Another thing we DON'T like

If you know Mark and I you know we share the same feelings towards

PETS - we don't like them we don't want them!!!

Well...... One thing you may not know about Mark and I is we both have the same dislike for PLANTING things.  We don't enjoy it, we don't gain ANYTHING from it. 

The one thing we hardly ever talked about because we would always get stopped at "I don't care" is Landscaping.  Spending hundreds of dollars on plants and bushes and rock and stones is NOT something we were looking forward to and we did not enjoy it at the greenhouse the other day and we are not looking forward to buying the rocks.  At least it is a one time deal.  No planting flowers every spring for me.  I tried it in Illinois when we lived there and I had NOTHING else to do and I killed every single one of them.  

We started last night trying to get the dirt ready.  The MASS of rain has made this process very difficult to say the least.  We loosened the dirt up last night in hopes it may get a bit dry and set the stone on the opposite side of the house.  Clay dirt is fun to break up anyway but wet clay dirt well, it is impossible.

Then today I started at 2:00 breaking up the dirt we loosened up and trying to rack it.  My back and hands were killing me when Mark got home a bit before 6.  I had it almost all done, just stopping twice when I couldn't do it anymore to paint a cord on the side of the house and to put together a shelving unit for the garage.  

Then once Mark got home we work NONSTOP till 8:45.  We even served the kids dinner on the concrete on paper plates.  Nothing like hotdogs, chips and grapes for dinner.  

We got it all in.  5 Boxwood bushes, One Crapemyrtle, and 7 Stella D'Oro lily's.   Now we are just waiting for the sprinkler guys to come and add the drips and then get the rock in there.  We have picked out the rock and all 5 ton of it is set to be delivered!  

If facing the house this is the right side in front of the garage

This is the left side in front of Landries window

This is left side too, but is showed some of our grass that is coming in.

Right in front of the house on right side below kitchen window
That bush is supposed to grow big to hide those HUGE nasty white pipes sticking out of  the FRONT of our house

Winter Gem Boxwood.  I was able to keep these alive at our House in Wichita so hoping these will make it.

Ebony and Ivory Crapemyrtle - this one blooms White.  Never grow this one, but I loved the deep almost purplish leaves and the idea of the white bloom on it. 

Stella D'Oro Day lily.  I have been able to keep these alive at two different houses now so I am hoping I wont kill these.  You can't tell in this picture but the bloom is Yellow on these.


The idea with all these choices is we will NEVER have to do this again.  Maybe a bush or two here or there, but never live this.  In fact if these die we just may not replace them.  Or I will hire someone to do it.  

update

WE ARE HERE!!!

By that I mean that our things are here and we stay here and eat here, but we are not what I would call yet moved in.  The pantry needs completely rearranged still the basement is SCARY and we do not have one decoration in the house.

While some thought we were CRAZY we had decided that with the move we would no longer have pacies available for Ryland.  Cold turkey - new house new rules.  He did AMAZING.  The first night he didn't even ask for them.  The second night he asked twice and only whined for 15 min.  Our biggest struggle has been church.  In fact Ryland spoke his first sentence our first Sunday living in this house with no pacie.  Church had hardly started and he is fussing and pointing at the diaper bag - then says Loudly  "I get pacie in church"  Church and bed had been the only places he had had them in a while.  Mark and I both had to work to control ourselves.  It was our first Sunday at our new parish. 

We are getting there though and I am hopeful now that I am out of school things will move along more quickly.  We have been working on putting up a new swing set for the kids that the weather has halted.  Then this past weekend we bought 6 bushes and 7 plants that we have to get in the ground sooner than later -  we are not looking forward to this - Mark nor I enjoy planting things or growing things - we asked for the lowest maintenance longest living plants/bushes we could find.  Both the summer birthday kiddos are getting 'house' stuff for them.  Shhhhhhhh  it is a secret from them.  Landrie is getting a trampoline and Jaren will be getting a basketball goal.  Things for them to play with especially since we live in the middle of nowhere now and can't walk to the park or pool.  

I was so excited to not walk to the post office to our P.O. box anymore - when in reality it may be a harder walk for me to walk to our mailbox now.  Will be good for me this summer though.   

We have a busy summer up ahead of us.  Ball season is in full swing with Mark coaching again this season and due to rain outs our first game here in a few hours.  Swim lessons are in store for Jaren John and Landrie Lynn.  Summer Reading program sign ups were today.  

In a few days our nephew Tate is going to be staying with us for 9 days.  The last weekend in May I will be having my annual end of the year BBQ for my classroom.  Then of course we have two summer birthdays.  Kelsey and her family are coming to stay for a weekend.  Beth and the kids are coming to stay for a bit too!!!  

We survived the last HUGE rain - and thank goodness most of or grass was already coming up so it didn't wash our seed away.  We had two rivers going over our driveway though and half of that washed away.  

Living out here has provided some fun memories already too.  During dinner one night Jaren spotted a male and 5 female turkeys walking through our back yard.  On our drive home from school last week we saw Peacocks, Llamas, Cows, Horses and a Turtle.  

We are excited and exhausted and happy to be here and can't wait to create MANY, MANY, MANY wonderful memories in our 'forever' home!!!

Hopefully I will find time to post pictures soon - if I can figure the new computer out.

Care Walk 2015

TEAM TOBELORONE 2015

We had great weather and a great walk this year.

Thanks to everyone for their support.

Team Aiden!!!  

Coloring Easter eggs 2015

We woke up this a.m with plans changing.  We had a CRAZY wind storm the night before knocking out Mima and Papa's electricity as well as Aunt Nikkis. so we got to color eggs as Mima Ginias. 

We had a wonderful time.

Landrie and Emma Kate

Jaren - Mommy - Landrie

Isaiah - Mima Cheryl - Da - Cheeks

Gabe - Elizabeth - Emma Kate

Mommy and Jaren

Rhonda and Jude

Elizabeth and Hunter

Amy and Gabe

Mima Cheryl and Ryland Reece