Baked Peas with Fried Tulips

My garden is suffering.

 I was doing so well taking care of it and I had several very happy pea plants to prove it. Peas that I planted in October. Peas are, after all, the reason I garden.

Then it got really hot followed by several days of thunder storms. Then really hot. Then normal spring weather. During that time we were reminded that our AC unit doesn't work and with the rain I didn't think about watering my beautiful vegetable. Sadly, many of my delicious pods withered and died.

We had also planted 15+ more pea plants along our fence line that the neighborhood cats poisoned for us. There are still a couple that are trying to make it, but I'm not holding my breath. I had 8 more seeds planted in pots, but after leaving it in direct heat (rookie mistake) I've cooked all but two of those bad boys.


My tulips finally popped up. I planted a bag of mixed colors and 5 came up yellow (those will all be going) and only 1 came up red. 1 more was almost red. I failed to water those and they baked in the sun and now I have fried tulip stems.

I tried to grow some old garlic (seed left outside all year-oops) and a few other unknown plants but they never made it out of the seedling pots. I'm not really surprised. They were old!

I promised Cliff I wouldn't tear up the front lawn until I could produce tangible amounts in the back yard, but I'm starting to think that the back yard might be the better location anyway. Less grass on the lawn already. Meaning, less to dig up. Of course there is still the matter of the tree I removed already from my front lawn, but I'll still be replacing that even if my garden doesn't surround it.

All of my garden isn't suffering I suppose. Well, at least not to the point of dead.

I trimmed my citrus trees back a couple months ago but I didn't have a saw to finish the job. Now I'm regretting that oversight. The blossoms smell amazing however! Walking outside in our neighborhood (full of jasmine, citrus, and roses) is such a treat!

My berries are doing well. The blueberry bush looked more like a twig stuck in the ground but it came back to life and so did my Loganberry boysenberry other berry plant. I can't remember what it is anymore, but it's a vine that will produce berries and has thorns. Another one of my neglected (and abused) plants living despite me. It was used as the start/finish line scooter races so I wasn't sure.

I have my screw up of the season as well. I've been really excited to plant potatoes so I purchased some seeds. Then, when I started planting I could only find last years seeds (that were left outside in the elements) and assumed that was all I had. Needless to say last years seeds didn't grow but I did find my bag of potatoes with my canning supplies trying to grow. Time to get them some dirt and hope they forgive me.

I killed my lettuce almost as soon as it sprouted (the newspaper barrier smothered them) so Cliff planted a package of radishes in it's place. Those seem able to grow just fine. Perhaps it's because I didn't touch them at all...

Just one month ago Cliff got me two basil plants for our anniversary (real love comes in dirt!). Good thing he got two because I already killed one. I may have grown a full out basil bush last year, but I'm going to need to tend to them more if I want a repeat of that.


Cliff also added my chives (from seed!) to the pot and they are thriving. I never had any doubt about my ability to grow onions though. Hell, I now have a full pot of (flowering) green onions from the first plant I got almost 3 years ago. I guess the moral of my story is... don't trust me to grow it unless it's an onion. 

Actively Lazy

My thoughts on today:


Productivity:
Yesterday I was crazy productive. It was such an awesome feeling that I finished so many things that I've been putting off. Washing and folding the household sheets for example. Around the time I stuffed the last folded set neatly into the pillowcase I realized that on Sunday they are getting back out onto beds. I do the boys' sheets every 2 weeks (1 week of use) and I let them sit on my wash room floor for several days and then clean and in a basket on my couch for another week. Not happy with myself. No reason for such laziness.

Today, I actually did quite a bit but nothing close to what was accomplished yesterday and now I'm finding myself unmotivated to do anything else. It's almost as if because I didn't complete the same size of mountains this morning as I finished in all of yesterday I might as well throw my hands up and say I'm too lazy. I need to get over this issue for sure.

