A little gardening

Since Spring arrived a little early...oh who am I kidding?  We never had Winter.

INstead of 65 degree days, we're now in a heat wave - 80-85 degree days.  Since it was so 'nice' outside this weekend we did a little backyard cleanup and planting.

This week is Teacher Appreciation week at N's school and one of the things we had to bring in was 2-3 small plants.  I picked up some pansies at Lowe's on Sunday and since they were so cheap, I got a few packs of them.

I figured they would look great in out little planter by the front door AND we had a few left over for his teacher.  Win-Win.

While daddy hosed off the back yard we planted the pansies.

We also planted the Truffula tree seeds we got from IHOP a couple of weeks ago.  They have the Lorax breakfast right now and with each kids meal, you get a Truffula seed thing.

So our trees are planted.  We ate there again to get more but I think they ran out.  Since he enjoyed it so much, I'm going to get him to plant more with me this year.  I'm thinking herb garden if I can find the right place in the teeny, tiny backyard.  Our little postage stamp sized lot is barely big enough for the house here in CA.  Must add that to my list of reasons for moving!

Then we cleaned up the back yard.  N got a new mini rake at Lowe's.  I need to go back and get him the mini shovel and hoe for Easter presents.

Just a couple of shots of some flowers blooming right now.

Your 2026 draft pick.......

I promise I'm not one of 'those' mothers.  I come from an athletic family.  We all played at least one sport.  But we're all women.  7 generations of women.  We did what women did in those days - married and had families.  My mom got a job (the first) and I actually went to college.  Our sports stopped.

And then my son was born.  The first male born into the family and not married in.  He was born with sports running through his blood.

 He made his own t-ball setup.

 Playing hockey with his plastic golf clubs - this picture will not flip for some reason......

 Soccer

 Football - He was 14 months old here.  We bought him a 5 pack of mini sports balls at Costco and took him to the park.  He played with each one but soccer and football were his favorites.  We did not train him on the football.  He simply picked it up and started running.  All the men in the family commented on his perfect form.

And today.......
he's still into every sport but he loves hockey.  My hockey loving heart loves that he does too.  He started hockey lessons last week but we've been playing street hockey for a while now.

 These last two pictures are of him doing the 'Pumper-nicholl'.  The Kings used to have a played named Bernie Nicholls who, whenever he scored, would do this move.  He'd kind of get down on one knee and fist pump.  I can't find a picture or video of it to link but N had just seen a video during a tribute night and was doing the 'pumper-nicholl' in the street.

 Getting his new stick taped up by Great-Grandpa - he was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs at 15 and played hockey until his 73rd birthday.  He had to 'retire'.

 Another goal celebration.

 Trying to figure out why his stick has no curve.  We aren't sure whether or not he was right or left handed so we bought him a straight stick.  His other stick (the collectors item, autographed, Drew Doughty stick) has a curve.

And now he's learning how to skate.....

WOYWW

I've got another big project laid out this week.  I had to get 2 weeks of PL done before I could move on.  I don't want to get too behind.  I was enjoying it weekly and now I'm working on the list of layouts and mini's I've been wanting to create and PL is kind of taking a bit of a back seat.  I still love it and want to do it, but my week 8 was....well, not my best week.  I just wanted it done so I could move on to week 9.

Anyway, here is my desk this week.

 Drying chipboard pieces for the mini.

 I realized I never shared the other corner of my room.  Right next to my punch storage is my son's table. Its not the best but it was a gift from the great-grandparents for Christmas 2 years ago.  This is where he crafts with me and works on his letters, numbers and cutting on the weekends.  I've got a whole stack of books I picked up at the Teacher Store in the area that focus on the same stuff he's learning in school and I try to fit that in.  I'm going to re-do this space soon though.

 Right behind him is my stack of Cropper Hopper paper holders.  I have on on wheels and one that I stacked on top.  I have my paper filed in the 12x12 file folders by company.

 Sitting on top of my punch storage I have these totes.  In my effort to get the room up and functional, I slapped an old border sticker cut in strips to label each one.  These will finally get updated to pretty Martha Stewart labels this week.

I have an idea for my son's space and it looks something like this....

Original source

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Project Life Week 7 & 8

Lets back up to week 6 first.  I got this painted tooth shape in your 'bring home' folder at school and realized it fit with week 6 and the dentist visit to school.  I'm loving the 8.5x11 page protectors to fit in little odds and ends from school like the painted tooth, school schedules etc.  I've got writing samples tucked in here too so I can look back and see how you got better each month.

Week 7

Left side

 That kraft flap leads to a hidden envelope tucked behind.  It holds the wrapper to our 3D glasses for the movie.  I was going to stick the tickets in there too but decided not too.

  I dug out some older Studio Calico stamps for this one.  Thats American Crafts Zing embossing powder in Cricket for the 'Story Time' stamp.  My son was so excited for the Peter Pan episode.

 Right side - Valentines Day

 I embossed the rainbow label.  I used Rough Typewriter font to type up the journaling this week.  Once it was printed on the graph card, I stamped half the label shape and then carefully spooned the embossing powder (AC Zing again) around to create a rainbow effect.  You can't reuse the powder after doing this since it all mixes so I used as little as possible before dumping the mix.

 Flair is from this Etsy Shop.  She has new flair out each week.

 And my dog paper clip.  I've been hoarding those for pictures of N and the dog.

 Week 8 inserts include the letter for registration at N's school for next year and the People magazine cover with Whitney Houston on it.

WEEK 8

Left side

 A mix of Elle's Studio and Chic Tags on this page.  Flair is from Chic Tags Everyday set.

 I used my Epiphany Crafts button maker.  The burlap string is from the Etsy Shop.

 More burlap string.

 Right Side.  I kept it simple this week.  REAL simple.  This is one sheet of 12x12 paper from Authentique.  I cut it up to fit each slot and embellished.  Tags are from Elle's Studio and Chic Tags again.  Some Silhouette shapes, Dear Lizzy and Pretty Little Studio.

 Week 8 insert is a drawing my sons teacher made for him with a store on the back side.  She wrote down everything he asked her to draw for him.

And I'm slowly working on week 9.  I think I need a break.  I'm a little done with Project Life right now.  I had a busy week and I was all over the place so it was hard to sit down and focus.  I have a quiet week planned so I think week 9 will just come together.