back home and busy

Vacations are always busy, especially when little kids are involved, but it was fun and now we are home. Ben and I had such a good time in New Orleans and you could see our pictures here. I liked calling our time our Four-niversary, cause we celebrated our fourth year of being covenanted together. We had an extraordinary time and thank you for all those who helped in guiding us in what to eat and do whilst trekking through the vibrant city.

The girls had a grand time with their Grandmama and Auntia Suzi while we were gone. Their days were filled swimming outside and at the nearby pool. There were lots of funny stories about them waiting for us when we got back to San Antonio. One thing I will not miss was the excruciating heat from San Antonio and New Orleans. I mean 100 degrees at 9 at night is just crazy, I am so thankful that the evenings in southern California go back to 70-80 degrees. I am a just plain wimpy when it comes to hot weather, I am a cold weather person.

So I am getting back to reality slowly. Ben is still on vacation so we have been working in the back yard and finally, surely but slowly, filling our garden. There have already been numerous trips to the nearby nurseries and we are busy little bees. True loves getting dirty, but Brave, not so much, maybe in time. We haven't the tiniest clue what we are doing, but we are reading books and articles. Ben has had some fruits and veggies he has been growing in pots for a few months now and they are starting to bear some fruit. They look so good. Heirloom tomatoes are just yummy.

Over a year ago is when Ben first started this project and it just completed a couple weeks ago. One bed is already full of tomatoes of all varieties and tonight we will be working on another bed (I think it will be full of peppers). One bed is for me to put some seeds for flowers that can be cut and taken inside and another is for more vegetables. Anyone have any suggestions of what to plant in my bed for some pretty flowers? I am really new at this gardening stuff, so I haven't the slightest clue. I need help and I can't wait for their Grandmama to come visit as she has the greenest thumb around. She is a genius in the garden.

I have everything that I want in my head, now I just need to figure out how to do it. We have bought things for one little corner and we just have to plant it. So far I have: bougainvilleas, roses, lantanas, rosemary, and lavender to plant in one little corner of the yard (there still is so much more yard to go). I will share this little portion when we are done. I just want this overgrown, messy, colorful look. Does that even make sense? I want it to look just full and lovely, a sort of organized chaos.

This gardening thing is so intimidating that we don't know where to start, but I guess it will be trial and error. We are reading what we can, but really, I guess just doing is the way to learn. I really hope I have a green thumb. Nevertheless, Ben and I are pretty excited and we are so overjoyed to have found another hobby that we love doing together. We really are a nerded out couple as we love to do everything together from flea marketing, watching sports, painting, and now gardening. Being together and doing anything together is just the greatest.

Even the girls are outfitted with their own gardening stuff as we found them vintage wheelbarrows from the last time we went to the flea market. Thus, every evening we (minus Brave cause she likes to play on the concrete) spend some time getting dirty in the garden.

I better go, as I have to get dinner ready before we head back to do some gardening. By the way, anyone know any good gardening blogs? I am sure you all have a nice list to share!

Soon, I will share some polaroids of our trip and update my last two Polaroid Tuesdays that I haven't been able to do. Tomorrow will also be the last day of Ben's vacation so we are making it a special day of just the two of us together (thanks to my baby seester for her babysitting services).

What's on the agenda? Visiting the L.A. Gift Show, some antique shops, maybe catch a movie, grab some yummy food from this place to bring back the New Orleans memories, and the grand culmination of it all... we are finding out if babyCakies #3 is a girl or a boy. Eek!!! We are excited! We can hardly wait for the name game to begin. I can't wait to share the verdict with you all first thing Monday morning (who knows?!! maybe sooner)... I promise.

Happy Thursday (evening) and probably the rest of the week!!! It is nice to be back...

p.s. I will get to my mound of emails first thing Monday morning (at least I hope). So if I owe you a reply, know that I am super, super behind.