A little country living near the big city

A little country living near the big city that is what I always say about the way we try to live. We have been creating our home the way we want it to be one step at a time and I like it that way. It is mostly always quiet where we live and I like it that way. Sometimes we do get some planes that fly over and few military jets from time to time but that's okay. And on occasion we can hear the military practicing whatever it is they are practicing. We can hear what sounds like fire works going off from far off other than that it is peaceful and it is quiet. There are the occasional parties but our neighbors have gotten better at turning in their loud music for the night once the clock strikes 10 P.M and we are always thankful for that. Now the only noise in the house is baby babbling which we love.

Summer time is right in the kicks of throwing us it's best heat wave that it possibly can right now, yeah, I love it. I love summer but I love it most of all for the beach and messy food groups that you can enjoy without shame throughout the summer. This house has been a huge blessing to us and we have enjoyed every single day living here certainly feels like home to us. The only down side though is the lack of insulation in the house. It can be a bit daunting with a tiny little one. We are still a year later waiting to hear back from SDG&E about their help in getting some insulation up and going in this house so we are waiting once again to see when they find someone to come out here. Other wise it wouldn't much matter if it were just me and my Hubby in the house. We have been blessed to have A.C in at least one room. I love that. So we are surviving yet another challenging summer.

We have been so blessed to have this house and we have loved it every single step of the way. We love it because it does feel like a little country near the big city. Of course we would love to live in the country some day or at least one of these young days of our lives. For now this is where God has planted us and we have been very content. We are surviving the summer with fans blowing in every room and that helps significantly and on really hot, hot days we put the A.C unit on in our room and we live. We are very thankful to have that little A.C unit but there are times the heat starts to zap my energy. I am ready for the Fall Months to kick in once again. I rather wrap myself up because I am cold not because the heat is beating me over the head with it's unrelenting heat waves. We are happy for early mornings and shade under the trees.

Normally I would be taking myself to the beach but having a new little one means all of my attentions are placed here at home with the care of Motherhood in mind. Life really is good. I am enjoying Motherhood to fullest extent while on the other hand counting down the days until I know we are out of this heat baby! This year there wasn't much time to play in the waves hardly at all. I am homesick for the waves but I will make it there again. This too shall pass and I will soon be enjoying a good swim in the waves. I am praying daily for a backyard pool to make up for the loss of time in the waves. I really do love those waves. I love and miss the cold water and coming home to relax with a good movie. Life did seem a bit more free and worry free at that time. Not that life still can't be just as free and carefree and worry free but having a baby changes everything. Now my one and only concern is all wrapped around his tiny little body getting sufficient sleep and eating his 3 square meals a day and a little play mixed into it all. Summer this year has brought along it's challenges but that's okay too. I know that I can look forward to greater things in the Fall, at least, I hope.

So far this summer we have done and accomplished a lot. I've had a chance to write a little bit more in my baby journal and keep up with that. We have kept this house in an orderly fashion that works well for us and I like that. We have shared many of the house hold chores and even switched who does what from time to time. I think that makes life full and interesting. I like not having to do the same things every single day of life. Having a change in chores does make it nice when we switch around what we are doing with each other and for each other. Some days my hubby will clean the floors because, well, I rather not be the one to do that from time to time. On the other hand I will do the dishes on most occasions but then I get tired of doing them in the heat so I avoid it if I can, keep myself from it. Sometimes he will step in to do them for me and I am eternally happy. Either way we both are soaking wet from the heat of standing over a sink washing dishes in the heat while the steam from the hot water only adds to the heat we are currently experiencing.

My Husband has done an excellent job helping me with the parenting duties and I so appreciate him in all that he does with me and for me. Bed time routines are the best when done together it seems and so we tackle this together when we can. Sometime he does work late and so he is unable to help me with the night time duties. Everything comes together in a wonderful way and I have loved the flow of what we have created in our home.

Our outside life around this house have consisted of creating the country living that we most would desire for ourselves. We have planted, grown and prepared a Garden in preparation for a full fledged Harvest Garden of all kinds of fruits and veggies in our backyard. It has taken some time to do but we have taken it all in strive. We haven't pressured ourselves to get it done over night we have simply taken it one day at a time, one step at a time and let each day, each step, each time we have taken the time to give it some tender loving care to create the Garden we are excited to build and create.

