JUST A FEW WEEKS LATE

To put it lightly, I've hit a blogging rut. My last post was on May 4th and now it might as well be June already.

I've discovered that it's really hard to motivate myself to drag out my computer after working hours and write for myself. I don't think I'd have such a hard time if I didn't work in social media marketing, but the fact is that I do. My job requires me to be in front of a computer and online for most of the day. Once you've spent your day creating content, monitoring your clients' social sites, responding to fans and followers, and sending email after email, the last thing you want to do is once again put your fingers to the keyboard and write (not that I'm complaining - I do love my job!).

I'm determined to get better at this; my goal is to dedicate a few hours a week to blogging for myself. Not for my clients, not for my agency - just for me. Because if I can't make time for the things I like to do outside of work, then I'm really not doing this whole "work/life balance" thing right.

For starters, here's a few pictures from our trip to Asheville a few weekends ago for Dylan's brother's college graduation:

Road trip time with Claire & her little dog Peyton

Charlie made a lot of puppy friends that weekend - this is Lyle & Sofie's dog Coach

Trash bag couture at the graduation ceremony (aka it rained...a lot)

Dylan's step-sister Claire, step-dad and mom modeling the snazzy trash bags

Lyle graduating! Soaked to the bone, but graduating.

Pictures with the graduate!

We found some horses to hang out with

And went on a hike

Played some (very competitive) games of cornhole

And did some grillin'

Ending the weekend with one very tired Charlie

During my blogging absence over the past few weeks, I also went on our annual work mystery trip (this year's was to New Orleans!), developed an annoying sinus infection, and enjoyed Memorial Day weekend with my family back home. More pictures coming soon! And more posts. I promise.

GROWING MY GREEN THUMB

I finally had enough time to plant my little mini garden in the backyard last weekend!

Isn't it cute? I had initially picked out another, more convenient, spot in the yard for the garden, but we ran into a slight problem. There was a small (or so we thought) stump in the way that I was going to have Dylan dig out for me. That sucker turned out to be at least 4' x 4' across, hidden under a few inches of dirt. There was no way we were ever getting it out without an axe, a chain, and a heavy duty truck - which, honestly, I would love to have. Alas, my choice gardening spot wasn't going to happen - so we moved it to smack dab in the middle of the yard, on the edge of the "landscaping" (the owners of our townhouse really did a bad job with that). I do like the cute little fence that goes around it, even if it's not so successful at keeping Charlie from trampling my poor little plants.

Right now, there are three tomato plants, four cucumber plants, and three bell pepper plants (there was supposed to be one red, one green, and one yellow, but somehow I ended up with two yellow's and no green). And yes, as my mother lovingly reminded me, I do realize that those cucumber plants are going to start taking over everything very soon. Instead of letting them grow out, they're going to be trellised so they grow up and don't smother every other living thing in site. She also warned me that I'm going to have way more cucumbers than I'll know what to do with - anyone think they'll want/need some cucumbers in a few months? Maybe a whole basket full? :) Worst-case scenario, I'll be making a lot of pickles this year. I do love me some pickles.

I also did some container gardening with a bunch of different herbs to save space, and also because I like how they look on my porch.

Oregano, dill and parsley!

I also planted a second pot of just basil yesterday. Can't wait to make pesto and more caprese salad! Oh, and Charlie helped... in his own special way. Mostly just by chewing on the roots and clumps of dirt that we dug up.

"Seriously, mom, stop with the pictures."

I'm hoping that I actually get some decent herbs and veggies out of this little gardening experiment. But let me tell you - I will Sharpie-marker my thumb green until I'm one hundred percent positive that they're actually growing! (I am pretty positive that the crazy cucumber plants have already grown a good few inches in the past week.)

Happy gardening!