Pool!

At our old house the boys really wanted a swimming pool. The above ground type that are made by Intex that are about 4' deep & 15' round. Two of our old neighbors had them & the boys loved them. We kept putting it off & putting it off since we had the house for sale. As soon as we got settled in here, and it finally got warm, they started asking again. Our back yard is nothing but dirt, and we don't have a full fence, so not sure we could actually pull it off. On Sunday they were really hot so they made their own pools in the driveway.

Birthday Bash!

I was looking for an excuse to buy these cute cupcakes from Target and luckily last weekend was my aunt's birthday. I also used that great excuse to make homemade ice cream! YUM!

These were just white cupcakes cut in half, then different colors of  frosting to make the hamburger & condiments. They were so cute!

This homemade ice cream recipe has been in our family forever and it is perfect each time! I don't like cake, but I swear I could eat the entire batch of this!

Warms the heart!

For anyone in Utah, you'll know what I am talking about here. 11400 South has been under construction forever! I can't believe how long it is taking for it to be done. The speed limit on this road is a painfully slow 30 mph. South Jordan is always patrolling this road so I never speed. The other day there was a car behind me from the point the road turns into one lane until it opens to two, probably about 4 miles or so. This car rode my ass the entire time and I kept it right at 30 mph. I know better on this road. I was watching her in my mirror and you could just see the irritation on her face.  As soon as the road opened up to two lanes she floored it and gave me a snotty look as she flew by me. TOTALLY made my day when a motorcycle cop pulled out behind her. When I went by where she was pulled over she looked at me & I looked at her and just started laughing. I am sure that pissed her off even more. Could have only been better had she been driving a BMW!

Yard Sale!

Last Saturday we held a family yard sale. My sister and I have been holding them every few years for the past 15 years or so. We had a big one right before Travis and I moved out of our old house so I didn't think we'd have much stuff to sell so soon. I was wrong! We had lots of junk to get rid of. We had it at my parents house and we had crap in both driveways from the street 1/2 way back to the barn. It was crazy busy and we got rid of almost everything. These pictures are not great since I took them with my phone.

Crap & Crap!

Oh, look....even more crap!

My sister Sundee (left) and my niece Jessa kickin' it!

Ok. You totally had to be there but this was funny!  Around my neck I am wearing passes to the Opening Ceremonies from the 2002 Winter Olympics, I had my skis in hand, and a big heavy winter coat on (sweating to death). Oh, and most importantly, my Book of Mormon. (All items available for purchase at the yard sale.) So I walked up to Sundee & Jessa while they were again sitting on their butts and said, "Welcome to Salt Lake City and the 2002 Winter Olympics." Whatever Jessa was drinking shot out of her mouth and ended up about 10' in front of her chair. Yep, you had to be there! I think it is safe to say that this will be the one and only time I hold such book in my hands.

This is all that was left from the sale. We loaded it up and donated it to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Well except the dog. We kept her! 

Planting the "fun stuff"

I have been spending time out in the yard getting things planted, or as I call it "the fun stuff". I've had it with moving dirt and carrying around pieces of sod, I want to plant! Most of the stuff you see here is what I bought last year at my mom's work for 80% off. We've spent a lot of money on dirt, which I hate. I think it sucks to spend money on dirt. For hell's sake .... there is dirt everywhere but you have to pay for the good stuff!

So anyway, I am a total low maintenance gal when it comes to yard work, but I don't like it to look low maintenance. I use a lot of day lilies, ornamental grasses, and ground cover.  98% of my plants are perennials to save money in the long run, and again little maintenance. We have a big spring clean-up and a big fall-clean-up. Summer the plants are pretty much on their own. In the spring I put down a TON of Preen so there is little or no weeding. Things just grow and I cut them down in the fall. 

This view is the west side of the yard and the window you can see is the master closet. There are still some pots sitting around up by the house. That is stuff that goes in the backyard that we are not ready to plant yet. The pot you see towards the front (right) side is Parker's kindergarten tomato plant. I think it was intended to be my mom's day present, but he claimed it. 

Not sure about this tree. I love the looks of it, but it needs some shade & it is going to get very little where I have it planted. I guess we'll see if it lives.

This is my shade bed that is right outside of my office window. Behind the tree in the back, I plan to put in bleeding hearts. I am waiting until June 25th when Okubo's has their big 50% off sale to get them.

For the most part we are done in the front. We decided to wait until next year to do the fence. The 8'section will run from the side of the house to the neighbors driveway, then a 3' high section will run from the end of that to the street. Our neighbors are really not happy with us about putting in a 3' fence. But we really want something to divide the two properties, plus contain our ornamental grasses because they get huge. They will be thrilled we are running out of yard money and not doing it this year.

So I guess now we are moving to the back yard. We have about 35 more trees sitting at my parents house that need to be planted. That involves buying more of that da*n expensive dirt! :-)

Favorite Lunch!

When the boys are out of school this is our favorite lunch. We make them just about everyday. They are filling and healthy & we all love them! I use Diet V8 Splash tropical juice, 1% or fat-free milk, Yoplait vanilla yogurt, and whatever fruit I have on hand. Typically that includes bananas, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, cantaloupe and mandarin oranges. I like the smoothies thick so I will usually use frozen fruit. What I do is just freeze fruit that I have on hand as it gets past it's prime & we don't want to eat it fresh. i.e. as the bananas start to get brown (we are a green banana family), when the strawberries start to look a bit mushy, etc. I'll just cut all of that up, and freeze it. I also use some canned fruit like the mandarin oranges and frozen blueberries.

You just throw everything in the blender & wa la.....lunch! 

After it is all blended up you get this.

I love this Ninja blender. I got it a few months ago after my Back to Basics Smoothie Maker broke. I went to buy a new one and found out they don't make them anymore so I was on a quest for a good blender. After researching it to death, I decided on the Ninja. It is great! To blend frozen fruit you have to have something powerful and this is. I love how it holds 72 ounces, way more than other blenders. It is plenty big that I can make enough for all four of us if Travis is home.

Runnin'!

Hi everyone!

I've been spending tons of time out in the yard the last few days so blogging has been slow. Also, my life is quite boring and nothing to report.  :-)

The weather here has been nuts!  After what feels like months of non-stop rain, it finally got warm for just a few days. The boys took advantage of it and ran though the sprinklers fully clothed.  This afternoon they went to the neighbors to jump on the trampoline in the sprinklers & an hour later the temperature dropped 20 degrees and they put their coats on. Go figure?!?

Semi-Green Grass!

We spent the day today laying sod - yea! I bought this sod last Saturday & surprised Travis with it. (Yes it was a nice surprise for him because the guy has an unnatural love for grass!) Anyway, my dad went and got it for me on Saturday morning and brought it over on Saturday night when Travis got home from work. He worked in the yard for about 45 minutes before it started raining, and raining and raining. Finally by Tuesday morning it had cleared up. Today was the first day we could actually get out there and work.

The final touches on leveling the dirt.

Sod ready and waiting.

My dad and Travis putting in the first pieces.

Finished!

Now ... the back!

Hmmm...I can see significantly more work in my future!