Fit. Fat. Fut.

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Rockin' Out

The only landscaping in front of our house was rocks filled with pine needles before I started attacking it.  Oh, and two sad rose bush things right next to each other by the steps.  Our landlord said the rocks were the worst idea his wife had.  I agree!

I ambitiously decided they need to go.  I started removing rocks in March when the crazy 80 degree weather began.

Let's start with some cute kids and a worm.

• Harley found a worm, that he was really excited about.  Carter took turns holding the worm too.  Then Harley made a rock bed and covered the worm with a blanket of grass roots.

• Here is where it started (somewhat).  The back of the photo shows the rock bed full.  After the first day of rock removal, I had completely removed the rocks up to the first line on the sidewalk.  The next 3 lines on the sidewalk, I only removed the top layer.  It took a week of working every night to remove the rocks.  One night a friend came to help, but the rest was just me.
• After rock removal was complete, I had all of these plants given to me!  I was so grateful, because this would have cost a lot!  The $2 garage sale chair was just sitting there so it wasn't in the yard.  I later painted it grape, which you will see. 

I wasn't done yet.  I decided that I didn't like the red mulch at all.  Why do I do this to myself?!  Oh right, I'm kind of a perfectionist.  If I'm going to do it, I'm going to love it or redo it.  So...

• Excuse the unmowed yard and poor time of day for photos, but look how beautiful that flower bed is!  As I said, I removed the red mulch, which required an hour of straight squatting and dragging mulch onto the sidewalk.  I challenged myself to continue squatting just a little longer when my legs were BURNING until I made it all the way to the end.
• I saved the red mulch for my garden plants, you'll see that in the next post.
• The grape chair makes an appearance with a garage sale flower pot.  I haven't found my favorite spot for this chair yet, so I just keep moving it.

• Harley planted this Pansy in a small clay pot at church on Mother's Day.  It was falling over for a while in the ground so I replanted it deeper.  Now it's really taken off!
• Another Mother's Day plant, a Dahlia from Scott's aunt.  So pretty.
• And one of my Sanguineums blooming. 

• This was just grass before.  I went out with a shovel and worked up all of the grass.  Then I re-purposed some of the softball sized (or slightly larger) rocks from the rock "garden" around the house to make a border.  I arranged everything  where I wanted it.
• Then I planted them and spread the mulch.  Love this!
• I had 2/3 of a trailer full of mulch after completing the two flower bed, so I decided to tackle this line of bush/shrubs things next to the driveway.  No before picture unfortunately, but there were a couple of racing tires, some cans, some yard tools... all shoved under the bushes with a bunch of leaves.  I got the trusty shovel out and created a straight edge, cleared out all the junk and mulched my heart out.  Oh, and I trimmed the sides of the two large bushes in the front with scissors.  I didn't know where hedge trimmers were.  Oh well!  Scott found that large flat-faced rock in one of the fields farming and thought it would be nice to put brass letters on with "The Hayes".

And here are my "in process" projects.

• This area is under a large pine tree and ends up full of needles.  Huge pain to clean out and as you can see, there are still a ton in there.  I've started removing these rocks to make a patio!  I've been scouting Craigslist for a really good deal on brick/cement/whatever kind of pavers.  I have a while until I really need them, so I'm patiently waiting to get them cheap.  Meanwhile, I have to remove all of these rocks, which I started a little over by the giant rock.
• This is another flower bed I made on the opposite side of the yard as the bed by the driveway.  I moved a bunch of larges rocks around the tree, built up the dirt with bags of top soil from a neighbor friend and planted a couple Lily of the Valley.  I'll be getting more from Scott's grandma.  I threw some Hostas in from the plant exchange in Lake Odessa.  Then I thought I would re-purpose some rocks as filler, but I really don't like it.  I love the mulch.  However, I used all of the mulch and really don't want to get another load or partial load this year.  I think I'll have to suck it up and get the mulch.  I don't want to move the rocks here and remove them again next year.

UPDATE: Forgot to add the sketch of the flower bed that I labeled.

•  I mislabeled the Dahlia as a Zinnia.  And I couldn't remember the name of the little Burgundy shrub on the corner.  You get the gist.

Next post... the vegetable garden!

Porch Revamp

I have never been an outdoor person.  Maybe it comes from my need to have order and cleanliness.  Or maybe it comes from being an only child growing up in an urban area.  We moved out to the country, where my family roots go deep, when I was 11.  Fourteen years later, I am embracing the beauty and space. 

