The best person I know
A mutual friend of ours told me 12 years ago that the woman who married Mark would feel everyday like she won the lottery was right. I did win the lottery!
Mark has the best sense of humor. He's so funny. He's the most dedicated person I know, to his calling, to his family, to his work. He is an excellent writer and communicator. He works long and hard and tirelessly in all these areas. He took the boys camping even though he really hates camping. He put up a gate last night so our baby would be safe wandering around upstairs, even though he was so tired and in pain. Two months ago, he moved, even though moving was the last thing he wanted to do. One day in June doesn't seem like enough to celebrate what an outstanding father he is. He dotes on his little princess and loves to be with his boys. Everything he does he does well. He complements my weaknesses. He's truly the best person I know.
It's okay that I can't sew
Mark has asked me to sew a button on his pants for about 3 weeks now. I finally did it! Part of the problem was that I couldn't find my sewing kit in the move. So I got a travel size one at the hardware store, and now he's all set.
Part of the problem is I also can't sew! This has been a hard thing for me for my whole life. My mom is an excellent quilter. Our walls will soon (once we hang them up again) be graced with her quilts, each one lovingly handmade. One for my mission and my wedding and one for each of my children. Quilting was her escape, her hobby, her love. She loves to go to the fabric store. She had a quilt club in California with her dearest friends. She spent hours sewing quilts and making gifts. I, however, have no ability in sewing. I can't even hem a pair of pants.
But I also realized as we are working with Matthew on fine motor skills (he has a gross grasp the OT told me) that I don't have great fine motor skills. Small hand work really bugs me! I don't like to do it.
I remember for Christmas one year, Julie and I got latch hook rug kits. She was in 2nd grade and I was in 4th. Like 3 days later she completed hers while mine sat in the box. I think she eventually did mine too. I wanted to do it--it was of a giant panda. I love giant pandas. It was too hard for me. I wish someone had told me "this is hard for you since you have a deficiency in your fine motor skills." I don't know--maybe we are trying to explain everything away these days.
I have had several cross stitch kits--never could do them either. Julie's made cross stitch stockings for all her kids. I can't knit or crochet or hem or anything like that!
So now I am not going to feel bad anymore about what I can't do. And instead focus on what I can do. This weekend when the boys were camping, I asked Caroline what she wanted to do that was special with mom. She said work on her quilt. (I bought her a fleece "knot-a-quilt" kit at Christmas time to go with her new Bitty Twins since they didn't come with a blanket.) There were 8 rows to do and in 5 months we had done 2 rows. So we did it. When we had a few moments, we'd sit down and knot a row (no sewing involved only tying knots.) It's far from perfect (don't look at the backside of it), but it's done and she loves it and it's on her bed now.
So I guess what I am saying in this post is that 1) I am glad I know now why I have never taken to sewing, 2) I am not going to compare myself anymore to other family members that can sew and just be happy for them and their talents, and grateful they share their talents with me, and 3) focus on what I am good at doing.
a reunion
So Memorial Day always brings me back to my days in Washington, D.C. All the kids in the Colonial Ward (our single adults ward) would get together and rent beach houses in Duck, NC. This was the highlight of the year. In fact, as Mark and I started dating long distance (he was in NY and I was in DC) he asked me out for Memorial Day and I turned him down because we had great plans to go to Duck. It was several months later before he asked again, but look it all worked out...
Anyways, Duck was a definite highlight. We'd all drive down and spend 3 days on the beach and hanging out.
A few days ago an evite came into my mailbox. A colonial Ward Reunion is planned for October!! Happy Day! I can't wait to see all the friends I have lost contact with. Everyone come!!! I can't wait to meet your spouses and your children.
Colonial Ward had its issues of course (which ward doesn't) but it was a great place to spend some fantastic years before I got married. I had some of the best friends of my life in that ward.
Enjoy your long weekend, dear readers!
I am just saying
that when Wednesday is over and all my TV shows have ended, that I really am going to use my time in the evenings better. I am going to be very busy stripping wallpaper from 2 bathrooms and a family room. I will be busy picking out new things for the bathrooms. I am going to be super busy going to the gym. I am going to be busy reading many things like conference talks and books. I am going to be busy watching all the movies I haven't seen for the last few months since I cancelled netflix because I liked watching TV better than movies. I am going to be busy getting ready for summer vacation and pulling weeds and playing baseball in the backyard with Josh and taking Matthew on walks around the neighborhood and spending more time with Mark. I am going to be busy reading books to Samuel and helping Caroline learn to read. I emptied my DVR of all shows to tape. I really have many more things I can be doing, after Wednesday.
A variation
Having leftover corn tortillas from making the regular enchiladas, I experimented with a new recipe and I found it quite delicious.
Mix 1/2 to 1 package of softened cream cheese with 1-2 cups shredded cheese, you can even add some green onions. Fill the corn tortillas (I like mine softened in oil for 5 seconds on each side) with a few tablespoons of cheese mixture and top with green enchilada sauce (I bought mine at Target in a can). Top with more shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or so. Yummy! Cheesy! Melty!
Why I love where we live
One reason I love where we live is it's diverse. We know all kinds of people from various ethnic and other backgrounds.
We have several Japanese friends. Last week, Josh had one of his friends over. His mom supplied us with a Japanese snack when we picked him up from school. When she came to get her son after the playdate, she brought Caroline some origami and showed her how some of them changed when you folded them different ways. We can barely communicate because her English is limited as is my Japanese. But we can communicate since we both are moms just trying everyday to do our best for these children.
What is wrong with people?
Seriously, America, you eliminated Melinda?
