Packing up the family and heading to our beloved Hilton Head, SC. I wish that we could just throw all this into a tote and go, but it’s more like packing up a small army. Maybe we should call it a family beach invasion instead.

I’ve been wanting to put in a vegetable garden for so long. We had one at our old house in Columbus before we moved to Madison and I absolutely loved it. Then we moved to Madison and we were so busy with building our house and getting the landscaping in that I never got a chance to put in a plot before we moved back. I struck a deal with Shawn last Fall that if we were to have the sprinkler system installed, I would get my garden put in that following Spring.

I decided to have it put in our side yard next to the end of the driveway and the side/mudroom entrance to the house. It will get all day sun here and will be conveniently close to the garage and mud room entrance for grabbing tools and cleaning up.

Here’s what I put in for our first crop:

• Tomatoes: one grape tomato plant, two roma for canning, and one heirloom.
• Peppers: two sweet banana peppers, one jalapeño, and one green pepper.
• One zucchini plant
• Bush beans

I’ll probably do a second season of beans once these are done and then maybe throw in some cauliflower and broccoli for late season. I also put in marigolds around the border to help with any unwanted bugs, plus it gives it a little color.

I’m so happy to have a garden again! I love the memories I have of my and my sister helping my mom in her HUGE garden growing up and I can’t wait to make new memories with Joe. I’ll update you on how things grow as the season progresses!

• Cargo Water Resistant Blush - I’ve used Cargo products in the past and I think they’re fantastic. The blush colors are flattering and go on effortlessly, so when I received this sample of their new water resistant blush, I was excited to see how it held up. This long-lasting formula is sweat-, heat-, and tear-proof. Plus, it’s packed with subtle light-diffusing minerals that give skin an effortless glow. I think that it will be a great addition to my summer make up routine.
• COOLA Classic SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face - I like that the eco-friendly formula is made with 70 percent certified organic ingredients and it protects from both UVA and UVB rays. It has a refreshing cucumber scent  instead of your normal “sunblock” smell and it’s ultra lightweight formula isn’t greasy or filmy. Sold!
• Marvis Toothpaste –  Only the Italians can make brushing your teeth stylish. I received the invigorating peppermint flavor -there are many to choose from – and it leaves your mouth clean and refreshed without feeling like your teeth were sandblasted.
• Miss Jessie’s Original Jelly Soft Curls – I received a similar product in a previous box. Still smells like fabric softener. The smell is so strong and off putting that I tossed the sample. Too bad, because I’ve heard it works great.
• Bonus Freebie: Pilot Corporation of America Acroball PureWhite – My love for writing utensils knows no bounds, so when I saw this adorable pink and white gel pen, I probably got a bit more excited than a normal person should. It has bright neon pink ink!!  It writes like a dream, too. It will totally make my obsessive to-do list writing even more fun!

Anyone interested in signing up for a Birchbox? Please click here so I get points for the referral. Thanks a bunch!

I continue to grow and grow! I am getting taller and losing a bit of my baby chubbiness. I am still not ready to walk, but I make up for it in climbing everything in my way.

I love to be outside, taking walks, wagon rides, and exploring the yard. I love to smell and touch flowers with mommy, too.

I jabber away, constantly talking to myself, Walter, or mommy and daddy. I also like to sing and dance whenever the mood strikes me, which is quite often!

I’m currently working on getting all four of my molars at once! They are all half-way through, thank goodness. I am tired of being in pain and so drooly and looking forward to being able to eat a wider array of food.

My favorite toys right now are my record player, puzzles, and my new firetruck. I still love to read all my books and, of course, my beloved vacuum. Mommy is hoping I’ll start to clean the carpets soon, but I think I’ll just push it around and play with it in the coat closet for a while longer.

Shawn and I recently went to a Columbus Clippers game for one of our Date Nights. I’ve been wanting to go to one ever since we moved back to town.

The Clippers are the local Minor League team affiliated with the Indians. (Previously, with the loathsome Yankees.) They started to build a new ball park just when we moved away and completed it while we were living in Madison. It’s a beauty, a small intimate park nestled right downtown – a stone’s throw from Nationwide Area where the Columbus Blue Jackets play.

We had great seats and the weather was perfect. We had a blast and are definitely planning to go again this summer. Maybe next time we’ll hit “Dime a Dog Night.”