiBdMO4qwtWsBLzSDfZ_RCrIJvyUCkJFlMqOuh0SVrdk14ZiPeviKQZq5Q3PDnC5qW2gbWqmnpgMNIbhqjxiTh9lQoOZI1XosbcxRoCGBCNbhwd4gNNwgfxYWgBeWJeM/s400/IMG_8055.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our local farmers market might be the best we've ever lived near. Local honey and organic blueberries are our favs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_kLTEX_YPCrTBLBAeI3LU8rrNQdb2KwyAcQxIMzfLRPkqdMY68gf7xMO_wuiJJPOhIlTR70rv3pBSyH8N5AclfEYrwbRg2XAu8lzQ2LkGrNuSv-VgAiXYtiHkc31j4jXNjpaSCSk-y4/s1600/IMG_8069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_kLTEX_YPCrTBLBAeI3LU8rrNQdb2KwyAcQxIMzfLRPkqdMY68gf7xMO_wuiJJPOhIlTR70rv3pBSyH8N5AclfEYrwbRg2XAu8lzQ2LkGrNuSv-VgAiXYtiHkc31j4jXNjpaSCSk-y4/s400/IMG_8069.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stroller turned watermelon carrier at the farmers market.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdIZmMUJTVfQXo7GZ_dgquiykBwQDeZ0pPjxHB9-QRHPaVOlbqHKQmp-kfnxQwbAbk8xJGCn4e5AL3LzXAkmxG-AcWpMjHfNDK3AqvK8bmHIa-FidUap3uMV26RJT_hGn_keOo0QNrOI/s1600/IMG_8090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdIZmMUJTVfQXo7GZ_dgquiykBwQDeZ0pPjxHB9-QRHPaVOlbqHKQmp-kfnxQwbAbk8xJGCn4e5AL3LzXAkmxG-AcWpMjHfNDK3AqvK8bmHIa-FidUap3uMV26RJT_hGn_keOo0QNrOI/s400/IMG_8090.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mister had a big birthday. We threw a big cookout.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7K8vT-Z-yzSGv3Vl7mVGFIZHJEZc85gPQf3J9bcHzBDtpaafS3DfiYdC_AInBcKEDdyYcVTKtDxy-zunKvaMYw9MMHl7SK9uzGnLwIS9kVPWP5mgpBerzmEROipYsW1PIJVElv71KXo/s1600/IMG_8127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje7K8vT-Z-yzSGv3Vl7mVGFIZHJEZc85gPQf3J9bcHzBDtpaafS3DfiYdC_AInBcKEDdyYcVTKtDxy-zunKvaMYw9MMHl7SK9uzGnLwIS9kVPWP5mgpBerzmEROipYsW1PIJVElv71KXo/s400/IMG_8127.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We also celebrated our five year anniversary and had my mom watch the little missy so we could celebrate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWHhcJbqUdgq73SBYHh0gI3_NHjwgCpNzJgy9b4lGZ4FffwebnuKxpBzeLwyUvc-i7oCO4gXnYn8DuGoJBMzykEn7YogGGF_VoRXoW1-gSxF6oJJhxs55ZjROflEGt5TUxO8d3xuPwkg/s1600/IMG_7936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWHhcJbqUdgq73SBYHh0gI3_NHjwgCpNzJgy9b4lGZ4FffwebnuKxpBzeLwyUvc-i7oCO4gXnYn8DuGoJBMzykEn7YogGGF_VoRXoW1-gSxF6oJJhxs55ZjROflEGt5TUxO8d3xuPwkg/s400/IMG_7936.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are getting so expressive and did I mention we are walking?!<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1PkBFk45G_ymfzpe9-maNLB2H47qdloc72uFWqYK8Of1GVEeS9aUPdA_yEk9A5_wQzsMmXDEbuyRsuLNAw43uOveuser15mBWz3fkoGulaiHLxJxr-qFQK5fY0Q4iwjbUzDkiGKHqhg0/s1600/IMG_7799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1PkBFk45G_ymfzpe9-maNLB2H47qdloc72uFWqYK8Of1GVEeS9aUPdA_yEk9A5_wQzsMmXDEbuyRsuLNAw43uOveuser15mBWz3fkoGulaiHLxJxr-qFQK5fY0Q4iwjbUzDkiGKHqhg0/s400/IMG_7799.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We went to the Dallas Arboretum to check out the Chihuly exhibit and it was amazing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRDZ4gUpRScZup4MF1H19ADGGX3YVWRni_6OBfAycfWcTEMGziQCDAaOj5ykCbgHio5EpWGhlF5YipcgpZBTykRbZeO8j_RNbxND6OoGSjrXrSB2X-1Z9sAgT2liw0D2wfRR5PQjclyQ/s1600/IMG_8134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizRDZ4gUpRScZup4MF1H19ADGGX3YVWRni_6OBfAycfWcTEMGziQCDAaOj5ykCbgHio5EpWGhlF5YipcgpZBTykRbZeO8j_RNbxND6OoGSjrXrSB2X-1Z9sAgT2liw0D2wfRR5PQjclyQ/s400/IMG_8134.