Our latest largest project was uprooting some of the most major greenery and tree stub left over that was taking up space. My Hubby had a friend of his come on over and they did the major part of the hard work. Now that is complete we are ready to head into the next phase of our Garden creation, building the wood workings for the planting to go into. Looks like that will be an August project. Like I said one day at a time, one step at a time and doing it when we are ready to take that next step. We aren't in much of a hurry but we are enjoying the process of watching it all come together in time.

So far our tomato plant has grown very large not sure when we will get a good harvest of tomatoes out of it but this summer heat has not been exactly a piece of cake either. Our Grape vine is growing and it is looking nice. Our Strawberries are in the process of doing something, not sure what but got a lot of good green leaves so that is promising. Our Avocado seed is having a lot of growth to it as well and we are watching it sprout from a tiny little pit to now a new and growing plant in our kitchen. We will soon be planting it!!! I really can't wait. I saved some apple seeds so we shall see what will come of that next. I have been germinating some nice orange seeds, I let them dry out for a day so not sure what will happen once I try to go onto my next step in the process of germinating them. It has been about 7 days now and so I am now ready to see if they will give me a sprout any time soon. I am praying for that though. These are pretty important orange seeds. I got them from my Aunt Anita's Oranges. Who knows, I may just save some seeds for our baby to plant one day.

I saved a peach pit, who knows what will come of it, but I am praying after having tried to see if I could germinate it in the cold fridge if I can possibly get something to grow out of it. This all very basic elementary scientific experimentation with seeds and planting. I have 0 clue what I am really doing. I'm just reading a lot on planting and seeds and germination and what have you. I have yet to see what all works. Either way I rather experiment now rather then on a real country home in the middle of now where only to find that I don't have a clue what I am really doing. Thankfully, my Husband knows a little about farming, he worked on a farm once with little lambs. Awe, I am glad we are here now where I at most have a Starbucks near by, not that I love the green Giant all that much, because of course I am trying to say no! At some point I would like to make my own Frapps at home and coffee treats.

For now, we are in the planting season of things. My Hubby is in the process of trying to see if a Maple branch will do anything at all. If it does we have ourselves a Maple Tree, if not we will just have to give up and go buy ourselves one :P and that's okay too. All is in the learning process of things, seeing what works and what does not. Literally, one day at a time. Who knows! I may even see if I plant a watermelon :p

I got myself a bag of apples, made myself some homemade applesauce as well as some for the baby. I got into the Homemaking and I have to say, I love it! I added a little too much Nutmeg to mine thought I would enjoy it, come to find out, I'm not entirely sure about that at the moment. I may just eat it so it doesn't go to waste. Either way the attempt was not half bad. My next drill is making some mash potato for the baby and some with cream and butter for myself. I had planned on that today, only to realize, I have no cream and I have no milk. We really need to bring back the glory days of milk being delivered to your home fresh in a glass bottle an inexpensive idea. At least they still do that with cloth diapers and ice-cream! I love it!! Now if only I could have a fresh meal delivered to my door for mommy's who are busy all day and for baby along with some fresh milk in a bottle and those cloth diapers, life wouldn't be half bad :P

My next endeavor in life is to get a swimming pool. I've wanted one my whole life. I know, those good things, come to those who wait with a good attitude and I am sure trying it out in this heat, that's for sure. One day, some day, I know I will get that pool in my own backyard and play in the cold water, even if I can't make it to the big open ocean :P

for now, Laundry and nap await me. :p

Catching up

I'm back, once again, able to do some writing. Life here on the little country cottage home by the big city near the ocean is going comfortably. There is never a dull moment to write about and I am glad for that. We are almost always on the go and on Sunday's we really like to rest while we can. We love to be able to go to church and I am so thankful for that, it really is a gift to be able to visit with other Believers. Having an almost 6 month old though has slowed some of our Sunday going's and we miss our wonderful church family from time to time. Yesterday, Saturday, was one big work day for us. I started dishes, made the bed and gathered laundry. There is nothing more satisfying than a clean house and an organized system that works. Nothing is ever lost and everything is in it's place, right where it needs to be. In the Laundry Room where almost all our things are stored, cleaning solutions and house tools and garden tools, I have a special place in a green little box, the lost and found/and MIS for those tiny little things with no home that are random. Ziploc backs have become my best friend. Anything that is without a home get's labeled and put in a baggie. It helps every time.

My best organizing tip has been to put all things in need of a bag in one big giant Ziploc. Tiny socks, because I just can't keep track of babies tiny socks that he never keeps on his feet and mine that don't stay on long either. My Husband's is easy, he has all black and white socks. Those pairs never ever go missing, they always have a match. On the other hand mine end up all over the house some how or under covers. I also have a theory that the dryer eats them up and coughs them up later from time to time. But I have done better at keeping track of my socks.

