{Recap} April 2016

April we got our first snow storm. Yes. April. In Upstate NY.

It lasted maybe a day, and was melted and gone. 

Now, just because we didn't get the usual amount of snow this winter, doesn't mean it wasn't cold. 

Because it was.

And what do you do when its cold and you can't leave your less than two month old inside when you wait for the bus?

You wear him, under your jacket of course!

Love my mock moby wrap!

Carter always loved getting off the bus and seeing if I had Everett waiting with me!

Once the snow melted, it was time to get started on the garden.

I had little expectations for the garden, knowing it would be 3 kids and an infant this summer. 

So I tried to plant the easiest things I could, when I could.

One of the first things I planted was potatoes.  

This was an "out with the old and in with the new" situation. 

I've had the raspberry canes (in the bucket on the right) for years. And I have never gotten a berry.

So they were taking up space, and not producing. So out they went.

Putting the potatoes in the barrel was something new for me.

And since I am writing this post months later, I can tell you it was perfect! 

The dirt was rock free, and so easy to find the potatoes when it came time to dig!

In years past I've always done a potato tower of sorts, and haven had the greatest results.

So this year I planted, and didn't worry about them and got my best crop!

I probably should have left them alone, but the bunnies (yes bunnies) trampled them and I was scared they would rot if I left in much longer.

Ah, remodeling. 

Remember I told you we were redoing a half bath into a craft/office space.

Well. I swear I had it done by April, but guess not. Or I didn't take pics! Ha!

But I did take this pic.

Did you know Paint Thinner looks like milk? I swore it was clear, and it made me very nervous that it looked like milk. Good thing I only needed to wash my brush when staining my new desk!

Ah. Sweet. Ellie. 

We haven't used this room, in years. We literally stopped using this bathroom when we built the new bathroom, and Ellie's bedroom when I was pregnant for her in 2012. 

Once we cleaned out the half bath for the office project, the kids wanted in. 

Well. Ellie decided permanent marker on the door was appropriate. 

Ellie, You are lucky you are cute.

That's all for April!  

Nothing too exciting, but we needed that after March!

{Recap} March 2016

You would think March would have been calm for us with a newborn. 

But nope. It wasn't! 

Once the new range was in, we had to decide what to do with the cabinets.

Under the old counter top stove, we had our pot and pan cabinet and I did not want to lose that.

And above and below the old oven were cabinets that I didn't want to lose both. 

So it took some brainstorming.... more on that later!

And when ou have a newborn, and need to cook dinner. 

You put them on the amazing island your hubby built. 

The top is about 4 x 6 feet, so there is plenty of room!

For the past couple years these little birds have visited us in the wreath on the front door!

It's amazing how loud their call is, for being so little. 

And that I can lift the kids up to get a good look!

Ah, wishful thinking.

In March I began to try to figure out the garden. 

Like every year, on paper things look great.

But then I get outside, and decide to change things up.

To be honest, this year I threw plans out the window and just wing it. 

Ah, Easter Egg dying. Quite the feat with three sets of hands!

Poor Wyatt looked like the hulk by the end. So much dye on his fingers!

Ugh. The worst part of the month if not year.

Our beloved Golden Retriever, Cooper passed the day before Easter.

He passed in his sleep, and that's how I found him.

We didn't see it coming either. He went out the night before like any other night.

We got Cooper two months after we got our house, he was 9.

Some were surprised he was only 9, but we weren't.

We were told when we first go him, he had a heart condition and should be returned to the breeder.

We felt if we returned him the breeder most likely would put him down.

So we just said if we get 6 months or 6 years we would give him the best, and we did.

Losing a pet is hard, losing a pet with three kids that sort of understand is harder.

Even to today, they will randomly ask questions and it still breaks my husbands and my hearts.

Wait? What is this? A Craft? You say?

Yes. The morning of Easter I realized the toes of Ellie's "Cinderella" shoes needed some love. 

So, I went ahead and painted the toes with black shoe polish! 

Mom Win! If you ask me! The shoes still fit, and they look almost new again!

*And yes, I did do both! ha!*

{Recap} October 2015

October, where it starts to feel like fall.

Routines fall into place. Or out the window, again.

This was also the month we found out we were welcoming another boy to our family! 

So if you are keeping track that makes three boys and one girl!

Anyone else with me? Once you have a baby of one gender and go to have another of the same gender, doesn't it make it so much harder than picking out a name for the opposite gender?

October was also the month of Applesauce making!

All these years we thought it was a crab apple tree. Sure enough, it wasn't! We think because we moved our apple trees, it helped pollinate it! So we made lots of applesauce!

Ah, I am loving going through my pictures to share.  

I was working with Wyatt on his letters, and e wanted nothing to do with it.

I started to feel like his fine motor skills needed some work, but he didn't want anything to do with pencil and paper.... so out came the chalkboard, chalk and a wet q-tip to erase what I had wrote!

Worked like a charm!

October is the time of picking the last of the garden before frost threats!

Itty bitty squash anyone? 

This year the kids could not decide what they wanted to be for Halloween. 

I could ask daily, and it would be so different than the day before.

