A 30 Day Update

Hey y'all,

It is raining today, so you get my almost undivided attention now. (Or, at least as undivided as it can be with two toddlers and a house that looks like a tornado went through it and I have a psych paper due next week and a world religions test tonight...) I thought I'd give you all a quick update on what's been going on for us in the exactly one month since I last posted on here.

With no more sunshine to aid in procrastination, it's time to face the music. sigh.

Any day it is above 50 and sunny outside, we have been out nearly all day long. Seriously. And the difference in the attitudes of Winter 2yo vs Spring 2yo is outstanding. Seriously. Heck, the difference in my attitude is outstanding. We put on our sunscreen, make sure everybody has a cup of water, and then I turn them loose to do as they please in the yard while I sit on a picnic blanket with my homework or a chunk of the mountain of laundry that needs folding. As Solomon so wisely said so many years ago: “Light is sweet, and it is pleasing to the eyes to see the sun.” - Ecclesiastes 11:7

#stylin

Along those same lines, I have a book recommendation:

The statistics in this book concerning a child's outdoor playtime are alarming, to say the least. It's time to make a change. I highly recommend this book to all parents and/or teachers. The revised edition even has lists of activities you can do with your children outdoors, books to get them excited about and connected with nature, and even things you can do in your community to promote the message that children need to be outside -- adults, too.

As long as we're recommending books, here's that one about the square-foot gardening method I put into play this year in my own garden.

I'm loving it so far! Our spinach is beginning to look like real spinach, our pea plants are demanding I finally build them a trellis, and the design is really so so easy and really does make the job of gardening so so much more enjoyable and less time-consuming. I never knew I could have so much produce gleaned from such a tiny little space! With this method, the needs for weeding and thinning are virtually nonexistent. Also, I have so many seeds left to store for next year's or subsequent plantings because I only planted what I knew I needed. Because I plotted out how much space each single plant will need for growing and producing, there's no "battle for the nutrients" going on with my little seedlings, therefore my little seedlings get an unhindered start to their growing year! Definitely check out this method of square-foot gardening. You won't be sorry!

In a final attempt to keep the dogs from laying in and digging up my garden,
we threw wagonloads of pine cones down. Checkmate.

My spinach (foreground) and a square of pea plants (back square). *squee!*

Random Ruby Leaf Lettuce sprouts. We must have dropped some seeds. Whoops.

Buttercrunch lettuce sprouts. 

My biggest pea plant. I'm very proud.

Look closely.
Closer.
The tops of little carrots!

Some more pea plants. I planted many squares because I always remembered that my mother could never grow enough to feed everyone. Now I'm recalling that her family was twice the size of my own...

Look at all the green peeping through!

Blueberry plants that we ordered from Starkbros. We also ordered (and planted) six fruit trees in the backyard!
(2 apples, 2 pears, 2 peaches) I potted these bad boys to buy myself some time to finalize their resting place.

*Also not pictured (along with the fruit trees we planted) are our two everbearing strawberry plants. They are doing well, so far, and we're excited to reap the produce in times to come!

I also put together some containers to hopefully entice the fauna this summer.

Don't even ask. It's obvious this was not potted to attract. 

Random small updates include:

• The kids and I are trying to bring back our library trips into the agenda. It's tough; and, until Monday, we honestly hadn't been since before the holidays. Whoops.
• I'm an essential oils girl; and recently I got a roll-on Magnolia oil to try as my new "signature scent". It was... different; but I really love it's calming effects. Swipe some on my neck and I immediately feel the tension leaving my body. Also, knowing that my signature scent is Magnolia in the South just makes me feel that much more at home here. hehe

• We paid down half of our debt recently and are on track to be completely debt-free by the end of the summer! That's such a great feeling!!
• Jacob is currently working on getting his CDL. The only condition was that he's not allowed to become a trucker and drive off and leave me. We are definitely teaming that gig. #nowifeleftbehind
• While I am totally kicking butt at this school thing, April will be my most packed month yet, homework-wise. Thus, I apologize in advance if it's another month before I get to be back on the blog. 

My youngest brother (10) with his nephew. He loves being an uncle.

Stuffing our face with cake from Jacob's birthday.

The very handsome birthday boy.