I absolutely love planting flowers each spring. The weeding and mulching, I could do without, but one of those two That Guy is willing to help with so it all works out in the end. My favorite time of year is when my peonies bloom. I planted the bushes the year we were married since they were part of my wedding bouquet. As we are married longer, the bushes mature and each year there are more and more blooms. I will be sad to leave them behind when we do move eventually, but I kind of have hopes that I can take them with us somehow and then add to them in a new home.

Not this year, but in the past, I have talked up the peony blooms to That Little Girl. It got to the point that she was asking when the “panties” were going to pop open. It took a little bit, but she eventually started calling them peonies.

She is the best little helper when I am out planting flowers. The first time I was out this year, she was raking up the leaves and junk that I was pulling out of the flower beds. She would make me piles of what I threw on the patio and sidewalk to make it easier to clean up. Of course, she then asked to be rewarded with her very own first frappuccino! She loved her strawberry (no caffeine) treat and I was thankful they have a teeny tiny size for summer. Luckily she understands it is a very once in a while/lifetime treat. She worked her little tushie off that day! And since I still tire easily, I will take all the help I can get. And then I will rest after doing next to nothing compared to what I could accomplish in the past. So this spring all the work has taken a lot longer than usual and I am still not done.

Another day, she was not feeling well and I was out planting flowers on my own most of the time. I find planting the actual flowers goes really quickly once all the crap work is done. So wish it were the other way around! The actual planting is the fun part! Anyway, a few days later That Guy was outside with That Little Girl in the evening and I was out with a friend. He turned his back and That Little Girl decided to pick some flowers. But instead of picking flowers that are to be picked she pulled up entire plants. Then when I got home she scolded me for not digging deep enough holes without her help. The next time I went out she insisted on digging the holes for me. Since we aren’t suppose to call little girls bossy, I will just point out that she has amazing leadership skills!

Now we are entering the weeks of peony and rose blooms. I am terrified to turn my back and find them all picked bare and hacked to pieces!