Bloom Where You are Planted

I'm obsessed with plants and landscapes.

I go for a run and I'm naming off all the plants that I pass.  I was at the hospital today visiting my mother in law and it was "Gro Low Sumac, Russian Sage, Karl Forester Feather Reed Grass, Miscanthus, What is that tree?  file that leaf shape away in the brain to do research when I get home."  

Other times I'm lamenting.  "oh they bought those dang hydrangeas from Costco and planted them in full sun, should I knock on their door?"  decided against it and drove past the next week to a pile of dead hydrangeas.  Should have maybe knocked.

I'm experimenting and making mistakes too and that's okay.  I definitely pruned our grapes wrong.  But that's okay and I still have more than we can eat.  I tried to divide a gaura and realized it has a taproot.  I pruned my tomatoes for the first time ever and probably cut too many leaves off.  Oh well!  They are still thriving.  And my cutting garden should have planted the flowers in blocks like at Snuck Farm so the tall sunflowers wouldn't hog the sunlight.  I'm learning that most of the time, plants are super resilient.  

I wake up every morning and the first thing I think about is getting out in the yard.  What projects can I do today?  What needs to be done?  What do I want to do?  And I'm SO excited to do it.  In fact I can't wait to wake up to go out and see what is happening.  

I drive around neighborhoods and study their landscaping.  Taking note of sizes, bloomtimes, etc.  I stop by nurseries to see how their stock compares to ours.  

I had a customer come in yesterday and she had to pick plants for her yard installation on Saturday and it was SO fun!  I went home and sent her inspiration photos of different options and it just makes me really excited and happy.  I'm going to research tree options for her too.

The next thing I need to do is take some Landscape design classes and learn Autocad and sketch up.  

I feel like I'm more "me" than I've ever been.  I am proud of what I've learned and I love to share this passion.  I'm excited for what's coming next.  I feel healthier emotionally because I've got time to think of things I love all day instead of having too much time on my hands and ruminating on kid things and other things I can't/shouldn't control.  Its a good feeling and I think it is helping me to be a better spouse and parent.  Its fun to use my brain.  In the past few years I've asked myself on occasion, "Am I dumb now?"  lol but really did feel like sometimes I'm not learning new things.  Now I am.  And there is no making myself do something.  There is an energy for this that I've never had for anything else in my life.  There is no mental effort because I love it so much.  

So fortunately I have this cute recent BYU Business School Experience Design Grad in my basement for a few more weeks!  Elise has great taste and I'm going to have her help me with a logo.  And we are going to do somethings on Etsy.  And planning some fun events for winter!  I'm excited. 

Summer Photo Dump

Tomorrow Soren has Sevie day!  He's so excited!  Friends are coming over for swimming and games after.

Not sure when I will catch up with documenting our summer, so here are the highlights in photos!

Workin Wingers

This summer has been fun!  First off, I got a job at my favorite local nursery!  Its been so fun and I'm happy to be learning so much!  My favorite days are when there are lots of customers and new plant shipments come in and I get to see them right off the truck.  I spend a lot of time watering (its been so hot) so while I'm watering, I'm reading plant tags and making mental notes of things I like.  I love all the people I work with and its fun to look around at the boutique after work.

I got this job with the intent to learn more about plants.  And bonus, I also get a good discount!  So that is awesome.  I found these accidental photos on the phone of me in April happily shopping at Sun River Gardens.  I mean, I look like life is pretty good.  Really though, people are so nice when they are shopping there.  There is music, fountains, beautiful displays, tons of plants and flowers.  Its a pretty great work environment.  (hoping that is my boob and not my belly sticking out haha)

What is hard is its been in the mid to upper 90's and we are outside sweating, on our feet for 8 hours.  I am getting between 14,000-16,000 steps per workday.  And I'm so zapped from the heat when I get home.  I also have allergies, which is bugging right now (gotta try some oils for that).  But, when I'm sweaty and tired I think of Miles walking 10 miles a day and I'm motivated to keep going.  And I hope in time I can do just a couple shifts per week because I think that would be perfect.

Simone got a job at a restaurant nearby.  Its Miles's favorite place.  And the funny thing is when it opened he told us that people who work there make so much and we didn't believe him.  But with tips she averaged $28 an hour!  So he was right.  And we were blown away.  I always complain about paying tips for over the counter food and no one actually serving me.  But I am happy for Simone to be raking in the dough.  She's a hard worker and has a great attitude.  She's planning to save a bunch so she can graduate early and get her own place soon.  She's almost an adult!  Crazy.  She's also coaching climbing again starting this week.  And she has her rock business, although she doesn't get as many orders these days.

We decided to get a riding lawn mower and pay Soren to mow every week.  We were paying a few thousand per year for our lawn care and treatments and decided that we should invest in a lawnmower and give that to Soren for his college savings.  And when he gets good at it he can hopefully pick up some other lawns and earn some more money.  Soren is very meticulous and I know he can learn to get really good at it. 

Jared is doing a lot more of the stuff I usually do cause I'm just not home as much.  He is playing with Soleil a ton and she loves coming up to his office.  He's getting Soren to all of his appointments and things.  So its been a bit of a role reversal.  Soren is really loving the dad time, I can tell.

Elise had an internship this summer and loved it.  It was fun to see Jared's cousins company and all the cool creative events and merchandising and marketing they do for their clients.  She was happy when it was over to be able to take care of Soleil full-time.  That little girl is so busy now!  Walking everywhere.

Ethan just started working doing insurance with Carson.  And it was fun to see them the other day at Sunday dinner with so much to talk about.  Its fun to have something like that in common.  He was watching Soleil while Elise had her internship.  And now he'll be in school again as well.

Monet and Carson are as hardworking as ever and just bought a new house in Spanish Fork!  Its super cute and we all helped them move in.  They are great savers and have made a lot of sacrifices to do this!