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fourth of July on the Square</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNul2Lz9afdHPn40Dt5_2S-lZcHgxEIECa629t4UZAJXm0yYUSeMihNkMqH86E2-Kq3YLNlYDvfKtP0RV5kMqN5mZtIaB8W7n9IqyP6gv6kliwznRCWrp7WEpCdTf4K2U-14uXVSkAc0o/s1600/IMG_8174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNul2Lz9afdHPn40Dt5_2S-lZcHgxEIECa629t4UZAJXm0yYUSeMihNkMqH86E2-Kq3YLNlYDvfKtP0RV5kMqN5mZtIaB8W7n9IqyP6gv6kliwznRCWrp7WEpCdTf4K2U-14uXVSkAc0o/s400/IMG_8174.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parade watching with dada.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>What have you all been up to this summer?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-30697075190263603092012-06-19T10:00:00.001-05:002012-06-19T10:00:10.760-05:00Peach Pickin'<div style="text-align: justify;">You know how hard it was to not name this post after <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cs8G_mY8jE">the Presidents of the United States of America song</a>? Anyhow, the mister was traveling last week so me and the little missy decided to head to Oklahoma to do some peach pickin' with grandpa. Last year we missed the picking season and so for months now we have been plotting and planning when we would go this year. Grandpa happens to have the beat on all fresh fruit growers in the central part of Oklahoma so he took us to the best one in the area.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaW9QaA8lGy0vHYvAJp9K3OKUlMUMy-gOoh-Mkcg19rs7mCYEey7s8Ta9-n8iNUhke35c386IVF_ije8-W6zcz5UgYqxKCxUyP6yGhBJubUQyd8oucjCdk5EkM8608srJMv3NI0ydWh8/s1600/IMG_7579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSaW9QaA8lGy0vHYvAJp9K3OKUlMUMy-gOoh-Mkcg19rs7mCYEey7s8Ta9-n8iNUhke35c386IVF_ije8-W6zcz5UgYqxKCxUyP6yGhBJubUQyd8oucjCdk5EkM8608srJMv3NI0ydWh8/s400/IMG_7579.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">One morning after breakfast we loaded up the car and headed out to Hannah, Oklahoma to pick peaches at an orchard there. Grandpa showed Adelaide how to pick the peaches off the branches and put them in the basket. She got pretty good at it, if fact throwing is something she's gotten quiet good at so some peaches got thrown and hence a little beat up on their way into the basket. </div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZG4zbqp-u0dHk7K0W3SD1Wx561eMES5hQgoeykaA0TxeO1Sg05GMsPsU5yzp6ouprkg0rOq8Vp16WQXCX5Cqlt2-dYQDWko22efnomCMUkZYpuo_z6BPbrd02nnYCa4KNZ2WXUH5UsM/s1600/IMG_7697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZG4zbqp-u0dHk7K0W3SD1Wx561eMES5hQgoeykaA0TxeO1Sg05GMsPsU5yzp6ouprkg0rOq8Vp16WQXCX5Cqlt2-dYQDWko22efnomCMUkZYpuo_z6BPbrd02nnYCa4KNZ2WXUH5UsM/s400/IMG_7697.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Towards the end of our time picking she wanted to take a peach out of the basket to hold. I obliged and before I knew it she had chomped right in and ate the whole thing bite by bite! The peaches were so fresh we both ended up being covered in peach juice--yum!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKxMBI34s756aLk8UICAGaPX8xyGReRsJSL9sSjU90Q65fV_iKRzL-9j8x2fa9t3zZ-02xKrzvG-gOOXYl-YNUtvUQQzyZla053n6Z4faoNsm3YHcTt5Jys3WPzJ9Hv5m5BdKd_PmrvQ/s1600/IMG_7686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKxMBI34s756aLk8UICAGaPX8xyGReRsJSL9sSjU90Q65fV_iKRzL-9j8x2fa9t3zZ-02xKrzvG-gOOXYl-YNUtvUQQzyZla053n6Z4faoNsm3YHcTt5Jys3WPzJ9Hv5m5BdKd_PmrvQ/s400/IMG_7686.