Snapshots 08.29.17

Years ago my dear friend Stacey gifted me a packet of lavender seeds for Christmas. I planted them at our old house and loved having them. The bees flocked to them in summer, and the dog often smelled of lavender after walking through them to visit with the neighbors on the other side of the fence. 

I was able to extract lavender seeds from those plants and started a few seedlings at the new house. Only one has survived so far because I forgot to have a friend water them when we were out of town for 2 weeks, and that plant is now being smothered by pumpkin vines. Fingers crossed!

Just in case we lose our beloved lavender forever, we stole a few stalks from the old house before we left. Now they adorn the windowsill above our kitchen sink - along with some rocks we found at the ocean, and a flower Everett picked for me.

I have always wanted to plant coneflowers, and Jeff's mom and I found these on clearance. Now is a great time to plant echinacea. It's another one bees love. Everett was fascinated watching this bee do his job on these flowers.

Progress on our front yard. The MIL planted some Annabelles for us. Having her around is like having a good little house elf. I can't wait to see these bloom over the next few years.

We have spent almost every evening outside enjoying these beautiful summer days. I am looking forward to fall, but sure will miss all the colors of summer. 

Scavenger hunt and magnifying glass in the park.

Summer Staycation

Last week I was supposed to play the role of "Solo Cool Mom" on a backpacking trip through the wilderness. I had been planning this trip for almost a year, I have been training for it since December, I bought a new backpack and had everything packed and ready to go. But sometimes life happens and you randomly get mastitis.

Life occasionally hands you lemons. I believe the only solution is to make the most of what you have. Jeff's mom was in town to help out with the kids (you know, because I was going to be gone), and it was wonderful getting to visit with her.

She made us pesto, planted some new plants for us, made us meals, played with us, and kept us sane. 

In retrospect, it was a good thing for me to stay home. I got to rest, relax, and rejuvenate - all of which I clearly needed having developed mastitis. I was so sick that before my MIL came my mom had to help us out every day (there was one day I just slept in her bed all day while she occasionally brought me food in bed, medicine, and Gatorade).

Here is my mom advice for the week: make sure you have people in your life who are willing to help in times of trial. Surround yourself with people who raise you up and inspire you to do good things. It's easy to get stuck in a rut, but when we moms have a village, we can accomplish anything.

Shout out to all the moms out there, especially my moms.

Snapshots 08.15.17

We recently stayed at an old friend's home in Seattle. She was out of town, but all the little pockets of detail in every corner made it feel like she was there with us. They live in a small apartment, but I could not get over how personal and loving the space was. It reminded me how much I love the  places in our home that make this space unique and wonderful, and bring us little bits of joy every day. I thought I would start sharing little snapshots to showcase these special things and places in our lives.

Anyone who has tried to purchase a Japanese maple knows how much it can set a buyer back. Many years ago, maybe 6 or 7 years, I bought a tiny Japanese maple from a local nursery for $28.00. It was about 10 inches tall, and I was told it is a rare breed of maple that would cost me hundreds of dollars at full size. It lived proudly in the front yard of our old house. Multiple gardeners and landscapers commented on it over the years, as it is not a common breed seen in the average yard. It grew and grew into a full, beautiful tree, and I told the realtor we were taking it with us to the new house.

A 90 degree day in June is not an ideal time to transplant a tree, but we didn't have a choice, and naturally it went into shock.

We didn't have time to do a stellar job with this transplant, and we later learned we should have cut back a bunch of growth on the tree before we attempted to move it. Because we didn't do this, the tree decided to sacrifice a portion of itself, hence all the dead leaves.

But beneath all those dead leaves you can find vibrant and healthy new growth.

Every day there is new growth, and promise that this thing just might make it through the move. I will be so sad if it dies. It is irreplaceable and priceless, holding much physical and emotional value. There is no way we could afford a new one, and the nursery that sold the seedlings is now closed.

The same new leaves 2 days later.

The garden was not what it usually is this year. However, I did manage to transplant some squash in the new garden beds Jeff made for me, and they are thriving. Is there anything more endearing than a pumpkin?

And of course we are just living our lives, loving spending these precious days together. Some days are easier than others (Mondays and Tuesdays are usually nightmares), but I try to snuggle and love on my crabby baby/toddler during those bitching witching hours.

She plays with his toys, he comes and bugs her.

Trucks are everything.

She woke up with crazy hair and I just had to document it.

She is happiest when she is playing outside.