this is totally me

Landscaping 101

Okay! Here they are. You'll have to excuse the mess (bucket, little rocks, lack of pruning, etc.) This is the front (minus the carport and Elayna's bedroom window). The four bushes to the left are roses and there's a wispy bush on the right of the door. The hydrangea is in the corner. They're mulched, but I don't have big rocks infront of the wispy and hydrangea yet. The dark area that isn't mulched (infront of the hydrangea, wrapping around the house) used to be landscaped by previous tenants. But I don't want to put that much effort into it, so I took out their border/trims (wooden beams) and tilled it up some. I'll plant grass and hope it grows.

Here's a closer view of the roses. The one between the water hose and faucet needs to be moved. I tried to dig it up but the roots are as thick as my arm. Maybe Ryan can get it, or we'll just burn it out and plant another rose bush to line up with the others. Remember when we first moved in and they were all as tall as Ryan? Then I cut 'em down to barely stubs... I took my Grandma's advice and started pruning them to make them look more like bushes instead of trees. So far it's working, I just can't get them to be BIG bushes with blossoms. Oh and I removed the small rocks that trimmed the sidewalk and put in bigger ones. Like I said, I'll do the same for the wispy and hydrangea.

I'm so happy it lived! I bought the hydrangea at Walmart a few days ago since it was clearanced and looking pretty sorry, all wilted and dry. When I planted it last night, I was seriously skeptical whether or not it would survive... and it did! It's even got a start to some blossoms. I can't wait to see what color they turn out to be. Here you have a much better look at the "old landscaping" and an idea of what will be. The un-mulched areas will be planted with grass seed. There are several areas around the neighborhood that have grass right up to the house, and I think I like that.

Lastly, here's the corner view. You can see all the wooden beams that used to be the flower bed trims. I just put them on the side until Ryan can move them. There's a rose-type bush there that annoys me each time I look at it, because it's not centered in that corner. And it grows like a weed, I can barely keep up with its pruning. I'm thinking I need sun-hardy plants to line the side, or just plant grass. Any suggestions? And I know, I know, I need to move the sprinkler around so that all the grass turns green and not just the area infront of the house.

skype it up!

Once upon a time, Rachel spent a few months in Kara (Africa). While she was there, she was able to talk to everyone back home in Kentucky by using skype. It's like a free online telephone. Yes, that's right, I said FREE. You also have video and chatting capabilities. Anyway, I got to talk to her today and see her new dog, Abigail, via a video call. So my point is this: For those of you who keep telling me to email you pregnancy pictures, if you have a webcam, download skype and then we can talk and you can see the belly in person-- er, so to speak. OR I can just email you pictures, whichever.

So I was wrong...

... there ARE gentlemen in the Northwest, who will open doors and help you load six big bags of mulch into the back of your jeep. It's just too bad they have to be imported from Africa!

I think I might be nesting... except my version so far has been the outside of the house. Here's the lowdown: Everyone's lawn is dead, especially after Housing sprayed the neighborhood for weeds (and apparently grass). The only lawns that survived the genocide belonged to those who were prepared and immediately washed the chemicals off into the road as soon as the maintenance dudes left. SO I've been watering our lawn in an attempt to revive it... and it's working! While the yard is looking better, I decided to plant a fourth rose bush to complete the "set" beneath my kitchen windows. I moved one wispy-type bush and planted a hydrangea in its place. And then mulched and mulched. By the time I was finished, it was dark out and the pictures I took look absolutely hideous. I'll have to take more and post them tomorrow. Then all yall can give me suggestions on what else can be done to help the yard look nicer.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Okay, ditching Goldilocks, we know there are at least three bears in the neighborhood. One was recently caught in the bear trap, but it wasn't the bear roaming our block a week or so ago. Then someone told me today that they saw a mama and her cub in the other park adjacent to the Madigan community. Geesh. I sure hope one doesn't come too close to our house. With the dogs outside, I'm bound to be warned... but THEY will stop at nothing to harass anything that moves.