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">We brought home a HUGE basket of peaches that I have plans to blanch and freeze (for winter cobbler and pie), do some fresh salsas to serve over grilled fish, and even try out a chutney recipe to can. Hopefully I will share a little of that part of the process too! </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwoSwMm3PQebhrIi2_yMnejMuMBTxQqC2UVV7xqeHudB_YRzKyg7hM0seLnxt264SUKYmEEkTgPZ-7-FGCw60zTQMVqdxVuN17aQk0rqExGX9yelZCuKCjLSQP6h__9eGYaDuhzpypNc/s1600/IMG_7634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwoSwMm3PQebhrIi2_yMnejMuMBTxQqC2UVV7xqeHudB_YRzKyg7hM0seLnxt264SUKYmEEkTgPZ-7-FGCw60zTQMVqdxVuN17aQk0rqExGX9yelZCuKCjLSQP6h__9eGYaDuhzpypNc/s400/IMG_7634.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOT1QlhspeAf1HGCjfWUM3WbXWEOxVi6f3bvOofltXx2X-_ooVVevGfAA1GvkSMahIqmmDSiDNITC_v_73MIkCD5pBg6sP0cteaaUQ4dFgeg_RsUpC1lgKuw5uZfIZhSSgbpQ76lbCfA/s1600/IMG_7675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOT1QlhspeAf1HGCjfWUM3WbXWEOxVi6f3bvOofltXx2X-_ooVVevGfAA1GvkSMahIqmmDSiDNITC_v_73MIkCD5pBg6sP0cteaaUQ4dFgeg_RsUpC1lgKuw5uZfIZhSSgbpQ76lbCfA/s400/IMG_7675.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It was a great way to spend a cool morning with our grandpa and have a new experience. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-20577033685428731302012-06-17T10:00:00.004-05:002012-06-17T10:00:02.031-05:00Happy Father's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">These two are thick as thieves. There is no one this girl loves more than her parents, but especially her dada. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AOL7GPG1aB9jDELqg9diVDl_3ZFI1NWPDuUULHKe4W9fuNeYE7J8PoT7Z66mLG8WYa0LqfapkOR1OnZxwc0eWmgNk5Yt2qcsdWpTagDAPGoXBgmVgPNNWvqYurPD9P3ERszwkTikO3c/s1600/IMG_7195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3AOL7GPG1aB9jDELqg9diVDl_3ZFI1NWPDuUULHKe4W9fuNeYE7J8PoT7Z66mLG8WYa0LqfapkOR1OnZxwc0eWmgNk5Yt2qcsdWpTagDAPGoXBgmVgPNNWvqYurPD9P3ERszwkTikO3c/s400/IMG_7195.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">And while I know that Father's Day is about reflecting on fathers, I couldn't have picked a better partner in this adventure in parenthood and this little thing that makes it all not only possible but easier called marriage. I know, that's a lot of PDA for this little blog, but it's true. Happy Father's Day, to my mister and our little family. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-15330183442006109292012-06-11T10:00:00.001-05:002012-06-11T10:00:06.219-05:00House Projects, Fishy Faces and Golf Carts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">You know I am a notoriously bad blogger during nice weather. So, no apologies! I haven't been tackling very many craft projects (although I do have a few I might share) because we have been tackling some much bigger projects around the house, painting, cleaning and organizing and even tackled a landscaping project (or two). Between all that fun and traveling a bit here and there...not much time for blogging!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Little miss continues to grow and grow, mostly in skills and not in size--she is still a tiny peanut! She has in her command about a dozen words or so and knows and can say 3 or 4 animal sounds. In fact, crazy little story...We got the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Animal-Magnets-Box/dp/B000N178E2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339377286&sr=8-1&keywords=melissa+and+doug+animal+magnets">Melissa and Doug wooden animal fridge magnets</a> (at TJMaxx on the cheap!) a while back and I busted them