Gardens/Yards/Pruning/Joy

I have found memories in my childhood of gardens and yards.  I vividly remember every time I'd stay at Grandma Higgins, I would wake up early with her (probably about 6AM) and go out with her into her yard.  We (probably much more she than me) would weed, prune, and usually find something beautiful or fresh to bring inside.  I remember she usually had fresh roses in bowls or vases on her table.  She taught me so many simple things about gardens.  If you come out every day and just do a little you can always keep up on it.  Her yard was always meticulously kept and beautiful. 

 Grandma Higgins in her garden

This is what I remember doing daily with Grandma on my visits.

Grandpa and Grandma Edwards weren't any different.  They were constantly gardening and pruning.  The things I remember about Grandma and Grandpa Edwards were peas, grapes, and corn.  I remember going to Panaca when I was little and sitting in their pea patch and eating peas until I couldn't eat anymore.  I remember getting corn from their farm in panaca and then bringing it home and bottling it.  I loved fresh squeezed grape juice at Grandma's house.  Grandma Edwards taught me a lot about pruning.  She would tell me you have to train a plant to help it know how to grow.  I remember her pruning the grapes, pomegranite tree, and flowers/bushes in her yard.  Some of it was just simple pruning cutting off shoots and sprouts, but it taught me.  I remember Grandpa coming and helping us make a garden in our yard.   It always was so much fun to help them garden.

I also learned from my mom and dad.  My mom taught me about sprinklers and how to fix them when I broke them with a lawn mower.  My mom even helped me plant my own little garden in our yard.  Sometimes I did flowers like Grandma Higgins and sometimes I did vegetable like Grandma Edwards.  As I look back that was my memory, but later I realized they both did both and did a beautiful job with both.  As a family we often did gardening and weeding for FHE and then had a fun whiffle ball game.  It didn't always seem so much fun to weed, but the whiffle ball game was fun so it made it okay.  

This week I've been finishing up my pruning in my own yard.  I started in February...my goal was to do an hour each day.  That only worked for about 5 days, and then the job was abandoned...  So this week I've dedicated my time to yard.  I love pruning, I actually love weeding.  I love seeing new spring growth.  As I've been out working I've heard my Grandma Higgins say over and over just a little each day help keeps the yard up.  I have set a goal to do 15 minutes each day.  I know end of summer and end of winter will bring a little more work than that, but it is amazing what I can do in 15 minutes.  Sydnee and Loryn even helped me prune the African Sumac Trees. 

It all brings me Joy to realize how marvelous, mirculous, and spectacular the creation is, that new life comes in the spring (how do the plants know -- sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate, but they still begin to send out new growth)... How a tree can be taught, but pruning (we talked about Jacob 5 as I was working with Loryn and Sydnee), and how just the act of doing makes me feel good.  I'm so grateful for the creation, for a good husband who created this beautiful back yard last spring, and that I can help participate to keep it up.  I am also so grateful for the found memories from my childhood of great Grandparents and Parents who taught me some fundamental basics of gardening and lawn care so I can do this.

Creamies

This morning as I was taking Sydnee to school, I asked if there was anything she needed at the store.  She said ICE CREAM of course, and then she remembered that Loryn, Conner and herself all had sore throats so popsicles would be good, not the ones in white wrappers, but the ones like I got for Young Men/Young Womens.  I told her I didn't know if they sold those at Wal-mart, but I would look.  She then said, "Oh that's ok mom, you can just get creamies instead". 

Well lucky us when I got to Wal-Mart and looked for the popsicles Wal-Mart had them, but I thought I would pick up some orange creamies for Sheldon they're his favorite.  As I began looking, I couldn't find any creamies.  I thought to myself, but I know I've bought them here several times in the last few weeks (we've had Edwards in town and they love creamies -- as do the Paul's)... so I thought I better just put on my
"Mom EYES" and look like I mean to look.  As I was doing this a Wal-Mart helpful Associate came up and asked me if I was looking for something I couldn't find.  Oh yes I said Creamies.  He said, oh there discontinuing them, but there's some in the back I'll go get them.  I waited for a few minutes, which gave me time to shop the ice cream cartons then he returned.  He explained they weren't discontinuing them, but they weren't being ordered again right now.  I had all my adds with me for price matching and he asked me where I usually bought them. I told him Smith's was the only other place that carried them.  He asked me how much I paid there and what the price match was.  I said they're not on sale this week, but when they are they are $2.50/small box and $8-9ish for large box.  He said, well you just tell them up front that I'll price match them for that without the add and just have them call me if there is a problem.  Ok-- that was really nice, then as I was walking away, he said, well wait I can clearance these I'll do $2.00/box and 7 for the large box.  I said oh then let me grab a few more.  I took all the large boxes, and a couple more orange and mints.  What a FUN FIND

My kids were even more excited than I was.  Sydnee still can't believe it!!!

The Formal

Yesterday was The Mormon Formal.  THis year theme was "Bright Light, Big Cities"  It was held on the 16th floor of the World Market Center.  What an event.  As the planning has wrapped up over the last couple weeks I've had a great appreciation to all those leaders who have spent countless hours making this event so successful.  750 YM and YW are involved.  There were seven stakes involved, but ultimately stakes all over the valley and even in St. George participated to help all the YW who wanted to go have dates.  I was extremely impressed with the YM who bought into this and made it all possible.  I had responsibilities at the temple most of the day, so we arranged for Loryn to have her hair done and make up done by some friends.  In order to help me "deal" with not being there, I decided she and I could get manicure/pedicures done Friday afternoon together.  I had it all arranged, and then Thursday she told me she was getting her toes done at a friends house.  This friend was really excited and had arranged for her cousing who is a cosmetologist to come do them.  So I rearranged and just had my toes done earlier in the day then we both went back and had our nails done together.  So I could feel like I participated on Saturday   I asked Sydnee to go along and take pictures (something I seem to forget to do on a regular basis)

 

 We are so grateful for talented friends who make this look easy, and take the time to help us!!!