So this year, I sucked it up and just bought their costumes.

At first I had mom guilt. But I couldn't have made them for $10 each and thats all they cost!  So no tutorial on what I made them!

But! I did make these for Carter's Halloween Party at School! So fun right?!?!

Some of the kids loved them, others thought they were too gross to eat! Ha!

{Recap} September 2015

Ah September! The month were I swore I would get my act together and come back to blogging! 

Ha. That's funny.  I'm definitely blaming it on being pregnant! 

In September, Canning is in full effect. Even with being pregnant I didn't want to waste a thing!

Luckily my husband stepped up and helped me!

He was an applesauce making machine! I think we canned 50 pints of applesauce last year!

Carter, my oldest is now back to school, and loving it. 

It's amazing how your kids either love or hate school. 

Fortunately, my guy loves it! 

And fortunately for me, I get lots of time waiting for him to get on and off the bus.

So i made myself a pair of warm socks!

There too thick of a shoe so I wear around the house instead of a slipper!

In September, my husband had to do some business in the Maryland so the kids and I tagged along and we made a detour to Washington D.C.!  This kids were excited to see the White House from the truck, and then we hit up the National Air and Space Museum. If your kids have ever seen the "Night at the Museum Movies" you should take them here! My kids recognized so many things. My boys turned a corner and yelled "Hey! That's Amelias red plane!" And sure enough it was!

Lastly, we picked our lone pumpkin. 

I was really hoping for three, but there's always 2016 to try again!

{Recap} August 2015

August is always a pretty busy month around here.

End of Summer, Two birthdays in our house plus friends and family birthdays too, Gearing up for School, and Winding down the Garden.

Last year, a local beach (at a lake) was re opened. I remember going as a kid, and then not going for years. I am so happy they reopened this beach as it is the perfect size for my kids! The first set of buoys goes maybe up to my 6 year olds waist! The second set of buoys maybe go up to his neck!

Makes it that much easier for me to feel comfortable, even with all their swim gear on I am always doing a head count!

My second son, Wyatt celebrated his 4th birthday! And he is all about Batman! 

This was my first attempt at fondant and I have to say it came out pretty well! 

Everyone warned me that the black would be hard to get dark enough (fondant is marshmallow based) and I didn't have a problem! What I did have a problem with? The bat logo! So hard to cut out! I tried over and over and ended up using a tag from one of he shirts we bought him as a gift! Ha!

Love when things just fall into place!

This picture just makes me smile! Actually the whole album it's from does.

This is from my great aunt's 90th birthday parade!

Yes. We gave her a parade! 

My only "big" potato. Darn root vegetables you stump me!

HELLO? Hello? Is anybody out there?!?!

I cannot believe that summer has flown by, and we are already into November!

and I have not shared a single thing other than Calling All Crafters each week!  

Summer was exactly what it should be, come and go as we please, a loose routine/schedule.

But boy was I ready for some structure. 

My oldest is in FIRST GRADE. Where has the time gone?!?!

He takes the bus, and just having to be at the bus stop twice a day helps keep me on task! 

The garden this year produced well, looks wise? It was a bust. 

We  had a tough spring, it would rain hard one day, then be hot the next few. 

Definitely not the kind of stress you want right off the bat.

Plus our town put us on a water restriction, every other day and now it's no outside watering at all.

Crafting? Creating?

Ha! That's funny. The most creative thing I did this summer I think was coloring with the kids.

Oh and I've knit a couple dishcloths, but I am getting the itch again for a new project, I actually just ordered a full set of double pointed needles (5 needles per size, 11 different sizes!)

Canning. 

Now that's another thing, I've canned my little heart out. 

Sauce, Pickles, Applesauce, Pears, Jellies. Green Beans. Potatoes. Carrots. Soups.

Yum.

How was your summer? Fall?

I'm working on doing some recap posts, 

I share frequently on Facebook so you may have seen some of it! 

{Makes} Drilling Drainage Holes

Doesn't Drilling Drainage Holes sound SCARY?

I was so nervous when I decided to drill some holes in a giant ceramic container I was given years ago, that was living in my basement because I never knew what to do with it!

Which looking back, I shouldn't have been nervous. What was the worst thing that could happen?

The container would break, and I would throw it out. And free up space in the basement!

The other day I thought I had ran out of pots to plant in, since I am finicky when if comes to pots I grow food in, and I didn't want to use plastic. 

So I got thinking {which can lead to trouble!} what I could plant in, 

I immediately remembered this beauty! 

 

{Oops. forgot to take a picture of it empty without the drainage!}

But the downside was it had zero drainage.

And I wanted to grow herbs in it.  Which I am notorious for killing by overwatering.

Then I started thinking I could add gravel, or newspaper to the bottom.

But a quick search, led me to believe holes were the only answer.

So, I pulled out my trusty drill, painters tape and tried to drill a hole.

And. Got. Nothing.

I tried to use any drill bit, and obviously didn't have any success.

The painters tape did it's job, giving me a little grip so I didn't slide all over the pretty glaze.

But other than that, fail.

So back to the drawing board {or google}.

I looked up what the proper bit should look like thinking maybe I have something similar.