out about a month ago to both keep her occupied while I cooked dinner and to start learning our animals just for fun. I didn't know if she was old enough to learn animal sounds but I would sit on the kitchen floor across from her a couple of times a day and let her pull the magnets off the fridge and hand them to me. I would then say the animal name, make the sound and hand it back to her to put on the fridge. One particular animal caught her attention immediately and seems to sell her on the whole animal noise thing--the fish! I think she really liked the facial expression of making fish lips, but the first night we worked on them, that next morning she handed me the fish and made the fish lips and the kissy noise! I about died from cuteness right there on the kitchen floor! And it's her favorite animal and noise to make. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Having a one year old is the best, by the way. She is so fun to take on adventures now that she can point and go "Ooooh!" One of the little adventures we had a few weeks ago was taking a golf cart ride. First, off golf carts are waaaay safer than when I was a kid and have things like seat belts. Plus her Uncle B went very slow and safely for his niece. It was so fun because my siblings and I grew up on and around golf course (fun random fact, I actually played competitive golf through middle school and high school) so it was kind of one of those little dreams come true to start introducing Adelaide to the game and fun of golf. We definitely have plans to get her little clubs when she starts walking and getting a little coordination. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEXkEgh_Z7xixocyFYdz-CzZ0jilRDzz8XwyxI2BfgpJWy7c9YjUh0eSnRwgj3cy6cEafCplSUJ5I6yyogDDr9dhHHcS0QupeTQJ-dU9iRBETdz63iXpADr4rSE25gwGdcNo0EpOWvYo/s1600/IMG_7257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfEXkEgh_Z7xixocyFYdz-CzZ0jilRDzz8XwyxI2BfgpJWy7c9YjUh0eSnRwgj3cy6cEafCplSUJ5I6yyogDDr9dhHHcS0QupeTQJ-dU9iRBETdz63iXpADr4rSE25gwGdcNo0EpOWvYo/s400/IMG_7257.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>How have you all been?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-50677307095444629952012-05-15T21:43:00.000-05:002012-05-15T21:43:36.305-05:00Our Recent Adventures<div style="text-align: right;"></div>It's been quiet over here. Not for lack of adventure, though. Here are a few of our recent adventures:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKb3cCR-vMlax1FESIDoFh7FgRg0z-ssWkAJVUs5oXBReYjebMkoXTdRiuFzMOdTBmDELo6Hkj7W_q-PPVth6TiO_F4OcLDsbf9qTapv2FKb_4RTvuGRu5uIe1mu-S_HxLqF2-RyEVypk/s1600/IMG_4076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKb3cCR-vMlax1FESIDoFh7FgRg0z-ssWkAJVUs5oXBReYjebMkoXTdRiuFzMOdTBmDELo6Hkj7W_q-PPVth6TiO_F4OcLDsbf9qTapv2FKb_4RTvuGRu5uIe1mu-S_HxLqF2-RyEVypk/s400/IMG_4076.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing outside all the time. Letting that sunshine grow our hairs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4JOqOYxrjo0w8UuXm9nR738EIwEaUDEwA4gP0DSKVeo4ClPKuowC_wLR0EF5KknPTdyvFQECNMYBf6zxrWeQIov58tD1rxZLCpa6dgkZ0on3ZjOQUJV28X0ZKO-NcQV6f1zAjVD8pts/s1600/IMG_3681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4JOqOYxrjo0w8UuXm9nR738EIwEaUDEwA4gP0DSKVeo4ClPKuowC_wLR0EF5KknPTdyvFQECNMYBf6zxrWeQIov58tD1rxZLCpa6dgkZ0on3ZjOQUJV28X0ZKO-NcQV6f1zAjVD8pts/s400/IMG_3681.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We tackled a little landscaping project. