Project 365 - week 23

I decided until I catch up, I'm just gonna bang these posts out so you won't see any of my babbling for a while...I know you're all sad to hear it but I just want to get caught up. :)
Here are this weeks pictures:


5/31 - We took advantage of my mom being here and dropped the boys off with her so we could go out on the golf course with my dad and step mother Jan. My dad works at the course so we got out for free. Jan and I drove around in one cart as Michael and my dad golfed. I did hit a few balls off the tee which was fun. Michael was in rare form. He's not really a golfer and hasn't played in about 2 or 3 years. He had the right attitude and just went out to have fun, playing to the "crowd" after he putted.



6/1 - We had a big thunderstorm more through today. I had planned to go over a friends house to scrap and was afraid the weather would keep me home. Luckily it cleared up and I headed out. I thought the sky looked pretty cool so decided to try and get some pictures of it. Unfortunately, the best views were behind me, so I used my side mirror to capture it as I drove down the highway.



6/2 - They guys came to finish the patio today. I love how it came out and couldn't wait to start setting it up. It's so nice to have a place now, set back from the house, that we can sit and enjoy. We plan on doing some potted plants her and than and eventually get a patio set. Once that happens, the picnic table will move to a different area and be for the kids.



6/3 - I just love my little garden. I check on it every day and can't help but take pictures of it. I love seeing how big the plants are getting and the changes that are taking place. I know its a small gaden but sometimes it's the little things that end up making one happy.



6/4 - With the last day of school tomorrow, I needed to get cracking on some gifts for his teachers. I decided to make them each a set of monogrammed cards with a matching box filled with some treats. This was the set for his teacher Mrs. Byrd. Her asst, Ms Heinish got the same only in pink and brown colored paper. I just loved his teachers and hope we're lucky enough to get them again when Tanner goes to kindergarten.



6/5 - With all the work we did in the backyard, we didn't have the lawn guy mow. Michael decided to do it himself since we were planning a little cook out to christen out new backyard oasis.I wasn't sure if he would get the mower to work but sure enough, he did. This was going to be the first mow of the new sodded area as well. I was amazed at how great it looked when he was done.



6/6 - We had talked about getting a chiminea at some point, but today when we were walking through Lowe's, Michael saw this and decided it was what he wanted. We figured we could not only use it for a fire, but also fill it with ice and have drinks in it as well. We really liked the look of it and that night, we had fire and toasted some marshmallows with the boys.

Project 365 - week 22

OK, so I fell of the planet for a little while but now I'm back and ready to get caught up. I'm not going to go into any ramblings about how life gets in the way and blah, blah blah. Maybe I'll save that for a later post(luck you). Right now, I'm just going to bang out the weeks I've missed and get caught up. So, here it goes:

5/24 - I am so enjoying our backyard now that it's fenced in. I'm having fun with the garden and planting we're been doing. Today we got another hanging plant, a fuchsia. I thought it was so pretty with the purple and pink flowers



5/25 - It amazes me how big the watermelon that Duncan planted in school is getting. It's taking over the garden actually. It's been so exciting to see something he planted continue to get grow and now has flowers on it. I cant' wait for the watermelons to start.



5/26 - Michael has spent a lot of time out back hacking at the roots of the tree we had taken out . There is a big area that needs to me leveled and he's been doing it a little at a time. This is one of the piles of roots he dug up, waiting to be disposed of at the dump.



5/27 - I was thrilled to be able to help out at Duncan's school for their Field Day. I chose to work the ring toss, which was the last event his class was going to do. It was such a hot day and of course, where the ring toss was set up there was no shade. it was so fun watching all the kids enjoying themselves, cheering each other on, having so much fun.



5/28 - We ended up calling someone to come and finish up the area Michael had been working on. When they came to lay the sod, we talked to them about what we wanted for a patio. They were able to do it and dug out the area where it would go. It was so exciting to see everything in the backyard come together is a relatively short period of time.



5/29 - Now that the backyard is fenced, the boys were asking us to set up the tent. Michael decided to set it up and camp out that night. Duncan was so excited and couldn't wait. When it was time for bed, Michael and the boys went out to the tent where they read a story and then settled down to sleep. Tanner ended up coming in after about a half hour and went to his bed but Duncan stuck it out, sleeping in the tent all night. I decided to sleep on the couch because I wanted to be close. We were woken up at about 5:3o thank to the rooster in the house behind ours.


