D is for Destruction Part Deux

Wow, what a difference a few days with a Bobcat can make! After many, many hours of sweat equity, our backyard is well on its way to fabulous!

Thanks to Dugald and my parents, we removed quite a lot of debris from our backyard, as well as two huge camellia bushes from the front.

It is quite a transformation!

Just a reminder of before...

And after!

Just a few sticks...

Bye, bye camellias!

Transplanting camellias to the backyard.

Caution, men at work!

Sweetie Pie

Emma is growing up fast! Her personality is quickly becoming evident. She's got some spunk, there is no doubt about it.

Cutie Pie!

I want food NOW!

Just kidding...

Love my Daddy...

D is for Destruction

So, the dream is finally becoming a reality...

A weekend Bobcat rental, five cubic yards of topsoil and 4 work-free days are helping transform our backyard - filled with uprooted tree stumps and overgrown bushes - into a lush, green landscape.

Here are highlights from day one -- and yes, that is me digging up a huge tree stump. Get out of the way!

Before

Dugald the Destroyer

Kristen the Crusher

That stump was no match for me!

End of Day One

B is for Boring

The over-achiever in me is always a bit restless - seeking new ideas and experiences. And when things get a bit mundane, I start twitching. That said, I am having to re-examine my idea of boring. The word "boring" in most settings has a bad connotation, as though chaos and excitement were superior to the mundane.

However, after watching my friends and acquaintances experience death, divorce and sorrow over the last year, all I can say is, "Thank you, Lord, for boring." Our family is healthy and happy; we have a beautiful group of friends and loved ones; we have jobs-- it may not be the most exciting, but at this stage in our life, excitement isn't always best.

Flowers and Friends

We were so excited when our friends Anna Lynn and James told us they were coming into town for a wedding in May. Anna Lynn was my college roommate, matron of honor and present when Emma was born -- and we hadn't seen her since! Their two girls, Leah and Elise, were growing like wild, and it was time we all had a good visit.

After their cousin's wedding, we all headed to the Botanical Gardens for a nice stroll on a bright, spring day. We all had a great time - and it was great to finally have all of our girls together in one picture!

Leah, Emma and Elise


Leah and Elise playing in the bird bath

Happy baby!

Mom and me...

Anna Lynn and Emma