"To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment." ~ Jane Austen

We're not quite to the point of being able to relax...Matt's not home yet from tearing down and once he is we have to head up to his parents' for dinner (doesn't that sound restful). I think, if I let him, he would sleep for a week solid. He's so exhausted, and tomorrow starts his normal work week. He won't have a day of reprieve until Saturday. I'm hoping he won't fight me this week when I'm trying to send him to bed early.

I got a wonderful package in the mail the other day, one that made me happy and over the moon: Can you guess what it is?

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to have my camera back...I really, truly did miss it (as ridiculous as that may sound).

Now that I have my camera back and I can do a bit of updating from around the White House.

~*~The Garden~*~
The garden is crap: Plain and simple. If you can find the vegetables among the vegetation you're doing better than me. Last year we tried to grow pumpkins, so that I wouldn't have to buy them for decorations in the fall: It didn't work.

Well, guess what we have taking over our garden (besides the weeds)...Hint: It's not something we even planted this year.....PUMPKINS! Lots of pumpkins. There are at least 4 or 5 good size pumpkins and a couple of smaller ones coming along.

Our tomatoes are doing all right. There's supposedly a blight going around, but it hasn't hit our plants yet. I thought I had planted some regular tomatoes, but it looks like all I planted was cherry tomatoes. I certainly won't complain about the size of the tomatoes, as long as we get enough to eat fresh!

There are also a couple of rogue yellow squash out there...of course the ones I prefer are acorn and butternut, no sign of them poking through the weeds, but I guess that it's not that big of a deal...I looked in our freezer downstairs and I still have the ones that I blanched and froze LAST fall.

I'm actually really embarrassed by the current condition of our garden. My mom's cousin from Germany is coming over to dinner on Thursday and my uncle is staying with us this weekend. If there's one thing about Germans it's how fastidious they are about gardens and perfection.

It's because of that anal trait that I weeded the front and side flower beds this morning. They look a lot better, I just need to mulch them and they won't be too much of an embarrassment.

~*~Crafting~*~

I started working on the wall letters for the babies room. I printed the letters out, traced them onto the wood, and then went to saw them out (with the scroll saw I bought last September, but haven't used once). I used to be pretty good with a scroll saw (in high school shop, 12 years ago).

I botched the letter A so badly that I gave up, came upstairs, went online and found someone to order the letters from. Now hopefully they get here soon. I would like to have them finished and on the wall before the weekend....same as I'd like to do with the curtains.

I did receive one of the samples that I had chosen for the curtain fabric...I like it, but I want to see what the other one is before I finish the curtain. I think the one I'm still waiting on is THE ONE I've been looking for, but I don't know because the picture on the website was absolutely horrible.

I finally made the Cupcake Bath Bombs: The first batch fizzed like crap and I ended up throwing them out. The second batch (which I made this morning) came out a lot better and the fizzed and dissolved nicely. I even got them iced! Once they harden up I'll print tags for them and put them in the gift bags and they'll be done!

One thing I did get a lot done on this week was the Christmas stocking: No, it's not finished yet, but it is getting MUCH closer. Of course, once my fabrics arrive I'll be putting that aside (Christmas is a bit further away than this kid's arrival). I seriously can't wait for the room to be done...it's nice now, but it's nowhere near DONE.

Speaking of Christmas: I have 1/2 my shopping done! I cheated though. Remember the Sock It To Me sock exchange that Kym was doing. Well the slippers that I got were so awesome that I decided to order everyone, on my side of the family, their own for Christmas. Suezee2 on etsy.com was awesome. I finished my whole family for $135...I still might order BIL, PP, and Niece matching ones for their Christmas gifts (haven't decided yet). Here's the pictures of the slippers/socks I got.

How cute are they?!

I'm sure there's more going on, but I honestly can't think of it.....Matt just got home, so I will say "toodles" for now :-)