Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Garden Fall 2013 Update {November 2013}
I've shared a few images on my instagram {private for family only} and twitter of our garden and realized I hadn't shared much here. This year I planted quite a bit of plants, from seed, in our garden, here's how they came in...
above: little seedlings and sprouts within a few weeks of being planted.
above: a collage of a few intagramed images.
{while my instagram is private for friends and family in real life, I share all my images without kiddos on twitter}
our pumpkins a few weeks after seedlings, but as you can see the heat of an Arizona August damaged the plant. It's difficult growing pumpkins here. While they grow well here, if you don't start early enough they won't be ready by Halloween or even Thanksgiving. And if you plant to early they'll get destroyed by the heat. I found no later than August gets me a few carvable (Howden) pumpkins, and even more (sugar pumkins) for pies by Thanksgiving!
The basil came in so well!
Kale, I often used for smoothies.
This squash, I think is a fairy squash from seeds I saved.
Some of that fresh picked kale and basil.
and some tomato seeds DID survive and I found a few baby tomatoes!
One of the not yet ripe sugar pumpkins that I'll be making into pie this Thanksgiving.
a Howden, not quite ready for Halloween.
Pumpkins on Sticks {sold at Trader Joes} are actually an eggplant/tomato cousin and mine weren't ready for Halloween, but maybe it will be orange by thanksgiving!
Above: our Halloween pumpkins.
I've added a few new trees and more plants are producing fruit, so I'll have to do another post soon!
How's your garden going? any tips for desert gardens welcome!
-Jennifer
p.s. if you have a moment, I'd really appreciate your vote. Click the banner below and then the owl on the left. {No email required and no spam generated! promise}
Thursday, October 31, 2013
A Day in the Life of a Stay at Home Mom {Halloween 2013 edition}
It's been a while since I showed you all what a "normal" day is like for me and my family, but today I felt like documenting, so. Here Goes...
Vera woke up at 7:55am and we started our day.
while I made breakfast {a bagel and butter} Vera entertained herself while I prepped for Halloween, Sonja left me this ghost decoration on the trash can for me from last night.
Give me all the coffee.
Husband's Aunt Joanne sent us these Beautiful leafs. Must have been because of my post about seasons in the desert.
I splurged at Whole Foods last week when these peanut butter cups were on sale! They're usually about a dollar each, but since there were 10 in a bag for like $3 I couldn't resist.
Sonja slept until 8:46.
Since we had to be at the Science Center to Meet friends, we hurried up and got ready.
At 9:07 we got dressed. Normal people get dressed in their bedrooms, but with the challenges of two mobile kids, I prefer to gather clothes and change them in the living room so the unattended child is more easily entertained.
9:23 we left for the Science Center for their Halloween Event. Parking was not $12 because I got it validated!
My sister dressed up as a Ravenclaw {the event was Harry Potter themed} while Sonja stuck to her race car driver costume and my sister in law brought the little girl she nannys.
We arrived at 9:57am. I was trying to catch a photo of the plane landing but instead caught an image of a bird taking off in flight, I'm stoked with the juxtaposition of the two.
We heard the Center gets crowded so we decided to get there right when they opened!
The Science Center was decorated with little tables throughout for the kids to trick or treat at and for demonstrations to explain the "magic" of Harry Potter and the wizard world.
But the kids were happy to play in the usual exhibits.
The painted pumpkins were a great touch!
The girls had a great time as always.
We played for about 45 minutes...
...and then took a break outside, watching a spray painting demo.
Vera practiced standing while playing with her Aunt Brittany.
And we couldn't go to a Harry Potter event without getting Butter Beer {totally worth the $4 just to drink it in this beautiful weather}
More trick or treating.
and finally the "Owlry" which was basically just a table with LIVE owls!
Vera my owl baby learning about and looking at a real owl!
We left the Science Center at about 11:30 and I stopped at whole foods for a "Green and Glowing" smoothie with whey and a few other groceries. They gave Sonja a chocolate treat for being in costume which she appreciated! I also stopped in at Trader Joe's since they have the cheapest organic coffee. They had a great snack snack (free sample) of tomato soup with sweet potato chips. I totally bought a bag, because they were so good, and because I was so hungry. They didn't give Sonja stickers, surprisingly, which is cool cause she didn't ask (Vera tries to eat them and I can't seem to get all the goop off my coffee table from them anyway).
Got home around 1 and unloaded the laundry from the washing machine and hung diapers to dry while the girls entertained themselves in the backyard.
p.s. Sonja asked me to wear the cat costume, so I grabbed a selfie for you. {and you get a glimpse at my positive affirmations}
While outback I collected the pumpkins from our garden so I could finally carve some!
{Sonja painted the one on the right yesterday, but the rest were fresh picks}
Went in to carve the pumpkins around 1:50 and got a decent amount done before I had to leave again.
2:09 had to take a break and bring Husband his books for school.
Once I got back home I was able to sketch out my designs on the pumpkins.
Tried getting Sonja to take her nap at 3:05 and she finally feel asleep at 3:56!
I spent that time getting the first pumpkin done and starting on the second, while Vera played on the floor next to me.
Above; Inspiration Photo for the pumpkin this year.
Finished pumpkins at 4:04
I did Subaru themed pumpkins, because of Sonja's Rally/Race Car Driver Costume.
After various attempts at nursing and laying down, Vera finally asleep at 4:19
So I cleaned up and finished prepping dinner, it didn't last long since Vera woke up at 5:13
But we cuddled and played until Sonja woke up at 5:53
Then I set up the front porch and added the new pumpkins and candy bowl.
While we were waiting for Husband to get home, I busted out her surprise toy.
at 6:02 we assembled the glow in the dark ring game I bought from the dollar section at Target. {normally I would never buy something like this, but Halloween is so fun, I forgot for a second that I'm a naturalist and splurged on this $2.50 toy. I promise I'll recycle all the candy wrappers from the night if you promise not to judge me}.
6:09 We played outback
6:32 Husband got home and he finished cooking dinner.
7:02 ate dinner
7:25 rushed out the door to go trick or treating in my grandmother in laws neighborhood with our friends and their two kids.
Did I mention Vera was an air freshener, for the rally car?!
I found a toddler pumpkin costume in the dress up bin and threw that on.
Husband grabbed these Cat ears out of Sonja's costume drawer {the same ones I was wearing earlier}
9:14 pm We got home to one lonely peanut butter cup in our bowl.
In other news, Vera fell asleep on the way home. #Momwin
9:28 and everyone was ready for bed.
I gathered my vitamins and apple cider vinegar and said goodnight to Sonja.
Nonnie gave her this Hello Kitty in Pumpkin costume and I spend the next two hours sorting and cropping photos, to up load here, finished editing them at 11:16pm and added text at exactly 12:00am and now I'm headed to bed!
Goodnight!
Jenn
p.s. if you have a moment, I'd really appreciate your vote. Click the banner below and then the owl on the left. {No email required and no spam generated! promise}
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