living the GOOD life

This is what it looks like to live in the moment

If a tree falls...

After getting up at 3am because of a tornado warning, this is what we found the next morning.

 

Had it fallen just a few feet to the right, it would have landed on the neighbor's deck. But where it landed, all that got hurt was the fence. Within a day, the HOA had come and removed the tree and cleaned it all up.

I couldn't resist the chance to take some pictures of the cool stuff (what is it called?) growing on the trunk:

 

 

 

Raccoon Lake

Last minute, we decided to drive down south to Raccoon Lake for a couple of days. We wanted to go to Lake Michigan, but the campground was full. So we went for second best :)

 

The first night it rained, hard. But we stayed dry, and watched movies in the tent. However, being stuck in the tent for so long made me threaten to pack up and go home more than once.

The next morning it was overcast, but we went to the lake anyway. It was fabulous. We were alone on the beach, it wasn't too hot, but the water was warm. Best of all, the kids LOVED it. They stayed at the beach for 6 hours that first day.

 

I'll be honest, it was a poor substitution for the real thing. But the kids have never seen the real thing (not that they remember anyway) so they didn't care.

 

 

Jake kept kneeling down in the water, so that his chin was barely above the water line. Then he would pop up and say, "I'm just kidding!"

 

This is Ben when he realized we were NOT going to let him drown.

He was very upset that we made him wear a life-jacket. 

 

 

after the beach, Ben was exhausted:

 

And most of my beach time looked like this:

This was the first camping trip we have been on as a family where I wasn't totally ready to go home at the end. I really, really wanted to stay, but Kev had to go back to work.

In a couple of weeks we are going to Lake Michigan.

I can't wait.

  

Stormy Weather

We have had the craziest weather the past couple of weeks. Most days start out gray and rainy. By mid-afternoon, the sun reappears and brings with it the humidity. By the time the kids go to bed, the rain has returned along with wind, lightening and thunder.

A few nights ago we were woken up by a knock on our door at 3am. A friend who had been staying with us happened to hear the tornado warning for our area on the radio.

So we carried all four kids (six, if you count our house guests) downstairs and laid them in the hallway next to our "safe spots". We stayed up for a half and hour, glued to the computer monitor, tracking the storm.

It passed. No tornado.

But we have had some amazing thunder and lightening, more water than our lawn and plants could ever need, and two of our lounge chairs ended up looking like they were run over by a semi truck.

Plus, we get the coolest sunsets.

I think I would be okay with weather like this every day.

I take it back

I mentioned in a previous post that my Yucca plants were not my favorite.

I totally take it back.

 

My current obsession

Since this blog is mine, I get to post about what I love. And right now, I love gardening. I've spent so much time in the yard, Kev says I have a moon shaped tan line on my back from where my shirt has come up while I'm weeding and planting. 

This year I've learned so much! I learned about all the plants in my yard that can be divided and transplanted, which means free plants! I've started a lot from seed. I've killed two cucumber plants. I've realized that nothing, absolutely nothing, is going to grow well in front of the dryer vent.

I love my house. I love my yard even more. I love that chair under the tree (which has a twin) that I got at a yard sale for $3. It's a perfect place to sit while the kids are riding bikes. I love the red Begonias that are actually growing under the tree, even though it's also home to about a million ants.

No more lava rocks!! I moved the Hostas from the side of the house, and split them. The two were actually one big one. The Spirea bushes were added last year, and look so beautiful when they bloom! I also planted Astible, Japanese Painted Ferns, Impatiens and Salvia.

Say hello to my giant Hostas. They are about 3 feet in diameter. In July they get beautiful purple flowers on them.

Apparently that light green ivy is called Bishops Weed. And most people hate it. But I absolutely love it. Right now it has white flowers all over it. Growing in between are Hostas, Black Eyed Susans, Astible, Ferns, Daylilies, and Morning Glory.

 

We had to keep the cursed rocks in parts of the backyard. I love the huge black planters on the deck, and have another planter full of spearmint next to one of them.

More Black Eyed Susans, which end up about 3 feet tall and wide, and are covered in yellow flowers. Also, some phlox, and Allysum which I started from seed. The bush in the corner is a Butterfly Bush, which Emily picked out.

Two Yukka plants, which are just getting ready to bloom. They aren't my favorite, but the flowers really are amazing, and so they stay. You can't see the Daylillies, but they are starting to come up (6 of them). The bush in the left corner gets covered in huge white hydrangea-like blooms.

I've transplanted more black eyed susans since I took this picture. They are on both sides of the fir tree. Also, growing against the deck is creeping myrtle, which I am hoping will cover the rock and climb up the sides of the deck. The bush in the back is a lilac bush, and it only got two blooms on it this year :( Keeping my fingers crossed for next year.

 

And finally, my veggies! Two tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, red and green pepers, zuchinni and yellow squash. The bush in the right corner is Sedum, and it gets covered in light pink flowers. I may move it next year so that I have more room for veggies. I really do wish I had more room, and I may make garden boxes next year. But right now, I am just excited about all the green tomatoes and tiny little yellow squash that I can already see.

Marengo Caves

My dad and step-mom came to visit this past week. We love visitors! We had so much fun while they were here. One day we made the two and a half hour drive south to the Marengo Caves.

Dad kept humming the song from Deliverance (think The Hills Have Eyes, for those of you not born in the 60's) as we drove through some of the small towns. He was convinced the advertised shortcut was a ploy intended to strand us on the side of the road where we could be eaten by the locals. Surprisingly enough, we made it there and home alive.

Indiana State Fair

Main Street

Who says you need an actual window to have a window box full of flowers?

And every time I pass this barber shop, I think Kevin should go in and ask if they'll give him a shave for 5 cents.

I love Brownsburg.