We had a super productive spring break! This is all we got done: Worked on Blueberry Hill (4 hours), moved the mulch pile, cleaned the big shed, hammered staples into the groundcover around the garden, pruned the grapes, made signs for each of the 9 garden boxes, changed the smoke alarm batteries, changed 2 door handles, organized the pantry, moved the compost bin and compost, moved an old pile of shingles someone left here, dumped the garbage cans full of ashes into the compost and stirred it, fertilized the fruit trees with ashes, cut the dead redbud branches, propagated blackberries, stained parts of the stairs that needed it, sanded and repainted some of the fireplace bricks that needed it, and cut the 3 boys' hair. Plus I planned Kait's birthday next week and my birthday trip in May. And bought Kylie and Spencer tickets home May 11. It was a terrific week! My favorite times were the family work parties.
Sunday: Standing up for the congregational hymn during conference.
Between sessions we all went outside to get some sunshine. It was 66 degrees.
First azaleas blooming!
Alexis and Thomas made some cool houses for their pecans.
Three stick houses for 3 pecan nuts in front of the azaleas.
I love it when my teens lose track of time playing with sticks, dirt, nuts and each other. It was fun seeing him so proud of a fancy nut house.
Makenna looking cozy in the monkey grass.
Four kids talking on the warm trampoline.
I checked on my garden and the first peas are up!
After the last session we all went back outside. I was walking around our property when I heard, "Mom!" I looked up and there were 3 kids in the cherry tree: Tom, Kait, and Kenna.
Monday: I took Kaitlyn, Makenna, and Samuel on a mommy date bike ride along the New River Trail. We had a great time. Things look dead from the pictures but really there were forsythias and popcorn trees and little wildflowers all over and was a beautiful spring day.
This big bridge is really fun. The whole trail is an old rail road.
Stopping for snacks.
There were lots of popcorn trees on the other side of the river. I took a picture from this view back in August when I took Thomas on a bike ride here.
Lots of forsythia everywhere!
Go Kaitlyn! No hands!
The apple orchard on our road was blossoming a pretty pink.
Tuesday: Time to go work on Blueberry Hill and when I went outside I saw all 8 kids hanging out by the tramp and goofing off. I just love watching them interact with each other.
Then they all sang a marching chant and marched up the driveway to Blueberry Hill to work.
After working for an hour I remembered to take a before picture. There are still lots of little trees growing up in between the bushes.
Cutting and pulling out briars, thorns, vines, and little trees.
Andy and Tilly playing in the pasture.
Madalyn got a picture of me cutting a tree out with the chain saw.
Thomas and Samuel were my helpers in making sure the tree fell the right way and then hauling it to the pile.
Taking a break on the property line while we assembled for picture.
Standing in front of the huge pile of brush we pulled out with the cleaned out blueberries behind the wheelbarrow.
We worked super hard for 3 hours! Showing off all the scratches on our arms.
The two rows we finished.
We have 4 or 5 rows we didn't even start on yet.
The tunnel between the overgrown rows.
Everyday it's a bit more green than the one before. It's spring! It's beautiful in real life standing on Blueberry Hill and looking around at the gorgeous view.
Everyone running down the hill after working 3 hours straight. Our reward: watching Sound of Music while it rained.
Andy stopped for a swing on the vine halfway down the hill.
Our arms and legs were full of scratches but we were proud of them and our hard work.
Wednesday: The 3 little kids moved the black compost bin while the rest of us hammered down garden staples into the groundcover.
This groundcover was already here but often blew away so we stapled it down. It ended up taking us 4 hours as we had to adjust them, pull weeds, cut new pieces where there were gaps, etc.
I love the azaleas just about to bloom.
Friday: We finally finished hammering the staples on the far left row so it's all done!
This is my garden plan. You'd have to click on it and zoom in. Blackberry vines along the left side, kiwi trees top right already established. Asparagus in front of a box on the left already established. So far we've planted strawberries, potatoes, celery, peas, tomatoes, garlic, spinach, lettuce, arugula, romaine, rosemary, cilantro, and carrots. Still have to plant zucchini, squash, cucumbers, peanuts, okra, more tomatoes, more herbs, peppers, pumpkins, corn and raspberries when it warms up. I've never had a big garden before so this has been really fun for me and Tilly, my main garden helper. And we have fruit trees I hope to get fruit from this year: apple, cherry, pawpaw, fig, blueberry, and plum. Plus the grapes. Whew! That sounds like a lot.
These 3 were my helpers today.
I made garden labels for each of the 9 boxes. This one is Tilly's favorite cause she drew a picture of peppers on it.
Makenna by her favorite sign.
Anderson by the "Potatoes & Peanuts" sign.
Garlic & Lettuce
"Herbs & Carrots"
The view from the other side by the garden shed. It slops slightly down here so a lot of water and mud collect at the bottom. We also had to cut old pieces to fit down here. It all looks so much better. No more bricks holding down pieces flapping in the wind to trip over.
Next project: moving the mulch pile. There's been a huge mulch pile by the driveway since we moved in and we thought maybe it's an eyesore so we moved it back by the garden. It ended up taking 2 full hours though! That pile was bigger than it looked.
I love family projects!
My oldest 4 (who live at home) went to the temple while I stayed home with the youngest 4.
Photo with their Sunday School teachers the Gomez's. Madalyn goes to Gospel Doctrine but the Gomez's teach all the youth so the other 3 are in their class. They are awesome teachers. And also temple workers.
Drawing a city and roads with Talea.
I drew a mountain road up a mountain, across a ridge, and down the other side complete with lookout and mountain lake.
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