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSszjKDr_CuMQxRH5tNqJzXTsE1jnFZN6MmZUpuVXicszi7dTWcZhvhtAfVWJNT8oMITv-460QsW5ogLBCA6nNzqFAnpiwzAXLRE4fjM2lLguqPN-K7v0UPmQeTgY1E1gqGx_WLfxU3vE/s1600/IMG_3832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSszjKDr_CuMQxRH5tNqJzXTsE1jnFZN6MmZUpuVXicszi7dTWcZhvhtAfVWJNT8oMITv-460QsW5ogLBCA6nNzqFAnpiwzAXLRE4fjM2lLguqPN-K7v0UPmQeTgY1E1gqGx_WLfxU3vE/s400/IMG_3832.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We met our first cat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfqfwz2RoruyksFt33ljAPh-gHa-OyQ9-BYFvUh4g_HLELnUFnp6tsxbsfM9MJ-kdFSr9X2JraO-ZJOseYLFoTVTT_Pp-TqTXr14PtZ4CfbiB9_tNv9vBF8jqiVO_qSVYSTmcjT4VUiw/s1600/IMG_3859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfqfwz2RoruyksFt33ljAPh-gHa-OyQ9-BYFvUh4g_HLELnUFnp6tsxbsfM9MJ-kdFSr9X2JraO-ZJOseYLFoTVTT_Pp-TqTXr14PtZ4CfbiB9_tNv9vBF8jqiVO_qSVYSTmcjT4VUiw/s400/IMG_3859.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are practicing wearing little shoes to prepare for some little steps.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdYYmXtTuuYOCFyCuUZSk82ZGjbdMW3X01aFP7aY0VLvD6V3ytYiOqsN9HbDbPpD_wBOUkUeBgKwW_hh0snSIfw9YkIEsw01U21AQkTtanvdsUl9y0FvfRBXSVK6pOgLt8UTRfgS2148/s1600/IMG_3935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdYYmXtTuuYOCFyCuUZSk82ZGjbdMW3X01aFP7aY0VLvD6V3ytYiOqsN9HbDbPpD_wBOUkUeBgKwW_hh0snSIfw9YkIEsw01U21AQkTtanvdsUl9y0FvfRBXSVK6pOgLt8UTRfgS2148/s400/IMG_3935.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Look mom! I can stand all by myself!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3M0bl58K8cS4jB8D-7n7apB1CbXo63eRzdWAPOEsHwvejQOeql8akdBBGaR_I2Mn0T1LQ9IrR_jdkAGjzA8AN_M9PyavasLnavMn7AgyUPPbtqJiTn-zGwX9h53DrVtNXW2Z01gexjiw/s1600/IMG_3954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3M0bl58K8cS4jB8D-7n7apB1CbXo63eRzdWAPOEsHwvejQOeql8akdBBGaR_I2Mn0T1LQ9IrR_jdkAGjzA8AN_M9PyavasLnavMn7AgyUPPbtqJiTn-zGwX9h53DrVtNXW2Z01gexjiw/s400/IMG_3954.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Started some berry bushes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HdFqRnKzwJGzBS7GZNJnNMjRAYSYFy4JXelkS2tmM23b_yXIC1DBvX74e8RWupWyFBuFj5-qDHtU3dt16JrCf6O9FJYoLhxIWhHcZ9sIYPmO2YFjCxSGAqTnVdhxYvlYwP89Pdb0hhc/s1600/IMG_4003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HdFqRnKzwJGzBS7GZNJnNMjRAYSYFy4JXelkS2tmM23b_yXIC1DBvX74e8RWupWyFBuFj5-qDHtU3dt16JrCf6O9FJYoLhxIWhHcZ9sIYPmO2YFjCxSGAqTnVdhxYvlYwP89Pdb0hhc/s400/IMG_4003.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little bee in little bee jammies. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoUqGydyVlB78SZMsBEhlRR9zP-My0TxjI5rM9cDdTVrh1akC1HxuF8Qj18qGH9j1ZW23ZshW4Mhzv5jQrmTjyUfcY8U7IvmauBl1dzVIs7xaEowgvwN6Mqn2hsFZtTW2Fk18lBGhTD8/s1600/IMG_4010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoUqGydyVlB78SZMsBEhlRR9zP-My0TxjI5rM9cDdTVrh1akC1HxuF8Qj18qGH9j1ZW23ZshW4Mhzv5jQrmTjyUfcY8U7IvmauBl1dzVIs7xaEowgvwN6Mqn2hsFZtTW2Fk18lBGhTD8/s400/IMG_4010.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby and momma breakfasts. Starting the day off healthy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQAjSx11eNOJQx4TFDssCfsCdHPAb6F4kc_N3PMNqK-Sg3rylgEuVuYNB6meCXTrRCknCet8oxVDvAOGrZEuXSLftYROfXPBLxP-JTy8aHbe6RmfSlehvur-RSSitrUoKFjYOtY7Dazw/s1600/IMG_4092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQAjSx11eNOJQx4TFDssCfsCdHPAb6F4kc_N3PMNqK-Sg3rylgEuVuYNB6meCXTrRCknCet8oxVDvAOGrZEuXSLftYROfXPBLxP-JTy8aHbe6RmfSlehvur-RSSitrUoKFjYOtY7Dazw/s400/IMG_4092.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mom sent me flowers just for fun.