Gardening Series Part I

A Sassy-Classy Mommy (or Woman) surrounds herself with pretty, lovely, beautiful things, whether it be clothes, shoes, jewelry, our children, a clean home…or…
A Garden. 
No one can argue (I’m pretty sure) that flowers are simply beautiful.  So are trees, and plants…goodness, even some weeds are pretty according to my five-year-old. 
With spring JUST around the corner, it’s time for you Sassy-Classy’s to get on your gardening gloves and go get dirty!  
That’s what I’ve been doing the past few days.  If feels so good to be outside, in the sun (don’t forget your SPF 45), breathing the fresh air, and burning extra calories as I beautify my yard and plant my gardens.  Last year I was nine months pregnant and had to forgo my usual spring kick off gardening-fest, but this year I’m making up for it and doing twice as much!
No photo of this, but I planted yellow snapdragons and red petunia’s all throughout my front yard.  I read somewhere that if you keep your flower selections to one or two colors it gives more of a visual impact.  I like to keep it simple in the front where I mostly have evergreen trees, shrubs, bushes and foliage. 
In the backyard I seem to change it up each year. 
Two years ago I thought I’d try out a wildflower garden. Realized I wasn’t too crazy about wildflowers—I couldn’t tell which were weeds and they kinda grew all wild and crazy. Duh!  So, here are the remains from winter that I had to clear out because this year I’m going to grow a salsa garden here. I’m so excited!My five-year-old decided to play photographer.  See the boots—told you I wear them.  That bodybugg gave me a sweet tan line.
This photo is from my three-year-old.  As you can see, the yard is in need of much TLC. Oh, and this torso shot inspired me to do 300 situps at the gym today.
I had a little helper out there.  He worked really hard and loved every minute of it.  Notice all the dirt on the walkway? Yeah, “helper” is more of a figurative term in this case.  My five-year-old is off putting worms in a cup and establishing a comfortable home environment for them.
This is the toad that purposely taunts me each year.  Have I mentioned before that I am terrified of frogs?  Didn’t go see “Princess and the Frog”, don’t plan on seeing it.  The story disturbs me on many levels.  However, on a positive note, my boys are fascinated by him, and their insistence on trying to touch him forces him to flee with gross, huge hops across the yard until I can’t see him anymore.  Then, the next day, he’ll sneak up on me and freak me out when I least expect it.  He’s very obstinate, and no matter how much I curse at him, he refuses to find another princess to taunt.  I tell him, “I have my prince charming…go find my little sister!” (hahaha…sorry SB)
Back on topic.  Here is the weeded and ready to plant garden bed. I’m even going to attempt tomatoes! I plan on giving them away. But, what’s a salsa garden with out them? I also have onions, cilantro, jalapenos, and green onions. I threw in a yellow pepper…cause they’re pretty and it’s like the only veggie my son will eat.  I’m waiting for the last frost to be gone before I put anything in the ground.
I put this flower bed and pathway in three years ago.  I was just a few weeks pregnant with my third son and the nausea hadn’t come yet, thank goodness. I got it completed just in time--a month later I was hospitalized because of such severe nausea.  My, how time flies!  In the front two-thirds I’m planting those pink flowers and maybe some strawberries.  The last third is the salsa garden. I really hope it grows (fingers crossed). 
More to come once the frost is gone.