Goodbye American Idol. You are off my list!
Before and After
This is the bed before with all ground cover.
We eliminated 2/3rds of the ground cover, enriched the bed with a bag of compost and planted 2 rows of flowers, one row of red verbena and one row of white sweet allysum. It's a gorgeous combination, and I am excited to see how it does over the next few weeks.
Monday morning haiku
Brand new white t-shirt
How happy you make me today
Tomorrow you are old.
Diaper bag from Church
Dreaded job to unpack you
All crumbs and papers.
Blue bag by Sassy
Makes my garbage smell so fresh
For 2 little boys.
Check engine light on
Car is at the mechanic
Stuck at home today.
Flowers growing tall
Compost really helping them
Red and white-pretty!
More than you ever wanted to know
Here's some information since I got tagged by a couple of friends over the last couple of months
A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Congressional scheduler
2. Flower shop worker
3. Photo processor
4. PR agency
B) Four movies I could watch over and over:
1. Pride and Prejudice
2. French Kiss
3. Notting Hill
4. The Saint
C) Four places I have lived:
1. Provo, UT
2. Arlington, VA
3. Alexandria, VA
4. New Orleans, LA
D) Four television shows I watch:
1. Lost
2. Sell This House (still)
3. Everyday Food on PBS
4. Grey's Anatomy
and why stop at Four
5. Ugly Betty
6. Gilmore Girls
7. American Idol
8. the Office
9. ER (looks like I need to get a life!)
E) Four places I have gone on vacation:
1. Kauai
2. Bermuda
3. London
4. Bahamas
F) Four websites I visit almost daily:
1. school website
2. friends' blogs
3. library website
4. various shopping sites, especially when I am obsessing about a purchase
G) Four of my favorite foods:
1. ice cream
2. chocolate
3. mexican food
4. fruit
H) Four places I'd rather be right now:
1. Coronado
2. Cedar Hills
3. New York City
4. Washington, D.C.
AND
Five to Seven Random Things or Things You May Not Know About Me
1) I was in tears tonight when I found the Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) website.
2) I am thinking of purchasing theraputty and a weighted lap pad for Matthew thanks to the SPD website
3) I was so happy to hear of Roger Clemens return to the Yankees! Yes!
4) If I love a shirt, I will buy multiple colors of the same shirt
5) I am grateful you read my blog
6) I want to have another baby but some days I wonder if I am up for the challenge
7) I feel like my friend Carrie who used to say, "the hardest day at home is still better than the best day at work."
Go on a date!
Yum! Mark and I went out to dinner. We went to Blue Smoke--fabulous!
If you are looking for some good ribs, in a fun atmosphere, we highly recommend it! Mark has been there lots, and has had take out from there. But it was my first time.
It was just such a good meal, I had to share.
We got a rib sampler which had 3 different styles of ribs. We also got the "veg out" plate, which had all kinds of great vegetables to go along. We also had the dessert sampler which had mini slices of banana cream pie, key lime pie, rhubarb crisp, sticky toffee pudding, etc. etc. and Fitz rootbeer to wash it all down. I loved the sampler style of eating. Lots of tastes of different things. We didn't get, but Mark recommends the deviled eggs and mac and cheese as well.
If you are looking for a new place to go in the City, go ahead...I'll probably still be thinking about it!
Planning for the bunnies
These are the two bunnies that visit our front yard daily. We used to have just one bunny, who we named Cottontail. But seeing two bunnies now which makes me think we may be seeing some baby bunnies as well. Yikes!
So far they have not done any damage really, maybe eaten some tulips. The kids love them and love to spot them on the lawn. But in planning for the big annual planting, I had to research what plants bunnies don't eat.
Here's my list:
daylilies
begonias
marigold
vinca
geranium
zinnias
sweet allysum
So these are the plants that we got at Home Depot (except zinnia which will we plant from seed.)
Tomorrow is planting day. I hope it all works out! And while I like the bunnies, I really hope they don't eat my flowers!
About Annuals
Well this week's project is to get the annuals planted. (Last week's was to finish the guest room).
To help me with this, I attended a workshop on annuals at the Botanical Gardens, and I thought I'd post a few things I learned. Here's to a colorful and low maintenance flower garden!
When planting annuals, don't be afraid! Use color! They are going to die anyways at the end of the season, and you can always do something new next year. You can buy annuals anywhere, nurseries, home depot, grocery store....
Use organic compost. For containers, mix 1/3 organic compost with 2/3 potting mix. Add your fertilizer (planttone) at half-strength and mix well. Then plant. If you have deep containers, you only need the top 12 inches to be soil. You can fill the bottom with gravel, packing peanuts, water bottles, etc. Just put a layer of landscape fabric on top of your material so the water can get through but not the dirt.
In the ground, also mix in compost and fertilizer (at half-strength).
Feed every two weeks with a liquid fertilizer (at half-strength) until the end of June. At this time, put your time release fertilizer capsules on top. Then your plants will be self-feeding. You have to wait until June because the soil temp. needs to be 70 degrees.
Annuals are sprinters--all the feeding will encourage them to do all were made to do!
When using containers and buying plants, think "Thriller" the tall plant in the middle, "Filler" to fill out the middle, and "Spiller" --the plants that hang over the container and hide them. I have plastic containers so I need spillers, but if I had nice ceramic ones I would not use a spiller so much.
While I love my geraniums and impatiens, I am hoping to branch out a little this year. I will also plant more in the ground so that when I am away this summer, I won't have to worry about my containers getting watered. The sprinklers will water the flower beds.
I will post some before and after shots.
