My latest projects....

So I usually set a goal to accomplish a few projects here and there every time Cody is away. This time, I have time for a few small projects and a few bigger ones too. I am getting a later start into Cody's trip than I wanted to, he's been gone almost 3 weeks already, but we've been catching up on a lot since I was gone at the hospital so much the last three months and my house really suffered. Better late than never though. As I finish the projects I'll post pictures....

First our wonderful family pulled together and helped me get my garden planted (Carole Ann even donated ALL of the plants! Thank you!). We made quick work (not so much me this time, I was a gopher finding things for people and chasing children, but everyone else worked hard), and had it all beautifully planted all in one short Family Home Evening. It was great fun and we are so thankful to be so watched over, supported, and loved. Can't wait to enjoy the fruits of our labors, literally!

Carole Ann is on the far right and on the left is Alyssa, Carole Ann's daughter, and her hubby Les and their daughter Breann (who just had her tonsils out 3 days before!)

Here's my mom holding Sarah and Elder Speceiro, my brother Brian who's on a service mission to welfare square, holding Laura's little Josh.

Ross working hard.

Laura too, no surprise there. You know she and JD brought their family over on Saturday and JD turned my one tall garden box in to the two shorter ones while Laura, with Josh in a backpack on her back, mowed my lawn and helped me rake all the sticks from my dreadful stick-throwing trees. I couldn't get a picture of JD on the garden night, he was always too busy workin' clearing out another project (pictures to come when it's done). Cody and I nicknamed the Stouts "Old Faithful" when we were first married and realized they are usually the first to offer to help and always the last to leave. Don't know how they find the stamina! They are endlessly generous, but then everyone in my family is. We're really blessed that way.

I really missed seeing the Joneses, my sister Cassy, her hubby Brandon, and their son Boston though. Wish they could have come but Boston had been sick all week :(

Sarah really felt like she was helping...

and she didn't eat any dirt or onion bulbs. But she did empty almost the entire carrot seed package in the dirt. Uh oh!

Aimee and Jake always entertain themselves pretty well, which is a huge help!

Jocelyn loves to garden and was so enthusiastic and helpful too!

Ben was having a rough day and wanted to be held a lot. He didn't feel very well.

In this bed we have:

LOTS of tomatoes, mmm!

lettuce varieties

peas

cilantro

onions

tomatillos

This one has:

broccoli

cauliflower

zucchini

yellow squash

butternut squash

variety of peppers

and a carrot border around the perimeter which will be darling when it sprouts

I know the beds look crowded now but the early crops will come out before the larger things get too big so I think it will work fine. We also have a bunch of herbs and loads of strawberries and some cucumbers planted along the side of the house but I didn't take any pictures. It's gonna be awesome!

Also, Cody and I are doing some little projects around the house to spruce things up a bit and make life a little easier. We have more ideas than money, but having a house is a process, and ya can't have it all at once. So, most important things first--my hideous upstairs bathroom. This bathroom is primarily just for guests and it mortifies me to think that's what people see when they come to our house. I've hated it forever, but when the home inspector said he detected moisture in the flooring I knew I'd finally get to fix it up.

This is really the only "before" picture I have. Ben's obviously much younger and was helping daddy get the bath ready. I think he couldn't even walk yet so that was a while ago. But it shows the old bathroom with the floor (it was in worse shape than it looked) and the shower curtain which matched...

the wallpaper border that was peeling terribly, which also matched the two fabulous paint colors, which also matched...

the rope, yes rope, trim the previous owners had nailed to the ceiling. Oh man.

Here's the old knobs that now...

look like this.

And here's the new tile floor just in the early stages. More pictures to come soon!