Things I Love About My Backyard {Thankful Tuesday}

If you've been around these parts at all, you know I tend to be a bit negative about our living situation.  For the past two years, we've been a little overwhelmed as homeowners, moving out of our hometown, and dealing with some other issues that have been thrown our way.


Being negative, though, can be a real downer.


I've realized recently that sometimes I can act quite like the 3 year old throwing a tantrum when I don't get what I want.  Part of being an adult is handling the things life brings your way.  Part of being a happy adult is seeing the good in all things.


I need to work on this.


So taking cue from one of my more inspiring friends, Mama:Monk, I'm hijacking this Tuesday and having an impromptu Thankful Tuesday.


Because let's face it: no matter how bad life is, there is always something to be thankful for. I am saying this loud enough so I hear it. And start living it.


Spring has brought with it warmer temperatures, beautiful flowers, longer days, and more opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors.  As my family has spent more time outside, I'd realized I have a fun little backyard. Sometimes I glance out my kitchen window, and the scene gives me butterflies. While Hubby and I may not have the greenest thumbs, we're taking better care of our outdoor living spaces this year.  We intend to enjoy every moment of the yard (before the mosquitos and mole crickets take it hostage for the better part of the Summer).  We want to make memories at this place, for however much longer we are here.


I spent some time the other night cherishing different aspects of my little plot of creation, and thought I'd share my discoveries with you today.

I love the size.

My yard, front and back, is roughly .25 acres.  We've found it to be the perfect size.  It's not too much to mow or take care of.  Our backyard, though, is fenced in.  So the space is great to let the kids run around in, isn't a lot to manage, and feels like a little haven despite the fact that we live in a bustling borough.

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I love the little potted plants.

This little guy is called a Clematis.  I didn't plant it (because if I did, it'd probably be dead).  When we bought the house, it hadn't bloomed yet. It looked like a random green leafy vine that climbed the lattice just inside the backyard gate.  We quickly learned how beautiful it was when it bloomed: Big, purple flowers.  Whenever I head to the backyard, my little Clematis greets me. 

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I love the swing set.

I had a swing set growing up, as did most kids.  It was an aluminum thing with a slide, a glider and 2 swings.  There are tons of pictures filling photo albums at my mom's house of my sisters and I climbing all over the set.  While I loved having a structure to adventure on, nothing compares to the swing set that sits catty-corner in the back of our yard.  It's a swing set Hubby and my Father-in-Law built for Little Chica this Fall.  The wooden gift was a belated birthday present, and they spent a lot of time planning, buying, measuring, cutting, (cursing), and nailing.  The end result was a simple, sturdy wooden swing set that both my daughters enjoy.  Every time I look out into the yard, I see a beautiful labor of love.  

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I love the Flowers.

We were lucky that the previous owners of our home planted a great multitude of easy-to-care-for perennials.  Otherwise our yard would be desolate.  Without lifting a finger, our yard has a rebirth every Spring.  The leaves start to bud, the grass comes to life, and beautiful flowers rise from what seems like dead twigs.  Each year I've lived here, the hidden beauty of my flower beds never cease to amaze me.  And I feel sheepish, as I can take no credit. My recent favorite plants are my Azaleas.  They are so robust and full of life. I wish my entire perimeter was decked out in various colors of Azaleas. I love happy plants.

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I love the personal touches.

When we first got married and had a tiny little apartment with a tiny little balcony, I did my best to find fun accents to make our apartment feel like home.  We've acquired a few trinkets throughout the years, which we've carried through more than 7 moves (yes, in 5 years. Don't ask).  One piece that we've kept with us is a little iron bistro set that I bought to put on that first little apartment balcony more than 5 years ago.  At one time, Hubby and I enjoyed sitting at the table for dinner al fresco under the stars.  As years passed, the set became more weathered. After many moves, it broke down.  The chairs are no longer safe to sit on, and rust has taken over the exterior. But I found a nice spot for it under a maple tree in the backyard.  It makes the back look inviting. It's fun to pretend who the table and chairs might be waiting for. Maybe a young couple on their first date is on their way to dine under the evening sunset. Perhaps long lost lovers are rendezvousing after being apart for decades. Someday, I may add a rustic outdoor candle chandelier, or perhaps some christmas lights to the tree to fancy it up.  For now, I just enjoy the stories I create of who might be coming to use it next.

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I love the nooks and crannies.

Due to the shape of our house, there are a few fun nooks and crannies around our yard.  The one on the side of our house includes our kayaks and a woodpile.  Hiding the little patch of land is the most precious miniature weeping Japanese Maple tree.  I think we could do a lot more with this part of the yard.  We'll see what the Spring will hold in terms of inspiration!

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I love the Sunroom.

At some point in history, there was a three-season room added to our house.  It's a nice room that we use in Spring, Summer and Fall.  There is no heat, so the Winter gets somewhat frigid.  But when the outside temperature is reasonable, this porch is one of our favorite spots to hang out.  Protected from the elements, but with several windows that bring the outdoors inside.  When the Winter months are grey and dark, I make sure the window blinds are open, allowing more light into the house.  In October, we host a big party for the Kennett Square Brewfest.  We set up all the food in the sunroom, and it makes for the perfect path to and from the backyard.  In the Summers, we put most of the kid toys out there, and we spend many an afternoon and evening enjoying each other's company.  My favorite time of day to enjoy it is in the morning, with a fresh cup of coffee.  It's a great spot to admire the backyard.

