Trees

Whewwww.. its been awhile again, and I promised it wouldn't.. well you can be mad at me just as my kids are when they don't get to do something too!... So I am used to it... go ahead!

Hang with me... these really do relate to trees...

So I have accepted 2 new positions... I know...BUSY.. But I really think they will work out!  God has a mysterious way to pull me through the obstacles in life.  After all... he gave me this "break" to get the house in order to sell, and organize these moves.  I have been very busy running the kids everywhere...speech, Kindergarten, soccer, T-ball... now camping!  He allowed me this special time with my kids and I may still have certain days off here and there due to my shifts...that can still offer these experiences. (although, stressful and in great need of planning ahead...I do enjoy them!--just don't tell JOE!)  God planned the opportunity to submit an application to Northland College for a nursing field assistance, of which I won't have applied for if I was still working at Doctors Hospital, but would have never thought it would turn into: the dean "held onto my resume" knowing that a more appropriate position was arising!!!  I will be a college instructor -- a dream come true!!!

God offered a 12 hour night shift position at RiverView Hospital (about 20 mins from home). That I at first wasn't too thrilled about, but now it may just work with the Adjunct Radiologic Technology Instructor career I "fell into!!"  I really need to trust in him more.  After all he has the plan already laid out for me, so why mess with it? 

I have been extremely busy with cake orders... just completed a HUGE wedding cake (in my TINY apartment). How I did that... I have no idea... and that $$$$ has officially started going back into our Disney World fund!... YEAH  Knowing that I have a job (or a few!)  really takes some weight off the shoulders and I can really look into the future again.  Planning for a vacation just wasn't in the books 2 months ago.. I was stressing about just paying our new mortgage, so you can tell... it has much improved!!

I am finishing up my last day at the flower shop tomorrow.  I will really miss it... I enjoyed it everyday!  I may still get to help her out once in a while...for big events, or special holidays...we will see what the Beland schedule allows!

And Joe thinks I didn't accomplish anything while I was unemployed.. it took alot out of me and I accomplished alot... that is why these last 2 weeks of unemployment I am going to sit back, relax when I can, and have everything else organized... if I can!... I have ran errands wrapping up house ideas (enjoying every minute of it -- I saw 2 bathroom mirrors, that may be a bit early to buy...but went back for them and they were gone... see.. need to SHOP!!  Retail therapy is the best.. and Joe thinks I am nuts...I haven't allowed myself much retail therapy with the latest situations, but now I can really start to find the deals and BUY them too!!)  I was so busy I could barely find time to do laundry...mind you in am apartment...around other tenants schedules and dryers that don't dry well, so now what am I going to do with more jobs??!  It will work ...RIGHT?!

We are officially finished with our old house (about a month ago) and now living in the crammed spaces of a "cozy" apartment... yesterday I spent the ENTIRE day going through files... files from the old house that I don't think I need anymore... Do I?  Don't tell me I do, cuz they are gone!  Files from unemployment... WOW... Government.. you REALLY don't need that much info sent to us if we are signed up online/emails do you?  After all isn't that the point of working online?  SOOOOOO happy to ditch all of that in the trash!

I filled out paperwork for the 2 new jobs... of course all in the same day... one of them being work for the government, so you know how big that stack is!!?  and both being in a different state.. that added too!

I sorted through my ideas for the house stack AGAIN... Just gets me all excited to see what can come, but then gets me a bit stressed to imagine -- will this look ok together?  what about the expenses?  can I do this project myself?  Not with 2 new jobs I can't.  ??? or can I???!

15 Black Hills Spruce...do you think they are straight?

So, after I had clearly killed at least one TREE due to the paperwork stacks (see!! I told you it was coming!!)  We officially started making our new land ours!  (After killing 1)...We planted 17 trees at the "farm!" That is what the boys call it?!  It is a development in the country, so not quite, but they love it!

We researched a bit.. what to plant.. where... oh do I hope they survive.. its alot of work figuring out what will look good.. where... and how big they will get.. how often to water.. how deep to plant.

Actually -- here is a lesson to learn -- maybe you will laugh at me and say DUH... but... When figuring out how many feet apart to plant a row of trees....say oh just for the fun of it.. 15 trees in a row that is 248 ft long... don't divide 248 by 15...cuz you have 1 tree at each end... there are 14 spaces that need to be filled... so ... Each spruce should not be 16.5 ft apart, but 17.7...it makes a BIG difference when tree 14 and tree 15 have too much space between them... we only did it 3 times... ha... oh and 124' (the center point) plus 124' isn't 148'.. just FYI... Oh good times and memories huh!!?  Oh did I mention it was hot and the bugs were biting.. and we were FULL of dirt...and I dumped a half of bucket of water on me too.. felt good at first.. but then I was just wet.. yuck......Joe said I was wasting water!  -- No plumbing out there yet... so hauling water every few days is our next great adventure!!!!

I used to have a rock that was in my old flower bed that said... I tried, but it died!  Yep, That is how good I can grow plants, so hopefully trees and the future grass will be different.  Joe is in charge now; he also takes care of the house plants, as I have killed off a few of those too!

We will be planting the remainder of the perimeter next spring, as we have seemed to miss the ideal time to plant by about a month and the soil conservation (a place to get cheap, but tiny trees) is out of them.  So time to really research and think about what else to plant!  Any ideas?

So far we have chosen Zone 3 and 4... (hardy in cold ND!) trees.  That's a good start right?!  We planted the back property line with Black Hill Spruces...hopefully it will allow for some wind coverage and privacy in the future.. probably distant future, but they will be 1 year ahead of what we had originally planned!  We were told they are one of the few that stay soft vs. prickly for an evergreen. 

Niobe Weeping Willow

Then I am SUPER excited about our Niobe Weeping Willow Trees!!!  The should get 50' to 70' tall and up to 50' wide... They can grow 8' a year?... Don't worry mine won't!!  We planted them about 70' apart... so I hope that works... kind of grow together to produce some shade over the garden??!!... Yes I just said garden... so I don't know how well that is going to work?  while SEARCHing the internet discovering trees.. we were warned about Willows seeking water sources, so we planted them in the WAY BACK of our lot (I guess the roots can wrap around water sources, pipes, etc... So who's going to remember to water them and the garden, so everyone can have their share of the water???)

I also suppose you are thinking... what could we possibly plant in our vegetable garden that my family would eat... well here's the plan already!... Strawberries, Corn, Carrots, Potatoes...Maybe venture into pumpkins one year!!?... as you noticed nothing green!... Heaven forbid we would eat that...I might have to try a lettuce once too!... We will see how it goes. ;)

Ok so it was a stretch to make those topics BOTH about trees.. but it worked?  Hopefully I will be back soon to keep these updates about our crazy commotions organized and shared!