Ready or not..The Nursery

Still not done, but I think this is just about what it will look like when III arrives and so it'll probably look like this for quite some time!

It's not overwhelmingly a baby room. It's stuff I like and I think he'll like too.

The doggie gate welcomes you.


I can hardly fit through it these days, and we're yet to keep the dogs out of here, hence the dog hair tumbleweeds. Both pooches have taken to rolling in the sunshine on the rug. I hope the boy doesn't mind sharing.

He's got some books that I've been saving for some time. I used to have so many children's books but have slowly let them all go except for a handful.


The photographs have been up there for a while. Just some flowers in my garden. Not what I planned for the space, but I am yet to find something else I like.

Inside his very organized closet are lots of great hand me down baby clothes and a handful of new outfits. I hope I can manage to keep these little things organized by size and type of outfit the way Jessica set it up and taught me.


The room has been this shade of green for a while, and when I painted it I was too lazy to do the closet. I don't think he'll mind. I know someone out there who has a thing for unpainted closets...I bet I hear it from her real soon!

The butterfly is a silk kite. Not "oh so baby" but again, I really like it.


I want a little rocking chair for under the floor lamp where my packed bag is currently residing. The shade on that lamp is pink gingham. I was going to trade it out for something else, but Charlie asked me to keep it, so there it stays.

And the crib. No quilt yet. Still on back order. But he's got a blue blankie hanging on the end courtesy of Cindy's crocheting talent!


The ottoman is here, but still no rocking chair. It's currently being shipped from Houston. The chair will go between the crib and side table. I'd like a mobile for the crib and something for the walls, but haven't found anything just yet. Maybe that swing still in the box will get put together tonight! And a few people have told me the rug is too feminine, but I think the boy will deal with it just fine.

The lamp I had to have, and the tree relief print was a wedding gift.


He's even got a few coins in his football bank.

The crib and dresser were Charlie's and his grandmother used it with his mother and his sister used it with his nephews. Someone mentioned they have a family crib and a plaque is added with each name of the baby who used it before it is passed on to someone else. We may have to do that with this crib too.

Nope, no changing table. I'm sure we'll manage without. Don't see myself hiking upstairs (25 stairs) to change diapers anyway, although I'll have to make a trip upstairs to deposit the cloth diapers in the bag.


Aren't they cute?!? We're getting quite the collection and I can't wait to see them on. And a few outfits hang inside as well.


The room makes me happy. It's been a "baby" room since we moved into this house 3 years ago. I'm happy it will be Freddie's room real soon.

The new toy

Charlie has a new favorite toy that I hope he uses quite a bit. Believe it or not, it's a vacuum. The man has been desperately (yes, desperately) wanting a Dyson vacuum cleaner for some time, and his parents were kind enough to fulfill the man's wish as an anniversary gift.

While a vacuum may not immediately sound like a terribly exciting anniversary gift, take a moment to think about your husband being anxious to try it out on the floors, under the furniture, along the blinds. Great gift. No doubt about it.

We don't have a rigid division of household chores. Charlie always does the floors and then whatever else I ask of him. The whatever else usually amounting to "bustling up" and putting away his things that have managed to find new resting places all around the house. But the floors are always his responsibility, hence his pining for a Dyson.

After many small test runs with the various tool attachments and requests for an audience for demonstrations, Charlie finally put the Dyson "Animal DC-17" on her first official run.


I hope he doesn't lose interest in her and continues to show me how much easier it is to clean the floors.

I have to admit, I am pretty impressed by the vacuum, almost as much as I am grossed out by seeing how much dirt and dog hair accumulates.


I may even have to try it out if Charlie loses interest.

Today's a day...

I am thankful for my swing.

And Yet Another

This week I am finding our ladybugs in the bathroom light, kitchen cabinets, on the night stands, and even in the refrigerator!

Who Dat!

We've got the bigger and better Saints flag flying today!

Herbicide?

I think I've killed our ficus.

I think I killed both of them!

I have been all wadded up because I have had bugs on them. The bugs would cause leaves to fold over like taquitos. I tried pruning the plants, and removing the affected leaves when I saw them. This went on for weeks. Then I tried to spray with Sevin. I did two rounds of that and didn't have any luck!

So Charlie told me to try a soap and water mixture in a spray bottle. So I did. Well, I should have read up on using insecticidal soap before trying it myself. Found out that you should buy insecticidal soap, but if making your own, there is a recommended ratio of one teaspoon soap to one quart of water. Needless to say, I did not come close to that ratio.

So the ficuses are dropping their leaves. These trees have been through quite a bit, so I think they'll eventually come around, but in the mean time, they are going to look pitiful.

More Blooms

The blossoms keep on coming! The shrimp plant is Charlie's favorite! I think this one is called "fruit cocktail."



This is the purple angel trumpet that we got from a little old man in Harahan. He advertises cuttings of his plants in the classifieds and sells them for a few bucks. I think it is just a way for him to get people over to the house to talk to, and give him a chance to show off his garden. The two trumpet plants are doing well now that the caterpillars have left. Their flowers are smaller than the traditional flowers, but these are doubles!

The After

Yesterday the workshop arrived!

It is BIG! I am not sure if Charlie will think so once he moves in, but it does take up a large piece of the yard. Just as well, as we planned to put the shed there and we need the storage space.

The color is as close to the house color as we could get from the options the company offered. I’d like to grow some creeping vine on it (like what is all over the front steps) but I know that is not an option in Charlie’s book.



The men put it up in one day, less than 8 hours. I wonder what they get paid compared to what we paid for it to be built. Surprisingly, Charlie got out there and took an action shot in the morning. He simply explained to the men not to worry with him, he had to get some photos to send his parents.



Charlie is so pleased. I am surprised he didn’t sleep in it last night.



Notice the bananas? The bunch gets bigger and bigger and the tree leans closer and closer to the ground. I read in my Louisiana gardening book that after they fruit, they should be cut back as they only fruit once. The bananas will eventually ripen and can be left on the tree unless there is a threat of frost. It is doubtful that we’ll have that anytime soon, or even at all.