What She Says #5- Nuggets of Wisdom

(photo from last year on a hike)

"Monsters like to break things... And Daddies like to fix things."

-Ilyana Arana Shayla, 7/1/2010

Our Favorite Time To Play

Our favorite time to play lately is definitely dusk... we get home and unpack our days' lunches, purses, toys, get out of any uncomfy clothes we've been wearing, and then we inevitably start to hear the kids outside pushing toys around, and our new neighbors (who we've become fast friends with lately) son is outside our window screeching in his playful little boy laugh and yelling "Ee-yana? Ee-yana?" That's how we know it's time to go out and play.

It's wonderful when the sun starts to set, the days' heat starts to settle down, and the temperature is just right for running and dancing... And, while the bugs are out, we rarely notice due to the mad infestation of white spiders with creepy black stripes on their legs that has inhabited our porch. This is not my first choice of bug repellant, but we keep trying to get rid of the suckers and they just procreate more. We vacuumed them, then we squished them, and now, I think I'm starting to accept them since I don't know what else to do. I suppose if there comes a point that I can't walk outside without having one land on me, something will have to be done for good. Here are some of the latest photos of the Bend from one of our wonderful summer dusk evenings:

 

Dancing in the dusk...

 

This is her "pose" haha

Smooches for Momma :o)

Sometimes I feel like I just couldn't be any luckier... <3 xo

--Happy Father's Day Dada Ruggle--

Happy Father's Day to the best darn Daddio in town.

 

I don't know what I would do without your hugs...

Your smooches...

Or all of our crazy memories together. You make my heart feel super happy.

I love you Dada. Big, big, big.

~Your sweet little Snug Bug Ruggle

Summer Reading List Book 1 of 10- Pretty Dead Review

I finished Pretty Dead by Francesca Lia Block on 6/6/2010. I was looking forward to reading this book as Block has been one of my favorite authors for years. Her books Violet and Claire and The Hanged Man left me astounded and I immediately fell in love with her imagery. Her insight into the characters she creates always made me feel as I knew each one personally- I had seen into their deepest, darkest secrets. I was hoping Pretty Dead would have the same depth of character and vibrant imagery that I had first come to expect from Block's work.

As predicted, Pretty Dead was a very short read- a few hours at best. The story revolves around a beautiful girl named Charlotte who loses her twin brother and is so devastated by that loss that she chooses to become a vampire in an attempt to feel less. Although she now has immortality as well as beauty and wealth, she is never the same again and is always searching to fill the void left by her brother's death. Her decision to live forever plagues her as she feels no connection to the world around her... Until one day when she finally befriends a girl named Emily. Everything is fine and dandy until Emily dies too (ostensibly a suicide), leaving her alone once again. The story unfolds from there, and Amazon actually reveals more about it if you're curious but I won't blow it all (I feel like they give a lot away)... Suffice it to say that there are a few twists and turns.

The narrative of the story does read much like poetry, which is typical Block and one of the things I appreciate about her so much. The characters are generally well developed, although I didn't find them to be quite as "round" as I had hoped and found some of the characters in her other novels to be... But the biggest fault I found with this novel was that the plot itself sort of fell flat. It was somewhat predictable overall and to me, definitely not one of her best. That's not to say I didn't enjoy reading it; I still did, and I think I would still recommend it to those tweenage girls out there looking to read something fun and cool and beautiful sounding. But for intensity's sake, and for those adults who enjoy delving into young adult fiction like myself, there is something lacking here. If I had a friend who was interested in Block, I would definitely point them in the direction of- again- my two favorites by her... The Hanged Man and Violet and Claire. Each of those books gave me goosebumps when I read them and have such intense imagery that some of it has stuck with me over the years.