Health:
More accomplishments for the month: we've gone all month (plus a little) without meat in our diets and focusing on smaller dinners. We're trying it for health and monetary reasons but I feel like I have more energy so that's a good thing. I'm also trying to tame my overwhelming sweet tooth but pinterest just taught me how to make my own frappecchino at home. It is decidedly NOT healthy but oh so tasty (unfortunately easy too).

Cliff and I also wanted to start walking every night but after only one night it got hot. I have learned that I do not like sweating. Summer is not kind to me. Last Friday the kids and I walked to and from school (just under a mile away) only for me to turn down the wrong street and make them late for the second time this month. That was embarrassing. I've been wanting to walk several times since then but I really, really despise being hot. I finally got off my butt today and we all walked to school (without getting lost or sweating) and then the baby and I played at the park before coming home. I enjoyed the walk but I enjoyed my shower afterwards more. I think that's my problem, if I'm going to go for a walk I want the time afterwards to be able to shower as well and I'm still working on a schedule that works for me to not run out of minutes in the day.


Potty Training:
Again, looking at our budget has had heavy influence on our choices. We're out of diapers for the baby and since she already showed us in October she can use a big girl potty we decided that it it's time to make her use it regularly. Potty training is a lot like having a puppy in the house again. I'm grateful that our carpet is old because she's already peed in several location. No huge accidents, but I'm cleaning pee off a carpet all the same. She's doing really well (it's been a little over a week) but still not always telling us when she has to pee before she pees in her panties. It's still up to me to remind her to try to go potty every 20-30 minutes (which she's not so fond of).

Saving Money:
I'm avoiding driving whenever I can around town during the day which has also inspired me to cook out of my pantry more. 40 pounds of rice in my garage and so far I've only made one terrible dish with it. The last two nights worth of dinner for our family of 5 was $12 worth of food. We ate well and I feel a little better about myself for not wasting food and cooking with ingredients I already had.

Blogging and Pictures:
I fell two weeks behind and didn't even take pictures for all of those days. I went 100 days of taking pictures (pretty sure that's a habit at that point) only to 'fall off the wagon'. I'm getting back on. I still have the delusion that I'm going to catch up on the posts I started (and had pictures for) and never finished but we'll have to see. At least I'm using my camera again. Baby steps.

365 Day 130

Cliff must of been in a hurry on his way to work today because he didn't even bother to unplug his iphone before he left with it. This is what I discovered while making the bed. He later found the other piece still connected to his phone. 

365 Day 129

Her shake was so good it was worthy of covering her entire face.

365 Day 128

Meatless dinner week 2: Broccoli tacos, Cilantro lime rice with Black beans, corn, and al fresco salsa. Huge portions for 5 people with left overs all for under $10.

Catching Up

Again?! I fell behind again, only this time I didn't even have the pictures to do the make up entries with. Shame on me for not following my own advice: carry your camera everywhere with you (which I do) and take pictures everyday (fail).

I'm so excited about Viggle (and it's sadly consumed a lot of my normal blogging time) and that it's been paying off. It's not much but we've already received $15 to Starbucks, $20 to fandango (The avengers and Hunger Games are in our future!), 2 months of Hulu plus, $20 to the apple store (which I'm sharing with the boys), and we have plenty of points to get several other things but we haven't decided what we want yet.
I have to admit, Viggle is the first thing that has distracted me from my online video game addiction. It's not a video game, but it does pay!

The car accident drama is consuming me as a person. It's more than I can handle (such lies they tell you!) so I finally went and hired a lawyer. I don't even care if I don't get a dime, I just need to not be stressed out over it when I have so many other things that I could be can stress over (babies, money, birthdays, health, vacations, school, summer, cleaning, planting and growing). It alarms me that Mr. Mann is still in pain, and of course it's frustrating to me that I'm still experiencing it as well. This should of been over a long time ago. We've done everything the doctors told us to do and yet still there's pain.

I've also been slacking with Little Lady's school. I don't want to make excuses, but I've just been in a bit of a funk and not been up to assembling her daily lessons. She's kept me on task a few times crying "I want to learn, Mommy!". I'm done slacking off and she's perfected all the easy stuff and she's come so far so quickly I don't think I was prepared for it.

