Welcome to the garden!

So after months of planning and weeks of work on the new sprinklers, I finally put my garden in last night. First I started with Klay's truck full of topsoil (Nate won 2 cubic yards of it in a contest). I shoveled most of it out by myself to add to the garden, which looked like this before I started:



Nate helped me put in the drip system, and I was able to plant most of it last night. Ryan helped me plant some seeds in the rain this morning.

I found these beautiful flowers along with some lemon mint that actually survived from last year (this is a real surprise since I thought I killed all the herbs I planted).

Here are the trellises. So far we've planted a few winter squashes, zucchini, crookneck squash, watermelon, pumpkin, sunflowers, spinach, tomatoes, basil, peppers, strawberries, dill, parsley, and summer savory.
I'm still preparing the side and flower gardens with extra soil we have from the project, currently housed under the carport. Great motivation to get it finished. Anyway, I hope to share our bounty later in the season. :D

To Zoo or Not to Zoo

Tuesday the kids and I met Keri and Sadie at the Hogle Zoo. The kids had a great time (my kids were there for five hours!), and we still didn't see everything. It reminded me of a discussion that I had with a coworker once who told me she hated zoos because it is unnatural to keep animals in captivity like that. I've thought a lot about it, and I respectfully disagree.


I mean, I've been to zoos that have made me extremely sad for the animals in chainlink cages and an environment that is totally unsuited for them. However, most of the zoos I have been to have genuinely tried to provide appropriate living conditions, participated in coordinated breeding efforts, and have tried to educate the public not only about the animals themselves but our impact on the world around us.

Because of zoos, my kids love animals and have developed concern for their world. There are other ways to develop that, I know: hiking, camping, etc. I love to spend time outdoors, but the zoo allows them to see the animals up close.

So now we're proud members of the Hogle Zoo, and the kids are really excited for our next trip (me too)!The kids try to show how big they are.

Getting a drink out of the lion's head.

Ryan, Sofia, and Sadie make friends with a little tiger.

Greeting the bald eagle after the World of Flight show. Sofie was fascinated and kept telling the keeper, "That's a bird!"

I'm still alive and grateful!

So it's been more than six weeks since my last post, so I thought I'd check in and say that despite the atrocious behavior of my kids of late, I have a lot to be thankful for.

1. We have sprinklers! Thanks to the efforts of a LOT of people (Matt, Dan, Dad, Mom, Ryan at times, and especially Nate, Ben, Warren, and Lindsey), we now have water at the touch of a button. The drip systems for the gardens will follow this week. :D
2. I have an amazing support system! I am surrounded by family members that love me, friends who lift me up and remind me I'm not insane, and ward members who are there to help.
3. We are out of debt! I know I've already said it before, but I can't tell you the peace I have not owing other people.
4. I'm surrounded by amazing mothers! This may sound like #2, but this is something that has meant a lot to me lately. I am inspired by the women who surround me.
5. I am going to plant my garden this week! Though it's been delayed because of the sprinkler project, I am finally going to get to plant at least some of what I planned this year. And my goal is to have at least 60% of it come up (last year, I got 30%).
6. I am married to my best friend and my best tether to sanity!
7. I have kids who usually try to behave and are usually extremely good (at least for other people).
8. We have a slide! Jen and Klay got a Little Tikes play structure from someone in their neighborhood and brought it over; it makes a HUGE difference when we're outside trying to get something done.

The Best Nine Years!

Nate and I have been married nine years today! As the years go by, we grow together more and more. So thank you to my best friend, the yang to my yin, the Bert to my Mary Poppins. You are my wailing wall, my consolation, my warm snuggly blanket. And you're my sanity, my everyday vacation, and my favorite pastime.

I'm a much better person for being married to you and can't wait to see what the next nine years bring!

I'm Thankful For . . .

Nate's patience with me and the kids. Sofia potty training herself (yes, that's right). Ryan deciding to use the potty . . . again. Disneyland!! Getting to see family in Las Vegas (I'd love to see as many of you as I can!) and in California. Traveling with people that I really enjoy. Getting to spend Linda's birthday with her. Grandpa's haircuts. My dad's surgery going well. Water aerobics with Mom. Sofie finally liking child care. Getting to go on the BOM retreat. Singing with the choir. Fabulous spring weather in February. Book club starting again. Oscar parties and actor tributes and Ben Stiller spoofing Joaquin Phoenix. Getting to go through the Draper temple. Ryan trying to make me happy by playing "All Creatures of Our God and King" on the CD player.

Book of Mormon Retreat

Thanks to Nate, I got to go with the Laurels on a retreat last weekend. We went up to the Wildings' property, which is overwhelming in both size and beauty. They were so kind to let us stay up there. A couple of the girls were able to bring their mothers. We ate great food and enjoyed reading the Book of Mormon for hours on end. After 10 hours of hard reading, we were able to get to the beginning of Alma! I appreciated the spiritual discussions and especially being able to see how everything fits together. Below are Whitney, Lauren, and Katie as we read!

Finally . . .

. . . I think that we've turned the corner. We started trying to potty train Ryan last year in September. He had been showing a lot of signs of being ready: interest, telling me when he was dirty, actually using the potty a few times. Once we started trying to teach him in earnest, however, he seemed to want nothing to do with it. We begged, pleaded, reasoned, cajoled . . . and nothing. We prayed, cried, tore our hair out . . . and still nothing. We took him out for ice cream to celebrate a dry diaper all day . . . and didn't see another one for days.

We promised him a trip to Disneyland when he could go to the potty when he needed to and kept underwear dry for three days. This was back when they had just put out the Halloween decorations. I started getting really excited and thought that he would be more motivated. He talked about Disneyland all the time, but it didn't move things along any faster. Last week, we made plans to go in March before our passports ran out for one last trip despite his potty habits.

But finally this week, with no fanfare and no warning, Ryan started keeping his diaper dry, asking to go to the potty, and going when asked. After three days of dry diapers, he started wearing underwear during the day and keeping them just as dry. So congratulations, Ryan, on taking that next step! I couldn't be more proud or relieved, and I'm fully aware that it had nothing to do with what Nate and I did and everything to do with Ryan's will to do it on his own schedule!