All in a Day's Work

If you can call this work...

I mean someone has to capture all this blue sky for you sun-deprived people

right?

It's alot of work to play in the ocean and keep your clothes dry

Did you know you can grow corn on the beach? This space would normally be three additional parking spaces for one of the homes here.

I want to live here in this Mediterranean house and sip beverages on that sofa on the deck
every. single. day.

Bonsai!!!

The sand queens.

Even with the multiple sunscreen applications our virgin white skin is a very noticeable pink after the first smashingly beautiful day.

Take Five

Five days to learn to relax again. Although I'm not sure just how possible that is when we've brought a toddler along. It was the first flight the kids have been on, and despite a few butterflies prior to take-off they loved it. All except for the baby, she let the whole plane know exactly what she thought of flying.

It is gray and windy, but it is still the beach and we are beyond happy to be here! (and there are people house-sitting, so don't even think of breaking in or anything - but if you do, would you please take the washing machine?)

Sensory Garden

A Sensory Garden is fun for every child - or the child in each of us. It includes plantings that appeal to each of our senses: Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste, and with some extra planning, you can even include Hearing.

Right now is the perfect time to plan out your garden and to start any plantings you want to do from seed. I've included a list with plants for each sense - let me know if you have some favorites I may have missed.

You can plant a mini Sensory Garden using potted plants or you can go all out and plant an entire flowerbed or yard. Typically they are accessible to the disabled as well. One of my sons is in a wheelchair so we have planted everything to be at a height that is easy for him to touch.

Our vegetable garden is raised so that he can help pick the peas and tomatoes.

Involve the kids and talk about what you're planting - they will love getting their hands in the soil.

Here is a basic planting list for each of the five senses - my favorites have an asterisk next to them. Many plants can fit into more than one category.

Pictures of our Sensory Garden can be found here

Sight - This is where to include bright colors and annuals are great for this

Snapdragons*

Anemones

Gerber Daisy

Yarrow

Larkspur

Salvia

Carnations

Tulips

Pinwheels - The metallic ones are very eye catching

Petunias

Smell

Fragrant Roses (Blossom Time*, Tiffany,* Fragrant Cloud)

Lavendar* - also calming, when kids get wound up - have them pick some for you

Mock Orange

Hyacinths*

Phlox*

Mints (best grown in a container, they are invasive)

Dill (crush between fingers)

Chammomile (apple scented)

Curry plant

Chocolate Basil or Cosmos

Touch

Lamb's Ear

Fern

Moss

Succulents

Sedums

Water features
Sensitive Plant - very cool, closes when you touch it

Ornamental grasses (some of these can give you a paper cut, choose carefully)

Pebbles

Taste - be careful to plant these together or clearly mark them as edible to avoid accidents

Grape Tomatoes

Thornless Blackberries/Raspberries

Strawberries

Cilantro

Fennel (black licorice taste)

Dill
Nasturiums

Violets

Calendula

Sound

Water fountain (simple or elaborate)

Bells

Aspen trees

Chimes

Bamboo

Grasses
Birds - if you plant berries, they will come

This is a Works For Me Wednesday post. To check out other ideas visit Rocks In My Dryer.

Hair Removal Karma

Apparently one of my kids felt their eyebrows looked too much like this guy's. Did you notice the use of the past tense there? Because this child has subsequently taken the matter into their own hands, so to speak.

It's not too noticeable unless you're looking for it, but once you are - it looks almost as if Tinkerbell had taken a teeny tiny weed whacker and gone after the outer half of both eyebrows. Oh yah, they look so much better now. Every single one of my children is an independent soul and they don't really think they need any assistance from me. (Tweezers could have done a much nicer job, but no! that would not have been independent enough).

Kinda reminds me of the time I decided to shave my legs and didn't have a clue what I was doing. Turns out you don't have to press very hard for the hair (and some skin) to come off. I had my sister keep watch and thought I could be all sneaky-like and have silky smooth legs without anybody (read: mom) being the wiser. But moms have a way of finding out these things - especially when the blunt ends of the blond hair regrowth starts glinting off all kinds of reflection in the sunlight.

Karma is the real deal my friends.

Pop on over to Lara's place, she's talking about her brand new baby (I love birth stories)!

This is my life

"Here it Goes Again" by OkGo

Except without all the dancing and coordination. But absolutely on the treadmill action. Last Thursday we began our latest round with the baby's recurring Fever of Unknown Origin (insert booming voice for emphasis).

At least every 6 months, she has had a 4-6 day bout of 105 degree fevers and the only other symptoms are slightly swollen lymph glands and sometimes stomach pain or a clear, runny nose. When she gets so hot, all she wants to do is drink lots of water. If we're not careful it ends up all on the floor or all over us. The fever usually comes down with some Motrin and Tylenol, but as soon as it wears off, her temperature is right back up there, pegging the thermometer at 105 or higher.

The first couple times this happened, we ran her to the ER - but even they were left scratching their heads (I don't know about you, but I think $75 is an expensive scratch). Now, we stock up on pain relievers, hold her, try using cool cloths on her, keep a puke bucket nearby and a blanket on the floor, and basically know it's almost over once she can sleep through the night again. Poor thing!

I'm a bit tired of getting the "It must be a virus" line and having to watch her suffer - Answers! I want answers. But all I'm going to say about that is that Google? It can be a horrible, great thing.

Feeding your Weekend

Here are some of the latest recommendations from my Google Reader

Melly and Me

My Happy Little Life

BooMama

Lucky Red Hen (pretty sure this is because I read Compulsive Writer)

Shutter Sisters

BMC Microbiology (I'm pretty sure this stems from a google search I did on a bacterial infection my oldest is suffering from right now)

How's about a reunion?

I am going to let you in on a little secret - if you would like to meet someone (who of course looks stunning even on their worst day) whom you have not seen in ages (that means since you have had children enter your life), you need only to do the following:

1. First, sleep restlessly (the more tossing and turning the better, it makes for better hair)
2. Second, arise later than normal due to #1
3. Leaving no time for a quick shower
4. Or makeup
5. Just a deodorant touch up, phew!
6. Hair in pony tail
7. Workout clothes on, maybe even the ones you wore to bed
8. Brush teeth? No way! You want this rendezvous to happen don't you?
9. Have matching child in tow (with runny nose, the boogerier the better)
10. Possibly spill some breakfast on yourself
11. Go somewhere public
12. Forget the diaper bag and need it - really, really bad
13. Now, you or the child should do something embarrassing (pick one: nose, bum, or toes - just an idea)

Voila! You are ready for your reunion. No need to thank me, that's what I'm here for.