Friday, February 22, 2013

Terrarium

While the flower photos I posted the other day lifted my winter weary spirits some...bah winter! Go away!! The photos weren't enough. Oh how I'm itching to work in the garden!

I want to dig and plant and smell turned earth! -sigh- But with 3 inches of fresh snow today, it's not going to happen any time soon. Not outside anyway. 

But maybe...

With one glass bowl that was purchased to house one Beta fish, only to be discarded for a small fish tank,


and one terrarium kit, only $15.00 at my local gardening center,


and a few miniature plants,


I could scratch that gardening itch by creating a terrarium!! Worth a try anyway!

Almost any clear container will work for a terrarium. As I said I used this large fish bowl.


Add river rocks, which came in the kit, to cover the bottom of the container for drainage.


Sprinkle in a layer of horticultural charcoal, also included in the kit. This prevents the soil from developing a bad odor. We don't want our terrarium to stink! Look pretty...yes! smell stinky...NO!


Add in a layer of dry sheet moss, again part of the kit! Gotta love an all in one kit! The sheet moss prevents the soil from seeping into the drainage layer.


Now add in your potting soil...from the kit! The soil layer should be about 3/4 to an inch deep.


Now for the fun part. Add in your plants! 

Plants are not included in the terrarium kit. Our garden center has a huge variety of plants to choose from though!

Before you add your plants you should decide if you want a front and a back side to your terrarium. You will want to place taller plants in the back and shorter plants in the front if you do. Otherwise place taller plants in the center with smaller plants surrounding.

Dig holes for the plants then pack the soil firmly around them once in place. Be sure the soil your plant is already growing in does not sit too high or too low in the terrarium! Once all the plants are in place, add more sheet moss to fill in empty spaces. Give your terrarium a couple of good sprays of water from a water bottle.

I also placed a few small rocks and little decorative mushrooms in my terrarium.


Instant, indoor garden!


Beautiful!


Miss Emma Bean says it smells so good, like dirt and summer. I think that was the best compliment she could have given!

Since my terrarium doesn't have a lid I'll need to water it occasionally. If it was covered, it would need very little attention other than admiring it for its loveliness! Which is exactly what I am doing today.

I'm admiring my lovely terrarium garden, while wearing the new Sanuks the Husband gave to me for Valentine's Day, and hoping winter ends soon!


Maybe it would help if I click the heels of my Sanuks together while saying, "There's no place like Spring!" 

Maybe??

Christine

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

A Little Sidetracked

I began to pull together some photos for the blog post I intended to write.


I got caught up looking through photos of flowers and gardens.


Next thing I knew I had compiled a collection of those photos!


I'm so tired of seeing this out my window!


I really needed to see some of this!!


Then I began to think that maybe I'm not the only one.


That maybe my original blog post idea could wait.


Maybe you needed to see some of this too!



-SIGH-

So ready for Spring!

Christine

Friday, February 15, 2013

A Day Late

I had intended to post a Valentine's Day blog yesterday. Yesterday being Valentine's Day and all!

I was feeling pretty excited about it.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned in the past that I don't do a whole lot for Valentine's Day because Miss Sofia's birthday is the day before and the Husband and I want the focus to be more about her birthday than Valentine's Day. This year however I decided I could make both days special. I was going to try anyway.

So we made Valentine's day garland! We made Valentine's day banners! I made pillows in the shape of hearts for the girls! And we filled jars with Dove chocolate hearts!


Hello Dove chocolate hearts. I think I love you!


And if little chocolate hearts are good...a big one is even BETTER!!


Now that's what I'm talkin bout!

Anyway what I'm trying to say is that for the first time in years I tried to make Valentine's Day a big deal. I think I did a pretty good job too. Then I woke up yesterday- how does the expression go? - SICK AS A DOG!!

A little disappointing let me tell you. -sigh-

On the bright side, I had some very pretty Valentine's Day decorations to enjoy while I was curled up in a ball whimpering from a nasty stomach virus. Bah!

Hope your Valentine's Day was full of love, and healthier than mine!

I'm definitely going to try again next year!

Christine




Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Big Day

A few weeks ago Miss Sofia finally got her braces off!

She'd been counting down the days!

She'd been buying packs of gum anticipation!

She'd stopped wearing the binders because she thought it didn't matter anymore! Grrrrr! The Husband and I kinda had to hound her about that one.

Her appointment was early in the morning so I took her out for a Starbucks first to celebrate.



I gave her a little grief for messaging one of her friends while she was supposed to be celebrating with me. The stinker!



But she was excited and her friends were excited for her so I guess it was ok. And really, how could I be mad at that sweet face??

Did you notice she's sporting a new short haircut? I think it looks great on her and she is delighted with it!



Last photo with braces!!! Woohoo!

Check out her fabulous new smile!



Gorgeous! 

I have to admit, I'm not sure if that big smile was just on account of getting the braces off or if the big box of candy the orthodontist gave her to celebrate had something to do with it as well. Hmmmmm



Either way she is thrilled to have her braces off, (the husband and I are thrilled to have the braces paid off! Yippee) and was so glad they came off just in time for her to celebrate her 15th birthday!

That's right folks! Miss Sofia turns 15 today!



I can hardly believe it!

She has suddenly become so grown up. -sigh-



Next thing the Husband and I know she'll be driving. Then she'll start dating. Then she'll want to go off to college! Then she'll want to get married and have her own babies!! Maybe even become President!!! 

YIKES! My baby is growing up so fast!!

And it's AMAZING!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Miss Sofi Bug!

We love you!

Mom

P.S. Guess who's next in line to get braces!




Monday, February 11, 2013

It's Simple, It's Easy, It's just a Trifle

This is the chocolate trifle I made for dessert on Super Bowl Sunday.




This trifle is so good one might be tempted to eat it all by one's self and not share with anyone else. Not that one would do such a thing. That would be wrong, and selfish, and I would never. -eh hem-

This trifle is so easy to make one might be tempted to never make any other dessert ever again! But that just wouldn't be fair to all the other desserts.

And just look how cute it is when placed in jars for individual servings! 


Can one call a dessert cute?

It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this very tempting trifle.

3 cups cold milk.
2 packages JELL-O chocolate flavored instant pudding (4 serving size each)
1 16 ounce tub Cool Whip
1 pan of prepared brownies
1 pint raspberries



Pour milk into a large bowl. Add both dry pudding mixes. Whisk for about 2 minutes, until well blended.



Gently stir in about 1 cup Cool Whip.




Fill one gallon size baggie with pudding mixture. Fill a second gallon size baggie with remaining Cool Whip.



Yeah that doesn't look very appetizing. It makes it much easier to layer the trifle though.

Cut about half the brownies into 1 inch cubes.



I really should have taken this photo before I tasted that bit of brownie. It was not my fault. It tempted me! 

Anyway...

Now to start the layering.

Clip a corner off each of the baggies of pudding mix and Cool Whip.



Beginning with brownies, start layering the trifle.


Pipe in some pudding mixture.



And then some Cool Whip.



Sprinkle in some raspberries. Mmmmm raspberries!



Repeat layers till your trifle dish is full. 



So pretty!



So tempting!

But you should definitely share!

Especially if the family knows you're making it!

Christine