Cutest Dog Competition

Alright, bloggy friends... I know I have been super slack with updates, but I promise to be better if you will all go vote for Sadie! She definitely IS the cutest dog ever- pictures don't even do her justice, but I promise personal visits to each and every one of you if she wins! =)


http://www.cutestdogcompetition.com/vote.cfm?h=678A768922848E471438529CE9F8B591

Crafty, Crafty!

If anyone is having trouble deciding what to get their Moms and Grandmas for Mother's Day... I have just the thing! My future-mother-in-law is a Master Gardener and works at the county extension office. Last week she invited me to this workshop they were hosting- making Living Wreaths. It was really easy and they turned out beautiful! Plus I think each one only cost me about $20.




Okay, so here's what you'll need:

• Grape Vine Wreath (18-24") Michael's has these on sale for $4.99



• Coated chicken wire cut the length of your wreath + 2 inches Hardware store, Feed store, etc



• Florists wire (22 gauge/8 oz) about 30 inches Michael's $1.99



• 1 plastic bag the width of your wreath (either a grocery bag, or a trash bag if you have a larger wreath)



• 1 small bag of Spanish moss I got a huge bag at Michael's for $5.99, they had smaller ones for less



• Fern Pins Michael's $1.49



• About 2 cups of potting soil



• A variety of small plants (Suggestion: 1 foundation plant like a 3" Asparagus Fern, 2 trailing plants like Ivy or Potato Plant, 1-6 packs of small blooming flowers like Impatiens or other small greenery like Dichondra) I got enough to make two wreaths for $13.28 at Lowe's

Here's what to do:

• Cut the chicken wire the width of your wreath plus 2 inches. Turn back one inch on each end to form a pocket.

• Attach the wire pocket to the bottom of your wreath with your florists wire



• Line the wire pocket with a plastic bag



• Place your foundation plant in the center, your ivy or other trailing plant at each end, and then add in your other plants. Fill with potting soil as needed



• Roll the excess plastic bag in towards the wire pocket and tuck it in the edges.



• Use the fern pins to attach the Spanish Moss to the front of the basket (and back if desired)



• Water as needed. If you tend to over-water plants, you can poke a few holes in the bottom of your plastic bag to allow it to drain.



• Your plants will fill in and the Ivy will begin to grow around the wreath!



• *Beware* Birds love to steal the moss for their nests, so watch for falling fern pins and replace the moss as needed, until the trailing plants have grown enough to cover the plastic bag!

Here is what the end result will look like! (I made two- one with just greenery and white flowers, to hang on my red front door, and one with pink impatiens to give to my Mima for Mother's Day!)

Beautiful, organic, decorative, handmade, and thoughtful! What more could Mom ask for?? =)

If anyone tries it, please post pictures and let me know how it turned out! I am in love with these things and my FMIL and I are going to make 4 more in late summer to use on the 4 giant wooden doors of the Barn! I'm so excited- I think they're going to look great with lots of greenery and some white flowers, and maybe even with wooden letters of our initials hanging in the center! Too cute!

Speaking of cute... here's Sadie in the window watching Mommy take pictures outside =)

So I really enjoyed making these, in case you couldn't tell, and I'm hoping to blog more about some of my other crafty projects I have in mind, so stay tuned!

Hanging Rock

was incredible! Will and I left Friday after work and had a great time! Matt decided not to come because he didn't want to be a "third wheel." I told him it wouldn't be like that, but he insisted. So we got a nice weekend together, with Sadie of course, without phones and computers and TVs...it was wonderful!


We decided on Hanging Rock instead of Julian Price Park because it is closer (only about an hour and 15 minutes away) and there was no chance of rain there. So we got to the park around 7:00 and were able to get pretty much all set up before it got dark. Then we cooked bratwursts (that I had boiled earlier in beer for over an hour!) on skewers over the campfire. They were delicious!


Saturday morning we woke up and had bacon and pancakes cooked on the camp stove and then headed out for a hike. First we did the main hike up to the actual "hanging rock." The trail map said it was only 1 mile, but I think they were lying! Either that or we are incredibly out of shape and slow!


After a brief lunch break back at the campsite, we headed over to the lower cascades (a .2 mile hike...much better! lol) and took Sadie swimming!!! She's part lab, part beagle (we think), so she should like the water! But so far we hadn't had much luck. This time were successful at getting her to swim- Will carried her out in to the water and put her down! But she immediately headed for shallow water... she didn't seem to mind getting wet though- and willingly went as far as she could still touch. I think if the water had been warmer, and Will and I were actually swimming too (not just wading) she might actually enjoy it. We'll have to try again this summer, when it's warm enough for us to swim with her!


That night we actually got to eat before it got dark, which was much better, and we had the most delicious steaks ever! Marinated in one of Will's special concoctions since Thursday night and grilled over the campfire- YUM! But after our hiking and that big dinner, we were exhausted! Call us lame, but we crawled in the tent pretty much as soon as it got dark.... so like 8:30 LOL! I think we may have read for about 30 minutes, but that was it! Man, we're old.....

Sunday we packed up camp and went for one more short walk around the lake before heading home. The great thing about Hanging Rock is that we still got home around 1:00! We had plenty of time to unpack everything, and even got to sit out on the patio and grill out for lunch!

It was a great weekend and I think we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Sadie is still exhausted though! And I am too, since I didn't really sleep that well either night. I think I was so worried that Sadie wouldn't sleep, that I stayed up listening for sounds that might disturb her! Ha! Oh boy, motherhood is going to be such a challenge..... lol.

Shout Outs:

• Mother Nature: Still doing great- this weather has been absolutely gorgeous!

• Will: I'd camp with you anytime! I love you and I had such a great time with our little family this weekend!

Prayers:

• Our country, and the world in general: I've heard so many awful, terrible news stories related to senseless violence lately and it really makes my heart ache. I just pray that people will learn to put their differences behind them, love their neighbors, and live in harmony.