Right now I am writing in what is pure relaxing silence. Both my men are sleeping! My Husband in one room and baby still sleeping. Can't hardly wake either of them. I was sleeping but I had plans of waking baby but now I am enjoying writing. Ah, the relaxation of writing. I am not sure it can get any better. Oh no it can. I spoke to soon, and baby woke up. Now here I am blogging in-between baby playing and me writing while he plays with a few of his toys.

Motherhood has no breaks and certainly no vacation times. I think I had a few bad grapes yesterday by accident and a bit of a greasy breakfast, my tummy has been a little unsettled. One of those reality checks about watching what you eat and taking good care of yourself. Yesterday we didn't have much of a breeze coming through the house and so I had a bit of a headache. But, life must go on. Motherhood cannot stop for the little aches and pains in life. So nap time in the Morning it is while my little one naps.

We have moved our lives now to the front of the living room area of the house. Before we were all cozy in the back part of the house, gathered in the family room that over looks our big beautiful lush green backyard. Now we can enjoy the entire front yard like never before. Everything is open all around. Before there was a small gate separating the front of the house from the front yard part of the house with another gate surrounding the entire house. Now there is only one large surrounding gate. We are happy with the results, very much so. Now we can even get a fresh Ocean breeze through the front of the house.

We try and take each day as it comes and not look too much into the future because each day has it's very own things to do and those things add up. I can't even imagine trying to think of all that we could do in the next few years. That is a tad overwhelming, so I just don't. I take things one step at a time one day a time. Toilets still have to get clean sometime and sinks as well. Those main things. For now life is like our grape vine newly growing and reaching new heights every single day.

When we were first married we were living in the front part of the house, using the front living room as the only place we wanted to reside. We could get the partial cool air from off the Ocean and then we decided we wanted to enjoy the fire place in the center of the house with the view from the kitchen. We lived in that part of the house long enough to realize that the summer heat from the El Nino was nothing we could live with long enough in a room with no windows for fresh air. So we changed things around again, I was pregnant and so we were doing everything possible to stay comfortable through the hot days and warm nights.

We had even had a camping bed that we had moved into the tv family room for awhile, it wasn't big enough for either of us and so we decided to move things around again. My Husband got a part time job and started college full time and so he had gotten himself a desk. It has been a life saver. It has kept us organized. When paper work and bills come in everything goes into a black basket on his desk, instead of all over the house or on the table.

It seems as if this house has changed with the seasons as we have changed and it has changed with us. I think everything is looking up and looking well. All is well and everything in it's place and home. We have our dog Holly and she is mostly an outside dog. I think she likes it. We enjoy having a Bird feeder now for the one reason that we get to enjoy all the Birds that come to chow on some din, din. They love it and so do we. I think we will be getting one for the front of the house now. Holly has enjoyed the thrill of chasing Birds and making frienenemy's out of them. She comes and goes inside and out most days. She is a great guard dog who also loves toy trucks that move and bubbles that are blown in the air. We are one happy family, most days.

Today seems like a Mac and Cheese kind of day. I have been enjoying fruit but as of today, I may have had few bad grapes and fruit seems like the last thing on my agendy today. Mac and Cheese it is. We have an open bar counter top here at the house and so it isn't quiet fair when the bowl of fruit does look inviting. I am about to change all that here in a second, into the fridge these yummy treats go. We really do need to increase our veggies around here, that has been one of those in progress things, something to work on.

It seems our counter top open bar space is used as two things, often a gathering space for things or a preparation station for a variety of fruits and veggies we are in the processes of sprouting so that we can plant them in our Garden. Right now we have an Avocado seeds in sprout and it is looking beautiful!!! :D Next I have some seeds from some Oranges my Aunt Anita sent home with me that have set out to dry for replanting. I have just recently finished off a peach, I plan to replant that one as well.

Outside we have some grapes growing up slowly into the wooden shade covering above our white bench that seats two :p how romantic. Soon we shall see some grapes growing. I can't wait for that. We have some Strawberries that we have enjoyed watering as well but only two tiny berries have grown so far from our little start up plants. Our tomatoes are looking good as well. I am sure we will be getting a nice harvest soon. Haven't seen any tomatoes on the vine yet, but we have had two nice round plump ones. Great for good eats! We have been working on our outside Garden but it has taken a bit of back seat to our other things that we have placed on the front of our first come priorities. Soon, though, soon, we will be turning our attentions to it once again.

