The Journey Behind the Blog

A lot of folks aren't aware that this blog actually sprung out of a very rough time for me.  I had already had a long and rough battle with infertility that I thought was over when things crumbled around me again, this time completely without explanation.  I was crushed.  I needed a distraction.  I needed to feel like i was doing something worthwhile.  That's when I decided that my chemical-ridden, plus-sized lifestyle was far from helping my health and could possibly even be contributing to the untimely losses of my children.  It was time for change.  You guys have gotten to see the change, but I kind of promised myself I'd keep to my topic and leave my personal life out of it.  I've redefined my mission statement a few times over the last year, but i've always kept that promise.  Today, I'm giving you guys a little view into my world, my more personal struggles.  Maybe I'm sharing too much and will regret it, but maybe I've been holding back a little too much.  Here goes nothing:

Clicking through/Scrolling down is a picture which may be (emotionally) difficult to see

The State of the Garden Address

It's been a rough couple weeks and I haven't posted in a while, but it's high time I did.  I promise that, unlike it's distant cousin (The State of the Union Address), this address will be quite positive and minimally frustrating.

On Wednesday, June 15 at around 6:30 my little girl, Elizabeth Grace, was born far too early and entered into her Heavenly Father's arms.  She was beautiful and I wish with all of my might my body could have held on to her for longer but I know she has found the peace and rest we could not give her on earth.

Ugh... Potato Beetles

Last Year, our potato plants became covered in beetles.  This is how it played out:

We put out a beetle bag, figuring that was a good way to not have to spray our plants.
It did no good.
Our pants disappeared at an alarming rate.
I researched: they're Colorado Potato Beetles.
Colorado Potato Beetles are very hard to kill, go through many life cycles in a growing season and burrow in the ground to survive the winter.
Never fear!  There is an organic biopesticide that fungally kills almost exclusively this bug and is totally safe for people.
But you have to spend a ton for even the smallest ammount, which will treat many acres.  Its for farmers.
Don't my 10 potato plants deserve to be bug and chemical free?
Nick found an "approved for organic production" mix at Agway.
The chemical is hard to find info on.
There is nothing left of our potato plants anyways.
*Defeat*

Shelves!

It's funny how, when you come to the end of the project, it's so easy to leave off the finishing touches.  We spent all winter and Spring building bookcases and painting and such, and when we had finally finished and cleaned up we never actually cut shelves or put the books up.  We also haven't put in crown moulding, but that really will probably have to be a project for another time.  There are quite a few rooms that need it.