My Dead Flowers

Apparently I didn't get my Grandma Brown's green thumb. My husband and I have a joke about how he gets me flowers and I manage to kill them quickly. One day I received flowers at work. All I saw was the reminder card about watering your flowers and I remember laughing and saying that these had to be from him. (I found out later there actually was a note from him, I just missed it.) My husband usually gets me flowers for Valentine's Day, my birthday, anniversary, etc. And while I really do love them, I just hate that they die. I'm known to keep them around until the VERY end. I'm talking the totally dried up, ugly looking things you get after a month. Guess it's a good thing we don't get visitors over here! And then I just can't bear to throw them away because my husband got them for me....so I set them in the garage for a while until we finally come to an understanding they need to meet the dumpster. Yes, we have been married for 9 years now and it's a vicious cycle. I don't know if it stems back to our college days when we were dating and I kept the rose petals so we could have the flower girl throw them at our wedding or if I've always been a dead flower hoarder.

So what's a girl to do with dead flowers that she can't part with? Well tonight I finally realized I could save the seeds and plant them next year and appreciate them all summer long! It will be fun to see what flowers will make it and to remember back on which occasion he gave me those particular flowers.

What I learned today

Kenzie wasn't sure about a girls day with just mom when she heard what the boys were doing, but I think in the end, she enjoyed herself thoroughly. I know I did! And I learned some new things too.

1. Downtown Rockford is such a fun place. We happened upon an event for kids and there were several activities.

Making flags that will be displayed at Cannonsburg

Decorate your own masks

Stand behind several different cut outs for photos

Last, but not least- get your face painted!

2. Fire trucks have hidden compartments. How did I not know this before?

3. It's good to try new foods! Always been a ketchup and mustard fan- no more, no less. Pickles and onions are a good addition!

4. Rockford has awesome places that provide yummy new foods as well. Rudy Kazoody's taffy, Custard by the Dam's chocolate covered espresso beans and the farmer's market fresh kettle corn. I love banana taffy, but rarely ever buy it....mmm, just like I remember it.

5. You can actually use the phrase "You're like a kid in a candy store!" appropriately if you're with a kid in a candy store and they're going crazy over all the sweet treats. 

6. Rockford is a beautiful place to take pictures and I'm looking forward to taking my cousin's wedding photos there next month.

Took quick test shots before it started pouring or I would have taken the cup out of the photo.

7. How much I love this sweet girl and her uniquely beautiful eyes.

8. That this Goodwill location is serious about going green. Seriously? Front row parking?

9. That Sweet Pea knows the electric fence isn't on and more importantly, horses DO NOT like flashes. Not sure who that scared more.

10. That, in the world of gardening, things can take off or make a turn for the bad very quickly.

Taken on July 23. Really excited about my tomatoes!

Taken tonight- 3 wks later. My tomatoes are rapidly dying this week and it's so sad to watch.

Can't tell in the photo, but this pumpkin is pretty big already!

So glad that we're blessed to have a son and daughter and that we take the time to have "boys day" and "girl day" so we can fill up those memory banks in our children.