This Is Us

  Every year for awhile now on the last day of school we (Lorena, my mom, and/or I) would take the kids to Baskin Robbins for a fun end of school/beginning of summer treat. Since Lorena’s death it’s just been my mom and I taking them. We had to keep doing it! Here we are getting and eating our ice cream!

  For several years now Nick and I have been giving our kids summer fun bags.  What are summer fun bags you ask? Well, after the last day of school we give our kids bags with lots of fun summer things. Such as new swimming suits, pool floaties, a new outfit, sand toys, bubbles, crafts, and more. It’s a fun way to start our summers. Here is our first year  2015 Summer Fun Bags We already have stuff everywhere for Brichette’s wedding. 🤣 Stuff for the pool. There is also D.I. bags that we need to go drop off. 

  This set isn’t one of my favorites that I’ve done, but they are okay. I used a bright blue, yellow, and pink. I tried to paint a sun on my thumbs, but it looks horrible! The flowers on my pointer fingers are cute though!

  We had to drain the water out of the pool this year so we could put clean water in and adjust the support poles. Nick ended up having to go out of town for work so I needed some help getting some more bricks put under the poles. Xander and his best friend Cairo went to the hardware store, bought the bricks for me, and then put them under the poles. It may not seem like a lot, but for me it was a huge help and I grateful appreciated them taking time to help me.

  I painted my daughters nails for spring. They are purple and blue with white flowers.

  We have been having problems with our cat and bugs getting into our garden beds this year.  I read that sprinkling cinnamon on the soil will keep them out.  Cats and pests don't like the strong smell of cinnamon.  Cinnamon also has antibacterial and antifungal properties which helps control plant diseases, umm hello... How wonderful is that?!  It can also help roots grow on cuttings. If you sprinkle cinnamon on your seed starting blocks it will help your seeds start out their journey healthy, as it helps prevent diseases. To use it on cuttings, lightly dust the cut end of your cuttings before planting. I will be sprinkling cinnamon on our garden beds and seed starting blocks every spring from now on!  Who's with me?  

Yesterday we were doing yard work.  I was in the front garden by the pond pulling weeds and found a snake. I really enjoy having snakes in our yard.  In 2020 when we were putting in the pond and redoing the front garden, we found  This Snake .  There are a lot of benefits to having a snake(s) in your yard/garden. They eat snails and slugs and Japanese beetles, which can be harmful to your crops and flowers. They eat small rodents which can infest and wreak havoc in your home and gardens. They play a crucial role in keeping the prey populations down. Because they help keep the rodent population down, they help prevent the spread of Lyme disease. I get so happy and excited when I find another snake in our yard.  We try our best to protect them from Rooben and Tigger.