Maybe I'm just getting old and slowly outgrowing this genre, and if I went back and re-read either of those books, they wouldn't feel as meaningful now as they did when I read them ten years ago. It's possible. Maybe I'll have to test that theory one of these days. Next up... Book 2! Which will either be Thai cooking, or The Woods. Not sure yet!! :)

An Open Letter to My (Not So) Baby Girl

Ilyana:
Ever since your birthday on May 9th, you look so big to me. It's like overnight, my little squishy baby girl has vanished. Now, I know that's not the case, but prior to your third birthday, you still seemed to me like a toddler... You were still loving Dora, still needed help with your shoes, and didn't go to the potty all by yourself. You turned three, and overnight, it's like BAM! Here's this little girl that tells me stories and runs around and goes pee all alone and can put on her OWN shoes (all the while asking "are these the right feet, Momma?") and is actually BIGGER than some of the other kids, and shows them how to play and much prefers Chowder to Dora (oh thank GOD! I like Chowder, and those freakin' Dora songs were getting really old). She helps with the dog, she doesn't like brushing her teeth or hair (don't worry hon, we make you do it anyway... pure torture, I know), and she has LOTS and LOTS of opinions about everything and isn't afraid to express them. You are becoming a girl.

It breaks my heart and makes me proud and shakes me to the core than I helped create this AWEsome (in the true sense of the word, not like the, "totally, cool man" way) person that I just know will keep blowing me away as the years go on. You are so beautiful, ridiculously smart, and a hilarious little joke-cracker. You are incredibly empathetic and sensitive at times... You can always tell when me or your Daddy is feeling down in the dumps and you never fail to find a way to make it better, whether it be with a hug or a compliment ("Daddy, you're a good guy"... "You're so BEAUTIFUL Mommy!") or just a snuggle and a big belly laugh. It's so odd to be in this position; I feel like I'm mourning the loss of my little baby, and YET, and yet... I want to freeze you in time today, because what you are today is more amazing than I could have ever hoped... And YET, again, I can't wait to see what you will become. I just know that as the years go by, you're going to keep surprising me and making me feel like the luckiest Momma around.

You love playing at the park, running around outside, watching movies, your doggie Deuce dingle (or as you call him, "Buddy"), your family, your cupcake blankie, and shopping (just like your mom...). You aren't afraid to approach any and everyone you meet, so you make friends pretty much wherever we go. You have an elephant's memory (something Cey-Cey used to always say to me when I was little!!) and can recall even the smallest details about things we did months ago. You pick up colloquialisms from us very easily and will pull them out at the most unexpected times for a good laugh ("Mommy, why do some dogs poop?" ... "All dogs poop, honey, just like people." ..."You're KIDDING me, Momma! You're just joking!" as you wave your hand in a dismissive manner)... We've been really careful what we say around you lately because you're SO verbal and smart that I know if we slip up, you'll be dropping an F-bomb at a really inconvenient time!

Lately, you've been going through a phase where it seems like every. little. thing. is a battle. You HAVE to argue about what you wear, how long we play outside, whether or not you go to daycare, when you go to bed, whether you shower or not, brushing your hair/ teeth, what we listen to in the car, etc. etc. You yell at the top of your lungs whenever I'm on the phone in the car (simply because you don't like that I'm not paying attention to YOU right then) and you screech when we sing a song you don't like. Everyone always talks about the "terrible twos" but you were a peach when you were two... I can tell our real challenge is going to be this year of three- now that you know what you want and you want it NOW and you are willing to fight for it. It's exhausting, and I feel like some days, all I say is "No!", "Not now..." "Stop that!" or "Come here Ilyana!" which makes me feel like the evil Mom of the year... But in truth, even on days when I heave a big sigh of relief at your bedtime, I'm still so proud that you are growing into an independent, crazy-haired smart little cookie. I wouldn't trade your strong will or fiery nature for anything- it's who you are and even when it's hard, I love you for it. I want you to know that every day, I wake up and thank my lucky stars that I have this healthy, gorgeous, loving little girl to call my own. When you were in my belly, I never could have imagined just how much you'd change our lives and make us grow, or just how much I could possibly love you. I thought I loved you then, before you were born... And I know I did, but it baffles me that the love I felt could just grow and grow and grow over these past three years. How is that possible? I don't know what I would do without you, my little princess, Bendy Ruggle, Lulu the ladybug, snug-bug-rugg, widgeon, noodle nose, pinchy-bum girl. Thanks for being in my life, and for making me so proud. I never could have hoped for more.

