Go Green Again!

It is Earth day again...already? This year has just flow by.



So have I become more eco-friendly? I would like to say yes, but really it is Richard who heads that department in our family. After are mostly successful garden that we planted WAY too early last year, it has really been a passion of Richard's. So much that this year he bought a composter. Now we are saving food scraps and lawn clipping to make our own wonderful and enriched soil.



Let me tell you that I am glad this is something Richard wanted. This is a stinky venture he has created. Well only when you open the composter, ours is fully enclosed. I do have to deal with our counter top composter though.



This little can has filters in the lid, so it doesn't get all stinky just sitting on the counter, but boy when you open that lid it sure is ripe if it doesn't get emptied every day.



The kids absolutely love this. They help turn the composter and they always want to know if this food or that can go into it. Bradley thinks it is crazy that egg shells and coffee grinds can go in, but steak and candy can't.



As for me, I want to some kind of project in honor of Earth Day. I have chosen a pretty adventurous project. Hopefully I can get it finished in time and that it turns out like I see it. My idea....



But my fall back tribute to Earth Day will be dirt cups desserts. Very easy and safe. Bradley has been asking for them, so why not?

Harvest Time!

This spring we planted our first garden, and the kids have been watching patiently as the weeds kept growing like crazy around the tiny plants that we planted. After a unseasonably wet few months, all of the plants started finally growing faster than the weeds. It was real exciting for the kids when they could actually see blackberries on the vine and pumpkins starting to take shape. Last week we picked a zucchini that was about 8 inches long. The other ones were still very small and we figured that they would be a few more weeks. Today I went out with Olivia and was very surprised to see how big they have gotten.

There was 2 zucchini plants that were almost too much for Olivia to carry. We also got some yellow squash that was ready.

Olivia is so excited to eat the vegetables that she helped grow. We are going to make some zucchini bread and have grilled veggies with dinner!

Not your average 4 year old

Olivia loves fruits and vegetables. Not just some fruit and vegetables, but ALL fruit and vegetables. I don't think there is a vegetable she has met that she hasn't liked. Of course fruits are her favorite, but vegetables are a close second.

She loves to snack on salad, carrots, broccoli and corn. Every time I am cutting peppers or onions for dinner she wants to try those too. Yep raw, and she always come back for more.

Recently she ate all of our garden fresh peas. No one else had a chance! I was really bummed, I was really looking forward to them.

Today I decided to test our veggie eater with something new, Edamame. And yep she loved that too.

I am glad she loves her veggies, If only her brother would take after her and like a few of them too!

GO Green

I am really not the "Green" type of person. I recycle because we have a recycle pick up in our community. I hope it does good and does not end up in the land fill like the rumors have once stated. I have the cloth grocery bags thanks to my mom, but you have to remember to use them for it to actually count right? I recycle paper at work, because it is confidential information and I have to. So that is the extent of my greenliness. Yes convenience, very sad I know. So this year we decided to celebrated Earth day (early), the first official time for our family. Actually doing and being aware of Earth day and participating was fun. We taught the kids about plants and insects and how they help the Earth. I also made the kids a "recycled" shirt, and a Earth Day themed dessert. Our First Garden

We planted some vegetables that I hope Bradley will learn to like. Olivia already loves all vegetables and salad.

The "Recycled" Shirts

I used Olivia's St. Patrick's Day shirt (there is a shamrock in between the word GO) and one of Bradley's shirts to create these new shirts. It was a fun craft project, the kids couldn't really help though because it involved bleach. I got the idea for my "recycled" shirt from http://secretsofasupermommy.blogspot.com/

Dirt Cups

Of course we had to end the day with a yummy treat. And that implies worms? Bradley wanted to eat a million of them, no surprise. The surprise was, Olivia didn't want any. She loves to dig up worms she just didn't want to eat any, even the gummy kind.

Mary Mary Quite Contrary...

So how does my garden grow?

Well pretty much on it's own. As much as I would love to say that these beautiful flowers were because of my skill and tender care, it really is just luck.

Lillies are my favorites. My mom bought me these for our first Easter in this house over three years ago. It started out as just one plant and has "had babies" many times over. Even after my dog dug them up several times. But this year they are the most beautiful they have ever been.

The roses were here before we were. In fact we didn't we had them until after we moved in. They grow like weeds no matter how much we cut them back. And believe me, I probably butcher them because I really don't know what I am doing.

These are my new pride and joy. A flowering clematis vine. I can actually say that I have had to work some for these. After they were planted it got hot and I didn't think they would make it. However they have started to fill the trellis Richard built and I am getting wonder flowers.

Pretty nice for little to no work. I am starting to be more hands on with the flowers. Next year we are going to try for vegetables. Wish me luck!

~Amanda