I especially love our current home.  My grandfather owned it in the 60s and 70s before building his current home.  How cool that now 4 generations of our family have lived in this house?  (Side note:  5 generations of my mom's family have lived her her house!)

This year, I've taken it upon myself to really spruce up the yard and porch.  I have been keeping myself super busy, so I don't feel lonely.  Scott found full-time employment on a dairy farm which is a dream for him, but he works anywhere from 12-19 hours a day.  (Another side note:  I was working on Hayes genealogy recently and discovered that Hayes men have been farmers for at least 10 generations.  It is truly in his blood!) 

I apologize in advance for the mix of cell phone pictures from 2 different phones and from my camera.  I took pictures with what was convenient.  I made grids of all the pictures for viewing simplicity as well.

The first one has a whole bunch of garage sale finds that I used on the porch.  The flowers are all violent and salmon colored impatiens as well was the green sweet potato vines.

• The two hanging baskets say Hope and Faith.  Bought for 25 cents a piece and I spray painted them to match my color scheme of grape and oregano.  The metal stand was given to me by my mother-in-law, Kay.  The bowl was from a garage sale for 75 cents.
• Wire basket with clay pots came from a sale, I already had the goblet in the center.  I think the basket was a buck with pots.
• Small medicine cabinet, I painted grape from a baby pink.  I think it was also a dollar.  Filled it with old tins I have collected over the years.
• Another dollar find, a stylized vertical American flag out of wood.  It's probably 3 feet tall and hangs next to the door.
• Wicker loveseat also came from my mother-in-law.  The inset shows the old wood stain that was chipping away.  Painted it oregano and bought the cushion at Meijer for $25.

• The Hayes sign came from Scott's grandparents house.  The hanging baskets were garage sale finds for $3 a piece with the coconut liners, plus a spare liner.  Filled with salmon impatiens.
• The hanging baskets were originally white.
• I spray painted the basket grape and the chains are oregano. 

• The first picture is the start of the dream.  I made an amaaaaaazing trip to Countryside Greenhouse that I wish could have lasted much longer.  DOLLAR MENU PLANTS!  However I had both kids, it was like 90 outside so about 1 million degrees inside, so things went south fast.  I got all the stuff I came for and can't wait to go back next year when they new BIGGER location opens.  These are sweet potato vines in 3 different shades.
• All lined up and ready to go in.  Bought two flats of impatiens at a local greenhouse to fill miscellaneous planters, including these.  Scott built the box for me out of (you guessed it) garage sale wood!  $2 for the boards.
• Everybody is in and happy!

Next post... the new flower beds!

Today's Menu

I feel like I did great today with my eating and meal planning.  I'm proud, so I'm going to share!  Today for every meal, I actually ate something from Taralynn's website.

BREAKFAST:
Blueberry Health Muffin (made Monday night)
Banana 

LUNCH:
1/2 bagel
3 Itty Bitty Turkey Sandwiches with a little cream cheese (picture below)
A handful of cashews

DINNER:
French cut green beans
Cheesy Cauliflower Bake (recipe below)
Taralynn's Healthy Baked McNuggets (recipe below)

This was my dinner plate when I FINALLY was able to eat my food.

Addie's Cheesy Cauliflower Bake

Calories: 98, Fat 7, Carbs 4, Protein 4 

8 Servings
Ingredients:

• head of cauliflower
• 1/2 brick of cream cheese
• 2 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• salt & peper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut into small florets, doesn't have to be pretty, and wash head of cauliflower.
2. Place in pot large enough to cover cauliflowers, boil until tender. Meanwhile heat oven to broil.
3. Drain.  Use potato masher to smoosh until it looks like potatoes.
4. Mix cream cheese with cauliflower until melted throughout.  Add salt & pepper if desired to taste.  Spread in a small glass baking dish. Top with shredded cheese.
5. Since the cauliflower is already cooked, I like to throw it into the oven on broil for 5-10 minutes until the cheese gets a little brown and crispy.

Taralynn’s Healthy Baked McNuggets 

Calories: 160, Fat 4, Carbs 24, Protein 18g 

3 Servings
Ingredients:

• 2 Large skinless boneless chicken breast
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil
• 2 Cups Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs (whole wheat) (I only had regular tonight)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In a Dipping bowl add 1 cup of olive oil 2 tsp salt and 2 tsp of pepper and mix
3. Cut the boneless chicken into 1in X 1in pieces
4. Dip the chicken into the olive oil mixture then into the breadcrumbs. 
5. Transfer to a cooking sheet.
6. Bake 16 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked

UPDATE 1/26/11:  When Scott go home from work, he ate the chicken and liked it!