what I have been up to...

I have not had tons of fun things going on just busy summer business with my kids home. This wild man has been keeping me busy he finally has one tooth.

 This was a few weeks ago.  He still only has one but it is bigger and he looks like a little bitty hillbilly.

 and he has been causing trouble nonstop.  This is him sitting in my kitchen cupboard throwing things over his shoulder. (this is the cupboard my husband put the latch on btw)

 I am mama to one of the cutest little pitchers ever!  That is a three evening a week thing.

 I have been sprucing up the outside of my home. . This is the front steps.

I finally found a use for what we have dubbed "the potato bear".  It was a wedding gift from my mil.  We have had it in random places in all of our homes we used to keep potatoes in it and stub our toes on it..that was about it This is a much better use to hold my beautiful tuberous begonias.  ( that is one of my new favorite coffee cups from walmart I love it this quatrefoil one and I have the blue graphic one too)

 This is the front.  I am going to plant some hastas and other things in front but haven't got that far.

 These guys started out up by the house but they needed more sun.  I have always had a black thumb but these guys have stayed alive for 2 months!!

 This last weekend I also planted 3 hanging baskets this one in the front of impatiens.

 I have also been working on the back deck.  These guys have also lasted two months.  I have the palette Adirondack bench my hubby built me a few years ago back here. 

I planted these guys in the first round in april.  I used some beach buckets for planters and drilled holes in the bottom of the buckets for drainage.

 I love the pansies and violets.  They remind me of my grandma.

 This is the other half of our deck so far.

 This is another plant I potted that has lasted two months.  The two big pots on the deck had hyacinths originally and I transplanted those to the back yard for next year and added the decorative grass. 

I also have the other two new hanging plants I potted last weekend hanging back here.  One on either side o the door.  You can see the other in the picture with the grill.  They are petunias and I can see them outside my kitchen window. I can't remember what the ones in this picture are.  We chose these two because hummingbirds love them.  

 I like to sit out here mornings and evenings with my kiddos.  This is max last night watching his daddy mow.

 We were just hanging out relaxing. :)

That is all I have been up to.  Trying to fight back the mountain of laundry and pick up the things my kids litter through the house continually, while finding time to mow the yard. We planted a hummingbird garden in the back corner this weekend and if things start to grow I will let you know. But this has been my summer thus far.  What have you guys been up to.