Pumpkin Patch

Yep. I am posting about a pumpkin patch in May!!!

We are soon to walk to Grandma's and Grandpa's house to borrow their garden. Our garden is planted and packed full of yummy vegetables (green beans, sugar snap peas, carrots, cucumbers, pickles, zucchini, romas, patio tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, green and red onions, basils (minette, lemon, regular), parsley (flat leaf and curly), cilantro, chives, oregano, and I think that is it! Whew, let's hope all seeds sprout! We asked Grandma in the hospital if Grandpa was going to plant a few tomato plants in his garden this year. She said probably not; we asked if we could borrow their garden for a pumpkin patch. They are quite excited. How fun it will be to hear Simon ask to go water, weed, or watch his garden at Grandma's and Grandpa's!

So, we bought a small watermelon, muskmelon, and pumpkin plant. We also will plop in a few seeds from Simon's jack-o-lantern last fall. We shall see how it all sprouts and grows!!

Check back later for lil' gardner pics!

Trusting Pastor!!!

After Simon's preschool graduation (which I'll add later), we went home and enjoyed chicken parmesan for dinner on the porch. Then off we headed to Dairy Queen, because Pastor Allyn said we could have ice cream!!! He had a children's sermon 1 1/2 weeks ago all about trust. He told the kids that they could venture to a specific Dairy Queen and say "Pastor Allyn says we can have ice cream." And the worker will say "Yes he does, what would you like?" Then Pastor asked the kids if they trusted him. Simon trusted him!!!

Norah enjoyed her ice cream cone just by holding it. Not so very willing to share the melting ice cream. She pretty much turned into a screech owl when Eric or I attempted to have the parental cone clean up taste. These vides do not capture the loudest screech. There was another mother enjoying a frozen treat that evening laughing at every one of our lil' girl's screeches. Oh, the joy of just holding a treat!

A Few Steps Back

A great Spring Break outing back in March. The only other lady who can kiss my Eric on the smackers!

Curly Girly and the goldfish.

About the best picture I could take with the two kiddos in the beautfiful conservatory!

Easter baskets! Not sure if you can notice the hand-made crocheted baskets. So much fun to design and make. Not pictured are the adorable amigurumi crocheted bunnies and egg-holders. I especially like the chick with an egg-shell hat and feet egg-holder I made for Simon. Tricky to outfit baskets when the son does not eat candy or sweets.

(click this pic larger to see the bunnies)

My handsome lil' guy in a fabulous zip-up tie!

What a sweetie. She loved opening up her eggs to find her "core-pers", or quarters as we call 'em!

Where Simon wanted me to take his picture.

A good picture with Mommy!

Too Many Tulips?

A recent walk through the tulips, attempting for a picture. Really, can two kiddos look at me and smile at the same time?!?!?!

My little tulip helpers! Bins overfilled with free tulip bulbs stuffed into my trunk.

The bins removed from my trunk.

Simon's picture of me with the tulips.

My stash laid out to dry, shrivel, and rest a bit.

An up close look at the bulb pile.

Upgrade Found

For my next snip snip, I will be venturing to a national chain with my $8.99 coupon for hopefully a straighter and thinner crop. That is, if a new haircut is deemed necessary before the coupon expires! Perhaps a new coupon will arrive in the monthly coupon mailer.

First and Last

Enjoying the first porch lunch (in April). And possibly the last time on our bistro table designed for two, being used by our family of four. Thank goodness for Ikea, where we found a larger table small enough for our porch! (No picture yet of the new seating!) We sure love eating outside!

Snip Snip

Today was a haircut day, for me. In order to save precious pennies, I chose to forgo (a.ka. sacrifice) my more expensive haircut place. I ventured 1 mile from home to a beauty school. Yep, I shelled out $6.00 for a student to cut my hair, and another $8.00 for a blow dry. This worked out to be 1/2 the cost or so of just a cut and even more savings if I choose to splurge for the blow dry and style. Since I like the short, cropped and layered look, I usually need the style to insure even-ness. And the result?

