Garden Grove

Let's talk about one of my favorite things about our new place.  The yard.  Obvious, I know, but I am loving it.  Yes, the boys get to play outside more, and yadda, yadda, yadda.  But let me tell you, Mama is loving it too!  It's so nice for me to get to play in the dirt.  I know I should wait and see if we can actually get some vegetables out of this, but I'm excited at the progress already.  Here's a little look at our growing vegetable garden.  

Imagine the whole side of the house, looking like that mess. Weeds fighting through pine needles. The first weekend we were in our rental, we cleared the bed and got the seeds planted. Priorities!
  

Daddy and the boys working hard to clear the bed.

Caelum working extra hard.

Yack...but getting better!

Sweet boys painting row markers for me.

A few weeks later, and we had little baby squash plants and carrot seedlings! My green thumb is extra green because I've never had a vegetable garden before this.  It took me a few days to be convinced that they were what we had planted and not weeds.

Carrot seedlings!

Squash plants! Not weeds

It helps that the boys stay amused in the backyard, and are content to play out there everyday for as long as I desire.  This provides plenty of time for me to weed and baby the crops.  Glad I'm parenting something! Here are some recent pictures.

Starting to look like actual carrot tops

Big ole squash plants

Note how Zach has constructed a rain barrel and a drip watering system. 

The boys are good helpers.  Caelum has been particularly helpful in thinning the carrots for me.  Thanks, bud.  Zach bought the boys a little set of gardening tools and they like to really get in that dirt.  Owen has recently helped get rid of "the bad weeds that want to hurt our squash!" and is great at it.  Usually dump trucks and diggers get involved in all the fun, and eventually the hose.  Ultimately, a change of clothes is in order for the boys, but I can guarantee an entertaining morning for them, which means good naps later!

Bonus pictures:

Window box begonias

Our garden stake to top it all off, made by Grandpa Gordie.