My Happy Place - The Garden

The right tools make a difference

So here I am again with another garden post.  Let me apologize in advance because this may be extremely boring to some but to me, for right now, it's MY HAPPY PLACE.

Every day there's something new, it's sort of like tiny miracles that happen in the garden daily.  It amazes how drastically things change literally overnight ESPECIALLY when it rains.  It makes me happy to know that although it is my first time gardening things have turned out way better than I expected.  As stated in my other gardening post (I'm A Gardener Now), I pride myself in knowing I DID THIS.  I've created this little garden, loved it, nurtured it and in turn it's giving back to me.  Don't get me wrong this is / was no easy task but I DID IT.  I try to fertilize every 2 weeks and I "try" to water daily.  Vacations?  Weekend getaways, ehhhh, better find a garden-sitter lol, gardening is a commitment.  Next time I'll do things a little different, I've made some mistakes but who doesn't, even the most experienced person makes mistakes so if you try this and things don't go accordingly its ok, don't give up.  This as with all things is a learning process.  My mistake:  I planted too much within a small space so that's one thing I'll for sure do different next year.  I underestimated how big some plants can get, so they compete for space.  Some of the stuff in my garden I've started from seeds, others I bought as seedlings.  How you start your garden is completely up to you.

**I bought my supplies from Home Depot and Amazon and most of my seedlings are from BURPEE SEEDS AND PLANTS  and BONNIE PLANTS**

I posted more pictures, some from the very beginning and some of which you've probably seen.  I even posted a video on my IG stories so you can see in greater depth the progress.  Follow if you aren't already @NYCLIFEANDGLAM

Again, I'm not an expert but if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

So this crazy BUT functional looking gate the husband built in order to keep the raccoons and cats away.  We didn't feel like spending any more money on the garden so he built this using chicken wire and spare closet pieces.  YES, closet material.  Sometimes you have to use what you already have and use your imagination.  Pretty cool huh.

I completely lost my yellow zucchini.  1 plant the husband killed by accident and the other simply had root rot.

This blessing gives new meaning to "fruits of my labor" ha ha

Sunflower seeds, please watch the video to see how big they've gotten

Gardening / yard work is very physically demanding and it is a great work out

Most of my herbs I start from seed

DRAINED

brows done @ Shobha Madison

 Feeling sick SUCKS.  Right when I get the ball rolling and create a youtube vid I get sick.  Yes, I had the flu but prior to that I was feeling sick and now I'm just drained.  I have so many ideas for videos but now I don't have the energy.  I went to the doctor the end of February and nothing was done, he said "let's keep an eye on it".  I still have the same problem.  Every one thinks it's fibroids but the sonogram shows otherwise.  SO WHAT IS IT?!  I'll probably go to the ER this weekend for the sake of having blood drawn to check my levels, I am anemic to begin with and I'm sure my levels probably dropped by now.  Mentally I want to do so much but my body wants different.

In other news I went to do my eyebrows yesterday, this isn't ground breaking news lol I know but I haven't done them since December, I did them for my job's holiday party.  Nails were done too so YAY for that and I strolled around the city, even went to Sephora and bought a couple of items, again things I haven't done in a while.  I used to always, well every other Friday go to the city and have my me time.  It felt good and the weather was gorgeous!  It was a good evening!  Then the sky opened up and it poured lol but thankfully I was on my way home by then.  Depression does that to you!  It makes you tired and it makes you lose interest in everything but little by little I've been trying to take care of me more like old times.  I want to do mircro-blading, get lash extensions, dye this hair.  I'm excited about wanting to do this but then there's this part of me that's like but the Mr has scans again so lets wait and see how that comes out first.  I tend to do that a lot.  I put my stuff in the back burner until he's ok, until results are good, until I have the "green light".  Grooming or even trying to attempt to take care of me leads to feeling guilty.  Should I feel guilty?  Is this normal?

  

Quick hubby update:

A few weeks ago he had his scans and it wasn't good.  The medication that has been keeping the cancer "stable" stopped working so he's on a new treatment.  So in 2 weeks he has scans yet again to see if this new treatment is working.  He can't catch a break.  Now we're sort of on edge, sucks living like that.  Always with the what if?  What if these new meds....

Let me not put it out in the universe but you get the point.

Home update:

end table - overstock  //  mosaic mirror - pier 1  //  couch - reymour & flanging  //  pillows are a combo of home goods, tj maxi, target

We haven't done much the last 2 months because we needed a spending break.  Our main priority was furnishing but it's been about 2 months and Spring is approaching so its about that time we start again but this time its more home decor stuff.  Last weekend I purchased an end table, a lamp and mirrored art - all for the living room (still waiting for the lamp to arrive).  Next will be curtains and small seasonal decor stuff.  It's coming together and I'm happy with the progress so far.

Youtube - CLEAN WITH ME

I'm feeling better, much better!!  I have a cough that is lingering but no fever and the stuff that comes along with The Flu.  With that being said 5 days is a lot to be at home and although I TRIED to focus on getting better I did manage a clean with me video on youtube.  Progress!  I'm proud of myself!  Things have changed quite a bit since the days that I posted but I plan on getting back into the swing of things.  If anyone wants to see anything specific please leave your requests below.  I can't wait to make decor vids now that easter / spring is coming.  Theres so much that I have to do around here and to buy as well - curtains, end table, wall art etc etc.  I'm taking my time, taking a spending break rather but I'll be back at it soon.  In the meantime please check out my video and thank you in advance.

No Patience

Confession:  My expectations were not realistic!!!  