Well, I cried when I got home. Even though I said it's just hair, the tears fell. Not because it was too short. Because it was not short enough - especially in spots, and not quite thinned out enough. I seriously should not be able to get my hair into a ponytail post haircut. Especially not a lopsided, crooked ponytail in the middle of my head! So, I did what I have never done before. I shut myself into the bathroom, and cut my own hair with scissors. Snipped away carefully so as not to over cut. Then I called Eric into the bathroom to help fix the back. Overall, I think it looks fine. Much straighter and better. The top, sides and layers were great. Just the bottom. I can not take myself somewhere to have it fixed, as that defeats the purpose of saving precious pennies. Needless to say I may not go back for that much of a savings haircut.

Perhaps I'll venture back for a $6.00 snip for Simon?!?!

Like Holland . . .

. . . . Michigan, that is. Not that I have ever been there. Just seen pictures. Sort of dream about a spring get away trip to get lost in the tulips, although I would rely on K's advice about that destination. Heavily rely.

Tulips I am talking. Tu-lips! Today was one of my favorite days of all year. Yep, the week before mother's day when the tulips are dying and the annuals are tiny and not yet gorgeous. Why? Well, because Oakbrook Mall (we're talking a lovely landscaped outside mall with all of the heavenly stores where I used to browse kid-free and purchase delectable items for me from the sale/clearance rack because that's all I was willing to spend even way back then - but now peruse the kid stores looking for great deals) gave away their tulips. Yep, 3 tulip drops for 3 days in a row. At 9:30, 11:30, and 2:30 on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday - the event I named "Tulip Free For All". Also referred to as the adult version of the Easter egg hunt. Since I worked the first two days, we woke up prepared to pick up tulips this lovely Thursday morning. Big recycle bucket, Norah's little toy wagon (child sized to pull, not the rider), and gloves for all. We arrived early and enjoyed the calmest and largest drop I have ever experienced. Tulip stems stuck out of my trunk. Norah declared "fun" when the dump truck dumped the largest pile on the ground. Simon knew just what to do. Great helpers, not one of them trampled. Whew!!!

We came home and cleared our load just in time to head back with our neighbor for a second dump. Not quite as large. The second event must not have been as entertaining as Norah snoozed through the whole thing. Seriously, we live 5 mintues away and she fell asleep in the car. That 20 minute snooze juiced her up enough to last the rest of the day sans longer nap:(

I am hoping to see bright purple, slate gray purple, and the orange-red-yellow tulips next year. Since it is a grab-bag, we won't know until next spring. Perhaps one in every color! This helps make the frigid snow filled months a bit more tolerable.

So stems attached to bulbs are laid outside right now to dry, then I'll cut off the greens and store the bulbs in a brown bag in the garage for fall planting. Eric looked on-line and found conflicting information. He read that tulips should be pulled every year - um, since I have so many tulips I am NOT pulling and re-planting. Then he saw that technically the tulips I just gathered are considered "transplanting" and I should plant to let the greens die. Then pull and replant in the fall. Not doing that. However, some tulip greens emerged this spring without the tulip - either duds, rabbit snapped, or my process is not effective. Any suggestions?

Of course I documented the whole thing in pics but right now am too lazy to get the camera and download the pics. Will add later.

What to do with my hundred plus tulips? Here are my ideas:

• Plant in our "no man's land" where I refuse to water and maintain. Hosta-vill if I do say so myself where a little color would be welcome. Cutting greens will be fine.
• Plant around other flower beds for awesome breath-taking spring gardens.
• Give 26 to each of Simon's preschool teachers/helpers since he has learned all of his letters, all of his letter-sounds, and is able to write most of them legibly since starting preschool. For a teacher appreciation/end of year gift. Thinking of Simon writing large letters in colorful markers, color copy, and attach each letter to a bulb. A lot of work, but cute and cheap!
• Give a pile of them to Simon's and Norah's god-mothers for mother's day gifts.
• Spread the wealth.

If you are curious to understand what I am talking about, check out my posts from years past:
http://luedtkeland.blogspot.com/2008/05/tulip-free-for-all.html
http://luedtkeland.blogspot.com/2009/05/tulip-free-for-all-second-edition.html

Here's hoping that my tulip day makes your two lips smile a bit brighter!!!