Gardens

When we built our house I knew I wanted gardens out back.  I grew up watching my grandparents grow wonder fresh veggies and I wanted my kids to have this also.  So this year we did it!  After much deliberation between Zac and I, we came up with a design.  Zac and HC (my grandmother's husband) built my boxes earlier in the year.  They sat empty for sometime BUT they are now overflowing!!!  It is so fun and rewarding to see how our labor has paid off.  Ok, well it wasn't a lot of labor on my part.  Zac built and filled with the dirt and I planted, but none the less we both did something.  We also rigged us a simple irrigation system so watering is a breeze!  I just wanted to share some photos for those interested. 

Lettuce Bed - we planted romaine, bibb/butter lettuce & a leafy green.

Tomatoes and Squash...the squash plant are huge, I should have only planted one but I did four.  YIKES, we will have tons but I will be able to share!

Close up of my tomatoes, I have tons but they are still green.  Cant wait to eat them fresh off the vine still warm from the sun.  My mouth waters just thinking about it!

Squash - right in the middle you can see one starting to form.

Cucumbers & Cabbage

Green beans & Zucchini - the zucchini are like the squash, we will have tons!

Zucchini - right in the middle

My little helper - loves the dirt!!!

Checking on the cabbage

My herb garden on my back porch.  The larger plants are basil, cilantro and rosemary (its kind of hidden).  I have LOVED being able to just walk on my porch and pick fresh herbs!!!!  And they smell SO good!

Starting to grow - arugula, basil, chives, cilantro, parsley and thyme.

Easter

Ok, better late than never, right?  Sorry its been a while since I last posted.  I tend to forget and also don't really have a lot to post about.  But now that summer is quickly headed our way we are staying pretty busy. 

So here are a few pics from Easter Sunday.  They were taken in my grandmother's backyard in front of a gorgeous pink dogwood tree.  The one of Izzy by herself, I just absolutely love!

1st Birthday!!!

Wow, its hard to believe that Izzy has turned a year old!  We have had a busy couple of days.  First Izzy got sick this week for the first time ever (she is now getting better).  Second, Zac's dad, Joe, and his family (wife and 2 daughters) came to visit.  We picked them up Thursday night during the snow storm!!!!  Crazy we got snow on Izzy's actual birthday.  Its only the 2nd time in my life that I have seen snow like that.  We woke up Friday morning to almost 5 inches on the ground!  It was beautiful! 

Then Saturday, the birthday party.  We tried to keep it somewhat small, only family and a few close friends.  It was hard to pick out pictures to post but here are a few.

The invasion of the lady bugs, they led everyone to the door.

Preparing for the party, Izzy had to get upclose to the lady bugs.

As you can see, the outfit inspired the party.

The cake

This picture cracks me up because she pulled the money out of the envelope and was so excited like she knew exactly what it was.  She was waving it around showing everyone.

Books, books and books.  She got a ton of books, which we loved!  The more the merrier!  Also, see the precious rocker, it was mine when I was little and my grandmother and her husband refinished it and made a lady bug cushion.  She immediately starting rocking in it when we sat her in it.

Izzy and her first cake.  Yes, it has no icing but she loved it anyway.  She ate about half of it.

Zac helping her blow out her candle.

Our family!

Merry Christmas

Hello all... We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!!!!!  We did, this being Izzy's first was sooo much fun.  We decided not to overload on gifts because we figured everyone else would and we figured correctly.  Since we have double family, that means double everything.  So Izzy will get only three presents from us because that is what Baby Jesus got when he was born, then she will get Santa too.  But this way we can sorta keep a handle on things. 

We were busy but it wasn't too bad.  This year we had Christmas with my dad's family on the Saturday before Christmas, spent Christmas Eve evening with my dad, stepmom (Nicole) and her family, Christmas morning at our house (which when we got married we agreed we would always wake up Christmas morning at our home!) and Christmas day afternoon with my mom and her family.  It was my mom's 50th birthday so it was also that celebration!!!

Here are a few pictures from the week.  I took over 100, got a little snap happy but with a little one, it takes that many to get a few good ones. 

This is at my dad's on Christmas Eve, she is sitting in my little sister's rocking chair in front of the tree.  I just love this pic!!!

Christmas morning

I love this because its as big as she is!!!  We gave her this frog to hang on the tub to keep her toys in.  She gets so excited when she sees it.

We gave her this thing that pops up balls and they spin through it and pops up again.  It is NOT what I thought because you dont really do anything but watch but none the less is fun for a few minutes.  As you can see from her expression she enjoys watching it too.

Santa did good.  Since she is not wanting to crawl so this is perfect!  She can walk behind it and later the seat folds down and she can ride it.  So its a two for one!  Love these kind!!!!  She really likes it, but gets so excited she pushes faster than she can keep up with.  I was a little nervous because we have hard floors and wasn't sure if it would go fast but the wheels are pretty tight so she is fine.  I give her a few weeks and she will be an expert at it.

It is kinda sad because it goes by so fast and now we have her first birthday to look foward to, CRAZY!!!!!

Anyway, Izzy is doing great!!!!  She is cutting 3 top teeth so is been a rough few days but she is doing better. 

We hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!!!!!

Christmas Parade

Hello everyone... This blogging thing is hard I so forget to do it.  :)  Anywho...last Saturday was the Christmas parade and as a family tradition we all go to Little Mexico to eat yummy food and then to the parade.  The we I mentioned is my mom, her husband, my brothers and their families, my neices (step-sisters girls), grandparents and our family.  Every year we had added someone due to the babies.  The parade isn't the greatest but being together and watching the kiddos watch the parade is so fun! 

Izzy had a blast!  By the time the parade started she was tired but she never once fussed even with all the lights and horns!!!!  Here are some pics, it was SOOOO stinkin cold!!! It was 37 degrees at the parade so we had to bundle up!

Halloween

Ok, so its over a week late but Zac has been gone and I was unable to post this pics.  We took Izzy trick or treating to some of my family and we came home to pass out candy.  Our neighborhood is one of "the" neighborhoods to trick or treat, we had tons of kids.  Izzy helped pass out candy, she had so much fun!  She stayed in her costume for over 2 hours and never once tried to pull it off.  She was so STINKIN cute!!!!  Enjoy the pics...

Bath Time

For those of you wondering where we have been, well Zac left for what we thought was going to be 2 weeks for Army stuff.  AND he took the computer so thats why I have not posted.  But thankfully he was only gone for 1 week, I have just been lazy :)

Izzy and I did very good the week he was gone.  He will have to go back in a few weeks but unfortunately we do not know when.  So we are in the waiting stage, again. 

I know everyone is just waiting to see pictures of Izzy so here we go.  And I am going to try and be better about posting more.

Izzy LOVES bath time!!!!   She is such a little water bug, I have been so excited to share these pics because I think they are precious! 

This is her new hair do!

"Bubble Baths are SO Relaxing"

Just so cute, I had to share!

So happy after bath!

Hope everyone has a good weekend!