All the love in the world,

~~Your crazy Mumma~~

Summer Reading List

The title of this post is pretty self-explanatory... These are the books I *hope* to read this summer. I picked ten, to try and stretch myself, considering I rarely read anymore so I doubt I'll actually get through them all. However, I truly used to LOVE to read, so I want to make more time in my life for it. I've piled all ten of these picks at the end of my bed on an unused shelf (well... it was being used by junk, which I moved. ha.) I decided on three somewhat educational books, one cookbook, and six fiction. I know that seems largely skewed towards fun, but again... Haven't read much lately. Want to get it back in my life and for it to STAY there, so I am trying to make sure I'll enjoy it :) Some of these are ones I've started reading before and never finished, some are ones I got with the intention of reading and haven't started. I'll include a picture and a short blurb about why I chose each book. I'm also hoping to post thoughts about each book after I finish it, to hold myself accountable... We'll see how that goes ;) So... Here they are, in no particular order:

(1)

Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth (and Get Rich Trying) By David Bach

I got this book a while back because I was hoping the author could dispel the myth for me that being eco-friendly is too expensive. I'm interested to see what kind of ideas he puts forth and whether they are realistic and worth trying.

(2)

Eclipse By Stephenie Meyer

I started reading the Twilight series long before it became such a thing. About a year before all the hubbub about the books began, I was browsing in Borders with a gift card I had received and came across them. I thought they looked interesting and picked up the first two. It was right after I bought and started reading Eclipse that they blew up and turned into the teenybopper fad of the year, and for *some* reason, I lost all interest in the middle of the third book. Since I did thoroughly enjoy the first books, I think it's only right that I give them one more chance and try to finish them up.


(3)

Breaking Dawn By Stephenie Meyer

Have to finish up the series! ;)

(4)

 

Thai Edited By Fred Sandman

I love Thai food. I want to eat more of it. I want to learn to cook it. The end.

(5)

The Welsh Girl By Peter Ho Davies

Another book I found when browsing after getting a gift card for a present... I've always been intrigued by wartime stories, and this one is also a love story... It seems like it will be right up my alley.

(6)

Bulbs in the Basement, Geraniums on the Windowsill: How to Grow & Overwinter 165 Tender Plants By Alice and Brian McGowan

I've had this for a while and I'm always lamenting about my horrible plant abilities. I figure maybe I should try to educate myself and do something about it?

(7)

The Woods By Harlan Coben

Just a fun crime drama book :D

(8)

Pretty Dead By Francesca Lia Block    Finished on 6/6/2010!!

She's long been one of my favorite authors, and I don't care who knows it or judges because her books are short and are aimed at a younger crowd. Her words are always beautiful poetry and I love the way she sees the world. This is one of her new ones, that I hadn't read, and I know I'll devour it in one sitting... It's a quick read (195 very small pages) but I'm looking forward to it. Other amazing books by her? Violet and Claire and The Hanged Man, just for starters.

(9)

Getting Things Done By David Allen

A National Bestseller that I've seen mentioned in a few different places, I snatched this up when Trent over at The Simple Dollar recommended it and started doing his series about it. I've been reading The Simple Dollar for a while now and respect Trent's opinion. He said it's the one book that has improved his life the most. I figure we could all use less stress and more productivity in our lives, so I'm going to give this method a shot.


And finally, number (10) 

Relentless By Dean Koontz  Finished on 7/5/2010!!

Another of my favorite authors; another brand new book we bought and never read.

After I finish up with these books, I hope to try and pass some of them along on PaperbackSwap :) I signed up on there and have yet to use my account, but I am thinking if I do get back into reading, this could be a great way to keep those costs down when there are new books I want to read. Wish me luck... Reading, here I come (again)!!!

Ten Years

Ten years today. We've been through a lot and I won't lie, sometimes, it's been a struggle... But I don't think anything worth fighting for is easy. I hope you know that I still love you with every inch of my soul, and I wouldn't want to live my life with anybody else. We have an amazing little family, and I am so proud of what we've overcome to create it. Thanks for sticking it out with me.

