Easter Craft

As you can see our Easter Crafts filled in very nicely with grass.  They were such a fun project!

Soakin up the sun

One of these birds is doin' its own thing

Happy Mother's Day

I know it has been a few weeks since Mother's Day but I did not show my gift.  It is also my birthday and Christmas gift too.  I is a beautiful one person iron swing.  We have it in the corner of our yard so I can look out at my garden beds, the back yard and the chickens.  This is my view.

My new hobby

These I made for my friend Jenn Timmermans for her birthday.  They can be put in a garden or displayed somewhere in your home!

Relaxed Hair

 It has almost been a year since I put a relaxer in Naomi's hair.  Since then, she now has 2-3 inches of new growth.  Her hair is so tight and kinky, we can't get a comb through it.  I had been doing styles in it but I felt like I needed advice and guidance.  So I found a salon in Everett (a black salon) and Thursday Naomi and I went in to see them. 

 We ended up getting her hair professionally relaxed and we are loving it!  For the past two days, Naomi has been walking around with a comb, combing it because she can for the first time.  During the 4 hour process I felt like she was growing up right before my eyes.  She look so beautiful.  If we decide we like it, then we will get the new roots relaxed in 3 months.  What do you think?

Lego Chicks

What I Didn't Know by Trina, adoptive mother of three

On Monday at our adoptive parents support group, our leader gave each of us a copy of this poem.  As one Dad read it, the room was silent. We all have felt this way.

What I Didn't Know

I did NOT know that I wouldn't bond the minute I laid eyes on them.
I did NOT know that it would take so darn long to put this many kids to bed.
I did NOT know that some American kids could have ever not had a doughnut.
I did NOT know that I would so resent the best intentions of my friends who have no clue what is going on in my house.
I did NOT know that my other children would accept them before I did.
I did NOT know that I would be so aggravated about giving up my private time.
I did NOT know that a small child could consume so much fruit.
I did NOT know that I would never get the chance to be intimate with their bodies at his age.  I wouldn't know each little toe like it was my own.
I did NOT know that I would be so afraid of them.
I did NOT know that I would be angry at my husband because he is not afraid of them.
I did NOT know that social workers could take them away, but if I wanted to give them back that's a whole different story
I did NOT know that I was crazy not to meet them first.
I did NOT know that I would feel so responsible for them.
I did NOT know that they wouldn't know how to live with a dog.
I did NOT know that I would have to teach the House Rules long after I had actually forgotten what those rules were.
I did NOT know how much all this would cost.
I did NOT know how much people would stare at his disabilities.
I did NOT know that it would be so much trouble to get them enrolled in school.
I did NOT know that social workers leave out crucial details.
I did NOT know that I would doubt myself so much, especially in the middle of the night.
I did NOT know they would be so happy with us.
                                                -Trina, adoptive mother of three

Meditations on a Messy Life « Empowered To Connect

Lisa Qualls has captured exactly how I am feeling today.

Meditations on a Messy Life « Empowered To Connect

Grow little plants grow!

Darrick and Micah putting the strawberries in

 Yesterday afternoon, the sun cam out so we decided to put our plant starts in our raised beds!  I have been waiting for this day for so long! 

My dream come true

Rhubarb, sunflowers, cucumbers and pink beans

Green beans, broccoli, lettuce, gourds and pumpkins

jalapenos, cilantro, onions

Strawberries and tomatoes

Pink Lemonade Blueberry and Blueberry Bushes

Growing Chicks

Practicing their Perching

Oreo

Micah and Oreo

Jacob and Lily

Oreo's growing comb and color changing beak

Micah has been working hard with Oreo and getting her to completely relax in his hands

Lily's growing comb

Buttercup's growing comb

Naomi has been working with Buttercup relaxing too

Smith Brothers Farm

 A few weeks ago we went to the Everett Home and Garden Show.  We signed up for Smith Bros. Farms Home Delivery.  We picked a few basic items we already buy to start and delivery is free.  The kids having been anxiously awaiting delivery day-which is every Tuesday.  If you are not home they place your items in an insulated box that stays on your porch.

Dirt Delivery Day

 Now that our raised beds are built all we need is the soil.  Our friends, the Kamps, told us where they get their soil and you can buy it in bulk so it is cheaper (and they have a militay discount!)  So last week we ordered it from Cedar Grove Composting. 

 We ordered the Vegetable Garden Mix, which is 33% compost, 33% sand and 33% sandy loam.  Sandy loam is a mixture of sand, silt and clay.  It is measured by yards and we ordered 3 yards.  They have a cool calculator on their website where you enter the size of your beds and it tells you how much to order.

 The delivery truck was here bright and early at 7:45 am.  They just unload it where you tell them so we had it dumped on our driveway.  It was raining so I put a tarp on it to try to keep it from getting soaked.

We have never owned a wheelbarrow so this was a great time to purchase one!

 First we laid down a weed guard to try to keep the weeds down.  Then came the transporting of the dirt.  Darrick and the boys worked all afternoon shoveling, loading the wheelbarrow, dumping and leveling it out.  It looks great!  The next sunny day, we can put our veggie starts in!

Our Plant Starts

Just wanted to show you how our vegetable starts are doing!

Who knew you could have so much fun with sheets!