my thumb is turning green

i never thought i would utter those words. ever. most of the plants in my life have led a short and sad life.

a few weeks into our marriage, brandon and i made a trip to earl may to buy our first house plant together. we made sure to get something that didn't require much attention, as we lived in an apartment and didn't have a lot of natural light. the employee assured us that this plant (no idea what kind) would survive indoors and it was so easy to maintain. we would have to try to kill this plant. okay. easy enough....

fast forward a few weeks and it had slowly withered away to a few desperate looking yellow leaves. there are no words. i'm ever so sorry, my dear house plant:( unfortunately, that was not the last plant that died a slow and water deprived death.
two years later, in the midst of my pregnancy, my lovely hubby continued to remind me that all my plants died, i decided to give back the kitties that we adopted (a story for another day), so how in the world would i be able to be a mommy if i couldn't figure out how to mother plants or animals?!? my response? i am no botanist or zoologist....i was made to be a mother:)

since we moved into our new house, the reality has set in that we actually have to do yard work. as the snow started to melt and the green, little buds began to poke their heads out of last year's brown leaves, i began to panic. i don't know what to cut back, leave alone, trim, rake, compost, water......heck, i just found out the difference between perennials and annuals. the previous owner left us with many beautiful perennials, as well as a garden. brandon wanted to plant "our own" things ( to him, it's not as much fun to watch someone else's plants come up. i think it's genius. i get to take credit for living and surviving [cross your fingers] plants that i did nothing to. booyah.) in the garden. so last week we dug up the garden and planted a salad bar of a garden. i sent B to earl may for something simple, like tomatoes and peppers, and he came home with 27 different things to plant. uhg, MEN.
we got to tilling, digging, raking, removing child from dirt, planting and watering. we did one row of broccoli, one row of garlic, two rows radishes, two rows of strawberries, a blueberry plant, and a raspberry plant. only to find most of them chewed down to nuthin' the next morning. brandon was ready to strangle any and all rabbits. we invested in a cheap garden fence and haven't had any issues since.....let's hope they grow back!

here are a few pictures of some backyard plants. besides the ones we planted ourselves, i have no idea what anything else is. i need to invest in one of those plant books with pictures. also, these pics were taken before we watered, so the ground looks dry. but the soil was raked to an inch of it's life by my burly husband, so i assure you that the soil was not dry.

some pretty perennials that sprouted. the sign said snap dragons. is this right??

the garden. pretty uneventful these days. let's hope for some action soon!

sad raspberry bush was dinner for the neighborhood rabbits. we're hopeful it will come back to life soon....

blueberry bush alive and well...so far, so good!

couldn't have a post without this precious soul. this is actually in my parent's back yard. she was looking for the dog next door.

hostas are blooming away!

anyone out there into the art of gardening?? i need some serious tips....pass 'em my way!

...sUmMeR bReEzE mAkEs Me FeEl FiNe....

Wow. What gorgeous weather we had this weekend in Des Moines!! It seriously gave me hope that summer truly is just around the corner (sometimes that's hard to believe!). I love seeing everyone outside and how summer reminds us to enjoy the small things in life. Life's simple pleasures...like ice cream and bonfires. Fireflies and Ladybugs (wait....not those Japanese Beatles though...are they the same thing?!). Picnics and BBQs. Ahh...summer....

So, because we all got this fabulous treat this weekend, it got me thinking about ALL the things I can't wait for for this summer. I tend to have a lot of plans initially every summer and then it goes by so quickly that I only do about 1/4 of my plans (how come when we were kids summers seemed to last f.o.r.e.v.e.r and at times you didn't know what to do with yourself, and now that we're older it just sneaks by?!) No fair. I don't want to miss out on anything I am looking forward to this summer...so here it goes to making a list just for fun and a little accountability!

camping...bonfires...smores...ice cream..swimming...lemonade...grilling...playing outside/taking walks with hurley...driving with the wind blowing through my hair and blasting "summer-ish" music...farmer's markets...drive-in movie theater...eating outside...fresh fruit and veggies...flowers...blue skies and green soft grass...bocce ball...sunglasses...flipflops and tanktops...iowa state fair...the sound of lawn mowers and the smell of fresh cut grass...family vacation...tans and freckles...concerts...bike riding...thunderstorms at night...open windows and fresh air...tropical sno (eric and i were going to attempt to try every flavor one summer...ha!)...mini golf...sunsets...great photo ops...being barefoot...amusement parks...fireworks...the list is endless guys!!