5/30 - My boys can actually sit still, together, peacefully...and here is the proof. They both have so much energy and spend the majority of their time running around playing but I was able to capture this quiet time while both were glues to some TV show they just discovered. I know watching to much TV isn't good, but there are times when a moment like this is so needed.

Project 365 - week 21

OK, so I'm a week behind and try as I may, I can't seem to get my act together and get caught up. We've had some projects going on in the backyard, some of which you will see in this weeks photos, some in the next weeks photos. So, lets get to it, and maybe I'll manage to catch up this week..:)

5/17 - It's funny how our thinking has changed since we got the fence. Before, we figured the big tree would need to come out so we could have a patio. Now, instead of having a patio right off the house, we decided to have it away from the house in the corner. To do so, a small tree needed to come down, which Michael decided to do himself. One thing about us, when we decide on something, we jump in with both feet, without thinking for days. it's worked for us so far, so why change what ain't broke. The boys had fun moving the branches into a pile while Michael cut the tree up.

5/18 - The boys wanted to play with play dough, so I gave in and let them. It didn't take long for them to have everything spread out all over the kitchen table. I was happy to see them having so much fun with it, but man do I hate the clean up that comes after.

5/19 - When I planted my veggies, I also had some flowers I wanted to plant. I decided to use the small pots I had for them. We planted Lavender, Love int eh mist and Bachelor button. They're really starting to come up and I can't wait to have the bloom.

5/20 - I finally got the rest of the veggies planted in the raise bed Michael made for me. We have both cherry and roma tomatoes, green bell peppers, cucumbers and watermelon. I'm so excited to have an actual garden and am already planning what to grow next year, when we add a second bed. The boys have having fun watching them grow and helping me water. I can't wait to be able to pick the first veggies off for us to feast on.

5/21 - We got the picnic table last week and this week, we stained it. The boys of course wanted to help, unfortunately they hindered rather than helped. It took a long time for the stain to dry but I really like how it came out. Michael cut a hole int he middle so we can add an umbrella for some shade as well.

5/22 - My sister got me this backpack for Mother's Day. She has one she uses as a diaper bag and I thought it would work out well for me. I love it and am using it as my only bag at the moment. It makes walking so much easy. Before I had to carry my keys and cell along with water when I didn't have pockets, now I can carry it all and have my hands free.

5/23 - We went to a cook out at a friends house over Memorial Day weekend. We had such a fun time and the boys really behaved. It was so cute watching the boys push and pull the girls around the yard in the wagon. They had so much fun and it was such a beautiful day.

Project 365 - Week 20

Well, I'm still not getting these posts posted in a timely manner, and for that I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe it's the nice weather...ya, we'll go with that for this week. :)
Here are the pictures for last week:

5/10 - I couldn't believe it when the boys came running to the back door, saying they found a turtle. I mean, what the heck would a turtle be doing in our backyard? But sure enough, that is exactly what they found. They were both so fascinated by it. The poor thing was probably traumatized, shut up in it's shell as the boys took turns holding it, putting it down here, picking it back up to bring over there. We did see if move but then the boys ran out to puck it back up and in it's shell it went to hide. Duncan put it over by the tree when it was time for us to leave for breakfast. I think he was hoping it would stay there but alas, when we came home, he was no where to be found.

5/11 - Michael decided to get a new rope hammock. After looking in several stores with no luck, we finally got one at Dicks Sporting Goods. It came with a stand which at first, he didn't think he would use. I was reluctant to try it but once I got on it, I didn't want to get up. We've all enjoys lounging around on it, enjoying the nice weather and our backyard oasis.

5/12 - I wanted Michael to build me a raised bed so I could plant some veggies. This will be the first garden I've attempted and I couldn't wait to have the bed made and the veggies planted. We went and go the wood today and he got right to work on it. After cutting the pieces in the garage, we brought them to the backyard to assemble. The boys enjoyed helping, each taking turns handing him nails. It was truly a family project.

5/13 - The boys have been having fun with Duncan's Lincoln Logs. While Duncan is at school, Tanner plays with them, pretending to make cars and racing them. I heard him playing in his room and when i went to take a look, I saw him and Michael sitting on the floor playing. I love when they do that so of course I ran for the camera to capture the moment.