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I love the grass.

I don't know what type of grass we have, but we get a lot of compliments on our lawn. The grass is lush and thick, like a carpet under your feet.  As the Spring transitions to Summer, the color turns from the Winter brown to a vibrant green. No wonder all the bugs want to hang out in it!  Some people have to work hard to get their grass to come in full, so I feel very lucky that our lawn naturally fills out so nicely.

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There are so many things to be thankful for in life, and I want to spend more time focusing on those things  as opposed to the bad things.  Because it's the little things - the soft lawn under my feet, the sweet flora growing around the yard, the beautiful little girls giggling as they fly on the swings, and the romantic evenings enjoyed under the stars with my husband - that makes life worth living.  

We can find those blessings everywhere - we just need to be open to seeing them.  More posts to come on the things in my life (and home) that I love, that I'm thankful for, that make life beautiful.

Here are a few more bloggers who spent some time finding the things they loved about their backyards.  If you have time today, write a post - I'm happy to share!  Seeing all these beautiful places make me all the more thankful!

Things I Love About My Backyard - Barb from A Life in Balance


How Does Your Fairy Garden Grow - Carrie from Making Lemonade

Our Backyard - Sarah from Finnegan and The Hughes


The Patio - Claudia from Easy Learn Languages

Garden Update: Week of May 7 - Becky from Crafty Garden Mama

What are you thankful for today?

(Thanks again to Micha for always challenging her readers to have a heart full of thankfulness).

Things I love: Starfall.com

As I work on writing up some great info on 2 MUST-HAVE books for 2010, I wanted to share an awesome toddler resource I have found.

My friend, Jen, showed me this website when we were visiting a few weeks ago. Her gorgeous son is about 6 months older than Little Chica, and has a genius-level grasp of the alphabet. I'm certain he will be reading in the next few weeks. And it will make the evening news.

While we visited, he played on this fun website called Starfall.com. It is a website dedicated to helping little kids learn their ABC's and older kids to read. The website has beautiful colors and sounds and pictures.

The toddler/ABC page has been mesmerising my Little Chica. As she clicks on each letter block, a larger image of the letter pops up, as well as an audio of how to say the letter. Pictures that beginning with the letter will come across the screen, and encourages the child to sound out the letter. As your child grows, you can graduate to phonics and reading challenges.

It's fun for Little Chica to have her own "website" to fiddle on. I love that she is learning and growing in her ABC's!

Check out the ABC's page, and explore the whole site!

Things I love: Veggie Booty

No, "Veggie Booty" is not some exotic dance move that should not be mentioned in front kids under the age of 12. Veggie Booty has become a great resource and my mealtime saving grace, so I decided to quickly share it with you!

Little Chica has been a pretty good eater since starting on solid foods about 9 months ago. Recently, after turning 1, I started to see the beginnings of Toddler Picky Eater syndrome. I was hoping that Lucy would always be a Rock Star Eater, loving anything and everything. In my New Mother Ignorance, I had dreams of raising healthy, organic children who requested vegetables and turned their noses up at sweets. But I, as well as tons of other Momma's out there I'm sure, have had my bubble burst. That is a bit dramatic, as my daughter is young, and I can still encourage a healthy lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled that more often than not, she eats well. But, depending on the day (her mood, the menu, the weather, the phase of the moon, etc), she can become quite a bear at mealtime.

Yes, I have been reduced to tears.

Yes, because she is 13 months old and doesn't yet understand emotions, she laughed at me.

And yes, I cried some more.

Little Chica will eat just about any fruit I put in front of her (I know this could change on a moments notice, so I'm not holding my breath), and some meats. Presently, her biggest nemesis is Vegetables. She used to enjoy them. And some days, I can get orange vegetables (carrots or sweet potatoes) into her. I desperately want her to eat the green vegetables, for all their nutritional value. She desperately wants to throw them on the floor (and spread them around her tray, and mash them in her hair, and laugh at me when I begin crying again).

As I was walking through the grocery store recently, I was reminded of a great snack that I hoped would be the answer I was looking for:

When I was in high school, I had a friend who used to let her kids snack on Veggie Booty. I thought it was totally gross. VEGGIES? In a SNACK?

Today I think it is straight up GOLD.

Veggie Booty are little puffs of rice, corn and various vegetables (those listed on the bag include spinach, kale, carrots and parsley). While it may not be the perfect Food Pyramid serving, I feel that giving Little Chica Veggie Booty is a wise snack choice that provides some vegetables in one form or another. It is not filled with sugar and salt, and Veggie Booty is ALL-NATURAL.

Years ago, this snack used to be hard to find. Now that there is a bigger push for natural, healthy and organic foods, you can find Veggie Booty (and other Robert's American Gourmet snacks) in most grocery stores. I really like the aged-cheddar Pirates Booty puffs, myself.

These snacks are GOOD. And worthy every penny!

So, if you find yourself struggling to get fruits and veggies into your kid, perhaps this is a good solution for you. I feel it helps to bridge the nutrition gap a bit. And as a mom, it gives me the peace of mind that my daughter is getting the fuel she needs to grow (It doesn't hurt that my Little Chica LOVES it as well).

Do you have any thoughts or creative ideas on how to get your toddler/child to eat more healthy? I'd love to hear about it and pass it along to the rest of the community! moderndaydonnareed@gmail.com.