Garden Design

I have been using this book, 'Big Book of Garden Designs', to plan a perennial garden for the side of our house. I have a little plant knowledge and with this book as my resource it has been a fun and easy project. I would recommend this book by Marianne Lipanovich and Tom Wilhite to anyone undertaking a garden project. It gives hundreds of garden designs for all climates and zones. It also provides a design rendering and a picture, as well as a plant list with Latin and common names, and number of plants needed. Definitely a book that will get a lot of use if you are a gardener or want to become one.

Delaware River

Sunday afternoon we took a ride to the Delaware River. We walked across the Roebling Bridge and down to the river access, where we played in the water. Yes, we went in the river in April and it was not cold at all! It was actually quite refreshing, but it was also 80 degrees. The girls took turns in the backpack, which we think BP may be a little big for now. All of a sudden she is all legs and lanky, which makes it hard for Daddy to carry her. On the way home we stopped at an awesome Italian place near the river and ate outside.

The Waterer

BP is the official waterer at our house and she takes her job very seriously!

Second Time Around

BB is wearing a size 3! I now take the clothes from BP's closet and give them right to BP. So poor BB wears a lot of hand-me-downs. It has gotten to the point that everytime I dress BB she looks at me and says, "GiGi?, GiGi?" as I put a new outfit on her. Hopefully she doesn't need therapy one day because of this.

Questions

Lately The Barefoot Princess has been asking a lot of questions. Some hard to answer, others even harder to answer. I want to remember this stage and the questions too. I thought a list would be perfect...so here are a few of the more memorable ones from the past few weeks.

Yesterday in the car as we followed a dirty garbage truck with brown water splashing out of the back, "Mommy is that water polluted?" (They must be learning about this in school because I have never mentioned pollution to her)

The other day she asked, "How do babies get in the mommies bellies?" (I had been waiting for this one)

When we saw a homeless man..."Where is his house and family, mommy?" (A hard one)

As we stopped to say hi to our neighbors horses and the male horse started to urinate..."What is that?!?!?!" (Another hard one)

"Are dinosaurs warmblooded?"

"Mommy, do you know what the decimal layout is?" (something else from school that I have no idea what it is, and yes, I did teach the same age for a few years)

Sometimes I feel like there should be a reference book for some of these questions. Then I take a deep breath and do my best to answer her. I know some of my other reader friends have children the same age. Please share some of your questions with me. I would love to hear them!

New Friends

Since having children I have met the nicest people. For example, at the post office last Monday as I was corralling BP and BB safely through the parking lot and into the building, there was another mom with two little girls doing the same thing. We smiled at each other and said hello. As we all walked into the post office we started talking and realized that not only did we both have two girls, but they were almost the same ages. And in the end we kind of knew each other in a round about sort of way. That was Monday and on Friday we met at the park for a playdate. Check out these four cuties snacking on the bench. I am excited because BB finally has a little friend her age! Being the second child, she has been neglected in the playdate department, and often has to run after BP and her friends.

Books We Love...

A couple from the Easter bunny and a couple from Aunt Cynthia, Uncle Charlie, and James. All a big hit right now!

Cape May Zoo

The Cape May Zoo is an incredible county zoo and is free to the public. They only ask for a donation as you drive through the gates. I have to make it clear that even though it is free, it is one of the nicest zoos I have ever been to. If you are ever in the Southern New Jersey shore area you must visit the Cape May Zoo. We saw zebras, giraffes, alligators, snakes, monkeys, goats, pigs, peacocks, turtles,

Chicks

On Monday we went to visit Nana's eight new baby chicks. They were two days old and cuter than ever. BP held them gently and BB squeezed them with lots of toddler love. The funny thing about these eight baby chicks is they have two mommies. Yes, two, because both mommies took turns sitting on the eggs, they are both taking care of them now. My only comment is... I was unaware that farm animals can have alternative lifestyles. Someone should do a study on this. Anyway, these chicks will always be warm and have lots of food and love with two mommies hovering and clucking about them.

Eggs

On Easter eve we dyed Easter eggs. BB fell asleep early so she missed out on the fun, but BP enjoyed a little one on one time with mommy and daddy. She wanted to do it all by herself this year and took the decorating process very seriously. Either that or she was stalling because she knew bedtime was nearing.

Oh BB!

More photos courtesy of Aunt Cynthia. I guess when we were busy in the kitchen BB was busy getting all fancy. How did I miss this? She makes me smile a gazillion times a day. Check her out in Aunt Cynthia's black heels in the first picture.

Three Musketeers

The Barefoot Baby, The Barefoot Princess, and Big Cousin James.

James is so sweet and patient with these two little girls and they adore him!

(Picture courtesy of Aunt Cynthia)

Nests

A couple pictures of the before mentioned nest cupcakes. I was inspired by a cupcake I saw on Martha's website and tried my own version. This was the end product...French vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting, toasted coconut, and three blue robin's egg M&M's on top. Oh, and simple enough for BP to help make!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!!! We made it to an 8:15 mass yesterday morning only a few minutes late. BP was an angel in church. BB not so much. The nukie is key for BB, although we have to take it away very soon, she is quite attached to it. The girl loves to talk and is quite loud. Here they are posing in front of the alter after mass.

Spring is Coming

Spring is coming, it really is! We saw it last week in Cape May. Four hours south and about four weeks ahead.

Baby Goat

You cannot beat the cuteness of any baby farm animal in my mind. On our way home today we passed the goats at the end of our road that we always "maaaa" at and something caught my eye. Nestled in the hay was something so tiny and brown...it was a baby goat just a couple hours old. I pulled my car safely to the side of the road so BP, BB, and I could get out and see the sweetest little goat. His mommy was hovering protectively so we stood back and snapped a few pictures and did a lot of "awing." BP noticed the "yucky stuff on her tooshie" and that is when we realized that the little guy/girl had just been born. Baby goat picked a nice, snowy, 32 degree April day to come into the world. We pass the goats many times each day so we will get to watch this little baby grow up.

Sneak Peak...

The painters, Little Mary and Tall Harry, were here at 8 AM and they got right to work. (BP just told me she wants a brother named Harry.) The color in the dining room is wild, but I love it! More pictures to come when I can pull the room together more.

Blue Pig Tavern

We are leaving for Cape May tomorrow night for a quick getaway. While we are there I have to go visit my favorite little tavern, The Blue Pig. I love the ambiance, the decor, and of course the food, but I am also using this restaurant as an inspiration for decorating our dining room. It is such a fun place with great memories for us, so I thought why not recreate it here. The painters will be here tomorrow to cover half of the walls (the other half is wainscoting) with a ripe raspberry color and I will show you some more pictures as it comes together more. As for now...Cape May here we come.

Easter Desserts

Some Easter Desserts...all courtesy of Martha. Wish I could make the garden cake, but I am not brave enough to try it, and I think it would be too much work to eat in the end. We will be making the nest cupcakes for Easter Sunday though. I think BP will have fun helping with those.

Burpee

We are patiently waiting for our Bur[ee order to come. For anyone looking for seeds or plants, I highly recommend Burpee. You can order a catalog online and have it in three days. They have EVERYTHING...flowers, herbs, vegetables, you name it. They have both seeds and plants. Our seeds should be here any day now and our plants will arrive in mid May. The raised beds are finished (Thanks to Daddy). Now if we could only decide on a garden fence we will then have a place to plant everything we have coming. Always a work in progress here on the big hill!