Addiction

I have an addiction to flowers and antiques. Joe would probably describe the antiques as junk and that's probably a better description than antiques. Anything that is rusty, old, will give you splinters when you sit on it or looks old is perfect for the house or yard.

I also have a thing for flowers. Sunflowers and daisies are my favorite. Anything that resembles a sunflower or daisy can probably be found in my yard. As you can see from this picture, I really like chaos in the yard. I love how everything just blends together. 

Last year I tried to plant mostly perennials so that I wouldn't have to plant as many flowers this year. With everything that I started in the greenhouse this spring, I think I've probably planted close to 200 plants this year. Last fall when I cut down the sunflowers, I left the heads. Now there is a sunflower forest growing. I think it will look really neat when they all start blooming. 

I also love anything that climbs. I put an old bedframe piece out and planted some kind of climbing vine that the lady at the nursery said was "hardy and easy to grow". PERFECT!! It has gone crazy and almost covered the bedframe. I also planted these seeds to grow under this new fertilizer bin planter. As the plants started to climb up, Joe was sure that they were weeds. I couldn't remember what I planted and protested so he wouldn't pull them. Joe got on the internet and found out that I had planted Morning Glories and they are considered a weed. Well, how was I supposed to know that they would sell weeds in packets at the store??? Besides, the flower on the front of the package look pretty. We'll see what happens when these things take over the whole yard :) 

The front porch has the cool old chairs that no one can sit in because they will give you splinters. They look neat though.

Today Joe asked me if I wanted to go for a drive to Prineville. I agreed because I knew that there are several junk stores there and if I was lucky maybe we could stop at one. To my surprise, we went to a junk store that had several old rusty wheelbarrows for sale. A few weeks ago I mentioned that I needed an old wheelbarrow for the yard. Sometime last week Joe went on a farm call and saw this store with all the wheelbarrows. How nice of him to take me there to pick one out! When we got home, Joe unloaded it and filled it with dirt. Now I just need more flowers (and to pull some more weeds)!

This kind of addiction can't be that bad :)

Fun Pictures

Joe said that we don't need Cooper to retrieve for us anymore!


Did you know that a margarine bucket could make such a good toy?

We spent the last weekend of June in Salem with Joe's family. Joe and I met up with my aunt, cousin and brother for a bike ride on Saturday. Luckily we finished before the temp. reached 100 degrees. It was a beautiful ride through the farm country around Newberg.

On Sunday, we went to the Lavender Festival in west Salem. Joe let me buy some old "junk" for my garden. It really was his idea. It is an old metal fertilizer bin that has legs added and is a great planter. Now, I just need to get some flowers planted in it.

Addison had a great time playing with some of Joe's old toys. Notice a trend?? I really think that she wants a pony :)

Happy June Birthdays

Happy Birthday TJ and Auntie Carmen!!
June has always been a big birthday month in our family. My brother, aunt, and great grandma shared June 25th as their birthday's. For as long as I can remember the family has always had a party for these three special people. Since great grandma passed away a few weeks ago, this year the day passed without a party. I think TJ said it pretty well on his blog, www.tjcameron.org. Check out some pretty cool photos from years passed.

Rough Week

A week ago Saturday, Addison took a tumble onto the concrete. She didn't catch herself with her hands so her eye and nose made first contact with the concrete. She had a pretty good shiner the next day.

We have all had a little cold for the past week and on Friday morning Addison woke up with very goobery eyes. I figured that her tear ducts were blocked again and didn't really think much of it. Addison and I went to visit Shawna in Portland as planned. Addison slept the whole drive and when we got there her eyes were really puffy and yucky. (Nurse) Shawna helped me rinse them with some saline and she agreed that it was probably just blocked tear ducts and no reason for concern.

On Saturday, Shawna thought Addison's eyes were looking much better and so we decided to go on with our day and not take Addison to the urgent care. We went to the Beaverton Saturday Market and went home with lots of wonderful fresh fruits and veggies then took a trip to Nordstom for a quick shoe shopping trip!

Well, here at home, Joe's eyes started bothering him and I didn't know this until LATE on Saturday night. I didn't put all of this together until I woke up on Sunday morning with a very red eye. HMMM...wonder if we all have pink eye? Joe went to the urgent care in Redmond and sure enough he has pink eye. The doctor was nice enough to give Joe a prescription for antibiotics for all of us.

We called Addison's daycare yesterday to cancel for today. Today the daycare called to tell me that one other kid is out of daycare with pink eye and another kid was treated last week. So, maybe it wasn't our fault! Since Addison couldn't go to daycare today, I couldn't go to work. I feel like a total slacker when I call in "sick" and only work two days a week! Today Addison looks great. Joe and I still look like we've been smoking too much of an illegal substance.

So, while we were playing hookie, Addison and I shared an Otter Pop. She wasn't too sure about the coldness, but soon decided that it tasted "umm" (this is something she learned during her last visit to grandma's). After the Otter Pop, Addison wandered over to the dogs and Gauge really enjoyed cleaning her hands and face. I wasn't quick enough to get a picture though.

Since another child is out of daycare with pink eye, Addison can go tomorrow and I get to go to work. I guess it is make-up for missing today. It makes me feel a like a little less of a slacker.

Project (nearly) Accomplished

I finally was able to finish painting the guest room. I think I started in February. I ran out of paint and need to get a little more to finish the ceiling. But, I can claim it is done enough to leave the bedroom door open. There is no more plastic, blue tape or paint cans in the room. John, I hope you read this and come and visit soon. I'm sure it will be the best night of sleep you've ever had. I think with these colors the room is Zen-like. So relaxing...

It's So Quiet at Home

Today I met my mom halfway between Redmond and Roseburg and sent Addison to grandma's house. This is the first time that we've been home and Addison hasn't been here. What will we do??? No crying at night, no fussy baby. Actually, so far it has been great! Grandma said she would call and let me know when she was ready to send Addison home. Anyone want to make a bet - Friday or Saturday??

Messy Addison

The other day I knocked the box of Cheerios off the counter. The box was open and about half of the contents ended up on the floor. As soon as Addison heard the noise she was in the kitchen to find out what was going on. At first she was content to just kick and brush the cereal around the floor. Then she realized it was cereal and started eating off the floor. I quickly started vacuuming up the mess.

Addison LOVES the water. She has discovered that she can splash in the dogs' water bucket. She hasn't figured out how to turn on the faucet, yet. I'm sure that will be the next big discovery. This was yesterday when we were outside enjoying the sun and warm weather.



Saturday night Addison fell and hit her chin on the toilet and bit her tongue. Yesterday it was swollen and black and blue. I tried to get her to stick out her tongue so I could get a picture. Joe said it looks much better today. I think it still looks very sore!

Isn't she cute after her nap!!

Guess this will do until Daddy lets me get a pony!!

These diapers don't go! So frustrating!! Addison pulled the whole package out of her closet. It was all she could manage to drag them down the hall. She got tired and thought they might make a good ride! So cute.