SPRING has SPRUNG!

Ohhh yes it has!! This is the greatest time of year not to hot, not to cold. Just plain lovely! 

and we are taking advantage of the nice days!! Not only do my kids pretty much live outdoors, but we've been working on a few projects!!

Nat went to crank up his grill the other night to grill something for dinner, only to find that after 4 moves, it has gone ka-put... so we HAD to go get another grill... and (although I have no pictures of it) it is a pretty amazing grill!! I am definitely excited about the many meals to come on the grill this summer!!!!

Let me tell you something about Nat and my brother... they get together and they brain storm and feed off each other with all these great ideas.... and the next thing you know, were at Lowes getting lumber for our new DECK!

... and theres my brother... hard at work!!

It has since been complete thanks to my hard workin' honey.... now all we need to do is stain it, put our new patio furniture together... move the new grill to its new location and we will be LIVING out on that deck. I am Soooo excited!!! This is something Nat and I have always dreamed about and we are pretty pumped to see that dream come true.

Kinsey and I have been doing a little gardening in the front.. Just a few pot plants here and there... between 6 kids, and 5 dogs, I don't think we are yet ready for an in ground garden... but maybe in the coming years!

We also built a raised garden bed and we now have a nice little Veggie garden!!!

We threw around the idea, since we're neighbors now, we can learn together, share the responsibility, and even better, share the fruits of our labor.

We finally decided if we're gonna do this, it was the time to do it!! So we read a little here and there, went to Lowes and got to work!!!

We tilled our spot.

 built the "raised" part... filled 'er up

The kids had fun helping us mix it all together.

and planted

We have some seeds planted, and some transplants... so we will see how that all goes, and hopefully be pro at it next year.

We also planted some herbs

and jalapeños.

 

I'll leave you with this...

red faced

sweaty

snotty

dirty

perfect little boy.

and did I mention....

It seems that many a people are shocked when I tell them who our neighbors are.... so I

 dont think I have shared who we moved next door to....

a rather cute and special family of 5 with 3 little boys that just so happen to be cousins to my 3 little ones. 

Yep! I moved next door to my brother. It was quite coincidental that the house next door to them came up for sale right about the time we sold our house in NM. 

We have pretty much been non stop partyin' since we moved in! Our kids are always together and they will grow up every cousins' dream life!!! 

Sometimes I'm still in shock over it all... 

like I went from being all alone, and very lonely living in NM to moving right across the road from my in-laws and loving the 6 months we had so close to them, to now moving next door to my brother, sister-in-law (whom I have common grounds) and my 3 nephews

There's been lots of sleepovers.

Lots of memories made.

Lots of diners shared together.

Lots of laughs

and lots of Joy!! 

and many more to come!!!

Blessed!

Well.... Somebody MUST be looking down on me, because the day after my post, we got a check in the mail for quite possibly the same exact amount of a new camera... and I'm rather certain that that is no coincidence and I fully recognize that that is the work of the Lord. I felt so wrapped in blessings and LOVED. My sweet, darling husband agreed to whisk me off to Best Buy to get me a new camera... and I feel complete again... driving everyone nuts with all my pictures.

One day they'll all thank me. ;)

My kids were spending some time with their Papa and Nana... so I had NO models to take pictures of... except one guy...

and the next day I snuck over and snapped a few pics of my sweet little nephew.

Sad...

Well...... I've been MIA for awhile..... and if I'm quite honest, theres a specific reason for that. 

Every single time I sit down and think about blogging, my heart sinks to my stomach and I sit in denial of something dear to my heart.

My camera is gone.

..... and this evening, approximately 3 weeks since I've laid hands on my camera, I'm facing the facts that I might not lay hands on it again. 

and I am

DEVASTATED!

I know, I know... I'm quite possibly taking it a little to far... but, taking pictures is something that I am passionate about... taking pictures of my kids, at that.... the memories. 

Agghh... my poor soul. I think the thing that gets me more than my $800 missing , possibly stolen camera, is that there are precious memories on that camera. Take the dang camera.... but please give me my pictures back. 

I'm bummed. But, I'll continue praying for divine intervention and I'll keep searching... and I suppose start saving for another... and in the mean time, pull out my point and shoot.