So many people have told me before that they don't know how we've done it; we were so young when we started, have been through so much, and had so many chances to walk away... I always smile and think to myself that I don't know how we wouldn't have. I can't imagine walking away and being able to stay away. I'm drawn to you and love you with the kind of passion that makes me want to fight for it. For us. For everything we want to become, and for our dreams- yours, mine, ours. Our little girl's. It still sets my heart a-flutter when you compliment me, and I still think you're a sexy beasat ;) Love changes over time... Things have settled down, for sure, and it's hard when you realize that the initial flame you had has somewhat died down... But it's settled into something that's really irreplaceable. Into something that I can fall back on when I feel like I'm losing it, into something that I can rely on, something that I know is more solid than any two-week flame of lust. Thanks for being my rock, and a better Dada Ruggle than I could have imagined. Here's hoping for ten more...


xoxo~~

Your wife. 

PS: We need to get more pictures of us together. Notice the one I used? It's from Easter 08... lol! ;)

Summer Goal Setting

I have a list of things in my head that I feel I've been slacking on lately and I would really like to pick them back up... So I thought if I get them down somewhere, maybe I will be more likely to hold myself to these resolutions. I almost hate to call them "resolutions" because that word sort of has the connotation of something that you decide to do, but give up on within the week. These are NOT those kind of resolutions! ;) I have already started on some of these things, but I think I need more motivation and OOMPH behind my thoughts, so without further ado, here are my summertime goals (and beyond!):

1: Take more pictures. I don't have ANY new pictures uploaded on my facebook since last November (crazy!) and haven't taken many even if I had tried to upload them. I used to take photos of Bendy almost every day, and I would really like to get back into documenting more of our life and her growing up. I have my excuses/ reasons... Clunky camera is hard to drag around with me; batteries never charged when I need them, etc etc... But it basically comes down to, I have to COMMIT and bring it and just do it, baby! I am aiming for new pictures EVERY week. I don't want to say how many because I feel like that is setting myself up for failure, but I WILL take my camera with me to places, and I WILL document this summer!

2: I feel like this almost goes hand-in-hand with #1, but I want to keep up with the blog. At least two posts every week. I always feel like I have nothing to blog about if I don't have new pictures to share, so I think this should be easier to stick to once I have #1 down.

3: Working out... This is a running to-do list item, but I have not been getting to it as much lately as I want, and frankly, that sucks! I would really like to feel COMFORTABLE in a bathing suit (bikini? I don't want to commit to something unreachable yet, but possibly...) this summer. I want to be more fit so I can feel more comfortable in my own skin and not always be worrying about how I look! My goal for this item is 4 times per week at least with cardio, and strength training at least 2 times, but more often than that for abs.

4: Take the family camping AT LEAST once this season! We wanted to go last year and never got to it, and it's something I love... I enjoyed it a lot as a kid, it's a great, cheap, fun way to relax and spend some time together, and I know Illy will love it! So on the list it goes for this year :)

5: Visit with three friends that I haven't seen yet this year. I'm glad we have online social networking now, because if it wasn't for that, I feel like I would have lost touch with everyone! My social life has taken a nosedive since we moved to the middle of nowhere, and I definitely want to make some time to reconnect with some of my best buds :) I think a goal of 3 is reasonable, and I have some people in mind, but hopefully it will be more than that!

6: Take Bendy to the beach at least once... This is kind of an every summer goal because I grew up on the beach and love it (didn't love it so much when I lived there, but I guess that's they way things go!) but my hubby is not a big fan so we don't always make it over there. I am taking her this year even if it's just us two :)

7: Try a new food. Just because. I love food, and I like trying new things, and I want to branch out more. So there you have it.

8: Pay off a debt. Any one of the old ones on my credit report. We are trying to get closer to buying a house, and we have to do this first. Given our current situation, this one might not be achievable, but I am putting it on my list to remind me to work towards that.

9: Go hiking at least twice.