5/14 - Today was the Author Celebration in Duncan's class. The kids were told to dress up and everyone was invited to go into the class for the celebration. All the kids wrote a little story and when we went it, we were given the covers and told to go to each child, they would read us what they wrote, then we got a copy to put in the folder. At the end we would have a little book of story's by the entire class. When we walked it, Duncan just beamed with pride. His story was about our goldfish.
It was so wonderful to hear all the stories and to see how far they all came from the beginning of the school year. I will cherish this book always.

5/15 - We finally got all the soil needed to fill the raised vegetable bed. After Duncan came home from school we went to work transplanting the cherry tomatoes and the watermelon Duncan planted at school. I still needed to get some peppers, cucumbers and roma tomatoes to round it out. I hope these all grow well and then next year, we can do more as well as adding to it.

5/16 - We finally have a place to sit and eat outside. Michael went and got the picnic table at Lowe's. We decided to go with the picnic table since we don't have a patio yet. Then once we do get the patio and furniture, the picnic table can go to the side and be for the kids.

Project 365 - week 19

So here we are in the middle of week 20 and I'm finally getting around to posting my week 19. Last week was a bit, well, trying. There was a lot of uncertainty around when Michael would be coming home, field trips, volunteer luncheons, and just every day life....and lucky for you, I caught most of in on film...film? what are we back in the 80's..sheesh.
Here's the week in photos, hope you enjoy:

5/3 - Once again we spent the morning over my dad's house. The boys have so much fun when we go there. My dad's neighbor came over to borrow a wheelbarrow and ended up take the boys for a ride before heading home to use it. When he brought it back, it was my dad's turn to give rides. All three piled in and he took the for a trip around the house. I love watching my dad playing with his grandsons. I truly believe it's keeping him young. If you saw him, you'd never guess he was 72 years old....at least I wouldn't
5/4 - Last Friday, tanner and I went with some moms strawberry picking. Today, I decided to make strawberry bread. I got the recipe from my stepmother a while ago. She had made it once and at first, didn't think it sounded appealing. Boy was I WRONG - it was delicious! I had a lot of fun making it and was really happy to be able to use fresh picked strawberries instead of the frozen kind the recipe called for.
5/5 - Duncan's school held a luncheon for the people that volunteered throughout the year as a thank you. I was fortunate enough to get invited. Duncan's teachers let me leave Tanner int he classroom with them, which cause slight anxiety. After not wanting me to leave, I headed to the new all purpose room for the lunch. After the luncheon, the principle, Mr. Calder, took whoever wanted to go on a tour of the new building. It added so much room and everything looked great. This is the new library. I couldn't get over how big it was and what you can't see is a computer room that was to the right.
5/6 - I've recently rediscovered my drive to lose weight. I don't know where it went for the past few months but it's back now so I guess that's all that matters. I've been getting in the habit of holding off on a shower in the morning. I get dressed in workout clothes, take Duncan to school, come home and Walk Away The Pounds. So far I'm doing really good and I've managed to lose a few pounds. I hope to be able to keep it up long term.
5/7 - Have I mentioned how much I love having a fenced in back yard? Well, I do! I love being able to tell the boys to go outside and play. I also love how much fun they're having back there as well. Today, Duncan decided to play coach and set up an obstacle course for Tanner to run. I love standing in the sunroom watching them. I can't wait to see what other games they will make up.
5/8 - Finally, at long last, Duncan was going on a field trip. I was so excited to go with him and was glad to know I cold bring Tanner with me. This was also going to be his first time on the bus. He was so excited. They went to Huntington State Park in Murrells Inlet. It was such a fun day. This is him with his best buddy Blake. They've been stuck at the hip since the beginning of school. After checking out the boardwalk and education center, we headed to the beach area for lunch, a scavenger hunt on the beach, ending with a tour of the Atalaya, the Spanish-style castle that was the winter home to noted American sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington. Duncan decided he wanted to take the bus back to school so Tanner and I headed there to pick him up. It was such a fun day.
5/9 - After so many problems coming up and things changing, Michael finally did in fact make it home today. There was a chance he was going to need to stay for up to another 2 weeks. Luckily, they managed to get everything worked out and Saturday morning, he called me from Atlanta to say he was coming home. The boys and I went to pick him up. he couldn't wait to see the new fence and check out the new Backyard Oasis, as I've dubbed it. He wasted no time setting up his travel hammock and enjoying the privacy and joy of being home.