Garden Books for Kids {@ Or So She Says}

Happy Tuesday to you all!  We are finally experiencing some sunshine here in Utah.  It seems like the past few weeks have been nothing but cold, wind, clouds, and rain.  But that kind of weather just makes you appreciate the sunshine and warmth that much more!

Today I'm over at Or So She Says with a list of our favorite children's books for the garden.  Does summertime mean garden time at your house?  It sure does for us.  I look forward to it every year, and so do my boys.  I can't count the benefits of gardening together as a family.  They're countless!!  And I always love to build upon the activities we're doing with great books.  So, stop by and visit (click here to do so) to check out our list.

And just because I can't get enough of them, here's a few pictures of life in the garden.  Some of my most cherished memories comes from here!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

There's Magic in the Dirt {Printable}

This is one of my all-time favorite pictures of my twins.  It was taken five years ago in our very first family garden.  These two little guys LOVED this garden!  They were the best garden tenders you'd ever seen.  They weeded, watered picked peppers (and tried so, so hard to like them), and even cried a bit when the neighbor's cat wouldn't eat the cherry tomatoes they were trying to share with it.  So many priceless memories!  

 At my father-in-law's studio here in Midway there are some great signs in their gift department.  There was a sign (click here to see it) several years ago that said, "Garden:  there's magic in the dirt!".  I've always wanted a copy of it to hang in my house during the summer months, because it fits this picture of my twins so perfectly, and gardening is magical to me.  So, I decided to make it my printable for today.

Click to Print

We don't have our own garden this year, but our in-law's garden is bigger than we'd ever have ourselves.  My twins are older now and the magic in the dirt has slightly faded for them (I'm hoping it will return for them someday like it has for me), but lucky for me, I still have a three-year-old who is smitten by the magic of the dirt.  Every new sprout, blossom, veggie, even weed is magical!

What magic has your dirt produced this summer?  So far, my boys have shelled and devoured lots of peas, and the beets are ready to harvest.  There's a lot more on the way, and I  cannot wait!  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

Flowers Pinterest Board

We got back late last night from our fun-filled mini vacation at grandpa and grandma's.  Now vacation time is over, and it's time to get back to posting.

Last week I shared my gardening Pinterest board with you.  I have a separate board devoted just to flowers, so I thought I'd share that one today since they kind of go hand-in-hand.



I've always loved flowers!  My mom has Willow Tree figures to represent my siblings and myself on her mantel.  My figure is holding a bouquet of flowers in her dress.  I love the colors, the varieties, the smells,... what's not to love?  I go through phases, but I have to say my favorite flowers these days are peonies.  We had them in our yard growing up, but I didn't really like them then.  Now, I wish I had a yard full of them (someday hopefully). 
What's your favorite flower?

You can check out all my other Pinterest boards here.
Thanks so much for stopping by!I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

Gardening {Pinterest Board, Painting, & Photographs}

I missed my post yesterday because our Internet was down.  My in-laws had a hundred year old tree blown down over the weekend (picture here), and a few wires were damaged in the process.  Amazing how your life can come to a stand still with no Internet.  It was actually very nice!  But it's also nice to have it all fixed.  On with the posts.

Today it's all about gardens.

I love summer for many reasons, but gardening has to be at the top of my list.  I think you're either a gardener, or you're not.  I guess you can grow to love it, but if it's in you, it's hard to get rid of.  Lucky for me, my parents and my husband's parents raised us on gardening.  I'm so glad it's in me!  There are so many fulfilling benefits that come from having your own garden. 

The Summer Foal By Robert Duncan

This is one of my very favorite paintings my father-in-law has done.  It's a painting of many of my family members in my in-law's garden.  It's a work of art (the garden and the painting!). 

This is a picture of my husband and boys snail hunting last year in my in-law's garden.  The sails have returned this year.  Anyone have any amazing tips for getting rid of them?  My boys were picking them out for a nickel a piece, but they've grown a bit weary of that job.  I can't say I blame them!

And here's my youngest enjoying the cosmos in the garden.  He's at the age that everything about the garden is fascinating.   I'm right there with him.

What's growing in your garden?

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.