10: Visit the Farmer's Market at least twice per month... This is kind of a fun one, but also good for our health! I love the local Farmer's Market and I can't wait for it to start up again this June :)

That's it for now, but I may keep adding and updating this list as time goes on. I'd like to at least come back and cross things off, add dates, etc. once they have been achieved. Wish me luck! Summer summer, here I come! You know what they say... "It's summertimeeeee, and the livin's easy..." I can't wait to be cruising around with the music blasted and the sunroof open in the nice warm weather! We had snow here just yesterday so I'm really hoping spring is on its way for GOOD now!

~Jade

What She Says... The Third :)

She's getting so big! I love this picture... taken 7/8/09 at Fort Constitution Park in New Castle, NH

(1) Illy's been calling wax beans (which I make a lot for our veggie with dinner) WHACK BEANS! It makes me smile every time she says it, and I've taken to calling her my little whack bean when she starts acting crazy...

(2) She is definitely getting into that terrible two phase! I had thought for a while we would somehow avoid it... but no such luck.The past few weeks, her little attitude has been creeping out at random intervals.

She told Will not too long ago, when we were in the car and he was teasing her and said something she didn't like- "Don't talk to me!"

Yesterday was a rough day for her (at home... either her sitter is a big liar or she flips a switch when she goes there, because I always get good reports when we pick her up...). In the morning, she refused to get dressed (turned into a floppy little rag doll wiggle-worm who refused to cooperate with the whole clothing thing), laid on the floor and screamed all morning. Everything we said to her was met with a screech or a whine... Not the best way to start your day! I tried talking to her to see what was wrong and she said "Leave me alone! Don't touch me, Mama!" UGH.

(3) She thinks she is a big girl now, and she tells us. All. The. Time. It breaks my heart when I ask her if she wants me to hold her hand on the way down the stairs, or if she needs help with something, and she says "No, I a big girl." *sigh* Where did my little baby girl go??!

(4) There's a new baby at her daycare, and she absolutely adores him. She sings to him a lot, and her sitter tells me she likes to sit near him, too. She has been telling me lately that she has a baby sister... When I asked her what her sister's name was, at first she told me "Orange"... but the past few times the name has been "Triangle". LOL! I wonder if this *sister* is an orange triangle... Or if she had a name change ;)

(5) I was out shopping last weekend, and I called Will to let him know I was on my way home. Will told Ilyana "Momma's going to be home soon!" and she got all excited, ran downstairs, and peered out the window saying "Mommy! Mommy!"... He realized that she hadn't fully understood what he said and so he told her again- "No, honey... Mommy's not home yet, she's going to be home SOON. She's on her way."

She looked at him with big eyes and a pouty little lip and said... "OH... You lied to me??" I know... AWWW, right?!

(6) We went to Portsmouth this past Saturday to see the play "Grease" in the park. It went late, and she was very tired by the end... Although she was a good sport through the whole thing (and by that I mean that she didn't scream and cry... she did sing VERY loudly during it, but I figured that was fine since we were in an open space) at the end she just kept saying "Momma, I tired. I want to go home and sleep in my bed."... "Mommy, I want to go home."... "Momma, I want to see Dada"... (he didn't go with us.) etc, etc.

On the way out of the park, I was pushing her in her stroller and wearing her glow-necklace (my stepmom had brought some for my brothers and her- smart move!) because she hadn't wanted to wear it. She looked up at me and said "Momma, where's my necklace?" So I took it off and handed it to her and said- "It's right here, honey. Here you go." And she looked at me with her tired little face and said "Momma, I like sharing with you." And then I melted. But not before telling her "Thank you, baby. I like sharing with you, too."

Exciting News... and a Moral.

My phone has been dead since last Saturday.

This weekend, we were away for two birthday parties- brother and nephew- and I forgot to bring my charger. Then, when I got home, I just kept forgetting to charge it. Finally, last night, I remembered to plug it in. Got up this morning, and I had three messages. The first two were just from my Mom and brother on Saturday, wondering when I would be arriving. The last one was from...

