New stuff and starting seeds

I have a confession to make.  I have never been any good at starting seeds inside and transplanting them to the garden.  I have an honest to goodness green thumb...really!  I think the issue is that no house I've lived in has ever had the correct amount of sunlight inside to really give seedlings a shot. 

This year I am trying something new.  It's a fairly minimal investment and if it works (especially if it works for multiple years) it will wind up saving a ton of money.  AND it has the added benefit my being able to choose what I want at the price I want as opposed to what the store is interested in offering.

So, I got this thing...

And I got this thing....

And now I just need to wait for the seeds to arrive...

I'll be sure to keep you posted on how this all works out.  :)

Updates on The Garden

I figured out my garden journal.  Yep, Ms. organized has gone and outdone herself again.  Okay, this might not be the best example of organization in my long history of lists and strategy but it's pretty darn good (if I do say so myself). 

I saw this binder at Target.  Doesn't it simply scream GARDEN JOURNAL?

I have filled it with useful things like bad paint.net drawings of the landscaping in my yard.

Notes about what is currently blooming - on a page marked February in the "spring section" of my binder.  For those who are curious this is Lentin Rose & Crocus.

Lovely pages from the High Mowing Seed catalog with circles around the seed selections I made.

 

  

  

And lots of useful advice about things I have had problems with in the past...

and what to do about it this year!

 

 



Garden Journal and First Flower!

I have started my garden journal.  First I drew some pictures of the different flower beds and where trees have been planted...this was all done from memory and is filled with gaps.  As things begin to bloom I will do a spring, summer, fall & winter section to complete my inventory. 

I have also assembled my wish list of things I'd like to plant in the veggie garden this summer.  Considering I have a 12x18' area it's pretty advantageous and needs major paring back.  I'm hoping that shortly after I finish this post I'll be able to choose my seeds and order supplies.

And Happy Happy Happy - we have our first bloom of the season!  Hello little crocus, it's very nice to see you!

Last weekend at the park

We have a really nice park near to our house and go fairly often with the kids and to let the dog blow off steam.  Before, say, 11am we generally have the place to ourselves and so it's easy to let all the kidlets run wild - no leashes needed ;)

At any rate, they put up a new playground recently and it was warm enough, and not too wet last weekend and we gave it a shot.  Got some really fun pictures to share.

Making good on a deal

Back around November James promised that when Natalie learned to ride her bike without training wheels that he would buy her a new one.  She's been sans t-wheels for a month or so now and he finally got around to upgrading.  After much hemming and hawing (she wanted a spider man bike that cost a$120) we have a bright orange Mongoose that says nice things like "eat dirt" in graphics on the paint job.  She is thrilled and after a few adjustments to seat height is off and running!

Long time no pictures

These are from January.  Freakin' hilarious!  There is nothing like fleece and baby fine hair to produce perfect static.  Patrick's face could not be more priceless!

Super Mom!

It's kind of a long story but my children have intense anxiety over traveling in a car without water and a bag of snacks.  I take full responsibility for this...I simply like to be prepared in case we get stranded somewhere and someone is starving or dying of thirst.  Anyway, they now require travel rations no matter where we're going.  Which includes our morning 15 minute commute to work/school/daycare.  Recently Natalie has been wanting yogurt.  I am happy to commute with yogurt and she's happy to wait to eat her snack until she's happily hanging out with her buddies in Miss Jennifer's room.  Patrick, on the other hand, has not figured out that eating dairy in a small container, with a spoon, in a messy 1yo way, in my car and is definitely not happening and is not happy to wait till he's hangin' in Miss Tracy's class.  So, I have to sneak Natalie's yogurt into the car every morning or suffer the consequences.  And by consequences I mean listening to Patrick wail "ooooooogurrrrrr, oooooohhhgurrrrrr, mine ooooooohhhgur" for that entire commute. 

Fast forward to Wednesday morning. 

Natalie: "MOMMY!  You have gone and forgot my yogurt AGAIN!"

Me:  (thinking: what is she talking about?  When did this yogurt forgetting qualify as a habit?) "No, I didn't forget it.  I was just extra sneaky this morning.  It's here with me in the front seat."

Natalie: That's awesome Momma! (gosh she's so southern all of a sudden...note the "gone & forgotten phrasing of her first accusatory sentence)  You're like SUPERMAN!  Now picture her shooting off fake guns in the back seat....

Natalie: Wait, you're SUPER MOM!!!!  More fake gun shooting and psssshew gunshot sounds from the back seat.

Me: (Glowing and laughing hysterically) Thank you Natalie, I love being Super Mom!

What I did not mention as I was glowing over my fabulous Super Mom self was that I'm fairly certain that Superman does not shoot off guns.  And that my shooting off guns in our car would most definitely disqualify me from being any variety of Super Mom.  Unless maybe you're friends with Sarah Palin....which I most definitely choose not to be.  Anyway, after this whole gun shooting, Sarah Palin friending stream of consciousness went on in my head it occurred to me that I'm one step away from being CRAZY MOM!

I've gone and done it!

I joined the gym.  It's been over 5 years since I last worked out in a gym and it shows.  My weight isn't all over the place but I'm just so soft...ack.  Anyway, I've been twice and am going with my friend Emily (who, by the way, could double as a Southern Blonde sweet talking drill sergeant) and I am super excited to be doing this for myself.  And super sore.  Super, super sore!

Way To Go, Natalie! Way to Go!

On Saturday Natalie had her kindergarten screening at the private school we very much wanted her to attend.  She was scared despite our constant reassurance that she was only going to meet new friends and play for an hour.  Soon after meeting the teachers she did warm up and admitted afterward that she'd had a very good time.

Fast forward to today...  I had the follow up to the screening to get the results.

Nat has been accepted to the Luther Memorial School in Richmond and we're thrilled.  When I spoke to the admissions woman today she was equally excited about Natalie.  And in a wild moment of parent pride and gushing let me fill the rest of you in on the details.

Natalie tested in the 98% and fully out of about half of the 6yo criterea.  We've known for awhile that she's got a natural atheletic ability and was very bright.  We're glad to see that everyone agrees with us!

Teeth!

Patrick is 1 molar shy of a full set.  I'm not sure where it is but I'm not putting any fingers in there so we'll just continue to resort to tickling him until we can visually verify it :)  I suspect it will come right in time for natalie to lose her first tooth.   Her bottom right front tooth is hanging sideways in her mouth right now and is super wiggly.  I desperately want to wiggle it constantly until it comes out.  She has declined my help.  Gah!