Say good-bye to your garden.

Apparently it is against the rules to have a garden in your front yard. You can't even have a cute garden with a cute picket fence around the whole thing, and nifty blue planters hanging from the outside. It doesn't matter if you really really love your garden, and gardening makes you happy. It doesn't matter if you spent A LOT to make that garden pleasing to the eye so no one will complain. It also doesn't matter if you have already started planting vegetables and you now have to kill all your future salads, side dishes, and sandwiches with strawberry jam as you take it apart and put the fence away.


Have I mentioned lately how much I want to buy some land in the country? Like 25 acres, with a house smack in the middle, and no drive way?

Crazy Neighbors make me bitter

So the mean neighbor has decided that he wants the parking spots closest to my house. It is hard to explain but we live in a cul-de-sac with 3 buildings. They form an upside down U. We live at the bottom of the U and they live on one of the sides, closest to us at the bottom. The only parking is on the sides, so we have to park in front of their house. Instead of giving us the first 2 spots, which are closest to our house, they take them and won't move their cars for days. For a while, they were taking the first THREE spots. Normally, I don't mind. They have small children and the first 2 spots are closest to their house as well, so I just "give" it to them. When I "give" it to them, they haven't stolen it from me and I am not mad. But today it is pouring rain. Really pouring. It has rained since last night and their are big puddles all around. And I had to go grocery shopping, and park way far from my house, and splash all the way to the house... 10 trips. IN the rain... When I am sick. This makes me feel bitter. Why can't they be nice SOMETIMES and let me park close when it is raining?????

Competitive Sports

I will not ever be a sports coach again. I also think I should not attend the games. I am just not competitive. I have an inner sense of justice that says we should help the less talented learn, and bench the better ones until everyone plays well. I don't like the feeling of striking out or missing the pop fly in left field. I don't like to see other people experience those feelings. I am just not a competitive sports kind of gal.

So how do you reconcile your non-love for super strong and competitively driven coaches with your children who love sports, and your child who wants to love sports but isn't good? How do you "go with the game" while feeling bad for your benched child? The mother in me wants to come out and say.. Hey stupid head coach.. HELP him get better at the game instead of benching him!! But that's not how the game is played. Team over individual. :P

Maybe I should just put Adan in charge of the sports?? Got any tips for a for a sensitive mommy?

Homestudy... Check!

Our homestudy is officially complete. that's right folks, we have officially been cleared as ready and able to adopt. That is a scary thought! Our time with the foster child has led me to realize that a younger child is what we need. Maybe 7 or under. I have realized I don't want to adopt more than 2 children. I have realized I need to know their complete background and behaviors before we agree to anything. ANYTHING.

Lu has been saying she wants us to adopt 2 girls and 1 boy. When I asked her why, she told me it was so we can have 3 boys and 3 girls. She is so silly. She said it with a big old grin on her face and a little half laugh.

Little Lu

Is not so little anymore :( I was sick in bed on Tuesday and she ran up the stairs to me all out of breath and excited. "MOM! Great News!" I asked her what the news was and she replied "MY TOOTH is LOOSE!" She allowed me to feel the wiggle and if I squeeze my eyes really tight, I can feel a tiiiiny bit of movement. Go Lu!

Sharon's Photo Quilted Wall hanging

this pertains to 101 things #81 and the year of the FO.

Back in December, Sharon asked me to make this photo quilted wall hanging for her sister. Her brother and both parents died last year and it was something of a tribute to their memory. She wanted this for a Christmas present, but I only had 1 week to get it done and just did not finish. So it sat, half finished, in my craft room for 2 months. In March, she asked if I could have it done for the next trip she was making to visit her family. Here is her finished project. I am really happy with how it turned out, and most importantly she said she loved it and her sister loved it.

Our Garden is working!

it's not broken this year!!!!

Here is what we have so far:


9 Little bitty baby pea plants per square. We planted 6 squares.



16 Little bitty carrots per square - We planted 4 squares so far, will have 12.


8 youth broccoli - We will plant pumpkins here this summer



4 baby lettuce plants per square - Will have 6 squares.



These are #10 cans painted blue with rust paint. I am going to plant herbs and flowers in them and hang them off the fence and screw them into our brick wall. I made sure not to get any paint on the inside so it would not pollute our herbs.


Do you think housing is going to like my new lawn decorations?