Daydreaming about spring planting..

We currently have a yard covered in snow with a few more inches on the way, sooooo I am daydreaming about spring planting.

Here is a backyard photo, from a good 10 years ago, at a prior house. (Sorry for the poor quality something odd happened when I scanned the print.)

Oh how I wish when I moved I had taken some of my grandma's iris that I transplanted into that yard.

2011 is going to be a big year for landscaping at our house. Our backyard at this house is just so bare. I really don't know where to start. I planted a perennial garden in the far back corner, you can read around it here and I planted a vegetable garden and herb garden that you are read about here and I planted some wildflowers, read about here. What I think I really needs are some shrubs, a few trees, and maybe a rose garden.

Here was a photo taken of our backyard before any of the above... It's really not much more exciting now. We spend this entire last year finishing the basement and making changes to the inside of our home. Now it's time to put some time into the backyard!

Is anyone else thinking about what they are going to plant this spring?

My 10 favorite things this winter

My ten favorite things this winter...

 1. More time with my sons. I love when they are home and inside!

 2. Snuggling with my husband, the most amazing man in the world (no joke!)

 3. Hot drinks.  (Hot Chocolate, hot tea or the occasional white mocha from Starbucks.)

 4. Warm meals.

 5. Wearing scarves.

 6. The snow! We haven't had enough to complain.

 7. The extra downtime because it's too cold to be out and about.

 8. Having a fire in the fireplace, so romantic and relaxing.

 9. Burning candles.

10. Dreaming about the spring flowers that will be here in a few months.

What are your favorite things this winter?

Roasting a chicken

So, the truth of the matter is.. I have always been intimidated to purchase an entire chicken to cook. I am always buying bags of frozen chicken bones or fresh chicken already cut up to meet my recipe's need. This weekend I really stepped out of my comfort zone and purchased a full chicken to roast.. and oh was it worth the trouble, it was delicious!

First I had to remove the neck (um the head is gone, couldn't they have at least removed the rest of the neck??) And I had to remove the gizzards, thankfully they weren't attached to anything. After doing those two things and getting past the pieces of hair still attached to the skin (yuck) I was able to finish the job.

 The part that looks burnt is actually just the garlic that I removed after the roasting process. I am only posting photos so I can look back and remind myself that it wasn't that hard. Can you believe for a woman in her 30s that loves to cook that this was a first!? With this one chicken I served my family chicken & mashed potatoes for lunch and chicken nachos for dinner!

Antique Ice Skates

Last weekend I purchased some really old ice skates that were dirty inside and out. I cleaned them up to hang outside our front door. I am going to paint something on them, possibly our family name.

I figured I better get them out there while we have snow on the ground. I hope to have time to paint them sometime this week but at my current blogging rate you may not see them again until the snow melts (sorry!).

2011 Resolutions

2011 is finally here!!! I say finally because I have been looking forward to 2011 for years. I really like the number one and I like '11' even better. I was extremely happy on 1-1-11 but can hardly wait for 11-11-11. I know it's silly to be so crazy about numbers but I am telling you now, this is going to be a amazing year!

My 2011 new year resolutions include:

• Spend as much time as possible with my sons.
• Be the best wife imaginable.
  
• Continue to organize- A place for everything and everything in it's place.
• Work out at LEAST three times a week and get fit again.
• Cook a new recipe once a week.
• Volunteer at least twice a month.
• Read at least one book a month.
• Do more blog writing.
• Send birthday cards in the mail to family and friends.
• Write a letter at least once a month to someone I care about. 
• Buy some new spices and try experimenting with them.
• Plant lots of flower seeds in the spring.
• Work on backyard landscaping.
• Sew a quilt.
• Travel outside of the country with my family.

Happy 2011!!