Calling all green thumbs!

Alright, so as many of you know, Jake and I (okay, well mostly Jake) have been working diligently for the last year or so to do some major updates to the inside of our house. We're nearing completion with all of that, and so, in true "Diva" fashion, I have started to squint my eyes at the exterior of our house and officially have a case of the, "I wants" for the outside. This includes (but is not limited to) landscaping. Yes, I realize landscaping can be very expensive. But, let me remind you, our yard is about the size of a weight watchers after dinner snack. So, we're not talking retaining walls and fountains here people. I am just looking to do something that'll spruce it up a bit and make it look like a happy family lives here (well, and that will appeal to young families starting out because as we all know, this is a starter home and we are doing these updates so that we can offload the heap to some unsuspecting fool... Kidding, sort of).

I'm looking for some advice on what we can do here and there to spice things up a bit and make the front and sides of the house look less baron (and, less gypsy-like). For those of you who are familiar w/the house, you're aware that the "jungle" that lives alongside the front walk is a conundrum of shit. I have convinced Jake to dig almost everything out of that heap, leaving us w/just a few shrubs there. Then we'll add some fresh mulch. So, I'm thinking something simple like that would flow well directly in front of the house, under the front window. Maybe some fresh mulch and cheap shrubs? Thoughts? The grass on the side of our house (South side) doesn't grow well at all. By mid-summer, it looks like we live in Arizona on that side of the house. Could we dig up that strip of grass alongside the house and do the same thing on the side that we do to the front? Suggestions??? Pleeease?

Yes, I could ask for my husband's advice on this. And I know he's got advice because the "green thumb" lies with his side of the fam. NOT MINE. But the poor guy is overloaded w/ other responsibilities and to-do's right now, so I thought maybe I could lock in a solid plan that I could present to him as, "Not too difficult to put in and low maintenance" (the low maintenance part is for me).

One thing to note - I am not a fan of hastas (or however the hell you spell that). They grow out of control and take over. I swear, the ones we have flip me off and try to trip me.

Okay, the "Here's what you should do..." forum is now open. Send your suggestions (and, free landscapers) my way!

Field Trip to Pike Lake

Somehow, I ended up being the swing attendant. Scary job when there are about 40 kids battling for their turn on the swing, not watching for others who might take them right off their feet.

Layla girl, going down the slide like a big kid!

Layla and some of her classmates (Alyssa, Wyatt and Donovan)

Wyatt and Layla on the bus to the park.

This was right before we left the school for the bus. Layla was so excited to have me there with her, sitting at the book table and talking w/ all her friends!


Last week Thursday, Layla took her 2nd field trip that involved a bus ride to Pike Lake. Because it involved a bus (well, and a giant state park where kids and adults alike have been known to get lost), mommy again volunteered to chaperon. ;)

Layla had a fabulous time on the bus, of course. We took a hike through the park and kept a pretty good pace considering we had a crap load of 2 - 4 year olds in tow. We only got about 10 min into the walk before Whiney McWhinerson starting chirping, but I managed to lay down the law enough to turn things around.

It was amazing how about 1.5 hours into the trip, all kids started melting down at once. Everyone was tired, hungry, hot, cold, mad, sad, happy... all at the same time. Thankfully, Layla's school doesn't push it and knows that about 2 hours is the max for a field trip for these kids.

Next field trip - Rock Farm. Holy moly, I can't contain myself. ;)

Freddie the Frog Chair

This past weekend, we took a trip up to Grandma D and Grandpa Ice's house. The Easter Bunny was kind enough to bring a surprise to their house for Layla, so that she could pick it up while we were there on our belated Easter visit. As you may or may not be aware from previous blog posts, Layla is a huge fan of frogs. I think her interest was peaked when she began receiving various frog items from Grandpa Ice. :) So, the Crivitz Easter Bunny brought her a Freddie the Frog chair - which comes complete with a cup holder for her juice (or in this case, her mini M&M's). She loves the chair and sat in it in the sun last Sunday after we got home from our trip!

