I would take pictures, but they would all be of dirt and compost...and who wants to look at pictures of that? In the free time we have, we are working in our yard. Last weekend we shoveled 14 yards of compost and spread it around the yard. Steve rototilled it into the soil and now it needs to be raked and the rocks need to be removed. I've been prepping flowerbed with compost and bagged garden soil in hopes to keep whatever I plant alive. I'm just sure my house is going to smell like stinky compost even though I've been beyond strict about no shoes coming in the house and clothes being left in the downstairs mudroom. I hope our hard work will pay off with a beautiful start to our yard this summer.
Still let to do:
Weed paper and rock in the south and west flowerbeds.
One flowerbed on east side of house needs to be prepped for annuals.
Rock picked out of 3/4 of the yard.
Grass seed spread after pressurized irrigation is turned on.
Shrubs need to be planted.
Perennials and annuals chosen, purchased and planted. (this is the really fun part)
Our callings are keeping Steve and I truly busy. Steve's calling requires mutual on Wednesday and church on Sunday. He is also gone one weekend a month for campouts. My calling this week will require two nights being away from home plus this Saturday too. The older we get I feel like Steve see less and less of each other as we juggle callings, kids and work. But I'm grateful for our callings. They keep us on the right path focused on what matters most. I can see blessings in our lives because we are willing to serve. At times, it is stressful because we feel pressures at home that seem to have to come second because of our callings. However, my children are seeing us serve. I hope they realize its because we know it is right. I often have to give myself a pep-talk to get through it....either the church is true or it isn't. If I believe it's true...I better be willing to give my all. I promised to do so when I went to the temple for the first time, and I intend on keeping that promise.
Steve is feeling more stress at work as having business partners is not always ice cream and gum drops. I see his stress on his face and in his body language even though I know he desperately tries to keep the stress at work and not bring it home. My heart aches for him as I helplessly sit back and watch him work through this trial that peaks its ugly head from time to time. Steve loves what he does, and it's hard to see him have bad days. Ten years of schooling shouldn't lead to this much stress...at least not it a perfect world. (ha ha funny) I often want to walk into his office and go crazy voicing my opinion but that won't serve any purpose other than making me look ridiculous.
Andrew was voted in as Junior Class Treasurer last week. He ran unopposed, so it wasn't a hard race. He and his friends Conner, Barrett and Michael put together a hilarious presidential debate parody. It was clever and well done. I'm proud of Andrew for doing hard things that stretch his comfort zone. Andrew was supposed to start drivers ed last night, but as we pulled into the empty parking lot we knew something was amiss. I called the instructor and found out the class has been moved until May and now interferes with High Adventure in June. Andrew is rightfully frustrated. Last night in family prayers he asked that everything would work out with him taking drivers ed. It did my mom heart good to hear him pray specifically for that. Today I'm going to try and find a different avenue for him to take drivers ed that will work with his schedule.
Carter is working on a fun project at school where they have to build a machine that goes from one step to another. (honestly not remembering the name right now) He packed a huge bin of stuff from our house yesterday into school and will finish his project today. He is really fun when he wants to be. If the machine works the final step will be filling a glass with water that began with knocking down a domino. Good times.
Colby has been my best yard worker. Last night he helped prep flowerbeds for almost two hours and he talked nonstop the entire time. His brain works so fast and he has so many questions and comments about life in general. He cracks me up and I'm trying really hard to be engaged in his conversations even though sometimes I want to concentrate on my work when my mom brain can only handle so much. He's going to be a crazy fun adult.
I bought Saylor a little pink sleeping bag for $2.50 at Down East Home. It's monogrammed with the wrong name with the wrong spelling for that name...hence ,why it was $2.50. It says Saith on the front of the bag in fancy writing. I'm guessing it was supposed to say Faith...but the cursive F didn't get crossed and now it looks life an S. And Saylor loves this sleeping bag. She has refused to sleep in her sheets for the past week and just rolls her bag out every night. She also loves the ease of making her bed in the morning. I'm loving that her top bunk bed stills looks as nice as it did the day I changed her sheets. It's a win win. Thank you Pottery Barn for embroidering the wrong name so I could have your high-quality stuff for practically no money.
Grady refuses to think or talk about underwear. H loves his diapers. He also loves his binkies. He might be destined to be a baby forever.
13 years ago
