Attack of the Triffids....

The gardening is taking over every aspect of my family's life- the various plants and their contant care make me feel like a new baby is in the house (guess that'll help with the baby hunger issue)! Since I last wrote we have created a raised bed, and a sunken bed that is half way done.

I have literally not had time to write, but I miss my "therapy" so had to sit down and take one minute to at least start this post even if it'll only be half done when I publish (no time on hand to upload photos).

Between kids, home, school, the Englishman, health, spirituality, wanting to help a few friends going through a really hard time, worrying about my Grandma, not to mention all the other issues on hand concerning the world at large etc, etc I feel a bit stretched.

But it's a good stretch, one we all need from time to time. It's tiring but also good to feel needed in many different areas....instead of complaining about all the worries and concerns I'm soaking them up and remembering to enjoy life and the bumps along the way. I still wish I had a magic wand at times of course.

Here's what is demanding all our family's attention as of late:

Bell Peppers
Banana Peppers
Honeydew melon
Cabbage
Sweet Corn
Watermelon
Yellow Zucchini
Sweet Peas
2 types of Carrots
2 types of Tomatoes
Lettuce
Spring/Green Onions
Leeks
Jalapenos
Cucumbers
and Sunflowers for fun

IF we can keep everything alive and growing, I'll have plenty to share. I'm also searching for some good pickling recipes in hopes that I will be able to make pickles for my Mimi (she loves them)....so if you have any, please leave one for us all. :-)

Nearly...

...forgot once again to add the picture of the flowers that my little family gave me for my birthday....so before I forget again, here they are. They are even prettier now than when I took this photo because the blooms have opened even more. They are lilies of some sort needless to say (Lily is my favorite flower) though I'm not sure exactly variety. If I had to take a wild gander based on my limited gardening knowledge they are Peruvian Lilies.

Forgive the Christmas tablecloth, I know half-way into January it's a little outdated and not quite fitting. Forgive too the cereal bowl. Our table is usually a dumping ground for all kinds of things so the fact that it's actually a bowl on the table and not stacks of books, toys, keys or other non-table essentials is at least appropriate. ;-) Today I finally took down the Christmas tree since it was well and truly dead...and the tablecloth went into the box of Christmas stuff. I shed a tear because now that Christmastime and New Years is over, it'll be hot here in Arizona before we know it.

I've also noticed now that Christmastime is over every member of my family is starting to get grumpy again....like goodwill and cheer has to automatically go flying out the door with our dead tree. Has anyone else experienced this phenomenon? Personally, I have a lot that I could be miserable about but I am choosing not to be. My husband would call that being "unrealistic", some would call it being in "denial", I call it "there is a much better way to fill my time than by being irritable and acting like someone that nobody would like or want to be around." Not to say I'm running around singing like Maria from The Sound of Music and smiling all the time (I'm much too tired for that), but last night, when my entire household woke up at 11pm complaining about something or another, I decided to not let it get to me for a change and went to sleep with a smile on my face which I have managed to keep all day for the most part...

Maybe I spoke too soon. Lilz is now crying, Caed just slammed his door about something or another, Mimi is demanding ice cream and the husband just had a mouth full of complaints on Messenger about many a problem in Arizona.

Right now in my mind I am going to momentarily visit The Minack Theatre; my favorite place in the world....it's in Cornwall, England so I cannot physically go there so pretending will have to do. Anyone care to join me?

4pm on a Friday afternoon.....

Right now, my children are my world, again....not a lot is ground-breaking there but for some reason the new year has renewed the joy of motherhood (not that the joy ever left me, but many difficulties in 2008 caused me to almost forget the pure miracle it is to be a mother).

I've never seen a little boy so happy to get home from school.....to see my newly turned 6 year old son, "King Caed", return to his sisters after a long, hard day of playing and coloring at Kindergarten seemed like pure bliss to him, and therefore to me too.

To Mimi, his older sister who stayed home ill today, he gave planted a big kiss on the cheek followed by a bigger hug upon seeing her (oh and p.s. he told me when I met him at his classroom door that he's now the boss of her since she's sick) and then he promptly headed directly to the back patio to play monster with little sister Lilz. Since they are getting older now and actually turning into their own little people, it's really rewarding to see that truly, they love each other.

For me, a girl who grew up with just one sister, one parent and one grandparent (that was it, my entire family growing up), it's even moreso rewarding that I have 3 very individual children but have managed to glue them together as one. I can only hope as they grow up that the glue binds them even closer. For now though, the monster play is in full swing and I'm relishing in the imaginary play, I'm sure Lilz will be crying in about 5 mintues saying that Caed hit her in the head....if I'm lucky, maybe it'll be 7 minutes.

And on that happy note, I smell the bbq pulled pork burning in the crock pot (how does that happen in a crock pot when it's meant to be self monitoring and self cooking?)! I guess everything this afternoon can't be totally perfect, but it's pretty darn close.