A guy at Price Chopper. I almost don't want to write this out, because I'm worried in some weird superstitious way I'll jinx it... BUT... he was calling to tell me I was chosen as a semi-finalist in their Fuel Advantedge Win A Car sweepstakes! The message was left on Monday at around 12:30 PM.


The only problem was that he said I had to call him back within 24 hours (he said by around 1 PM on Tuesday) to participate, and I didn't get the message until this morning! ACKKK!

I immediately called his number back and explained on a message that my phone had been dead, I just got his message, and that while I knew I had probably already been disqualified, if there was ANY chance of me still participating, I would love to! All the way to work I was kicking myself silly... Nobody ever calls me except my hubby and Mom, and here I was, one of the first times in months I hadn't had my phone for a few days, and THIS happens! What are the odds??! I asked my hubby that very question and he said "Low. So low, in fact, that nothing like this will probably ever happen to you again." Yeah, thanks buddy, I realized that! *smacks forehead*

Anyway, I got to work this morning, and the guy called me back. He said "You'll be happy to know I hadn't called anyone else in your place yet, so you're in!" And then he went through the whole shebang of info, asked me the necessary questions (yes, I'm over 18; no, none of my friends or family work for Price Chopper) and sent me a packet to fill out and sign.

I nearly peed my pants when I found out that there are only 10 semi-finalists and they will pick one more out of the crowd- so 11 total. Seems like pretty good odds!

The way it works is we are all invited to a Tri-City ValleyCats minor league baseball game on August 1. Every semi-finalist is going to get a gas card and a gift basket with a bunch of Central Market products in it- which is Price Chopper's awesome store brand. So essentially, my drive down will be paid for with the gas card I'll get there... And then they give you 4 tickets to the game (I can bring three guests) and also provide food and (non-alcoholic) beverages for while you're there. After the ninth inning, they'll randomly hand out keys to the 11 of us... And whoever has the key that starts the car, wins!

I am trying not to get my hopes up too high for this, and instead to just think of it as an all-expense paid day of fun. In the end, even if I don't win, I still got to see a new place in New York, my gas was paid for, I got a gift basket, got to watch a baseball game and was fed. So all in all, no matter what, it's a win-win for me. But man, could we ever use that car right now! Winning that would just be an amazing, over-the-top blessing. Our Jeep has been broken down since last year, so we always commute together and right now are relying on our one vehicle to be everything as far as transportation goes. It would be nice to have the peace of mind that if something happens with our car, we have another option! Plus it would also be really nice to know that if we need to be in two places at once, or if we both have something to do at the same time, we can! Fingers crossed.... squeee! :)

The moral of the story???


ALWAYS, ALWAYS, always keep your phone charged. All it takes is one missed call for you to regret something for life. lol.

Wordless Wednesdays #7- The Next P-Diddy and The "For REALZ!?!" Face

I couldn't choose between these two, so I posted a double Wordless Wednesday today. Well, semi-wordless. I think these are considered words.

Next P-Diddy:

"For Realz, Ceyc!?!?!"

**Friday Fill-Ins #4**

1. There is no need for any more accidents! (not that there ever WAS a need...)

2. Where in the heck did the summertime go?

3. Go to the beach once and get burned is all I managed to do. (none of the other things I really wanted to do, like go to the lake up the road from us, go camping, go hiking....)

4. Prospects for fall are looking good, though.

5. Savor the moment! is the message.

6. Simplicity and tranquility are hard to come by in these days.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to chores and relaxation- maybe going to the park?, tomorrow my plans include going to West Leb and trying to convince Willis it would be a good day for apple picking... and Sunday, I want to get some more chores done and enjoy our visit with Will's Dad and Kristin!

Rewind to August- Mornings with the Bend!

Mornings with Bendy are never dull. I took some photos in August (the 27th for the brown outfit pictures, the 29th for the purple and white, in case you were wondering) that I forgot to post because they were on the wrong camera. Doh! Here they are now. Hope you like em! :)

Gimme the cam!

What, you don't trust me not to break it?!?!

