Jumping on the blog wagon

Well, I've done it. I think. I've been thinking about starting a family blog and I guess, here I am. I've finally jumped on the blog wagon. I like talking about my kids and family, and sometimes do it too much, so I'll log everything here and you can view and read at will. :) No new pictures as of yet....this is my problem....it takes me FOR.EV.ER. to do this kind of thing, so we'll see how it goes. This will be great. I really need one more thing to attempt to get done during everyone's "nap". This is probably a lot more fun than doing laundry or floors!! For now, we're waiting patiently and holding on for Spring. I notice such a change in the girls on the nice, warm days. They're so much like their mama in that way. One of them said to me on one warm day a couple weeks ago, "Mommy, I like to sit in the sun like a cat!" ME TOO! On these warm days, it's not uncommon for me to take house and home outside to sit like a cat in the sun on the backporch. Phone, cookbooks, paper and pen, iced tea, snacks for the girls, water bottles, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, books to read to them, magazines to look at for inspiration in gardening. Currently, our sprouted sunflowers are sitting in the window and both girls are SO EXCITED to see how they've grown. I'm one of those wanna-be gardeners, though. I'm hoping to do better this year....maybe biting off a little less than my usual more-than-I-can-chew portion of gardening dreams. Due to one LARGE birthday present for the girls last year, in the form of a giant house/fort/playset made out of wood, I have much less yard space in the backyard! Whew! Thank you, David. The girls love it and are always busy in their "house" and I don't feel so obligated to use it for gardening space. It was planted right where my little square 4'x4' foot garden was. *shrug* oh well. Hee-hee. I do LOVE a fresh tomato, though, so we'll see if I can find a little space for those. My problem right now is the front yard. My dream is to have my beds bursting with wildflowers in a joyous, haphazard, easy-to-care-for way. I love getting my hands dirty. I love digging in the earth and usually end up daydreaming more than working. Letting the dirt run through my fingers. Thinking. Not much gets done, but WOW plants and landscaping are so expensive. So, I go about doing it my own way. Buying a plant at Sam's here, some seeds at Walmart there. Not really much of a plan in mind..just whatever seems fun or I can afford that year. And, yes, it is haphazard to say the least. I wouldn't call it "joyous". In fact, I'm sure my plants absolutely despise me. I get them all excited and perky in the spring and then. slowly. screech. to. a. halt! That's what no watering in St. Louis will get you. The weeds don't seem to mind it. They seem sturdy and prolific. A few years ago we RIPPED out our zoisia (sp?) grass and reseeded since the grubs had eaten half the yard anyway. We've seen slight improvements over the last couple years, but the stubborn zoisia never seems to go away. I see it peeking through already. UGH. I have my work cut out for me this year, but I look forward to it every year, making new vows to strive for that "Better Homes and Garden" award. Mostly, I look forward to being out with my girls, soaking up some Vitamin D (with sunscreen, of course) and watching them explore and busy themselves with some made-up fairy princess scenario. M & A seem to be able to encorporate that story line into whatever they're doing. They have these long-stemmed, plush "flowers" (think....flower in the form of a stuffed animal) that someone gave us. The other day, they had their "flowers" out and were all dressed up "sweeping" the floor with their flowers. I asked what they were doing and "A" said, "We are fairies, mommy. We have to clean up the garden. " I wish my garden fairy would come along and do all this work for me. I will gladly sit and drink my tea and soak up the sun.