late night shenanigans

You know how you can hear something while you're sleeping, but it doesn't wake you up or even become a part of your dreams... Well last night, around 2am, I hear dogs barking. But it doesn't register that I even hear a ruckus until my own start to join in. (First you have to understand, it is a very rare occasion that Dax & Libby bark.) So both Ryan & I literally jump out of bed and run to the window to see what's making our dogs go crazy. (I have no idea what I was thinking, I didn't even grab my glasses. It's not like I can see without 'em. And I would also like to know how I moved that quickly when it's takes some serious effort in the mornings to roll out of bed. Maybe that's why I'm hurting today. Anyway.) So "we" see two MPs and their german shepherd walking our fence row and going through the neighbors' backyards. I call the station to report our meandering MPs and I'm told it's a "routine patrol." So I ask what they're looking for. Again, "Ma'am, it's a routine patrol." ROUTINE PATROL my foot. We talked to our neighbors today who said they too called the MP station and were told the same thing. But afterwards, when the MPs were in their yard, they questioned them and were told someone reported gun shots in the area. Today, Ryan and I were joking about how every other dog on the block was threatening the late night wanderers, "You come any closer and I'll kill you!" They sounded so aggressive. But ours, oh no, it's more like, "HELLO! What's your name?! Wanna play? Come closer!" They were SO happy to have visitors in the middle of the night... they make great guard dogs. Anyway, if it's not a bear, it's alleged gunfire. And if it's not that, then what?

Speaking of bears, thanks Jessie for the "heads up" about the bear trap in the park. Being my curious self, I might have felt compelled to climb in and check it out. What were you saying about donuts?

Yesterday afternoon, Ryan & I attended a CAV "fun day." There was a tent where kids (big and small) could make stick ponies and then ride them in the adjacent rodeo. There were strykers, fire trucks, a very loud sound system, a dunk tank, and ice cream, my favorite part. This isn't a great photo of us and a stryker... the sun was in our eyes like something awful, I look like I've braced myself against some imaginary force that's about to knock me over, and it appears we no longer have feet. But I thought I'd post it anyway.

I just love this man.

And this Dax Man loves his Mama.

It's not like she's trying to break out of my skin (which I have yet to catch on video), but you can definitely see movement. Look between the second and third creases in my shirt. I think she had hiccups, something she's been having a lot of lately... IN ADDITION to trying to rip me in two. There isn't any sound.

So...

The latest: Boo's shaved. And ever since, she's become some sort of wildcat. It happens with every shave, she turns into a wall-climbing, stalking, attacking kitten. Poor Juju, he's become a little on edge, peering around corners before actually braving to turn them.

I asked myself the same thing, "Why are there two MP cars parked outside of the house." Not to mention the neighbors were outside with cameras and yelling, "Did you see him, he went around that way!" Enough to make me go, "Wha?!" (especially with Ryan on 24 hour duty), I called the MP station and before I could even get my question out, an officer informed me there was a bear roaming the block.

And lastly, if this isn't enough to scare you, I don't know what is.

my kickboxer

This is Elayna... and she's been hyped up the past week solid. Using my great artistic ability, I wanted to share with you what it must look like inside. Notice her feet and fists are "outside" the belly, which is pink. She squirms so much that even Ryan is a little taken off guard when he's got his arm around me and she's punching/kicking him to death. "Feisty little girl! She's gonna be a handful." She's so shifty and squirmy right now that she actually moves my stomach back and forth, it's crazy to watch. I want to catch it on video because it's absolutely bizarre, close to scary. And I think when she's not kicking or boxing, she's decided to settle in a complete vertical position. It hurts to bend over because she's jammed herself into my ribs, or at least that's what it feels like. I can feel her head (or maybe it's her bum) against my sternum. Anyway, this whole pregnancy thing is such a phenomenon.

Stay Puft

Just to give you an idea of how I'm literally, physically feeling of late, I give you Stay Puft of Ghostbusters. (Ryan didn't want me to post the picture I originally thought of-- from Shallow Hal.)

I almost don't believe it!

A cowgirl at 101 years of age.

And she was a sassy little lady. Watch her video.