Fine. I'll just go trot around in my fancy outfit. :P

I think I was explaining something to her, and Will snapped a few shots of us...

Can you tell I'm not awake? My eyes have this totally zoned look. lol.

Is it possible that you might know just how much I love you?

This is probably my favorite from that morning. Look at the innocence. The cute little hands. Sleepy seed eyes. I love it all <3

When all else fails... Just lay down and forget about it.

Wordless Wednesdays #3- Political Persuasions!

Wordless Wednesdays #2- Cutest Cousins...

Random Bendy in Cute Suit Pics!

Over this past weekend, we were hanging out on the porch and I got the bright idea to fill one of our laundry bins with bubble water and toys and let Bendy play in it. Well, that didn't really work out, because she wasn't sure what to do with it- I don't think she understood that it was out there for her to play with... She sort of just stared into it, then continued to run around like a maniac. In any case, I thought she looked super cute in her two-piece bathing suit that the Cey-Cey bought her, so I wanted to share a couple of pics I took.

Yes, yes, I ponder... AND pontificate.

This one is pretty washed out, but I love it anyway! My pretty little bend with her belly button poking out :)

Looking out on the world... She says "outSIDE, outSIDE". She LOVES the outdoors, so I can't wait to take her camping! Hopefully this year before the season is over...

This one doesn't really fit with the others, I just wanted to put it cuz it was cute, too. This is my little family, minus me on this past Tuesday, August 5. Notice Deuce Dingle creeping up to get some love and try to munch the popsicle... haha! Ignore the laundry and dishes in the back, please- this was a chore night! I was folding things and eating on the couch. heh.

Our First Ever (Sort of) Garden :D

For years, I haven't been able to keep a plant alive. I know the principles of gardening- I've been watching my Dad, stepmom, Mother in law and Mom do it for years with amazing skill and actually reap the rewards of a pretty yard and some yummy fresh veggies- but, for some reason, they have never really translated for me... Whether I was watering too much, putting them on the wrong side of the house, or they just didn't like me, who knows. As of a few years ago, I had pretty much given up and been resigned to the fact that my apartment would be bare of plant life for all time. Sad, but true.

This year, I decided to give it a go again.

It started when, on Mother's Day, I was given a plant as a gift from my Mother and Stepfather in law. They handed it over with a grin and said, "Hope it's alive next time we see you..." I had to laugh, but it made me all the more determined to keep THIS ONE alive. I almost failed again, I must admit. I hadn't gotten around to potting the plant after about a week, and it was really starting to droop and look like a sad little specimen. So I finally got my butt in gear, bought a pot and some Miracle Gro soil- I figured I can use all the help I can get. Once I'm a pro, maybe I'll consider going pesticide-free. heh.

Well, my plant came back! Bright and bushy and alive, in all its glory. Maybe being a Mommy has somehow made me more in tune with the pulse of life in all things- or probably, that's just hokey and finally something clicked and I figured out what I was doing wrong before. Or maybe it's just the location of my porch and the light it gets. All I knew was, I was psyched!



So I became inspired. When we went to the Farmer's Market a couple weeks later, I bought a pumpkin. Now, mind you, we don't have a yard. But I was told by the farmer at said market that this pumpkin (which is a special red kind, for even more coolness bonus points here) that if I bought a big enough pot, I could actually grow my pumpkin right on my porch! Yay! I was thinking that by the time Halloween rolls around, even if it's only a tiny little pumpkin, any home-grown pumpkin would be a cool source of fun for us and the Bend- to decorate and put a shiny red pumpkin out front will make her feel like such a big girl! So I brought him home, got him a pot... And here he is, weeks later, looking rather healthy and with a lot more leaves than he had when we bought him:



And then... My Stepmom gave me a whole bunch more plants. She had gotten a couple of flats for free off a friend who has a greenhouse, so she passed some along to me, too. Looking at all of them, I thought for sure, this is the end of my lucky streak with plants. There's no way I can keep like ten of them alive at once. But I'm happy to report, I was wrong! They are ALL thriving, and once Illy got over her urge to pull them out of their pots (which took a while- she had uprooted a few of them before she caught on that they're not toys and are supposed to stay IN the pots) they started growing like crazy and the flowers are blooming! So for once, I have a garden. Of some sort. I don't know that it counts when it's just ten pots scattered across the porch, but it still makes me happy. I go out there every day and check on them and it's so crazy just how fast they grow- it's good to know SOMETHING grows faster than little kids :P Here are some more pics I took of my happy little bunch:

Pots lined up in a row...

