Garden Thoughts

I'm looking to redo or add more to our front, draught tolerant garden.  This area in particular is what I want to redo.  The plants I previously chose didn't quite turn out they way I thought they would. Partially because I didn't realize how shady this area is.  Even in the summer I'd say our front entrance gets 30-70% sun to shade.  This is an ideal place for succulents.  Another misconception I had,  I thought succulents loved full sun. Turns out they like little water but do best in shade or at least 50/50.  

We were on our way to the doctor when I spotted this area of her building. It's exactly what I'd like to do.  I love the varying colors succulents come in.  This makes me think that gardening is "painting with plants".  I'm also looking to have some structure like the plants are lined up below but I'd also like to incorporate some free flow to them as well.  There is another beautiful area in a shopping center in Malibu. I want to visit before I decide what to do.  For now, these images are giving me lots of inspiration.  

How low can we go?

I've been meaning to build our bed for years now. Literally, for YEARS!  My brother was here in September and I was going to do it with his help!  I had every intention of finishing it.  Then I remembered my first year with P.  I realized having a wood border around the mattress and lifting the mattress off the floor, even minimally, was going to make things harder on me. 

P fell off our old, high bed twice and fortunately was ok. But it was scary and awful and I felt like a horrible mom for not being more attentive.  I couldn't leave her alone for two seconds though!  Watching her so intently was hard with one. Forget it with two!  Juggling two is a whole new story requiring a new skill set!  So I made the decision to forgo a stylish bedroom for the time being.

Today as I watched Gemma get out of bed on her own I was grateful I left the mattress on the floor.  It's given me months of peace and now it's giving our 10 month old a sense of independence and confidence in herself. The look of pride on her face when she got down was priceless.  In fact, the very first time she did this she looked at me with the biggest smile and said "Woooow" with amazement, pride and awe in herself. And come to think of it, I think it's one of her first words. Mama, Papa and wow! Not bad!

I know....we look like a bunch of poor college kids or hippie parents with our mattress on the floor but it is what it is when you have babies.  It's the safest arrangement. On nights when Dave has to get up and go to work extra early I have both girls in bed with me.  I never worry if one of them should roll out.  We're not even a foot up!

And so...at this point in time: February 2013 with two kids and five years in the house this is what our bedroom looks like.  Still a long way to go from where I want it to be, stylistically,  but we're in a happy place, emotionally. And I think that's a good place for a home.      

Six, Two...

The last few days something bit my butt and got me stirred up to do things, little things to make the house better.  House numbers for example.  I've hated our old ones since the day we moved in and I thought it was going to be one of those easy things I'd change right away. Instead, five years later...

Two days ago I went to Home Depot TWICE to get the right ones.  Today I started installing but didn't finish. Seven unused holes later the wall is starting to look like swiss cheese.  Dave has to help me.  I don't have enough upper body humph.  I thought I could crank this out in one hour while the sitter was still here. I couldn't!  And yes. I decided to down grade from DWR to Home Depot.  $26 for all four numbers instead of $24 a piece......  WAIT A MINUTE!   Ok, I swear five years ago these things were like $75 a piece!   What!  When did the price go down so drastically.  Now, I must research the zero. The zero from Home Depot still bugs me. Maybe I can DWR just that one number.  Hummm.....