Gardening and School

Those are the two things that have consumed my life since I last posted.  I really need to get better about this!  But with spring comes A LOT of responsibility in the yard and the FCAT is upon us this week at school.  It's all been snowballing and has sucked me in.  Sorry for being MIA!  I have so much to post, but this will suffice for now.

I decided to try container gardening this year for the first time.  And I'm so excited.  I'm a domesticated nerd.  My whole family is comprised of gardeners, but I never really took an interest to it until now.  Since I can't physically till up a portion of our yard, I decided to buy some massive containers and try my hand that way.  Three weeks ago I planted tomatoes (6 of them, *oh my word*), squash (2), cucumbers (2), bell peppers (1), jalapenos (3), basil, cilantro, oregano, dill, rosemary, and thyme.  I have 8 containers all together spread out around the yard.  In just this last week, these suckers really started to bloom!

Here's my basil and cilantro week 1.

And here's what they look like at week 3.

My squash and cucumbers at week 1.

And at week 3.  They've gotten so huge I think I'm going to have to re-pot them.  You can't even see the cucumbers growing up the trellis in this picture.

Herbs (thyme, dill, rosemary, oregano) week 1.

And herbs week 3.

Tomatoes and some of the pepper plants week 1.

And tomatoes and peppers week 3.

It's amazing to me to see the difference in just a couple of weeks.  I realize that I may be the only person alive that finds this remotely interesting.  I can't wait to have home grown veggies and herbs all summer.  I'm already using the herbs, but I'll have to wait awhile on the veggies.  Something (a slug, I think) keeps eating the leaves of my pepper plants and I cannot figure out how to get rid of it.  Anyone have any suggestions?  Normally pests leave pepper plants alone, but not in my yard.  I planted marigolds in all of the containers because my mom told me that would keep bugs away from my tomatoes.  So far, so good on that one!  My class has a garden too so I'll have to post pictures of that.  We're growing squash, cherry tomatoes, and peppers.

My class is taking the FCAT this week.  They've worked SO hard all year to prepare and I am extremely proud of their efforts.  One of my friends, a first grade teacher at our school, had her class make us signs and cards for all of my kids.  I hung them up Friday afternoon (along with black butcher paper to hide all of my posters, ugh!) for extra motivation this week.  We were so grateful for their kindness.  It really brightened my students' day, and mine!

I cannot wait to have my room back the way I like it.  I despise having their desks like this.  I prefer group seating.  It makes the flow so much easier and the kids are quieter...as weird as that may be.  You'd think sitting with a group of people they'd talk, but they talk WAY MORE when seated like this.  And I never realized how much team work I do until they're seated like this and I can't do it anymore.  Oh well, just 2 more days!  I'm keeping my sweet kids in my prayers as they start the math portion tomorrow.  I can't believe I only have 6 more weeks with them.  I'm getting sad!

Speaking of prayers, I'd like to make a special request for prayers for my nephew, Matt.  I will spare the details, but he needs prayers, please.  Easter did not go as planned for our family this year.  But God hears us and He's answering surely.  I believe that the power of prayer is so strong that it can accomplish anything.  It's already accomplished so much!  And for that I am truly thankful.

I hope y'all have a great week.  Be blessed! XO