Sure enough, I did!

A whole set!

See how the end has a wider, funny tip?

That's what you need. 

So, now that I found a bit that I thought would work I tried again!

And wouldn't you know it, it worked!

So I went ahead and added four drainage holes!

It took about 20 minutes to get all four done since this is a pretty heavy piece.

Plus I didn't want to rush and crack/break it! 

My advice if you wan to try to drill  your own drainage holes is:

keep your drill at a medium speed, and don't push as hard as you can.

Slow and steady wins the race for drilling drainage holes!

And yes, I have opened up a can of worms! 

Everything I look at is not safe!

What would you drill drainage holes in first?!?!

And what should I try drilling holes in next?!?!

{Grows:} Beginning of Garden 2015

Ah. Garden Season, my favorite time of the year.

This year not only am I planting the garden, but also replanting the beds in front of the garden since we moved the peach trees last fall. Those pretty beds took a beating trying to move the trees. So I have been waiting to see what comes up, and moving them to better spots since they were thrown around during the move. You can see what the entry way (and garden) looked like last year, here.

In an effort to find all my flowers from the beds, I've been leaving them or moving them into some pots from my Tipsy flower planter (that I have taken apart. ha! I lost more soil trying to water those pots like that...so I guess that would be a project fail!) 

Those are my stairs off my kitchen on the left, and the garden is on the right.

Nice and close, we have been clearing the back half of our property and

 I am so unsure if I would want the garden that far from the house. 

It's so nice to run out for 2 seconds when the kids aren't looking! 

Right at my garden gate I have this amazing hanging basket, the hubs got me for mothers day! 

Looks like we will be getting some strawberries this weekend! 

As you walk into the garden, there is a skinny row of cucumbers that are not very picture worthy! Hopefully they start to perk up, or I won't be making as many pickles as I'd like this year!

The next row in is my tomatoes! Well some of them. 

We over bought. By a few. Or a dozen. I'm not sure! ;)

In this bed we have a dozen early girls (they were my best producer last year!)

Two types of plum tomatoes, some big boys and one other kind I am forgetting the name.

When you turn around from the tomatoes, you'll find my peppers.

Two kinds of jalapeños. Two kinds of bell.

See the little white fencing? When we bought our house, there was a bunch and I hated it. 

I kept it, but didn't use. Then I had kids, 3 under 5 years old and a garden.

Best. Cheap. Idea. Ever.

I use it to hold down my pathway fabric and tell the kids they can't step into the dirt (when plants are little) and it has worked wonders for me! It's just high enough to keep them out!

Past the peppers, is my squashes. 

I have high hope for these. 

For some reason I am the only person I know that cannot grow a zucchini or a squash.

I have very little success. Fingers crossed!

Then you turn and walk under the tunnel! 

The bean tunnel!

(Where the hose is, is right in front of the squashes)

Last year I did this, and then soon realized I grew bush beans. Oops.

This year I put pole beans at the base and bush on the sides.

Once through the tunnel, you walk up to the potato box/condo/tower.

I better add some dirt!

I think i may have missed the window to get them to produce more 

because they're pretty high at this point...

This year my lettuce is prolific! I have never had this much success!

I started them in my little greenhouse from my inlaws...

And then planted in my asparagus barrel since I didn't see any growth.

 

Once you are past the potato box, you are in what I call the back half of the garden.

There are blueberry bushes, garlic, raspberries, peas and about a dozen more tomatoes.

Oh, and my beet bed. 

I would love. love. love to grow beets. I have tried for years and always get beautiful greens,

but barely any beetroots. So this year I am babying them. 

Last year I got a raised bed for mothers day (can you tell my family knows what I want!)

So this year I filled it with some compost, potting soil and planted some beets.

Hopefully I get some!

Lastly, our most "exotic" plant...Edamame.

We love it! And it is just as easy to grow as beans! 

I've already harvested my rhubarb (hence no pictures), some lettuce, peas and strawberries!

It's amazing how much things have grown already!

Garden Geek.

Every year, I start out my garden planning away, drawing, planting.

This year was no different.

Well. Actually it was, I didn't blog about it.

I drew what I pictured as my plan, and it changed...

I wrote in my journal when I planted and how much.

I wintersowed some seeds, and they did eh. Not sure why, and will try again next year!

And now, as I start to harvest my lettuce and  I went add the weight in my old spreadsheet...

I soon realized with the new computer, I needed to create a new spreadsheet.

Yup. I am THAT Garden Geek.

The new computer came Numbers, so I started from scratch (my old version was Excel) 

and came up with these.

One for veggies...

 One for Herbs...

and one for Fruit... 

I weigh everything in ounces, and fill in the blank boxes. 

As I fill in a row, I move the total over to the first box and delete the rest.  

(Does that make sense?)

Then I have it programed to do the math for me, it tallies up per crop. Then converts ounces to pounds and adds everything up for a grand total! 

Do you keep track of your harvests?  

I'm super curious how many pounds of tomatoes I will get this year...

Last year 6 plants (Early Girls) produced 60+ lbs! And we went a little overboard and have 42 tomatoes planted, 8 different varieties!