The Backyard's Final Transformation!

THE BEFORE (of course):

And the AFTER:

Doesn't it look FABULOUS?! Dave is wonderful and has done such an amazing job at creating and slaving away in our backyard! Thank you sweetheart!

And thank you to the handful of people who also gave of their time and strength to help us with all the hard labor! We appreciate your friendship so much!

There are a couple little touch up projects we need and want to do...and save up for an awesome fire pit set and patio furniture for the final touches...someday! But for right now we LOVE our little camping chairs and blanket on the grass picnic meals! This yard may seem kinda crazy to some, but it has been our goal and 'baby' since we moved in...and it's us. I'm so grateful to have a home and children to take care of and a husband who works hard by my side to make that all possible!

The Amazing Creator!

Here she is! My sister Pheobe not only made all of Thanksgiving dinner single handedly....

but she also makes amazingly awesome and cute things like all these bibs for the kids!

River the Pirate! "Arrrgh!"

Abby the "roll sniffer"!

Maddy the "calm and collected". Why are these names all in quotes?? I don't know! But it made you read them very carefully huh? huh?

PS- Note, these bib pictures were not taken Thanksgiving dinner...it was yet a light soup & vegis lunch to tide us over. :D

Thanksgiving Delish!

Here lay our feast! We spent Thanksgiving with my sister Pheobe & her family in Fountain Hills, AZ. We had a great time! My sister is an amazing Chef! I always learn so much from her and ALWAYS want to eat more than I should!

Homemade yumminess through and through! Pheobe did an amazing job! Nice work sis! And those yams were to die for!

Does this plate look a little empty to you??? This was Dave's FIRST plate! lol

Oh, it was so good! Just looking at this picture makes me hungry!

Thanks so much to Pheobe & Cameron for hosting us!

It's Practically Macy's Day Parade! ...almost...

"I love a parade" thinks Abby. Or possibly, "I love all this random candy being thrown out by strange passers-by." It's hard to tell exactly what a 2-year-old is thinking behind those wispy curls of brown hair.

So we decided to go down and enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Fountain Hills. We settled down into the nice soft asphalt to wait for...

...this! Pheobe & Maddy were in the parade with their Daisies from the local Girl Scout Troop. Some walked, while others...

...rode comfortably in the air-conditioned vehicle. (That's the GREEN version of air-conditioned. It's...naturally conditioned.)

We all had a good time watching the parade, watching dancers, waving at unfamiliar politicians, eating candy and dodging parade cars that thought our particular occupancy of the road was up for debate.

Oh my word, it's a MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET!! Santa himself ended the parade, throwing out candies, cookies & x-box 360's to the whole crowd. Ok, part of that last sentence may be an exaggeration. But Abby really did nervously approach Santa and get a pat on the head from him. Believe me, by later in the Christmas season, this would have thrilled her. Yes Virginia, there IS a portly man in a red fur suit.

Just So You Know...if You Care...

Ok, our updates are complete! Just so you know, they go back through September (for those of you that really care and want to see everything). Enjoy!

Backyard Joys

My first little flower bed...I hope I don't kill them all.

Tomatoes? Or eeeyees?

Our radishes came up!! Yay! Abby pets them every day! :)