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXpt-fC9HXuLwdoOAi6JqRmH0I7ulQJTpQihAUFbq3pwJivlj06GYk8EcT_qFWemmkn7lkTnjw08q2hdqaMQRf3d0TJR6j8d7GrEq7wmwBALEnKi08X7dSgc9_ixZzL7F_0j1kWsWC5Q/s1600/IMG_4104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXpt-fC9HXuLwdoOAi6JqRmH0I7ulQJTpQihAUFbq3pwJivlj06GYk8EcT_qFWemmkn7lkTnjw08q2hdqaMQRf3d0TJR6j8d7GrEq7wmwBALEnKi08X7dSgc9_ixZzL7F_0j1kWsWC5Q/s400/IMG_4104.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little family adventure to the Food Truck festival. Nom, nom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdD0OrQbyfxPhhuiD9ADoFr6a69Rw6JIYw8hqFWHmHW3Oca_gHb2iLYBBDmM24cbCZbbPIGdkLNgZaEYd1TiMHBkoZcg_KRqfYe4CKXO1Z4sK-9bJrDF7VoO1amPUXOGtH5gWqFqYV3E/s1600/IMG_4175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdD0OrQbyfxPhhuiD9ADoFr6a69Rw6JIYw8hqFWHmHW3Oca_gHb2iLYBBDmM24cbCZbbPIGdkLNgZaEYd1TiMHBkoZcg_KRqfYe4CKXO1Z4sK-9bJrDF7VoO1amPUXOGtH5gWqFqYV3E/s400/IMG_4175.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are still working on our coloring!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0HIU_X5Hdt-PC9KqiWstEnOF-uGGh7lWzP2pVD2D7-_NmasDQlVXLj6iCIsVxEZd3sLuL1aRskLESrAAWNPtpB-01dqpaaTbr7U5HfqBiLspIELVymyzBzgSFQMIwO57ttraEEpB_Jk/s1600/IMG_4179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-0HIU_X5Hdt-PC9KqiWstEnOF-uGGh7lWzP2pVD2D7-_NmasDQlVXLj6iCIsVxEZd3sLuL1aRskLESrAAWNPtpB-01dqpaaTbr7U5HfqBiLspIELVymyzBzgSFQMIwO57ttraEEpB_Jk/s400/IMG_4179.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've started being SO expressive! <br />
We laugh, make funny faces, and sometimes we just need to lay our little face down. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-19137027255752152532012-04-24T09:00:00.000-05:002012-04-24T09:00:13.179-05:00Take Me Out to the Ball Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Can I just say this whole baby thing is the best? We have hit a phase where we are going, doing, exploring. Adelaide is old enough that we can do activities with her that we have been dreaming about since we began dreaming about adding children to our family. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
One of those moments was taking Adelaide to her first baseball game a few weeks ago. There is a minor league baseball park in our town with an amazing lawn section. We took our blankets, spread out and enjoyed the game and our little girl taking in the sights. She mostly rolled around chatting, singing and playing while we watched the game and ate ballpark food. Although she did decide to sneak one garlic fry. Let's just say that baby is QUICK when she decides to eat something she shouldn't! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWucJq6oM_zbflw5XOBm-nWpUi6Io-LfBX7XdAhHjY32EyvLdlLl3gNkmfcT6HlAIPfxGF7KlmGbO5juebucipJmMta9tBs6nH4KGPoHgxtkMEovO6y8iLFBMWnKFyRMh7XFBTrucB34/s1600/IMG_6857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWucJq6oM_zbflw5XOBm-nWpUi6Io-LfBX7XdAhHjY32EyvLdlLl3gNkmfcT6HlAIPfxGF7KlmGbO5juebucipJmMta9tBs6nH4KGPoHgxtkMEovO6y8iLFBMWnKFyRMh7XFBTrucB34/s400/IMG_6857.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The afternoon was overcast and actually a little cool for Texas in the spring. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTHSMLXnGIkqohW4rtedI0mqQ7X7r8UitW9BCY_p_cN_rCxzxmHiAMGQf91iWq4kmpQMKXssDFwaZCXuPtPLtZxL3PgBp-NfTwyi6qYXnfQ2iL2HxksR5kf-ZF5ZC28Opm7qK3Qbrztc/s1600/IMG_6860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTHSMLXnGIkqohW4rtedI0mqQ7X7r8UitW9BCY_p_cN_rCxzxmHiAMGQf91iWq4kmpQMKXssDFwaZCXuPtPLtZxL3PgBp-NfTwyi6qYXnfQ2iL2HxksR5kf-ZF5ZC28Opm7qK3Qbrztc/s400/IMG_6860.