little updates

We've been having amazing weather. It's been in the 90's for the last 5 days. I'm loving it. So are the kids.  The school year has been wonderful, but the girls are getting anxious for summer break.

I'm so thankful that they've transitioned well to public school. I appreciate the time and love that their teachers have invested in each of them. It's been exciting to see them make new friends and take ownership of their work. It's not a perfect system, and we're smack dab in the middle of all of the end-of-year standardized tests (of which I'm not a fan), but even with the small little variances in educational theology, I know I made the right decision to send them. The thought of homeschooling 3 different grade levels and learning styles, entertaining a busy 3 year old boy, AND trying to run this house... it just gives me a major wave of anxiety. I admire those who can do it with such grace.

 

This week I started working on the pool. It's always a gross task to get it cleaned up, but I'll be floating on that water (now blue) by the weekend. Can't wait.

I also planted my outdoor pots yesterday. It's quite a task to pick out plants that grow in full sun (so hot on my patio), and that bloom all summer long, with matching colors and varying heights... it was an all-day process. I can't remember what I've done in the previous years, but some this year I picked: black and blue salvia, sweet potato vine, dahlias, blue lobelia, osteospermum, and cuphea llavea. I'm happy with how they turned out.

My little veggie plants are coming along slowly in the greenhouse. I'm hoping that they'll be ready to tuck into their outside beds in another 3 weeks.  

I've been enjoying the early mornings. I actually took on a little part-time baking gig at my favorite coffee shop. Two days a week my alarm goes off at 2:30am! Baking is not for the faint of heart!  It's a nice quiet time doing something I love. I usually finish up around 6:30am- just in time for some exercise.  

I'm still training for the Chelanman triathlon in July (I'm going to need every one of the next 70ish days to be ready). Here's what my workout schedule has been looking like. 

Mon: Run 3.5 miles

Tues: Bike 10miles/run 2miles

Wed: Swim 45 min/yoga

Thurs: Run 3.5 miles

Fri: Swim 45 mins

Sat: Bike 10miles/run 2 miles

Sun: free choice

I ran a little 5k last weekend and I'm not speedy, but I can feel myself getting stronger. I love wearing a number. And I love running to this song. It's my new favorite.

 
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We celebrated Ian's 3rd birthday last weekend. I'm so glad we decided to wait until he was better. He just loved all of the attention. I made him a train cake because he is obsessed. It turned out a little ghetto, but homemade cakes usually do. That's the cool thing about them I guess. He was easy to please. 

We have activities going every night; swim team, music lessons, volleyball, etc. I'm also teaching my childbirth classes one night a week. That craziness, combined with the warmer weather, has kept our dinners light and fast.  It can be a challenge to fill up these athletic little bellies on the run! Yogurt parfaits and egg sandwiches are some of my go-to quickies. 

So we seem to be settling into a nice little early summer rhythm here. I hope it's warming up where you are! Thanks for checking in... I"m going out for some more sun!

waking up!

Once again, I'm full of excitement and anticipation as the gardening season approaches!​

​You remember that we built a little greenhouse last summer-- I've been spending a little time in there!

Things usually don't get put away properly at the end of the season. I'm so burned out by October that most everything just gets shoved into some dry corner mere days before (or after) the first snow hits.

That said, I tend to feel much more fresh towards the organizing of pots and seeds in the early Spring.​

​A few weeks ago I planted spinach, arugula, lettuce, and chard in the ground, inside the greenhouse. 

The outside water is still off for the winter, so I've been hauling watering cans back and forth from the kitchen sink.

It's so exciting to wait and watch things grow even as the threat of snow still looms outside.​ It's so warm in there- like my own little tropical paradise!

And look!​ Babies! Love those little bits of green.

​Hooray! Things are waking up on the outside too. I noticed the chives last week.

I've fluffed all the beds, and spread another layer of compost (this is working so well!). Now I need to get busy planning, ordering, and starting some seeds (usually mid-March).

It won't be long and I'll be looking at this again!​

Let the growing begin!​

The garden at 7:58pm

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From the deck.


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Lettuce


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Swiss chard


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Parsley, pepper, green beans, and a tomato. (Those nets are working like a charm. Take that quail birds!)


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Flowers on the yellow squash.


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Radish border, basil and zucchini between 2 tomatoes.


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It's just about time to apply some more of my favorite fertilizer. I think these plants really liked it last time. The irrigation system is not finished yet, I'm watering with a hose everyday. Can't wait to get some gravel between the beds!


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Basil in the greenhouse,


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radishes,


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and morning glories too.


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It's been a little cool and windy- thunderstorms even. Thankfully I've managed to keep everything alive. We could really use some warmer weather now though, mostly because I've yet to spend an afternoon floating in the pool. (But I did make good use of the cloudy skies today by finishing my jam. 30 pints!)