Backyard Updates & Mother's Day Basket

(click on images to enlarge in new page)

If you notice in this picture there are purple flowers on the hot tub edge and now in the hanging baskets! Previously I had purple flowers in the hanging basket only & pink flowers on the hot tub edge.. Well that is because my original petunia hanging baskets got dropped from their hanging hooks during a wind storm. With the bottoms busted out and roots exposed I had to plant them fast. I thought the flowers would look amazing draping over the edges of the pots on the hot tub. So I transfered the pink flowers to the back of the garden and repotted the hanging baskets. Than this weekend we went to NOLA and every where there they had ferns growing. I wanted to add ferns to our yard too but I looked everywhere for them and couldn't find baskets. Plus I think it might be a little too much green and I love flowers and color in my yard.

So last night I went to Walmart to get some relaxation items for my mother's day basket (don't worry my mom doesn't check the blog- or I don't think so) and a birthday present for Jake's Fifth Spider Man Bday! While I was there I couldn't help but pick up two new baskets! They are confetti petnias that bloom summer to fall and are full sun! Perfect for hot houston summers! To solve the issue of falling off the hook I used chain to loop thru the basket tops and hang on to the hook on the gazebo. Here is a close up:

Sorry Don't mind the pool floats..some of them will blow with the wind and take off across the yard so we store them in the gazebo during summer while not in use (in fall & winter they go in the pool shed on the side yard). Oh and we love signs! We have a sign collection on the fence- but the TIKI BAR sign my mom gave us from our Hawaii trip.. I know the chain isn't as attractive but it helps stabilize the heavy baskets especially during storms when they are heavier from rain water. Plus this way another basket isn't broken..
Seriously aren't those flowers gorgeous?!

Here are a couple other backyard pics..what is happening in the E Garden.

These are our pepper plants- we have already cooked with 2 of our own home grown bell peppers and there is another one on there! The bell peppers were awesome in Turkey Spaghetti

Four tom. are almost ready for picking.. we have harvested 2 already too! The flowers seem to deter the bugs too as well as making it pretty. Oh our tom. plants are container plants which produce smaller tomatoes but do well in pots. Which perfect since our garden space is limited due to the pool.

Hibiscus Rosharon tree which blooms so beautiful. This is the second summer I have had it and I think I am going to plant it in the back corner of the back yard where one of the palms died so that it can grow larger. I saw a beautiful Rosharon tree in a NOLA courtyard.

This is a cold hardy hibiscus. It is not the typical hibiscus- it will bloom till fall and then die back and come back each year. The blooms measure dinner plate size and are gorgeous. I bought these online from HG channel.

Happy Mother's Day to all these lovely Ladies in my life!!

(Pic From Wedding-Left to Right: Cindy (MIL), Arnold (stepFIL), Nate, Me, Shay, Mom, Grandpa Cates (Biological Father's Parents), Grandma Cates, Nana (Shay's Mother))

In other news- my mom is going to be published nationally for research she is performing. She recieved a grant even to perform her research in her facility. She is studing air mattress and seeing if another air matress would provide the same health benefits regardless that it is a lower price air mattress. The study will be about patient care as well as finance and administration.  I am super proud of her!

This weekend is also mother's day! In my class we are making mother's day stepping stones (the plaster is taking forever to dry). Well in NOLA I found the perfect wine glass for my madre. I collect the Lolita hand painted series and last year I gave my mom and sisters one with flipflops on it for the wedding. This one I found had martini glasses, purse, nail polish, handbags..etc and at the top it reads "MOM'S DAY OFF".  I loved it and had to get it. Than it gave me the idea to give her a relaxation basket- I bought a Better Homes & Garden Basket, BH matching frame and scented candle. Plus makeup, nail polish, nail tools, bath puff, lotion, body scrub and body spray. In addition I put in a mini blueberry tree for her to plant (which she'll love probably more than the girly stuff). Ha my mom taught me to pamper myself but sometimes I think I am more girly than she is.  My sis Michelle left for her bday trip back to Germany and totally forgot about Mother's Day this weekend (so being such a nice big sis)..so the basket will be from Nate, Michelle & I.

I really hope she enjoys the basket. We are going to brunch Saturday at Mia Bella- an italian rest. I figure we will beat the crowds by going Saturday and Sunday my mom and Shay will be in Sealy with his family. So this way I get to see her with just us and she can have a nice visit Sunday with Shay's fam. We sent flowers & mailed a card to Nate's mom. I hope the card gets there in time. I also bought her a wine glass that says MOTHER, which I will give to her when she visits in a week. I also sent a card to my grandma- even though she is out of town and it won't get to her in time!

I hope everyone has a great rest of the week. I am almost caught back up on sleep (seriously how do new mothers do this) and testing week is almost over thank god! I haven't caught up on washing and folding clothes.. the house is a diaster. Luckily, my fridays are a half day so after work a nap and cleaning is going to happen! Nate will be glfing so prime time to!

Tonight I get to have a wine night with my DHHC GFs and I can't wait. I'll post pics of mom and her basket as well as brunch after sunday!