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Of course we had our arsenal of baby-entertaining supplies and snacks. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwG48-ECLZfZcOjx7m7B-LsIh0B5WpYj9djEA9Qfn4NcpN38cHz2xNqde3aDSyIP16OON-KXW_tBu-cIgAt7mCJyesR9PRe8obbSTCdVTZCsFU7jQz0h8thB80jMN0TMQNLJM27yzwMc/s1600/IMG_6873.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwG48-ECLZfZcOjx7m7B-LsIh0B5WpYj9djEA9Qfn4NcpN38cHz2xNqde3aDSyIP16OON-KXW_tBu-cIgAt7mCJyesR9PRe8obbSTCdVTZCsFU7jQz0h8thB80jMN0TMQNLJM27yzwMc/s400/IMG_6873.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
She had so much fun and so did we! We are planning to go again really soon. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5IiNOQdA6DpEYrVwFkgJ2ww_obS7I6zCPXscDARoqwEIxsbnhSGljJf6GqQQQIlsoAF-3aoSD5CA7jhpqUTHJ9Qq5UEwKajEzEInQNs3FKlXmVciqTG4rGxfQM9isC5eKV6r2JYpoQo/s1600/IMG_6841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI5IiNOQdA6DpEYrVwFkgJ2ww_obS7I6zCPXscDARoqwEIxsbnhSGljJf6GqQQQIlsoAF-3aoSD5CA7jhpqUTHJ9Qq5UEwKajEzEInQNs3FKlXmVciqTG4rGxfQM9isC5eKV6r2JYpoQo/s400/IMG_6841.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-46583227206705832612012-04-12T21:00:00.001-05:002012-04-12T21:10:30.257-05:00A Special Day<div style="text-align: justify;">One of the items on my <a href="http://prettyasthemorning.blogspot.com/2012/01/12-in-12.html">12 in 12</a> list was for T and I take the little miss to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. Not only did we want to share the special place where we got engaged but we knew she would love being outdoors having a little adventure. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since we decided due to some other unavoidable commitments to throw her birthday party the weekend after her birthday, we decided to plan a special family day to the gardens to celebrate little miss's birthday and to celebrate the moment that brought us to her existence in the first place. My sister joined us and we took some really great pictures while we were there. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuD7hL29Uv2dHT6qkV22UxGd4Rx0QucAE9Gi1Ien_xXZjbroPKQUdFU_dYDEluxxh4z3IfSZYF1wfmoH7ApdSfv6873Ix6xcn_qVjHjiWUNJiBXqy7RO5Jd5Yu79Hk4BfJuuqjUfGIsCw/s1600/IMG_6363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuD7hL29Uv2dHT6qkV22UxGd4Rx0QucAE9Gi1Ien_xXZjbroPKQUdFU_dYDEluxxh4z3IfSZYF1wfmoH7ApdSfv6873Ix6xcn_qVjHjiWUNJiBXqy7RO5Jd5Yu79Hk4BfJuuqjUfGIsCw/s400/IMG_6363.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBkXjZvL57LhzT9JcyPf46Unb5Q58dqYRSfZ1-diVdWrM0_CPQum64JrWUYEn9dNpYd4qYV3NdZqBtv7r4QgNb76JRpr5fOshPRMrrcgv5DOuqrjB4y76NfHjF5CNpAJefoGgu6HYkrs/s1600/IMG_6366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBkXjZvL57LhzT9JcyPf46Unb5Q58dqYRSfZ1-diVdWrM0_CPQum64JrWUYEn9dNpYd4qYV3NdZqBtv7r4QgNb76JRpr5fOshPRMrrcgv5DOuqrjB4y76NfHjF5CNpAJefoGgu6HYkrs/s400/IMG_6366.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgD1F7e0_5KqctjGc_n2zm5wrvGtKeAtTQZmOfM7DydlvQSQfPsFBTNuSNt4PhPeaPPY7LSfyJludtLzZQ_yLw8a4FjssFs_YPCDzjXNgm73HqF4etvvNxjipRwp4qmrir4GCTNT_BFFw/s1600/IMG_6381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgD1F7e0_5KqctjGc_n2zm5wrvGtKeAtTQZmOfM7DydlvQSQfPsFBTNuSNt4PhPeaPPY7LSfyJludtLzZQ_yLw8a4FjssFs_YPCDzjXNgm73HqF4etvvNxjipRwp4qmrir4GCTNT_BFFw/s400/IMG_6381.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It was a little warm but we had a great time exploring and it was just the right little birthday outing for our day of celebration.