McQuay

McQuay

Sunday, April 14, 2013

{Flowerbed Tour}

When Rachel stayed with us a while ago I said "Let's go on a flowerbed tour!" and she said, "Wow...you've turned into mom."
It's true.
This is something that my Mom has always said. She has always had beautiful gardens, especially when we lived in Utah. We had colorful flowers for every season and it was lovely. We even had a veggie garden that we all had to work in. 
My mom got it from her parents who have the most beautiful garden ever. My grandpa has a killer vegetable garden and their flowerbed look like they could be in a fairy tale picture book. It always smells so lovely and is gorgeous. I love going on flowerbed tours with him.
Now that I'm a grown up [HA!] and we have our own place [sorta... renting] I am in the gardening mode hard core. 
When we moved in the yard/garden was a wreck, let's be honest. But, it just needed some love.

So, let me take you, dear reader, are a virtual flowerbed 

My hanging petunias

I planted a couple rose bushes to line our fence

And I've started a mini veggie garden! I found this great idea on pinterest to make a raised garden bed by just using bags of dirt. It is super low cost, and requires zero installation - obviously. It is not a beautiful as a raised garden bed, but it works for us right now! This way we can kind of test the waters so see what grows well without having to make the commitment to build one yet. After this year's harvest we'll be able to dump the bags, till up the ground [the bags have killed the grass underneath, so that's nice!], and add the compost that we've been working on, so that next year [if we're still here....] we can have a nice big garden to work with. I'm seriously in love with it. Don't mind the stakes in the ground - that's to keep out the pesky stray cat that kept digging up my plants - it has seemed to work pretty well!

We've got some mixed lettuce and spinach which have done beautiful and we've already used! [the gaps are are the cat destroyed the little sprouts... grr]

Peas and onions...

And some tomatoes.
I started all of these by seed except the tomatoes and they've all done quite well! I recently planted some beans, cucumbers, summer squash, and zucchini and am waiting for those to sprout up.

As I was giving our yard some TLC I tore out a bunch of [monstrous] dandelions which left not much grass in the back corner of our yard. I decided to take a gamble and plant some Texas wildflowers from seed. Here they are sprouting up! Can't wait for them to flower so it looks lovely and not just like a bunch of weeds - ha!

Here's the forsythia bush that I recently planted. I hope it does well - it's one of my favorite flowers - all those lovely bright yellow blossoms!

Ok I didn't plant these - but we have 3 massive pecan trees in our yard which is awesome. Here are their little sprouts!

honeysuckle buds :) This was here when we moved in and I love it!

Here's my little herb garden that I love! One of my favorite things.

Yum, basil!

Pretty lavender starting to come up

A few of my iris that I planted last fall! None of them bloomed this year, but I can't wait for them to next year. The smell reminds me of my grandpa :)

Recently planted some lilies - hopefully they'll do well and come back year after year

Little rose bush out front that we planted last year 

a flowering bush that we've planted out front by our tree after we tore out all the ugly ground cover.

Lemon tree sprouts!

Baby sprouts on my lime tree!


So Ta-da! There you have it.
We'll see how this all goes! 
I love working outside and getting dirt under my nails. 
I love the fresh warm soil and watching little leaves uncurl themselves toward the sun.





Saturday, April 13, 2013

{Friday Five}

This week I thought about posting 5 things that went wrong this week because that would've been easier. But, alas, that would defeat the whole purpose of "looking on the bright side" and appreciating all the little things.

1. Babbs and I had a great FHE lesson this week. We aren't very consistent about this but this week went great!

2. She loved to paint!
and this was the result!

3. Reading by herself at the library while I got to read some of my book as well!
 4. Packages from my sweet family
5. Movie night with some of my favorite ladies. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, but it was a great night! Great food, great movie, and best company. The husband was so great to let me spend the entirety of my Friday night with my ladies - he's great. Awesome night. :)


Monday, April 8, 2013

{Zoo Date}

Last Monday it was a beautiful day and I decided that Babbs and I should take a trip down to the zoo. I packed us a lunch and we headed out. Unfortunately, after practicing all of our animal noises during the 20 minute drive to the zoo, once I got to the zoo gate I realized that I left my wallet at home. That meant no zoo membership, no money, and no entrance to the zoo. 
I was so frazzled and upset. Poor baby was so excited once we got there I was heartbroken that I had to tell her that we had to turn around to go get my wallet. I'm grateful for her sweet attitude that day and that she was pleasant for the whole hour long drive to, from, and to the zoo again. I debated about whether we would even go back to the zoo, but I'm so glad that we did!

This zoo date was one of my favorite days in a long long long time. We spent 3.5 hours at the zoo. She was lovely the whole time. Every time we saw a new animal Evette would wave and say hello, and then, if able, would make the appropriate animal noise while watching their every move with excitement. Once she was done with a certain exhibit she would wave goodbye and say, "Bye! See you!" Adorable.


Also, we pet a giraffe. :)

 







Enjoying our lunch on the picnic bench by the lemurs.
 we love yogurt. I should have brought a real bib and more napkins - Ha!
   
The zoo has a wonderful kid's play section. This is the first time that Evette was able to/wanted to play on her own. She loved it!



She climbed up and slid down this slide dozens and dozens of times. So cute.


 
She saw an older kid laying in this egg, so of course she had to as well. Monkey see, monkey do. 

Next we stripped down and played in the stream to cool off.





Slept the whole way home. Sweet baby.


Seriously one of my favorite days with one of my favorite people.

xoxo

Friday, April 5, 2013

{Friday Five}

1. Perfect Zoo date with my best little friend.

2. Finding joy in cold wet days

3. Being a street artist - medium = chalk

4. Date night with my sweet little one. We watched part of Tangled and ate ice cream :)
 

5. Studying lady bugs