On that note we're back to potty training as well.  Back in October she went a full week wearing only panties and didn't have a single accident. Even out in town she always told me when she had to go. We were so excited that she'd be fully trained before Thanksgiving. Then she just stopped. Refused to tell us, and only wanted to wear diapers. We haven't pushed it but it's time. Summers approaching and she's old enough. It's not nearly as easy this time around, but she's making good progress. The biggest hurdle this time is that she's not really telling us when she has to go, we have to remind her.

As for my beautiful garden: I hacked my fruit trees back to stubs but didn't have a saw to do it properly so now everything is almost worse than before (not possible). I desperately need to get a saw and have at it. I couldn't find it in me to juice and freeze any more lemons so I told my neighbor that all the fruit on my tree was going to be going to waste and he came and plucked it all before the newest blooms added to the fruit. I love my neighbors. My pea plants were thriving and producing delicious pods when the weather went wonky. Super hot to thunder storms and back again. My own negligence and the weather has fried them all. The ones we planted only a few weeks ago have been dug up by the neighborhood cats. Oh how I despise them sometimes.

Finally, in the last few weeks my mothers have been making the final plans for their month in Europe. I'm so excited for them and have been trying to help in any way I could. I do have some experience with packing very little for many days but mostly I've been trying to help them confidently document their adventures. Today (or yesterday for them I suppose) was their second day there and they are having a blast. I'm so happy they get to experience this and I can't wait to see all the pictures and help them record their stories.

365 Day 127

Jammies and Mommy's heels. She knows it's the shoes that make the outfit!

365 Day 126

Awesome day as a family. We donated blood, did some work, visited the park, got starbucks... We just spent the day together having fun. As we were leaving the park Daddy helped her do the monkey bars. She was practically giddy as she shouted: "I'm doing the monkey!

365 Day 125

Well before the season started I got prepared and purchased some seeds for our garden. I've since gone looking for them but couldn't find them so I assumed I hadn't bought what I had thought and went to planting the few bags I could find. Then today I went to the garage to get a mason jar out of the garage and I discovered this.

Needless to say I found my long lost seeds.

365 Day 124

Our home illuminated by the light of the 'Super Moon'. Lame name, but it sure was bright. 

*Taken 5.5.12*

365 Day 123

*Taken 4.1.12*

While visiting friends someone got a make-over. This little lady came out smelling like cotton candy and covered in beautiful makeup. I especially love the lipstick application.

365 Day 122

*Taken 3.23.12*

Someone is spoiled. When I refused to carry her and she didn't want to walk she convinced her brother to carry her.

365 Day 121

Peek-a-Boo!!!

*Taken 4.27.12*

365 Day 120

Sitting so patiently while I wait for court

*Taken 4.25.12*

365 Day 119

First Birthday Cupcake. Messy. Fun. Awesome.

365 Day 118

Although normally when he sees a camera he makes the strangest faces... and then other times you can pose him and he just glows. <3

365 Day 117

*Taken 4.27.12*

Walking to school on a chilly morning.

365 Day 116

While I took a shower my little one decided the toliet paper rolls from the bathrooms would be great fun to play with... and yes, she is very proud of herself. Her mess went across two rooms and a hallway because she wanted to wear it like a dress, and throw pieces in the air.

365 Day 115

Going... going... GONE. We spent a full day out and about getting to hang out with Mamaw. On the way home she konked out hard.

365 Day 114

I think I'm obsessed. Running Viggle for everyone trying to get us some freebies. 

365 Day 113

At the end of an awesome Bon Voyage/Happy Birthday/Game night. Saying goodnight after the wonderful party this Auntie shows that she can still hold both her nieces at the same time

365 Day 112

First thing this morning we hear a crash only to discover this before our morning coffee....First thing this morning we hear a crash only to discover this before our morning coffee....

 Kitty's gonna get it.....

