April is Beautiful!

I LOVE this time of year.  It's not too hot and not too cold.   Everything is turning green again.   I can see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as school is concerned.   We're having to make ourselves come in at bed time...we just want to stay out and enjoy the extra daylight.  

I am finally seeing progress in the garden.  Last year we watched the Back to Eden film and started doing it Paul's way.   So far, it's been great!   I'm pretty happy with my first seed starting experience.   I don't know the percentage or anything...but, the majority of what I started actually  made it.  I have been able to give away several plants and still have more than enough for us.   I'll probably start putting my tomatoes in the ground later this week.  My sweet potatoes are sprouting and the peppers are getting  bigger everyday.  I can't wait until we can start eating the healthy food we have worked really hard for!

My children....well, I'm not worried about them getting dirty or being properly dressed around the house. :)

My zucchini, cucumbers, and yellow squash plants that I started from seed, are growing but they don't look too healthy.  I'm thinking they're probably better off just starting in the ground.

I tried winter sowing and those veggies are doing great...kale, lettuce, broccoli, etc.  

Green Beans

Snap Peas

Chinese Red Noodle Beans

More Broccoli

Ok...so I had this awesome idea.   We had this old swingset that had been given to us just sitting there.   It wasn't sturdy enough for our kids.   I was looking for something to make a trellis out of because I've run out of room in my garden.   I thought the swingset frame would be perfect!   Chad wasn't convinced until I searched and searched and finally found someone else who had done it!   We we've put it in the garden and I just have to add the netting in the next few days.  I plan to try melons and cucumbers on it.   We'll see how it goes :)

Ethan has been wanting to start some little businesses lately.  He bought some chicks to raise and re-sell.   Now, he wants to start an earthworm farm.   He found some old tires around our property and, with the help of his brother and sister, rolled them to our garden.   They stacked them up and he plans to fill them with dirt and worms!   Now...why isn't he motivated to brush his teeth????

Our apple and pear trees are looking pretty good.  Something has been eating their leaves so I'm trying some homemade spray on them.

I've been starting seeds for the first time this year.  I started with some winter sowing that has gone really good.  I can't wait to transplant those seedlings into my garden.   Now I've started several inside and they are under florescent lights under the house.   It was not as warm as it should be so I know they are growing slower than usual...but, hopefully that means they'll be "harder".   They all look super thin though so I'm not very confident in them.  We shall see!

Moses and Ethan had a collision that gave Moses a big goose egg over his eye and then a black eye for a couple of weeks.  

March 4th Ethan turned 9!  I look at him and just can't believe how old he is!  He is such a sweet kid...when he isn't terrorizing his siblings. :)   We are so proud of him.  He played Upward Basketball this winter and on Saturday, at the awards banquet,  he was awarded the White Star Award(Most Christ like).   He isn't the best ball player, but, but his attitude was great and he gave his all.   Sometimes I get overwhelmed with "putting out all of the fires" everyday, that I forget that I do have good kids!  God is working despite my shortcomings and I'm so thankful for that. 

Ethan shares a birthday with Chad's mamaw Eva.   We got to take her out to lunch on her birthday.  She's a sweet, sweet lady.  Thankful she is in our lives!

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Just a pic of my friend's cute kiddos at the airport.  

So far my first attempt at winter sowing is going pretty good.  So, I thought I'd try starting some more seeds indoors.  Chad and Ethan built a table for me under the house to set my seed trays on and it has a light hanger on top.   I'm so excited to try it out.   Today we planted some peppers, tomatoes and some more broccoli, cauliflower, and kale.  It's so much cheaper to start from seed and I love that I can buy non-gmo,heirloom seeds.   It's been fun to do as a family.

This picture just makes me happy.   We were at the airport waiting for a 12 year old boy to finally have his dream of having a family fulfilled.   There was so much beauty...seeing God's handiwork on the outside and his love for his children on the inside.