Hello old friend

You were gone for a while, and to be honest, I didn't really miss you. There were times I thought of you, sometimes fondly, but most of the time I was glad we were spending time apart. And then you came back with a bang. You hit so hard my house lost power for 10 hours, and I got all cold and grumpy. I realized I couldn't ignore you, so I promise to give you the respect you deserve. I'm not sure if we can ever be friends like when I was a kid. But since you're here now, Winter, I promise I'll try to find the good in you!

Yes, he really shoveled half of this LONG driveway! I love it, he's so useful.

Sweet Souvenirs

We had a GREAT trip to Boston last week. Thanks Kort and Ginny for hosting us:) I'm now going through serious Ulicny withdrawal!!! When Ginny found out Owen was into Pokemon cards she sent this book home for him. I thought he might be excited so I recorded his reaction. Let's just say he delivered:

Preschool

She started preschool.

She's getting to big.

This kind of behavior has GOT to stop. Wipe that smile off your face.

I mean it! Put that chalk down and start throwing a tantrum! Then I can take you home and we can snuggle on the couch, watch Mickey Mouse and eat fishy crackers!

moving on North

I know, I know, I should just show you a before and after picture and call it good.

But then you wouldn't appreciate the process.

All the hard work I did.

And Jeff too.

Owen might have even helped a little (but then again maybe not).

But first....

OUR MIRACLE!!!!!

Our Ash tree in front of out house. The one that has to be there because the street is lined with them. The tree that shades our house from the HOT afternoon sun. The tree we love.

So when all the other trees on the street had leaves, ours only had a few. I was so worried.

I stopped everything and devoted a day of TLC to this tree.

i raked off the bark around it.

added mega amounts of Ammonium Sulfate.

added soil and compost.

added more Ammonium sulfate.

watered it all in.

replaced the bark and then held my breath.

and continued watering it every day.

I waited...

and waited...

and one morning if I squinted really hard I could see baby leaves coming out of what I had thought were dead branches.

then it happened again, and again, until every single dead looking branch had leaves.

We were so happy. Our miracle: our resurrected tree. I could once again sleep at night without dreams of the city taking a chainsaw to my tree.

Back to business. The before of the North flowerbed:

Step one: we had to cut down the tree. I know, I just spent 10 minutes of your precious time telling you how much I loved one tree and here I am about to take an ax to another.

But believe me, I didn't want that on my shoulders.

I made J do it.

The bottom line was "wrong tree. wrong place." I'm not the idiot who planted a tree that gets 40 ft tall and 30 ft wide ,4 ft from the house.

Go J Go! Chop J Chop! That's the punks you hear not me...

Step 2: Install some dry-layed pavement for a small patio.

Lucky for you I was so busy and hot and sweaty I didn't take too many pictures.

It was about this point J turned to me and said

"I've hauled dirt, boulders, gravel, wood, stone, bark, and sand, what else do you want me to do?"

Me: "Ummm dig up some grass, plant some shrubs, maybe a few trees, and weed my garden. Honey? Where are you going? Is is something I said?"

These punks thought the purpose of this project was the sand box we'd parked in the drivewayPunks.

Step 3: Plant stuff and pull weeds, and pick out rocks, and try to level all the beds, and make the grass line look nice, and install the drip, and avoid dehydration.

Step 4: Spread bark, relax, enjoy, smile.

If you seek attention:

Make some drastic changes to your front yard.

people will notice.

and come to watch you work.

they might even take your picture.

they will definitely say it looks good.

even if they don't like it.

People are just like that.

but that's ok cause I do the same thing.

and those jeans I'm wearing...super uncomfortable.

even for gardening.

they're going in the D.I. bag

So way back a few long months ago, I decided to get busy and improve my landscape. You remember the front yard? No? Well it had problems.

First:

The beds were too high against the house. So I removed a little soil. Only it turned out not to be soil. It was rocks.

It was annoying.

Second:

There were only flowers in the bed. and one shrub I planted last year.

I added three chokeberry bushes and a Japanese maple.

Then I moved the spirea and my awesome friend helped me get some landscape rocks. And viola! One side down, one to go:)

The canyon of the yellowstone...

We made it to Yellowstone last month.

I was sort of excited to go.

But when I got there...

Wowzers! That canyon is beautiful!

and WOWZERS!

Old Faithful impressed again.

and WOWZERS WOWZERS!

Beehive gyzer shooting super high is just so super cool.

and Wowzers!

that's one large load you have on your back there Sir.

First first First!!

First day of first grade (and he's my first)!

ok too many firsts for me, one at a time, please.

This is how Hannah feels about Owen going to school.

Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light

This family was in our ward when we moved in. We weren't here when the accident happened, but Sam, the youngest boy was in our primary class. Chris remarried my cousins really good friend who lost her husband to brain cancer. She had two kids and then she and Chris had a little girl together. Happy ending to a real tragedy. Great video and amazing people. Also when Chris is walking down the street (at minute 5:00), that is our street and on the right it Jeff's gray Honda Civic. We're famous!

Peas Potatoes and Carrots

I have spent super amounts of time in the yard and garden this year and I have loved every minute of it...almost:)

PEAS

We grew two varieties of peas this year.

Oregon Giant: long peas harvested before the peas fill out the pod. More of a stir-fry pea. They were delicious, and I got to eat a lot because the kids didn't like them.

Sugarsnap: These were the kids favorite. Hannah would wake up everyday and ask to go pick them. I know you're supposed to be able to eat these pods, but they really weren't very good. So we shelled most of them and only a few ever made it to the fridge. We just sat outside and ate them.

Lots of other things loved out peas. Here is some slug and snail damage, and later on the birds took to eating any part of the peas: greans, blossoms, and the pods. I finally bought some bird netting.

These peas were overgrown and disgusting.

These are the perfect size:)

Potatoes..yummy

I know it doesn't make a lot of sense to grow 3 pound of potatoes when you can buy them for a few dollars. BUT harvesting and eating potatoes is just too much fun. The best part is hunting for them in the soil. And of course roasting them in the oven:)

Carrots

We planted to varieties, both small munching carrots. Chantenay are the fat ones and little finger the cute long ones.

"What the?" Hannah pulled this one out. This usually happens when carrots hit a physical barrier. It can also happen if the soil is too moist. And if you grow carrots that have a lot of little "hairs" on them, your soil is definitely too moist.

Here is Owen showing off his loose front tooth! Happy Gardening everyone:)