Airplanes and mulch.....

The weekend started out with Layne leaving for Iowa on Friday morning.  This was her first flight by herself and she was a little nervous.  Heath was able to go to the gate with her and stay until the flight had taken off.  It was only an hour and a half flight to Omaha (it is too expensive to fly into Des Moines) and she was greeted by Great-Grandma Joyce and Great-Grandpa Gordon.  She said everything went fine and it wasn't too bad.  Here is her plane leaving the gate.

After Heath's trip up to Denver, he came home and packed a bag for an evening hike with, Collin.  Collin and Heath work in the same department and they do many hikes.  This was Bar Trail and they went 7 miles up and 7 miles back....pretty good for one evening. (I just relaxed at home....)

Saturday morning we were up and ready to spend another weekend in the yard.  Yippee!!!  We went to the store to get the needed supplies. Below, Pedro is helping me wheel them back to the garden area.  He actually liked the ride and went with me several more times.

After much debate, we usually do that before starting any project, and then we debate and discuss some more.  We decided to do a little project in the front yard....we did this because we have a pile of rocks that need to be out of the way in the back and this would help that.  So the weekend's goals were to get part the front done and plant the garden.  We almost reached our goals, we still have a little to do on the side yard.

In front, we changed the flower garden wall and then put rocks down the drive way.  I have been wanting that for awhile.  Our drive way isn't very big when two cars are in it, and this will help that a bunch.  We only did the south side so far, but will finish up the other side at a later time.

This is with the rocks down the side and the flower area bigger and the wall just a bit higher.  We moved some plants around and added new ones.  I think it looks so much better!!

Sunday morning, we got up and had a great breakfast and decided to run to the other store real quick because we found we needed a few more things, surprise!!  I was getting some stuff ready when I heard Heath yell...."what the _____" (you can fill in the blank.)

Upon first inspection, it appeared that some kids had vandalized his car.  It looked like a green line of spray paint down the side. If you look close in this photo, there is a black mark on the car left of the green line.   That was some kind of char mark.  When Heath started to clean the car up (oh, yeah...no going to the store just yet) the mark started to come right off....clearly wasn't paint.  So, we are unsure of what was actually sprayed on the car but it seems like something to start a fire.  So, good news is that it wasn't paint and the car didn't start on fire.  Heath was able to clean it all up, but it is still frustrating.  I was super mad because it disrupted with my plans.....

So, car cleaned and trip to the store done....time to plant a garden.  I do have to say it was the best weekend for working.  It was suppose to rain yesterday, but never did in our area.  It was just cloudy and cool and looked like we were going to get dumped on many times.

After....we don't have a lot of stuff in the ground now.  We are a little late getting it all planted and it is our first attempt, so we are starting out small.  Next year we will have a better idea and can start earlier.  But it looks so cute and I can't wait for anything to grow!!

It was a great weekend, but after working till 9:00pm each night, I was super tired!!  I slept like a log last night, it was great.  Heath sent me this picture this morning of his little friend he found when leaving the house.

We are making progress every weekend and it will be so nice to sit and enjoy it soon!!

Part 2 of weekend blog and Father's Day with Heath

Layne and I started Saturday by going to the farmer's market in Old Colorado City and then went to the mall.  The good thing is that we were able to shop together without fighting or disagreeing!!  It was really great.  The bad part was that we were just gone too long.  Heath, in the mean time, rented the tiller again and made some great progress in the yard.

On our return, Heath was working hard in the yard. I gave up working in the kitchen, painting cabinets, to help Heath outside. I thought he might appreciate that, but I am really not much help when it is this hot!!

I was working kinda hard too.

On Sunday morning, the plan was to make Heath breakfast and then wake him up.  This is a good plan, he never wakes up before me....not since we moved here.  Every morning I am trying to get him out of bed like a little kid (kinda annoying).  It just so happens that on Father's Day, he wakes me up....really?!!  So breakfast is made (while he is up) and then we decide to go through all our old photos to find "dad" pictures.  It really was a lot of fun to do, but I think Heath was just trying to do anything but go out back and work.  In my defense, I did tell him he didn't have to work in the backyard on Father's Day.  It took some time to go through the photos and then post all of them and then clean up!!  By the time he got out into the yard it was pretty hot.  Layne had decided that we were going to take him to a movie and since we are cheap, we like to go to the matinee because the tickets cost less.  We decided to to to Iron Man 2 at 4:30, so after fixing the special Father's Day meal and getting ready......there wasn't too much hot yard work done yesterday and that was good.

Layne did help her dad (more than I did) on Sunday.

Progress is being made.

Heath and Layne working together on Father's Day.

If any of you have watched Nacho Libre or been around the three of us much, you know how much we love the movie and quote it.  There are a few scenes in the movie that deal with corn!  Specially a type of Mexican corn on the cob that is on a stick and covered in something??  It just so happened that I received an email recipe for "Grilled Mexican Corn with Crema".  Perfect timing!!  I went to the store but couldn't find Crema Mexicana and the nice cheese experts at Whole Foods said, just use sour cream and add some water.  It was actually really good and Heath loved it. 