Thanks Crivitz Easter Bunny!!!

Cheese (er, I mean, "Ribbit")!

Grandpa Rog Visits

A few weekends ago, Grandpa Rog came to visit and brought Layla a whole slew of summer dresses. We had a great day together - went to Culver's for eats, out for ice cream and just chillaxed at the home front.

Here's a pic of Bean modeling one of her new summer dresses (over one of her t-shirts since it was cold that day).

Thanks for visiting Dad!

Sherman / Meyer Easter Vacation

Easter baskets for Cody, Logan and Layla. How did Mr. Easter Bunny know where our cabin was?! ;)

Love this picture! Cody and mama Theresa. Gorgeous!

Auntie Tee reading "Colors" to Logan and Layla. They were INTO it!

Layla and Logan having craft time. Looks like Layla liked what Logan was doing with his Mickey print!

Man, this picture makes me happy! Look how much fun they're both having! This was play dough time (and, apparently, cucumber time).

So, of course, in typical April style, I'm just now posting pictures and an update from the annual Sherman / Meyer Easter vacation to the Dells. Sorry... life has been a cluster of crap in the Sherman house over the past month.

The vacation was of course fabulous. The kids had a fantastic time and we managed to cram in a ride on the duck boats (Logan, Layla, Jake and Brian, while Theresa, Cody and I shopped and went to lunch), hit Mt. Olympus water park, then Mt. Olympus theme park where the kids got to ride a bunch of fun rides and go on the go-karts with their dads! We had an Easter egg hunt in the cabin on Easter morning, which Layla and Logie loved. The adults spent their nights playing Wii and dabbling in the wine (beer of course for the boys).

Once again, the vacation was a success. Looking so very forward to seeing you in July, Meyers (and, Theresa, again in August for our trip to NYC)!!!!!

Get Down Girl, Gohead, Get Down

I noticed Layla head bobbin to Kanye the other day at daycare drop off. Hilarious. Look close, and you'll see the frown that she adds to the head bop. Hilarious.

Little Miss Bossy

Geeze... my little baby doesn't even look like a baby here does she? This is her watching one of her shows. Who knows which one... Probably the Backyardigans or Pooh.

Bossy pants barking orders into her echoing microphone from Auntie Meg and Uncle Jeremy. As if the orders she barks aren't loud enough, this mic makes them sound like she's yelling thru a megaphone.

Daddy and Paul ("Pup", as Layla calls him), following Layla and listening intently to her orders on where the next poop pile is.

Bean, pointing out precisely where the poop is that needs cleaning up. Oye.


Alright, so let's play catch up on the haps at the Sherman house over the last few weeks... This pretty much sums it up: Work for mom is insane in the membrane, work for dad is insaner in the membrane. Too much corporate speak and politics about the latest and greatest to go into detail so I'll spare you the crap and move on to the good stuff.

Layla is growing like a week and continuing to make us laugh. She is soooo funny. This morning we were getting ready for a family walk and apparently daddy was taking too long so she stomped out of the room and said, "Jeepers Cripes!!" Too funny. And thank God the "JC" she used this time was the "pc" version.

Layla's also turning out to be quite the boss. I think it's because they have "helper" days at school, where each kid takes a turn doing the days of the week on the calendar, the weather for the day (too funny, I know) and then they help line everyone up at the door. So, Layla comes home a lot waving her hands in the air like an orchestra director, yelling, "Everybody! Everybody! Listen up! Pay attention! Line up!" Obviously, the photos above of Layla barking orders at daddy on where the next pile of poop lies gives a good visual of her confidence when barking orders.

This weekend we'll be shipping out for our annual Easter trip to the Dells with the Meyers. I'm looking SOOOO forward to some chill time (well, as chill as you can get with a 2 year old, 2.5 year old and 6 month old) and some girl time with my Tee!!!

More to come...