Like I've said, one step at a time one day at time. Whatever comes first is what makes it on our to do agendas. Every day, every weekend there is something to do. We never really know what it is that we will be turning our attentions to but when my Honey gets an idea, his ideas are always good ideas and then I am glad for his ideas put into action. He is a man with great ideas. I am glad he does because sometimes I just don't have the vision that he does and I love his vision.

I will be glad to get our Garden finished though. Until then this has been my catch up blog and I am glad I was able to get to it. I am not sure when I will be able to get to another blog but I hope to keep this up. Anyway here is to my love of writing and catching up. It's my lunch break. It's time to eat while the little one is fast asleep.

Summer time already????

Summer time already??? I can't even believe it! I am rarely able to do any writing here since having a baby has kept most all of my attentions. I have been enjoying Summer very much, even as a new mom. I just love living in So.Cal. It is the place I call Heaven. It's never too, too hot and it's never too, too cold. This really is worth every dollar to live here. You get everything you are paying for right here! It's living in the sun shine and the nice ocean breezes. We really are just that spoiled. I will totally admit to it. I couldn't live anywhere else, well, I could, I suppose. But what an adjustment that would be! No, I love it here way too much. I am settled and I am writing my name on my land, it's mine and I am enjoying each and every day of it to me, myself, baby and me and my very sexy Husband.

Summer is perfect for Ocean Breezes and getting yourself into shape, like my Husband is doing. Can't say much for me at the moment, I'm still nursing and eating for 2. Motherhood is a full time job, which requires eating! Next summer I will be joining all you happy People working out :P For now, baby has me, eating and sleeping wherever I can fit it into my day set around his nap times and wake times. Such is living life in the Motherhood!

My other summer favorite is, Oranges from my Aunt Anita's orange tree, one of Summer's best fruits. There is nothing like having Oranges from my Aunt Anita's tree. These Oranges have the best flavor! Plan to dress for the eating because these babies get messy! Summer is fruit season as far as I am concerned. Watermelon, Melons of all kinds, the green ones and the orange ones both are great, Oranges, the ones that also make for Great Orange Juice.

Summer is the time for messy! Everything, messy. Ice-cream and mouth watering fruits. Outside running in the sprinklers, ocean breezes and laying outside under the sun to dry off after a long day playing in the water and having ice-cream Sunday's. The cool ocean breezes through the windows, cookouts and shaved colored ice. Out door parties and picnics. Summer beach fun and all those fun family trips.

I Especially love the Zoo and Sea World during the summer months. I am a big fan. I am most definitely a camping fan and hope to get back to it sometime. It has been a while.

While we are in baby mode at the moment and all things are going well. We are continuing on with our Garden Project. It is our great outdoor fun while we are in the process of getting into feeding and nap time routines with baby. So far we have started as small as we could get and we are very much enjoying it. The grapes are growing up, up and up, each and every day. We are enjoying watching the growth process. We recently brought home some Strawberries to plant and I can say they are producing some very nice juicy ones. I am so excited to grow a nice full bushel this year. Can't wait to enjoy them once they are nice,big and plump. They will make a great topping for some freshly baked Angel Food Cake, as well as some Homemade Jam. I have some idea's in mind.

We are excited to see our green Carpet growing! it will have a beautiful color of Purple springing up all over the place before we know it. Summer is a fantastic time for planting and growing New Gardens. It takes a lot of love and a lot of time. Mostly a lot of waiting. Nothing springs up over night. Just like a baby, a baby doesn't start walking over night but soon he will go from crawling to walking. We are in the crawling stages of life at the moment. And it's all a learning process just like planting and growing a Garden. It's all a processes, a slow, slow process. You just have to wake up loving it and appreciating it every day, talk kindly to it and be glad that it's about to give you nice little gift of good eats.

We also had some Tomato's growing. Very yummy. We now have an onion growing some nice sprouts and also an Avocado seed! Can you believe it? It has taken sometime but we are certainly amazed at each of the certain things we have tried growing on our own and we have found that we really do enjoy the planting, growing and Harvesting Seasons of life. I certainly have enjoyed writing the blog and up-dating my readers, whoever you are. Not sure I write hardly near enough to keep any readers at all but I write while I can and when I can I am glad to have had the chance to write at all. I do love to blog. Seems like I am out of time and now I must make this short before baby's bed time. Write soon!