I have been buggin' the hubby since we moved into our little home, that I'd like a vegetable garden. He thinks they make the yard look "messy" plus with the small-ish backyard we have, we wanted to keep open for the kids to have room to play.  

One morning a few weeks ago he asked me, out of the blue, if I'd like him to make me a raised bed for vegetables. To which I responded, "hell yes!" (okay maybe I didn't say that exactly, but I was in bed and he woke me up so I did nod). We got lucky with landscaping timbers on sale, loaded up, and one Friday night we got to work.  

He was cutting to size, I was drilling it together. The kids were trying to "help" which inevitable slowed the process a bit. All in all it didn't take us too long before a lovely raised bed started to emerge. We made it 6 ft long by 3 ft wide. It turned out awesome! 

After some discussion about the location of where this new bed should go - we opted for next to our back deck. Here it wouldn't get too much sun, but enough, and it wouldn't be in the middle of yard. An added bonus is that it would also be easier to mow around.  

The next day I retrieved enough compost and potting soil to fill the newly built bed, and began the arduous task of clearing away some landscaping stones and rock, to which the kids helped as well. In order to move this monster (it was freaking heavy) I had my lil man steer his red wagon, while my daughter and I placed the front of the bed on the wagon and we hefted the back together. We made the 50 ft from the back of the garage to the beds new resting place without too much drama (although my lil man did try to steer us wrong a couple of times), and placed it accordingly. After getting it leveled out a bit with the hubby's helped, the kids and I began to fill it up. 

That complete, we figured out where my newly purchased vegetables and seeds where going to go, and my daughter and I got it all planted and watered. TADA!! 

The seeds germinated and started to break through the surface last week. Although it's a little late for seeds, we should still be early enough to get some use out of the plants. We have green peppers, chives, green onions, lettuce and tomatoes (both regular and cherry). I am SUPER excited!! 

Hopefully the squirrels and other forest dwellers keep clear, and we have some fresh veggies soon! The green peppers are already growing. Awesome! Knowing that I helped build this, and that my green thumb endeavors continue to germinate (pun intended...ha!), gives me a pretty good sense of pride.  It looks pretty darn good, if I do say so myself...and I do!!!

Halloween has come and gone.  I love Halloween.  It is by far one of my favorites holidays.  With kids, it's just that much better.  I mean, come on!  When else can you dress up like a fool, walk in public like that, and get compliments.  Only Halloween.  This year we carved three pumpkins, painted one, and got some pretty impressive costumes.  The kids made out like bandits, my daughters bag so full that the strap actually broke.  Halloween was exhausting (you try running around with a 10 year old and a 3 year old for a few hours house to house and see how you feel) but it was fun!  This is the first year our lil man got into the spirit of things.  He'd go up to a house and say, "TREAT!" skipping the "Trick or..." entirely and then thank them with his version of thank you which is "Me Me" (don't ask me why Me Me is thank you, it just is).

The days are getting colder, the nights shorter and Halloween is smack dab in the middle of our midwest fall.  It's when the air gets that crisp smell, when the cars have that layer of frost in the morning, and when snuggling up with a hot chocolate on the couch with the kiddos to watch a movie seems like the best way in the world to spend an evening.   

Lil man was Thomas the Train.  He even blew his Train whistle we got him for effect.  My daughter had a sweet pirate costume.  I must say, my make up job was pretty impressive, if I do say so myself, which of course I do.  We hit up the neighbors, the relatives, and the good friends.  The evening really couldn't of gone better.  The only thing that makes Halloween better is when it falls on a weekend, because I gotta say, I was draggin' some major ass at work the next day.  Thank god for Caffeine, sugar, and Halloween!

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