Apparently we are Farmers now!

So, Billy has decided that we are going to be farmers. We've always had a garden, and he's always complained that we didn't have enough room. Once we plant all of the plants that vine out there isn't much room left for the things that don't. So this year he got the brilliant idea of building container gardens to go on the other side of our house where I could keep my tomatoes, peppers, onions and other goodies. So now not only do we have our entire garden area planted, we have these dandy little containers to plant! I was able to plant plenty of tomatoes and peppers for the extreme amount of salsa I plan to make this fall!

Not only have we doubled our garden space we have also added a strawberry patch in the back corner of our house! This is the thing I am most excited for, I can't wait to make strawberry freezer jam!

We've also planted a little apple tree. I've always wanted one, but didn't know if I wanted to deal with the apples that drop on the lawn. However, I gave in because I really wanted one! So, hopefully within the next few years we will be over flowing with apples!
Last, but definitely not least, Billy built this little beauty:
This will be the new home for these little guys:
This is the one that I can't believe I allowed. I mean . . . chickens really? Billy has wanted to get chickens forever, but I kept telling him NO WAY! We had one chicken for about a day. Toby loved it, and actually spent the entire night outside laying next to it instead of inside sleeping! However, i just didn't want to deal with chicken poop, and all that jazz. So the chicken went back to his dad's house. Somehow Billy talked me into it this time and he went and got 3 chickens and a Turken (the one in the pic with no neck feather) So, I guess we will have eggs before to long!
So there you have it . . . apparently we are farmers now!

So an update I guess.

Wow, I lead an incredibly boring, non-blog worthy life lately! I think it is the winter blues, or maybe just the fact that lately I feel like all I ever do is go to work, come home, and do it all over again! Hopefully once the weather warms up there will be more time for fun!

I do however get the chance every now and then to hang out with these cute kids! We went to feed the ducks last weekend, and it was freezing! When we first got to the pond this little man was so excited, pointing and saying "Ducks, ducks, ducks". So I ran back to the car to get my video camera, and by the time I got back he wouldn't say it for the life of him! He acted almost timid, but then decided the ducks were okay and wanted to chase them! I loved this pic because although his looks says, "why on earth did you bring me here" he really did have fun

These girls had a bunch of fun too...they each fed the ducks an entire bag of bread!

When the weather decided to get warm for a week or two, I made it a goal to take Toby for a walk at least 3-4 times a week. (Sadly this past week I have failed because of the rain, snow & cold) But Toby loves these walks. I don't really get much of a workout with them because he has to stop and smell EVERYTHING, but the walks are to benefit him, so I'm good with that!

This is how the walks start:

This is the awesome path we take: (I love going thru the orchards because I don't have to worry about Toby doing his business on other people's lawns! )

This is how our walks usually end up:

Toby runs his guts out and then will just stop. He won't move, won't walk, nothing. That is my cue from him that he is ready to be carried the rest of the way! He is such a spoiled dog! Haha, but I've been enjoying these walks because they just give me time to relax and rock out to some good tunes on my ipod!

Another bit of news, I'm not sure if I can share yet because my dad is still showing it off to people, but I'm going to anyways! He has been talking about getting a new truck for years. We all gave him a hard time when he would say he was going to get one because he was all talk for so long. So when he told us that he bought a truck online, without even seeing it before, we were all a little skeptical, but low and behold... he finally did it! It was so worth the wait for this awesome truck though, so its good he waited it out!

Jarrett insisted on going to pick it up with my mom and dad, and they needed a ride up there so I volunteered! So here it is... 2010 Ford F150 Raptor:

It is basically the coolest truck I have ever seen. It has a built in GPS system with Sync which allows you to do so many cool things I could have never imagined! My dad is just like a kid in a candy store! Everyday I go over to their house he shows me another cool feature it has!
Lastly, in the anticipation of spring and good weather, we decided to start early and plant seeds in the house for our garden! I am so excited for summer so I can finally start eating some good fruits and vegetables! There is nothing like a straight from the vine tomato! I just hope the weather warms up quick because our plants are getting huge.

This year i decided to plant pots with lettuce and keep them on my back porch rather than in the garden, so that I can make plenty of salads this summer. My spinach is already getting so big, I think we are going to be able to eat it before too long!

So there you go...an update for those who were asking :) I know it is nothing too exciting or cool, but oh well!

These are a few of my favorite things...

While hanging around the house today after a long, tedious, frustrating and exhausting day at work, I found a few things around the house that made me happy....

The first fruit of our labor

The forgotten rose bush

(I say forgotten because I planted this last summer on the garage side of my house which is a place I never go, and yesterday I wandered over there and this is what I found!)

These simple beauties are what remind me that even if life seems hard, there is still something out there to make you smile!

Fun in the Pool

So, ever since last summer ended the kids have been asking us when we will be taking them swimming again. Today they finally got their wish and they couldn't have been more excited! I went down and picked them up last night, and I swear it was all they talked about on the drive to Grandma's house. We got up and went to the Payson Pool right when they opened. It was so nice, there was hardly anyone there, and the sun was out! At first Cierra was a little scared and wanted me to hold her tube, but by the end of the trip she was loving it! She was even going under water! Saige has become quite the swimmer. She was a pro at swimming with the kneeboard. Jarrett loves to use his googles to go under water, and is getting pretty good at swimming too! I'm so glad that we have such a great resource in Payson now! The new pool is incredible, it makes me jealous that we just had our boring pool when I was growing up!

The kids just posing! I swear Saige can never just smile!

Cierra loved her googles, even though when you would tell her they were so she could see underwater she would just look down into the water (not under it) and say "Yeah, I can see!"

Jarrett loves the twisty slide, but decided to try out the straight one today, because after going to 7 peaks last week he thought he was brave...WRONG! He came down with the most terrified look on his face, and then told me that he was never doing it again!

After we went swimming the kids went to Olsen's with me to help pick out flowers then came to my house and helped me plant them. I'm so glad that is finally done! Now, I just can't wait until everything starts growing and looking pretty!

Spring Has Sprung...FINALLY!

So after a dreadful winter (that I was sure would never end) I think that Spring is trying to break through! Today I drove home from work with the windows rolled down and the sunroof open! It was beautiful! Then when I got home I noticed that our flowering plum trees had their first blooms!Because it was such a great day, we decided to work out in the yard for a bit this evening. My hubby put together our new sprinkling system in our garden...sometimes it blows my mind at how clever he can be with things! (Yeah he's being a punk and covering his face, he hates pics)

Toby was so funny. We let him out in the front yard (which we rarely do because he likes to run to the neighbors) and instead of basking in his freedom, he wanted to sit on my lap the whole time...he is the definition of a lap dog! When I started helping out in the yard, and he couldn't sit on my lap he went back in the house and acted mad...this was a shot I got at him glaring out at us.
So anyways I just wanted to wish everyone a HAPPY SPRING! It really is coming...there is a light at the end of the snowy, cold tunnel!