Some hot and spicy Oregano!

Flowers are oh-so-pretty...

Especially sneaky red ones that I didn't expect!

Lavender growing like wildfire looks like crazy hair.

More Lavender and some purple flowers with yellow centers (yeah, yeah, I should know the names, but I don't.)

I think this is the saddest pot. I ran out of plants, so there were only two in this one! Still growing, though...

Three flower colors...

I love purple flowers.

Thursday Thirteen #3- Illy Speak





Thirteen Things Bendy Has Said (Not Counting Mama and Dada!) 1. Surprise! 2. Woof! Woof! 3. I get you! 4. Hiiii! (Waving forward, at you) 5. Buh-bye! (Waving backwards at herself) 6. Boom, boom! (At the fireworks 4th of July or pretty much any loud noise.) 7. I did it! 8. Bounce 9. Thank you! (As she hands YOU something.) 10. Do-do (That's Dora...) 11. No (This one is just starting, and I can already tell it won't be fun!) 12. Ba-ball (I don't know where the extra syllable came from) 13. Wow! I see! (Exclaiming at anything new, i.e., on our walk the other day, at the sky, at the flowers, at the rocks... heh)

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Vacation July 2007- Millinocket Lake, Maine

My Mom and David go on vacation up to Lake Millinocket every summer (well, at least for the past five or so years). Usually we all tag along, and it's tons of fun... We spend the week relaxing, hiking, swimming, and of course going out on the boat we rent from the owners at Twin Pines, which is the *resort* we stay at- really a group of cute little cabins that is family-run and owned which sits on a peninsula jutting out onto the lake. It's too gorgeous for words on sunny days- Katahdin looms over the lake in the background, and the water is so crystal clear you can see all the way to the bottom in most spots. The air is so clean up there that you feel when you first arrive as if you're able to take a nice deep, fresh breath for the first time in months. There's just nothing like being in touch with nature and taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the earth.... Here are some of our pics from summer 2007:

Sunset over Lake Millinocket, July 23, 2007- Katahdin hiding behind the clouds!

I loved the way the sun glared off the water and illuminated the ripples... More sunset July 23

And this one, though dark, is one of my favorites of the sunset- I love the dark, rich colors.

Ilyana chilling with the Mama duck and ducklings, July 23, 2007.

Baby ducklings and baby duck-fluff girl! :o) July 23, 2007


Owen hanging out, July 23, 2007


Illy in the bouncer, Monday July 23, 2007


I know this picture looks kind of weird, but it was taken in the pitch-black. I wanted to capture all of us hanging out and roasting marshmallows by the fire, which is one of our favorite things to do when we go to Millinocket. Here you see Matt, Mitch, Frannie and Mom enjoying the night! July 23, 2007


Sleepy Daddy and baby girl, July 24, 2007


So Will and I went on a hike... an eight-mile hike up a mountain which left us sore for the next few days. Here I am, tired as hell, taking a break on a big rock off the path. Wednesday, July 25, 2007.


A cool little shroomy we saw on our hike! July 25, 2007

We were on the last mile or so of our hike, almost delirious (we'd been out of water for hours with the sun pelting down on us) and feeling very discouraged... And we rounded a corner and saw a moose bathing in the pond! As soon as he heard us, he ran for the woods, but I captured him... Sort of! If you click on this pic to look at the bigger image, you can see him off on the edge of the pond, hidden partially by the brush. July 25, 2007

Mom and David went hiking the day after us, but they actually had the balls to hit up Katahdin! Here's Mom, triumphant at the top... July 26, 2007

David, finally resting at the top of Katahdin! July 26, 2007