A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer...

We love our house, but when we moved in 2 years ago, the yard left much to be desired.  In the summertime, it dried up (because there was no sprinkler system).  In the fall, the weeds would green up, but we still had the eyesore of these raised beds  and huge load of dirt in the middle of the back yard. Also, when we moved in, there was only half of a perimeter fence, so my grandparents and parents and inlaws came to help put up the fence (you can see the newer boards below).  Technically, there wasn't really a back yard because there was no fence separating the yards, meaning Macie did not have anywhere to run.  So in September of last year, we finally got down to business. My grandparents were kind enough to come and plow up our yard with their tractor....  Here is the yard 1/2 tilled.  After Bryce, my grandpa and Bryan took turns tilling up the yard, Jason, Steven, Shane and my dad helped rake out the weeds wh...

 It started out as a lovely evening in the park with some girls from church... It started out with Youngi and Elena on the teeter totter.  Elena had never been on a teeter totter before!  Then Lois and Lauren hopped on....and there were four on the teeter totter...  Then Lois wrapped her legs around Youngi and Youngi started sliding off...  There goes Youngs....taking Lois with her...  And then there were only two on the teeter totter again... When Youngi got up, Lois stayed on the ground, and just said, "Look! Harry Potter hand!" I came to understand that this is what she was referring to... When Harry Potter breaks his arm and then it gets all loopy in the process of getting fixed. Yes, Lois' wrist looked bent out of whack in similar fashion. So, Lois and I took a trip to the ER to get this bad boy splinted up. Yep, she broke her wrist...first broken bone in the family! When her dad arrived in the ER, he said, "Congratulati...

Cayden loves to help outside in the garden. While I cringe because I know that the cute little blue dress will be done for the day after we are done outside, it is worth it to see her having fun getting dirty.  While it looks like she is being really helpful below, she is actually undoing my work, and bringing the potted flowers back to me.  "Here, mom, you forgot this one!"  And here's vintage Cayden, eating everything in sight....thought we were past this stage! Today Lauren helped me put a fence around my garden. I say the fence is to keep Macie out, but that's only half the battle. Cayden also really enjoys stepping on my new spinach and broccoli plants! Maybe she already hates veggies? In other news, After getting poked and prodded for 4 blood tests over the past 6 months, my thyroid medication is finally working and I have been cleared for surgery by my endocrinologist! It has been quite a roller with the first test showing I was VERY hyperthyr...

Mother's Day, for me, started at 5:30 a.m. with a sunrise and a feverish baby. After spending too much time in the heat on Saturday, Cayden registered at 102.1 degrees that night, so sleep was hard to come by. Because Sundays are taken over by church, we did most of our Mother's Day activities on Saturday with our families. We spent the morning out at my parents' farm for breakfast with my Hunter grandparents, parents, and little brother. That farm is beautiful! Cayden got to walk half of the LONG driveway with Grandpa and we also climbed some trees and she got her first sliver! I am so blessed to have a great family who loves to spend time together! After breakfast, our plan was to go into town and help Bryan's brother and sister-in-law paint in their new house. My plan did not work out, however, because by the time breakfast was done, they had already left their house for a wedding, and we couldn't get in to help! So then, we decided to use...

Today, Cayden and I got the special opportunity to remember Beth with her family out at Corban.  Carolyn, Beth's mom, told me that the family was going to be spreading some of Beth's ashes at the tree Corban dedicated to her today. I asked if Cayden and I could come, and they were happy to have us!  For those who don't know Beth's story, see here . She was an amazing woman who changed my life and left too soon to see Cayden's, but Cayden Elizabeth Ann Bernard will always be a reminder of how much she meant to me. Since her death and Cayden's birth, Beth's family has become like our family too. It was an honor to be there with them today and see how much joy Beth's memory continues to bring joy (and a few tears) to their lives.  Cayden had a great time running around the Oak Grove Amphitheater playing with Beth's sister-in-law Jeanah. Here, I like to think she is playing with Beth, because she's having so much fun batting the leaves ...

Today, Joe and I took advantage of Starbucks' 1/2 price fraps sale after church. The barista was nice enough to offer Cayden a cup of chocolate whipped cream, so she wouldn't get jealous of our frappuccinos. A kind enough offer that I was a bit skeptical of, but what is childhood without a few messy rides in the car?    This is what we ended up with after a 10 minute car ride. Cayden enjoyed spooning the whipped cream all over herself (including legs and all).  We got her cleaned up quick enough (thanks to the hose) and she apparently loves to be hosed down!  First footprints of spring. We had a busy Saturday, meeting the Mendenhalls for breakfast in Salem, and then going to Amanda and Carrie's graduation. We are so proud of Carrie. She's had to battle a lot of physical trials over the past 4 years (including a car accident 3 weeks ago), but she made it, and in style.  Student body president, Magna Cum Laude, a million friends... she is a succ...

I usually mow our grass every Sunday or Monday. This week, Alicia came over and mowed the back yard for me on Saturday (AMAZING!) and I was too exhausted to finish the job on Sunday. Monday = RAIN (boo). So our yard was becoming a jungle thanks to a combination of RAIN and WEED & FEED that Bryan spread a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday Cayden was in a bad mood, so instead of listening to this ....... .....all day, I put her down for 2 long naps. During her second one, I took the baby monitor outside with me and got to work mowing. I had to mulch it (I discovered this feature and the needed attachment inconveniently AFTER Alicia struggled through bagging my back yard) instead of bagging it because it was so long and wet, but it got done. Cayden woke up just in time for us to go pick up the kids from school. After we got home, I wanted to rake up the grass clippings at least in the front yard, so I brought out Cayden's new bubble machine she got for her birthday from ...