365 Day 111

We finally did something with the raw edges on our floor. No more having to sweep under the carpet!

*Taken 4.21.12*

365 Day 110

Some mornings she's such an angel. So polite and well dressed. She even let me put a braid in her hair. Good deeds get rewards. This morning she earned a little iPod time with her breakfast (something I NEVER allow)

365 Day 109

We got an amazing opportunity to attend the UC Davis Arboretum tour and shop with Granny. We got to explore the gardens, talk to the experts, and even shop at their teaching nursery.  We all (even the baby) walked the 2.5 mile loop around the gardens. It was so pretty. Afterward we finished with the gardens we got lunch and ice cream in Davis. On the drive home she finally fell asleep and she was so tired I was able to take her out of the car still in her seat, carry her inside, and let her finish her nap in her chair.

365 Day 108

They play together so well.

*Taken 4.27.12* 

365 Day 107

*Taken 4.12.12*

 Bath time is serious. In this family we concentrate with our tongues.  

365 Day 106

He took his first steps yesterday so this morning we tried to capture a repeat performance on camera. No luck in front of the lens but has reached the status of adorable wobbly walker.

365 Day 105

We stayed so long that the girls curled up in bed together for an impromptu sleep over.

365 Day 104

Friday the 13th. Awesome day spent in the Delta with friends. I love my husband and his comical ways! It started with the magician hat, then the Lady Gaga wig, and finally a Barbie Guitar. The end result was something resembling Slash.

365 Day 103

Usually we take showers but today felt more like a bath kind of day. She loved it and so did Athena. Weird Cat.

365 Day 102

After two weeks of vacation school routine didn't exactly come back easily. Today Mr. Man brought home his assignment crumpled from being put in his pocket instead of his binder. I wasn't too happy and let him know that he was restricted from video games because it wasn't the first time in the last few weeks. After my mini lecture he went to work writing me this apology. Needless to say my heart melted and he got back his pod and MP3 player. 

365 Day 101

For our anniversary I made dinner for the whole family. Mini meatloaf, garlic carrots, mashed potatoes, and cupcakes similar to our wedding cake. Cliff brought me home a sweet card and some basil plants I used as a center piece. Such a great night.

365 Day 100

After many youtube videos I think I have finally figured out how to successfully wield a curling iron!

365 Day 99

We went to visit friends last night and stayed awake chatting until 2am. Cliff passed out asleep before that so they set up a bed for him and the baby. This picture was at 1am. This is how she sat: across the room. Just. Staring at us. Unmoving and watching us until she finally fell asleep at 3am.

365 Day 98

Pops shines as a Grandpa. He always has as much fun as the kids on the holidays and they love him for it.

365 Day 97

While baking, my little munchkin decided she wanted to help me knead the dough for Portuguese Sweet Bread

365 Day 96

I've been in the mood to bake some goodies and the Portuguese Sweet Bread is not working for me. It not that it's not making bread, it's just not making Sweet Bread the way I think it should be. On that note, I discovered a recipe for Beignets the other day and I've been curious to try them. It was about the same time I found the Italian Potato Doughnut recipe. To be fair, the doughnuts sounded slightly tastier, but I don't really know what a Beignet is and I always like to try new things. The recipe was easy and they  turned out tasty, but oh my does that recipe make a ton. We walked a plateful over to our neighbors house and still had 4 plates piled high at home. 

365 Day 95

My little girl actually let me give her a shower (without her normal lip about 'not yet') and then held still long enough for me to double french braid her hair. She was pretty excited to look like a princess and I was thrilled she has enough hair to pull it off.

365 Day 94

She insisted on feeding her breakfast yogurt to Baby Jaguar today.

365 Day 93

I spent the day with my nose buried in a book (*cough* Hunger Games) and only put it down to attempt some Sweet Bread. Time to go back to my book now.

365 Day 92

We had the most amazing meal with our dear friends tonight. Everyone was in a great mood, even the little guy (who was teething). After dinner it was bath time and he was a very happy camper!