So, in honor of Nacho Libre:  

Esqueleto: Surprise.
[holding corn in both hands]

Nacho: Get that corn outta my face!

My version of Mexican Gilled Corn with Crema

Heath enjoying his grilled corn.

Layne and her tooth pick.

The cute card that Layne picked our for Heath.

After the movies...we sat out front because there was a guy playing live music.  So we got Cold Stone and just enjoyed the sun and music and did some people watching, it was great.

I think Heath had a good day!!  I know I did.

Happy Father's Day

This blog is dedicated to all the dads in our life.  I hope you have a wonderful day, I hope you relax and enjoy.

“A father is a fellow who has replaced the currency in his wallet with the snapshots of his kids.”

This is our photo tribute to you---thanks for being great dads, grandpas, great grandpas!!!


Heath and Layne, the day she was born and Heath became a dad.

Probably trying to get her to eat something she didn't want??

Layne's first day of pre-school.

Easter egg hunt.

My Dad

Me and my dad.

Kansas City with my dad.

Kelly and Layne

Steve and Layne

Steve and Heath.

Steve and Heath.

Heath with Steve, Grandpa JD and Great-Grandpa Perry.

Heath with Steve, JD and Layne.

Steve, Heath and Layne at graduation.

Gordon, Joyce and Jeff (I think).

Me and grandpa Gordon.

Gordon and Layne

Scott and I in Cancun.

Scott and I doing a little snorkeling.

Grandpa Kenneth

Some other great dads that I know......

My brother-in-law Zach and my sister's family.

My uncle Jeff and his family

 

My uncle Jay and his family.

 

My uncle Andy and his family.

......and all the other great dads that I don't have pictures of!!

What Is A Dad?

 

A dad is someone who

wants to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up,

brushes you off, and lets you try again.

A dad is someone who

wants to keep you from making mistakes

but instead lets you find your own way,

even though his heart breaks in silence when you get hurt.  

A dad is someone who

 holds you when you cry,scolds you when you break the rules,
shines with pride when you succeed, and has faith in you even when you fail...

Happy Father's Day to you all.......

You can view all of my  Father's Day photos at the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6340259&l=ee469a80c7&id=578701350

Part 1 of my weekend blog.....

I will start with a little recap of the past week.  Last Friday (June 11) Heath rented a tiller to break up the super hard dirt in our back yard......for easier shoveling.  It certainly did the trick, however, it started raining that evening and then rained most of the weekend and he actually hasn't even been in the back yard since the tiller episode.  I am hoping it isn't all for nothing today when he starts moving dirt?  But things are looking different and progress is being made!!  I bought my plastic stemless wine glasses and I am ready for some backyard entertaining!!

Yesterday we had a picnic at work, got to close the office at 2:00pm!!  We went to a park and had some great food and sand volleyball.  It was a lot of fun to hang out with my co-workers outside of the office. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos.....bad me.

Most of the day yesterday, I was feeling a sore throat coming on, yuck.  So, when we got home last night I went to lay down while Heath and Layne finished a project you will see shortly.  I think I fell asleep around 9:00 pm and then woke up around 4 am and couldn't go back to sleep for some time.  I finally did, but Pedro and Baly got me out of bed around 6:30.  I seem to feel better this morning and I am very happy about that because Layne and I have some plans today!!

So, this morning while everyone else in the house is asleep....I made coffee, started the dishwasher, laundry and took some photos. 

Roxy really enjoys the cool mornings and just chillin' in the yard (it is pretty great this morning).

This is the project that Heath has been working on for the last couple evenings (and Layne helped him with it last night).  It is a compost bin and I am so excited it is done!!  We can now recycle leaves and food waste, etc....  Pretty soon we won't even need garbage pick-up, just recycling!!

I think they have a few finishing touches on it, like the rods sticking out and then the top, but all sides come off so when the dirt is ready you can get it out easily!!  Our little garden will be going to the right of this!!

The rose bush looked so pretty this morning.  It was an option to take this out during our yard remodel, but we opted to keep it and I am glad.  Just below this to the right is a circle thing and that is our new dog poo composing project.  We actually have two in the yard and I am very excited about it also.  We aren't really sure about the results yet but will keep at it (or Layne will....he! he!)

Sully was just following me around this morning while I took pictures and watered plans, I think he wanted to play ball!!

So, it is a beautiful morning and the rest of the family is still asleep.  I am having my wonderful coffee and listening to Bob Marley.  Pretty great!

When Layne gets up we are going to the farmer's market and to Old Colorado City to see if we can find a super cool father's day gift.  If we can't, I think we are going to get him a rain barrel!  Not sure how great of a father's day gift that is....but he wants one?

“Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality . Wake Up and Live!”

~Bob Marley

Enjoy your day.