Backyard

A couple weeks ago, we asked a couple companies to come out and

give us an estimate of how much it would

cost to landscape the backyard.

The verdict?

WAY too much.

We thought if it was $3k or less, we might

be able to swing that.

But it wasn't even close - double that figure and then add some more.

So we're going to do it ourselves.

 You can't really tell in these pictures, but all that dirt is higher up than the weeds.

The back fence is about 28 inches or so higher

than the ground level where the weeds are growing.

 And here's the base of the one lonely tree back there.

It's not my favorite, but it's staying.

 Pavers that prove that someone at some point thought about

landscaping back here.

I would've thought it might have gotten a little farther along in the process, since

it's apparently in the CC&Rs that the

backyard must be landscaped within one year of purchase.

But, I guess it's true that when it's out of sight, it's out of mind - 

our house was built 6 years ago.

Here are the before shots, when Kidney Bean grabbed a hoe and 

started hacking away at some of the weeds. 

It's not a big backyard, but it sure is (was) full of weeds.

Wish us luck!

We have been enjoying it so far, and you'd better

believe that we will not be spending $8k back here to get what we want!

Revamp

When we had to switch over to the new blog, I had intended to change the look and the names of family members.  BUT it took a while, as you can see.  But I did get it done, and here is the big reveal.

First thing's first - the name Stanley Pie.

What is it?

No one has asked me, which was a little surprising, but it's what I

named a food dish that didn't have a name.

My mom tried it out years ago, and it was delicious, and when we would

eat it, it was 'That noodle thing' - you know, with the sour cream and cheese.

I first made it for my husband when we were dating.

As I pulled out the ingredients, he was

trying to figure out what we were having for dinner.

It sounds really strange, but is actually DELICIOUS!

 So one day I decided to name it, and that's 

when it became 'Stanley Pie'.

Next, since we use pretend names on here, I thought we could change those nicknames to

match the different ingredients in Stanley Pie.

You can find the names and pictures on the left of the blog.

And in case you want to try eating some Stanley Pie,

this is what you do:

Cook some macaroni noodles.

Drain.

Add a can of kidney beans, drained.

Add a can of stewed tomatoes.

Add a can of olives, drained.

Stir together and cook on low until heated through.

Serve in bowls, topping with

dollops of sour cream and shredded cheddar.

Diaper Rash?

Back in January, when we were living in our free temporary housing as part of the moving package, the girls were sharing a room.  I wasn't ready for it, they were certainly not ready for it, but the options were slim, and we weren't about to refuse the free housing simply because of this inconvenience. 

Bedtime took a long time those days.  We didn't have them sharing a bed (luckily), but Cupcake learned how to climb out of the playard we were using, and the door handles were the kid friendly kind, so both girls had the ability to get out of bed and try to stay up late.  

But, it didn't work out to their advantage. They were (sometimes) repeatedly put back in bed, and on occasion lost the nightlight in their room.  Which I think was a good thing, since it was so bright in their with it - they definitely went to bed easier when it was just outside the door.

One night, the girls were playing and being loud, so Daddy went in to put them in bed again.  I heard a reprimand and the words, "Go show your mother."  I didn't know what to expect, but this is the girl that greeted me as her dad followed her out, trying not to laugh: 

Poor thing!  Her sister had grabbed the Caldesene (seriously the BEST diaper rash prevention) and dumped it all over her and the playard.  So I grabbed the camera and stuck this girl in the tub.  

And tried to keep a stern look on my face when I was near Tooty.  That was the toughest part of the whole thing.