 I did make it home in time to help Loryn put on her dress.  Sierra and Savanna were over for the weekend and got to participate in some of the preparations.  It was fun to see them enjoy the process.  Loryn is so easy, she doesn't fluster over the process and makes it all so much fun.  She is happy with who she is and how she looks -- Beautiful.

 Loryn and Jonathan Prince

She had a great time.  She was able to see and visit with so many friends from all ove the Valley.  Her cousin Larson had been asked to go as a blind date so he was there to tease her and make her feel comfortable, several friends both boys and girls were there from the east side of town, and she even saw her friend from EFY.  It was just a great experience that everyone enjoyed. 

Cleaning

Each week come rain or shine, I find myself realizing our home needs a major cleaning overhaul.  Dust seems to collect at unreasonable rates, and clutter seems to collect even faster.  I'd like to blame this all on the three kids left at home and/or a husband, but I am as guilty as the rest and truly probably no blame can go to the husband.  I hate to admit, that guest coming or parties at our home is my main motivator for cleaning, but it is the truth.  I seem to be able to stay better focused until the guests arrive.  So this week as I set my timer (I am a flylady believer -- it's a website that has great advise for SHE's -- Sidetracked Home Executives) and went to work.  I truly was a little amazed at all the dust that had gathered since last week.  This picture doesn't do it justice, I should have written my name in it to prove there was a nice pile of "dirt" on top.

 Yet I decided to start in my laundry room.  I have an amazing husband who in his spare time helps with the wash.  The laundy pile up has gotten less know that there are only three at home, yet it still comes daily or in huge piles when children bring it or mothers bring it to the laundry room.  This is what I started with today.  Not too out of control, but definetly not what it looks like when my (BO -- born organized) husband does the laundry.

 I started a load then divided up the clean laundry into piles and delivered it to the perspective owners bedrooms,  As I delivered I discovered piles of towels and clothing hat needed cleaning and a few sheets that needed cleaning, which made my towel bin more than full.  Once that was done I headed to the bathroom (a fairly easy task) and onto the kitchen, not only to finish the breakfast dishes but also declutter.  This is where my creative cleaning tactics started -- I decided to pull out the barstools and use each one for a pile of things needed to be put away.  There are five of us at home so I thought it should work well.  But I also started my talent of getting three projects started a one time with not enough time to finish any one of them.  Kimber showed up to drop off some food for the Surprise Party we were having for her son tonight, and to help me clean for a little bit, but I had an appointment at 12:00 (to get a pedicure - another story for another day but I was initally going at 2:00 with Loryn) and it was now past 11:30.  Needless to say I had the vaccuum in the middle of the family room.  Five nice piles on the barstools, two loads of laundry that needed folding on the ottomon, but the kitchen counters were clean and the laundry room was clean (because the clothes were on the ottoman -- but I had made progress.  I  just wish I had a picture of how it looked when I ran out the door and when I returned.  But here is the laundry room when I left

When I returned Sheldon had gotten home. He was folding a load of laundry, but the family room was clean, the floors were vacuum and swept and all that need to be done was dusting. He has BO talent (per flylady Born Organized). It is such a blessing to me that his mind can keep things so organized and he can put things away so well. I decided after I dusted to check the air filters. They were way past need of changing, for some reason I don't know that it'll stop the dust from coming, but it may.

FEBRUARY -- "where did it go"

As I tried to reflect on February, I thought there wasn't much that went on, until I began to download pictures

Sydnee has a good friend, Jen who we met a school.  We love to have her over.  To start off the month she came over and played.  We got out playdough and began to be extremely creative -- or they began to be extremely creative.  I'm so grateful for fun days like these!!!!

Not long after that we discovered we have a new FAVORITE chair, and it is not the massage chair.  We moved this chair into the family room at Christmas time to be able to fit the Christmas tree in the front room.  Loryn announced that this is HER chair when she is home, but you may notice a few other times in the month others may be in this chair.

The best part of February is we completed OUR LAST (I hope) Science Project for Elementary school.  Sydnee did a tasting test with not smell or sight (Loryn is her subject in this picture).  Luckily Sydnee is not a procrastinator and she was done with her project before it was do (because the day it was due she was very sick -- another fun part of February)

 We were also blessed to attend another Family Wedding.  Marissa was married on February 5th in the St. George Temple.  It was a very sweet day with lots of fun memories of Christiana's wedding.

How much my kids love each other

Conner receiving Student of the Month

Conner has been working for the last six months really hard to get Tassie to trust him.  He has finally earned her love and trust.  This was Valentine's day coincindentally.  I had planned for a fun party -- but Sheldon, Sydnee, Loryn, and I  all got a ugly flu.  Sydnee's lasted the longest, but hopefully we didn't give it to Lyman and Linda's family

Sheldon and Conner went to a field trip at Nellis Air Force with his Aviations class

Linda & Kids, Brianna and Bentz, Meagan, Sarah and Andie came for the Presidents Day weekend.  Somehow with all the excitement and activities we forgot to get the camera out until the last day!?!?

Loryn trying to catch a ride.

 Loryn being asked to the Mormon Formal  (to be held March 19th --7-8 stakes are participated and its being held at World Market)

 The Last Monday of February, last day of the month, we were out of school and went to Redrock (Calico Basin).  We had fun hiking and climbing.

It was a great fun MONTH