I'm thrilled

The azaleas that I transplanted from the backyard to the side of the house are doing well. I'm glad they survived the move and the cold wet winter.

These are some of the backyard azaleas that I need to find a place for. I am thinking the very back corner of the yard. There are so many flowers on them this year.

In our front yard there is this island of plants. I have often considered just ripping the whole thing out. The oakleaf hydrangeas and azaleas are beautiful, but they had gotten overgrown and huge. This last fall someone told me I needed to prune them, to cut them back a whole lot. Also, there was this one stem of a rose bush that she told me wasn't getting enough sunlight. So I took the shears to it and cut the rose back to almost nothing (and the azaleas and hydrangea I cut by about 1/3). This morning when I decided to finally clean the bed out, I found irises and gladiolus (that had never bloomed before isn't that weird and great)!!! I was beyond excited. Also, the rose bush stem has now turned into a full on rose bush with lots and lots of buds on it. I am so thrilled because we haven't even had one rose on it before.

I'm no gardening or flower guru, but I love springtime blooms.

The main reason I hadn't noticed these developments before is because I have been focusing my efforts on the backyard. Today I finished tilling (by hand, with a shovel), raking, leveling, seeding and covering with hay the entire fenced in part of the backyard. In the past I have seeded it with fairly good results, but as soon as it rains the grass seeds just wash away. This year I decided to do it right and I have the blisters and sore back to prove it. Wish me luck! I'm so determined to get this backyard in proper backyard shape!

Dust mites? Dust mites!?!?!!?!!?

My medicine. All for allergies!!!!

I've always had allergies.
When I was growing up I pretty much had 2 choices: be a sneezing, watery eyed mess or be in a Benadryl fog.
In high school I got an inhaler for exercise induced asthma which was probably the result of my allergies mixed with running in the cold weather.
Until recently, medications like Claritin kept my allergies in control.
Fast forward to about 5 months ago. My skin started getting itchy, red and gross. I started having asthmatic episodes sometimes at night for no apparent reason.
When our insurance changed in March we decided it was time for me to see an allergist and dermatologist. BUT of course I had to choose a new PCP, go and see her, and have her office make me those appointments.
Finally, the time came for me to see the allergist on Friday. He told me I have allergies(shocking) and should move somewhere cold and dry. He even said he would write me a prescription to move to Utah!!
The craziest part of all was that while I was sitting in his office I started having an allergic reaction and my lip swelled up huge. The dr. wasn't even fazed.

my arm a couple of hours after the testing. before it got huge and red.

They did the allergy testing on my arms and about 15 minutes later came back to read it.
I am allergic to: grass, weeds, pollen, cats, and dust mites. No surprised there. Except the dust mites. Gross. I don't even want to know that those things exist. Little gross bug things crawling all over the place. And now I need to buy plastic covers for my bed, pillows, and all my upholstered furniture. (ok just a joke)
A few hours later I noticed that my arm was getting all swollen, red and hot. I called Lew and he told me to call the Dr. office, which I did. They told me that NO that was not normal and to get back on those big doses of steroids. The bad reaction went away a couple of days later and unfortunately I'm not ready to come off the steroids.
He wrote me about 5 new prescriptions!! (perfect!!! just what I wanted!! I've become BFF with the pharmacist at Target!!)
My eyes are doing well, but every time I skip a day of prednisone (steroid) the dry, swollen, redness comes right back.
The asthma and rhinitis have improved a whole lot, the main issue now is my skin.
He said I have the allergy trifecta--rhinitis, asthma, and eczema. Sweet!!
I'm going to visit the dermatologist next week and hoping we can get to the bottom of all this.
And fast.
Or maybe I can just deal with it for the next 3 years until I can get the heck out of here.
I know that people who don't have allergies think "it's just allergies, get over it" and usually I do just get over it. I have had allergies for my whole life and it's never been bad enough that it gets in the way of my life. "Wah wah" so you have a runny nose. Right? But this is something entirely different. And it's really starting to cramp my style.

Springtime is here!!

We have been enjoying the most amazing weather!!
The dogwoods (oh, the dogwoods!!!) are in bloom and the azaleas are getting started too. They are really incredible.

A and B are playing spring soccer. Luckily, we have an extra yellow jersey so C can get in on the fun too. She looked like a linebacker last week with her sweatshirt underneath.
B loves the snacks and playing at the playground while A has her games.

My tulips were so nice, I'm sad to see them go.

On Saturday we enjoyed a trip to the playground. It was so sunny and bright and even though it was in the low 80s we were roasting hot. C had a piece of candy and was drooling it all over the place. It matched the whole ensemble well. Crazy hair, dirty clothes, drooling mess? Check, check, and check.




We were watching our friends' dogs last week and sweet little B was in dog heaven.
but with the lovely springtime flowers and blooming trees comes the dreaded yellow coating...

Hooray!!

Hopefully this makes up for us not being there to meet you at the airport!

We're so excited that you're home.

Rainbow order

that's my girl!!

Happy Easter

He lives!!

He is Risen!

"He is risen! He is risen!
Tell it out with joyful voice.
He has burst his three days’ prison;
Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
Death is conquered; man is free.
Christ has won the victory.

"Come with high and holy hymning;
Chant our Lord’s triumphant lay.
Not one darksome cloud is dimming
Yonder glorious morning ray,
Breaking o’er the purple east,
Symbol of our Easter feast.

"He is risen! He is risen!
He hath opened heaven’s gate.
We are free from sin’s dark prison,
Risen to a holier state.
And a brighter Easter beam
On our longing eyes shall stream"

We are so grateful, especially this weekend with General Conference, for a prophet and apostles who guide us. And for a Savior who died and lives for us.
Happy Easter to the whole wide world.

Can I be frank, Frank?

I've never seen anything so amazing as Alabama in the springtime.

Is there anything more gorgeous than an ornamental magnolia in bloom?

Or popcorn popping all over the town?

Or tulips lining your driveway?