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-18527316158981820292012-04-08T21:24:00.000-05:002012-04-08T21:24:04.715-05:00Happy Easter<div style="text-align: justify;">We had a wonderful Easter--the bunny visited our house leaving the little bit with a fun basket. We celebrated the holiday by going to church, followed by a big family brunch and then everyone took a gloriously long nap. Then we just loused around the house watching the Masters and eating leftovers. It was awesome. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyEyczlC9oMb5wTdqj83cnWmYfzxfB4cdPNjvzbNbn03GNpWQs74owT2NUxvhyiJ2QPOTqHYV40e_w-fsVs4dbiGqo_srYn4Fez6kzfaFSOe7se1RJKhyphenhyphendyXlUb1d913CH7u-cMDuOTo/s1600/IMG_6707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyEyczlC9oMb5wTdqj83cnWmYfzxfB4cdPNjvzbNbn03GNpWQs74owT2NUxvhyiJ2QPOTqHYV40e_w-fsVs4dbiGqo_srYn4Fez6kzfaFSOe7se1RJKhyphenhyphendyXlUb1d913CH7u-cMDuOTo/s400/IMG_6707.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">How was your holiday weekend?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-48339748465656112292012-04-05T09:23:00.000-05:002012-04-05T09:23:23.095-05:00MIA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sorry we have been light on posts lately. We are still sitting on blankets in the back yard reading books, listening to the Beach Boys, digging in the dirt, planting, and exploring.<br />
<br />
And when we are not outdoors were are indoors making tissue paper poofs and stringing streamers everywhere for a special little party we are having this weekend.<br />
<br />
Life is oh so very good! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-838974503110916100.post-84604600662205196702012-03-30T10:00:00.001-05:002012-03-30T10:00:00.388-05:00Spring! Oh, Spring!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-nNWWY4gei-sU2p6myx5Xz5JSfu0btSgEZXvTFGnwm0xEzeIYoFBElNwDE2T2riVT66eFtuPQ7tNjhia0weA5AM2l3vJhYY5JJfqGqQKP0dBN4xJeyfRCrBCyKxyxXO7PhFOqBSwKQE/s1600/IMG_6280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-nNWWY4gei-sU2p6myx5Xz5JSfu0btSgEZXvTFGnwm0xEzeIYoFBElNwDE2T2riVT66eFtuPQ7tNjhia0weA5AM2l3vJhYY5JJfqGqQKP0dBN4xJeyfRCrBCyKxyxXO7PhFOqBSwKQE/s400/IMG_6280.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Oh, it is that time of year again! I don't get crazy about much but spring, oh spring! Planting season. Play in the dirt season. It's like I walk into the local nursery and get high from a combination of all the oxygen emitting plants and the possibility of another season of growing our food and having fresh cut flowers. Really, I should not be aloud to go to Home Depot this time of year unchaperoned. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">And you know what's so awesome this season? I had several plants go to seed out of pure neglect last fall at the end of the drought. Because we were still in a drought all winter I didn't think much of it but guess what? I have around 11 basil plants--in fact way too many to manage myself so when they get a bit bigger I will be sharing them with friends! Plus I have close to 4 dozen zinnia seedlings and a few other little surprises growing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Another awesome thing about this season? I have a little helper to sit next to me, eating Cheerios, dancing to the Beach Boys and pulling leaves off my newly planted begonias. Ah, spring is good!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0