demarcus the gardner

My handsome handy husband has taken his passion for plants and gardening to the small time. Because we live in an apartment with absolutely NO yard, we've got quite the little garden growing in our living room. 

This is the "herb garden" Mr. Lougee bought me for Christmas. He was sweet enough to get it planted and tends it everyday for me. He's so cute - everyday he was checking for sprouts. And finally each morning for three mornings in a row he would exclaim, "We have more herbs growing!" 

Just like it was Christmas morning all over again! And it's not even the illegal kind of "herb!"  

We also bought a Roma tomato starter plant at Home Depot about 6 or 8 weeks ago. It's growing like a weed! Also featured are the bean sprouts he planted when we boughy seeds for our Sunbeams to take home and grow. 

This part of the garden has radishes, peppers and carrots growing. The tall guys are radishes. 

Who knew they grew like that? Not this wife of a dirt dabbler. 

We are hoping the tomato plant starts sprouting fruit soon. 

Eric next to his proud little garden. In his Easter basket he got a gnome for the garden. We call him Frederick and placed him under the shade of the tomato leaves. 

Also, in both our Easter baskets, we got tiny little pots with lots of different seeds.

Eric, the next day, went to work planting them. 

He's using the cute, gnome-sized gardening tools he got in his Easter basket. 

I think this is a hoe. But what do I know? 

I have to say, it's nice to have such a willing planter and tender of a husband. I get to watch him work and than eat the benefits! 

P.S. I learned from this post that tomato is NOT spelled with an 'e.' Shocking, right? 

tough love

easter bunnies

We enjoyed a wonderful Easter weekend and were spoiled by the Easter bunny. 

We made these bunny ears at a little party we went to Friday night. 

I also got my hairs cut a good four or five inches. Riley snapped this photo of me whilst writing the check at the salon. 

We enjoyed our time with family and the time we had to reflect upon and celebrate Christ's sacrifice for us so that we could find such happiness now and look forward with faith into the eternities. 

He lives! 

time machine

we were cute.

Blossom Fest

Eric and I headed west for the much anticipated Blossom Festival held in the Hood River area every spring.  Usually, this time of year, the many acres and acres and acres of fruit trees are in full bloom and beautiful.

We got there on a Saturday, anticipating rain and gray skies. We had more gray sky than rain, but the trees were just starting to bloom. Beautiful, but not it's peak! We still had fun trudging along, stopping at fun fruit stands, a country store, a yard sale, and a thrift store. We walked away with a satisfying bounty of a 10 cent rusty bucket, fresh apple cider, hand picked pears, and an awesome springy tie that my stud muffin wore to church today. We also sampled a lot of jams, cookies and mustards. Not a bad day!

In Eric's sweet efforts to treat his woman right, he set up a picnic for us in the back of the van (we were anticipating rain) - taking out the back seat, laying out a blanket and bringing along a cooler with goodies. It was far harder to find an ideal picnic spot than we had anticipated and ended up sitting in the back of the van, at an abandoned cement industrial area along the river and across from a large bee farm. As soon as we opened up the cooler the bees flocked and me - freaking out because I've never been stung, and giving in to my hypochondriac tendencies of thinking I'm probably allergic - insisted we shut the back door. It was really quite funny and Eric's sweet efforts have only further endeared him to me.

Before we get to the photos, here are some fun facts about the Hood River & Oregon fruit production:

• Oregon produces enough pears to stretch back and forth from Portland to New York 16.5 times.

• Oregon grows enough pears that, if laid end to end, would wrap around the world twice.

• There are enough pears grown in Oregon to supply every person in the state with about 294 pears each year.

• Hood River County grows more pears than any other county in the USA.

• Medford is home to some of the oldest pear orchards in the USA.

• Pears are Oregon's state fruit.

Now, for the visual fruit:

Eric really wanted his photo taken with the plane in the background. A boy thing?

At Panorama Point or something like that. 

While I was taking pictures, Eric was climbing on roofs in front of the Sheriff's house. A boy thing?

I like barns. 

A lot.  

We really loved Rasmussen Farms. 

You pansy!

Eric was in a gardner's dreamland. 

U-pick daffodils. 

Obligatory couples photo. 

Some of the few blooms we saw. 

I'm not really sure. 

At Draper Sisters. Cute stuff and yummy cider! 

I got four pears. I only sometimes like them, this is one of those times. 

Wanted a picture with his apple cider, a boy thing?

It was a great day trip and we look forward to possibly going in July/August during berry season! 

Popcorn Moments

In case you didn't know, I teach Sunbeams for our ward. Usually I make Eric come help me because on a full day we have up to eight 3 year-olds in the class. Lately, it's averaged out to about five a Sunday.

The lessons we teach are super basic. We've focused mainly on God & Jesus Christ creating things.

These were the last several lessons I taught:

Lesson 8      (I am thankful for the day and the night) 

Lesson 9      (I am thankful for water) 

Lesson 10     (I am thankful for trees, plants and flowers) 

Lesson 11     (I am thankful for fish) 

Lesson 12    (I am thankful for animals) 

Lesson 13    (I am thankful for birds and insects) 

Lesson 14    (Adam and Eve were created in Heavenly Father's image)

Between telling kids to keep their hands to themselves or keep their skirts down so we aren't flashing our neighbors or keeping them from running to the podium during Sharing and Singing time, it can feel like glorified freebie babysitting. I often wonder if ANY of the tiny bit of lesson I can teach actually sticks with them. I had to start telling myself that I'm hopefully just laying the gravel before the gospel foundation is poured.

But then there are little moments that make me melt or laugh and I can't help but love my calling.

For example: Rewind to about a month ago. For Lesson 10:I am Thankful for Trees, Plants and Flowers we learned/sang "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree." The trees hadn't really started blooming yet, so I told all the little ones to pay attention when they are outside the next couple of weeks and see if they can spot popcorn in the trees.

Fast Forward four weeks to last Sunday. I had a little girl named Maisey on my lap during singing/sharing time (the little girls seem to really like being on my lap). Randomly she turns, looks at me and says, "I saw popcorn in the trees!" She was so excited and so cute and I couldn't believe she remembered that! That was all it took to make the last three months of haggard teaching worth it.

"And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me." -Matthew 18:2-5

This is of the Hood River Blossom Fest which Eric and I will
be going to this Saturday! 

Almost 5 Month Later

I realized I never really posted wedding photos on the blog. Many of you have probably seen photos on facebook - but some of you may not have. So, here are some nibblets (not really sure why I just said nibblets, but whatevs). Enjoy!

(Yeah, it was Portland in November, it rained.)

 Think we might need to photoshop the Potters out of this one ;-)

And they're living happily ever after.