First official day of spring! Spent most of the day outside and for the first time this year the tub had a nice ring of dirt after the kids' bath. So happy they love to be outside as much as I do. Now if I could just teach Luke to actually use that dandelion puller he is so fascinated wtih.....
And so I did my first real yard work for the year today. Picked up a bag of Scot's crab grass inhibitor (advertised rebate was a pain in the a$$ to complete online but I digress) and then picked up my rigid prong rake. This is the first time I've tried thatching before putting down fertilizer, I'm hoping to see some good results. Not easy work though: I was at it about two hours in the back yark and got a big bag of dead grass - and I know I could get more. I need to complete the back then move on to the front in the next few days, so I can get my product down. My biggest difficulty was tearing up patches of grass in some areas. I'm not too concerned though because a) I figure it's good aeration and b) I'm working on a plan for reshaping and enlarging some of the beds in the most difficult areas anyway. I'm going to take some pics tomorrow to document the journey in our garden this year.
Also tried a new recipe today, Cheesy Green Hummus from over at Weelicious. Basically chick peas, spinach, tahini, parmesan cheese, and a bit of olive oil (I used less than the recipe called for). I wanted to bring something to the neighborhood egg hunt potluck that was moderately healthy, plus it was an excuse to try this recipe. Big success! I served some English cucumbers, mushrooms and carrots with it and those that tried it really liked it. I've been playing around a bit with hummus over the past month and this may be my fave. Edamame hummus has a more distinct flavor but I definitely enjoyed the flavor the parm and spinach added to this one. Also tried a new brand of tahini, which came from Whole Foods. Purchased the previous one at Dominick's - pricey and I think it had been on the shelf awhile, based on the texture as compared to the WF one.
And finally the moment that warmed my heart for the day: Since we met, Hubs and I have sat down to dinner together nearly every night. The tradition continues as our family has expanded, with the addition of a simple "Thank you Jesus for our food, Amen" before we start. Helena has been reminding us to "say thank you" when we forget for awhile now, and just recently she insists on adding her own thoughts. Usually something like "... and for our pray, and saving us at church" - she's not sure of how to put the words together but she's definitely absorbing something from Sunday school. So today she added "... and for our mommy who got us Easter baskets [here I thought she would say 'with treats'] that we gave to the children that didn't have Easter baskets". Hard to hide my joy when I hear something like that!
Happy Easter, Y'all.