Now...some fun summer images...

Did I get you excited at all for summer?! I am sure the weather this weekend was enough for anyone to get excited!!

What are YOU excited for this summer? Please share! Especially if you know of any fun summer events in DM!

P.S. Have you heard Jason Mraz's version of "Summer Breeze"? It's fabulous.

Randomness

I don't have anything big lingering on my mind today to write about so I thought I'd just post a list of random thoughts I've been pondering lately...

#1 I'm so excited for this spring/summer.  Judah's at the point where I can take him places easily and our time together gets sweeter and sweeter.

#2 I'm debating what my next phase of ministry looks like-- there's a part of me that's leaning toward helping out with my MOPS group or even starting a new Parents Night Out ministry at our church.

#3 I often struggle with knowing what a good balance is for "down time" and "get 'er done time".  How much TV  is too much?  How many planned activities should I have in our week?  I'm always working on this and trying to figure out the correct balance for our family.

#4 My business blog has been going well lately and a lot of vendors are asking me about advertising but I feel insecure about asking for money for fear that those companies won't get any business from the advertisements.

#5 My sister is growing up and it's fun to think about the kind of relationship we will have someday.  Will she drive over to my house after school and share with me about her day?  I can see a true potential for a deep relationship with her and I look forward to it.

#6 Sometimes I feel worried I come off too strongly. I feel like I overcompensate because I'm worried of stepping on people's toes and then I don't exercise the part of me God created to be a "truth teller".

#7 I used to think I would travel the world and that travel would always be a part of my life.  That was before I realized how much it costs to have a house, a family, pay off student loans etc.  I wonder if I will ever travel or if it will wait until retirement.

#8 I love our small group.  Six months ago I didn't think this opportunity was there but we prayed and God was faithful to bring more young couples to our church.

#9  I'd love to have another baby soon; there are days I feel totally ready and days I feel really nervous that I can handle two kids at once.

#10 I've been told my spiritual gift is discernment but I don't really know what that means or looks like. I'd like to know more about this part of myself.

Bear Creek Soup

I know with the gorgeous weather we've been having the last thing on your menus is probably soup. But, I've been meaning to post about this for a while and unfortunately, it looks like we're back to colder weather for a little while longer...summer is coming soon, I promise!

This soup is something my mother told me about. It is so quick and easy and yummy, and also makes a good amount! So if you're looking for something that fits this discription, you've got it!

You see the instructions on the top that says, "just add water"? Yup, that's basically all you do! I know a lot of people are leery of soups made from a powdery mix, but you don't have to be with this!


Although it probably is good just "as is", my family likes to add a little bit for extra taste...what you might ask?

Bacon, potatoes, and green onions. The back of the bag also suggests adding sour cream and cheese for more of a loaded baked potato feel, I suppose. I think it's cheesy enough, and the onions and bacon add the perfect touch to make it even better! The extra added potatoes are just for a little bit more "umph" and consistency.

Here's a look at the work in progress:

 The soup gets thicker as it simmers.

Eric basting the breadsticks we got to go with it. They are so yummy and simple too! Simply brush with some butter,

add some Kosher/Sea salt,

and taa-daa! The finished product:

Haha, now that I look at this picture, I see that breadstick had maybe a little too much salt on it :) But we did brush some off and that's what's so great about breadsticks...just brush it off if you got a little too "salt happy"!

I got the soup from HyVee but I think I heard someone say they've seen it at Wal-Mart too. I can't say anything about any of the other soups in that brand because I've never tried them, but this one is good!

Let me know if you give it a try!

Tour De Homes

Back in high school, the three of us and our moms went on a cruise together before graduation.  It was one of the best weeks of our lives and even though we were teens, we so enjoyed the company of our mothers.  The 6 of us laughed hard, ate amazing food, made many memories and even befriended our cute waiter.  We still talk about the funny things that happened on the cruise and hope to one day be able to go again :)

It's no secret Maggie and Brandon just purchased a house, making it so that all three of us now have homes of our own.  Every time I see Janice (Maggie's mom), Luann (Hannah's mom) or Heidi (Hannah's sister) they talk about how they can't wait to visit our houses.  So yesterday we made that happen.

We got the "cruise girls" together, with one happy addition, the sister we love and adore, Heidi, and set off on a progressive lunch.  Us girls cleaned our houses and had our moms and sister over for food and a home tour.  I felt like a Realtor; it was so much fun!

