Cousin love

Ellison is so very fortunate to be able to grow up with cousins so close.  We have Maggie in Kansas City, Griffin and Lucy in Dallas, and Claire, Nat, and Brooks right here in OKC!  Last weekend we took advantage of Dad's spring break, packed the Prius up and headed south!  It was SUCH a wonderful weekend for all of us and the cousins are starting to really get old enough to bond...which is so fun to watch!  They are in for a lifetime of love......and embarrassment from their fathers. :)

Here are all the squids:  Lucy: 5 months, Ellison: 9 months, Griffin: 2 years, 3 months

Their reunion 

 Bathtime!  We laughed at how their mommy's skin tones shined through on them.

Ellison:  Olive  Lucy:  Fair/Rosy 

They love each other already...we are hoping for college roommates some day!

 Griffin teaching "Eldison"

 That boy may be one crazy 2 year old, but he has the sweetest spirit.

 Squid-mobiles!  :)

 ****Just need documentation that Ellison really starting crawling ALL OVER the place over the weekend.  Pretty sure observing Griff's active lifestyle gave her confidence to get on with it!  :)

 This is pretty....

 ....maybe I should taste it like I do everything....

 ....petals in mouth!

Yes mommy it WAS funny and I AM T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

Must be the season...

So last week there was one day that it was 70 degrees and sunny and the next 33 degrees with snow flurries.  Only in Oklahoma.  BUT, on that gorgeous sunny day I was walking when this song came on from my husband's shuffle.  First, how much do you love their hairdos?  Second, I love this song.  When I returned to our house, I noticed something bright yellow in the middle of our otherwise dead and poopy-looking grass.  Aren't they beautiful??

I mean granted, they are weeds, but still they helped the lyrics of the song ring true.  I took it as God's reminder of the beauty that lies within even the drabbest of seasons and His promise of the blessings to come.  And it ignited the hope that swells inside me as Spring arrives....when the warm sunshine replaces the cold and the world is buzzing with renewal.  I LOVE it!


Speaking of the season....it is also the season to start thinking about planting vegetables and I have to say I am SO very excited!  Hubby and I have been talking about doing a vegetable garden for literally 6 years and are finally in a home that allows for it and have made the commitment.  YESSSSSS.  Now when I asked Bubba to build the raised bed, just a simple box, I should have known by now that nothing involving building or designing with his own hands is simple.  You would think being married to this man who pursued a master's and now PhD in construction that I would get this by now.  I am a slow learner.  So after a lengthy marital conversation and his insistence on getting cedar to match the fence and arrange the boards to create a specific design, I gave in and left him to the project.  Sigh....my way would have taken 1 hour.  :)  However...everything he does turns out beautiful, for which I am very grateful, and this was no exception.  Here are some visuals of the process. 

The beginning frame

 Those edges better be flush!!!

 His captivated audience :)

 Who eventually got cold, tired.....

 and hungry.  

But ol' Bryan worked until sundown!

 Ta da!!!  The finished product!

 And the design IS fabulous!

Dunk is happy with it.  :)

Now all we needed was dirt.  Lucky for us my brother-in-law, Willie, (and yes, my sis and I are married to a Bubba and a Willie...what are the chances???  I guess that's the Okie life!) has started a business building, planting and maintaining organic home gardens and organic lawncare (check him out!  www.urban-harvest.com) and was already pouring dirt last weekend, so Bubba pitched in to help.

 The A Team

Garden ready!!!

Now all I need is some overalls, a sun hat, gardening boots and oh yeah.....my veggie plants!!  I will be documenting their growth frequently and I hope this works!  I can't wait for Ellison to see where her veggies come from and help us harvest our goodies.  :)

Happy planting everyone!