The first stop was my place where we had appetizers and I walked around telling everyone about our house and all the changes we've made since we moved here.  Afterward, we made our way to Hannah's to see her adorable casa and have lunch.  Then, we hopped in the car and met up at Maggie's new place for a tour on the whirlwind of home-projects they've accomplished in just a few short months.

It was a full and blessed Saturday morning.  We laughed hard again (girls, remember the idea my mom had for the title of her would-be blog?) and shared a great meal together.  I am blessed to have these women in my life and to be able to share my home with them.

Now let's not wait another 7 years until we get the group together again!!

Lemon Cookies FULL Recipe!

Last week, I posted about my Aunt's fabulous lemon cookies that I begged you to make.  A little after I posted the recipe, I realized it was incomplete.  Here it is in all of it's lemon glory:

Aunt Amy's Fabulous Lemon Cookies

I box Moist Supreme lemon cake mix (I've used other brands)
2 eggs
1/3 veggie oil
Granulated sugar
Creamy Supreme Lemon Frosting
Granule sugar
* Don't buy Betty Crocker cake mix-- the cookies don't turn out as well.

Heat oven to 375*. Mix cake mix, eggs and oil.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased sheet.  Place sugar in bowl/dish and flatten cookies to 1/4 inch thickness.  

Bake for 5-7 mins. Cool 1 minute then remove from sheet.  (It is important to cool 1 min before removing.  If you do it too soon they will be too soft and will break.  If you cool too long on the sheet they will stick and you will have to chisel with a spatula to remove.) After moving, let cookies cool completely before frosting. 

Microwave about 1/2 cup of the frosting for 15 secs and drizzle on cooled cookies. (I put the frosting fresh from the jar into a baggie, cut a tiny hole in it, and pipe swirls on the cookies.) After drizzling every three cookies or so, sprinkle with sugar on the fresh frosting.  (I used the large granule sugar from the baking/spice isle at Walmart.) If you wait too long the frosting will be dried and the sugar won't stick.

Make sure to use the granule sugar on top-- the crunch of the sugar combined with the smooth lemon flavor creates the perfect combination of textures.  My Aunt does the frosting swirls and it looks so cute with the sugar.  These cookies are perfect for spring and are seriously some of THE BEST COOKIES I've ever had!

spontaneous home improvements

last week brandon and i decided it was time to rip up the carpet in our front room. i was ready to tackle this task the minute we moved in, so when he finally gave me the go ahead, i didn't have to be told twice to run downstairs for the toolbox.

you see, while house hunting, brandon and i both knew that our hearts were set on finding an older home. the charm...the character...the history. there's something about living in a home that holds a story. the memories that are housed within the walls of a home are priceless. i'm sort of a sentimental schmuck and brandon always pokes fun at me when i remind him of our first apartment together on sheldon and our memories shared as newlyweds. or the house rented on 6th street, where i learned that i was going to be a mommy. and then nine months later, i learned how to be a mommy. and we can't forget the house on ontario street where peyton took her first steps and blew out her first candle. yeesh, i'm getting teary just typing about it.

yep...i'm a schmuck:)

anyway, we wanted to find a cute, old house that had seen many, many memories being made and continue to fill up the memory glass.

and with old houses, you get original, hardwood floors. the previous owner had carpet laid down to cover the hardwood. our front room is part living area, part dining area, so you can imagine my fear of trying to keep white carpet clean with a toddler (and future toddlers) who tells me she's "done" by throwing her food on the floor. oy.

we had planned a weekend where brandon would rent a floor sander and we would go to work sanding and refinishing the floors. but brandon and i are both antsy and wanted to dig in. we knew there was hardwood beneath the carpet, but had no idea what condition they were in. much to our surprise, when we pried up that carpet, there were beautiful, shiny wood floor staring back at us. brandon and i yanked out staples for about an hour and voila! an entirely different room. (brandon also spent the better part of sunday afternoon ripping out the tack board and all the nails that outlined the perimeter of the room.....so don't get me wrong, it did take some work...but much less than we anticipated!)

all we have left to do is fill in all the little nail holes and do some buffing and polishing, and we're done. i couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. i have crushed on my friend's and family's hardwood floors for years and now i have my own. i am one happy lady:)
here are a few before and afters:

this was taken earlier in the year, right after we painted.

post carpet destruction

there's still a few things to be done with this room, but we are so excited and happy about the latest find!