I set a date where everything here would be completed excluding the basement because I know that is a whole other grueling project.  Spring is right around the corner then the yard will be another project.  I thought I was going to be completely unpacked and settled in by New Year's Day, it didn't happen.  Yesterday I lost my cool to say the least meaning this entire process is taking a toll on me.  My current headache right now is my office / dressing room which is where all my boxes and storage bins are.  This room is giving me the most trouble to complete start, correction made because I barely started working on this room.    Yesterday we went to IKEA to buy my dresser and desk, of course no dresser SOLD OUT!  WHAT?!!!  IKEA doesn't have an item 😒 since when?  This is the part where I take it personally and say the universe is against me ha ha but really.  I opted to have it delivered tho, more waiting like this....

REAL STRUGGLE 😡

Between this and work I literally have no time for personal care - mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.  I know patience is of virtue and all great things take time - I get it.  I just wish this process was a little faster.  I still have so much to do.  Curtains, wall decor, etc etc, this has been such an expensive AND time consuming process which I know in due time will be worth it but until then expect me to be a little more stressed, a little more grey 👵 a little more broke - HA!!  

This is the dresser we got.  I really wanted the 12 drawer because I know I could use the space but the Mr mentioned the 12 drawer may be a bit too high and may not be practical to display my perfumes / crystals. 

I originally didn't plan on getting this desk but it made sense to get.  It's big and we both get our own work space which we need, I'm neat and he's a bit more uummmm scattered.  Our set up is slightly different which you'll get to see in another post.  We put it together last night but so far its perfect!  I wish IKEA sold the glass to put on top for easy cleaning.  

This time around I'm going with white and mirror furniture.  Most of my furniture in the apartment was dark / black which I think at times wasn't good for our mood.  Colors play a role with energy and mood and I'm leaving the dark behind and inviting pure, positive and glam vibes into our home. 

Moving on up...

Sorry for the lack of posts!  I’ve been busy.  

HUBBY UPDATE:  For those that read to find out how the husband is doing let me just say he is doing very well, I often tell people “he’s doing better than ME” and I really feel he is lol.  He has this strength and energy, I often wonder how the hell he does it, I get tired just by watching him.  With that being said he has his "crash" days as he calls them where he'll just sleep literally the entire day.  I’m so grateful though, such a huge difference compared to how he was last year and therefore the holidays were a little extra special for us.  To all that send us well wishes and pray for us THANK YOU!   Your prayers are working!!

So, we finally moved!  I will never understand how people move every couple of years.  I don’t ever want to move again, it is so exhausting, mind you I didn’t take any of my furniture and still it was a lot - 17 years’ worth of stuff.  I finally moved out of my very first apartment, crazy how I moved into that apartment with nothing at all except some childhood memories and a few shopping bags full of clothes.  A few weeks later we were gifted a black and white TV and a small cot (smaller than a twin size bed), about 1 month later 2 cats moved in w/ us, all four of us slept on that little cot and we couldn’t be happier.  I had a love hate relationship with that apartment and it was bittersweet leaving,  I left tons of good and bad memories behind but I look forward to what the future holds in this new home.  I moved into the home my mother left me after she passed away and after 3 years after her passing I finally moved in.  It was always hard going back to the house, just passing by that block gave me anxiety!  My mother would always tell me “that’s your house, everything I’m doing is for you, I need to make sure that you’re taken care of after I’m gone”, I never wanted the house!  I never understood why she'd think I wouldn't be "ok" and I would fight w/ her about it, she’d always say “que pendeja tu eres” and walk away lmfao but I get it now and I thank her every morning upon starting my day.  Hopefully I don’t sound crazy when I say this but I felt in my heart my mom wasn’t happy that I hadn’t moved in, she wasn’t happy when I rented it but the first week I moved in I felt her in my room watching over us happy that we were there and I could almost hear her say she’s happy with what I’ve done with the house.  I guess the timing was right, I moved when I was supposed to, I’m finally comfortable there.  God bless my husband for taking the initiative and getting it painted and upgraded to my liking (he added some surprises for me too) because I honestly don’t think I would have done it on my own.  I / we are working hard to make it “our home” and although I was extremely hesitant at first I did enjoy picking the paint color and directing how I wanted it done, I'm enjoying the decorating process.  I always received compliments on my apartment but it really didn't have my "touch" which I'll explain why in another post.  It’s been a few weeks since I officially moved so there’s still a ton to be done, a ton to buy but I have to say its getting easier, it’s all coming together.   My husband even commented on how different it feels and looks and that made me smile.  I will go into further detail on the colors I chose, furniture and what small upgrades we made in another post.  I had planned to blog / vlog the entire process but it was just way too much and didn’t get to do it BUT stay tuned because I plan on posting A LOT of home décor stuff and now that I have a yard and a new background I can post #OOTDs. 

I posted random pictures which some of you may have already seen on Instagram.  Also, I apologize in advance, the quality of these pics suck.  

Holiday Party

I only put up 1 tree in the past, really didn't want to put one this year but the Mr wanted one and ironically I found one in our basement so up it went and I loved it.  Please see my Instagram for a mini tree vid.

We finally made it to Manhattan.  We took a stroll around the city, had dinner and enjoyed the holiday festivities on a rainy night.  It was perfect.

Christmas Eve

Can you tell which side of the bed belongs to who - ha ha

I absolutely love my bedroom, its so girly and glam, thankfully he loves it too

New Year's Eve 

Pumpkin Obsessed

#blessed

Is anyone else as excited about Fall as I am??  Yes I know we're still in August but I could not resist purchasing these beautiful pumpkins.  I probably would have bought more but I was getting the side eye from the husband so I stopped at 7 ha ha.  Last year I decided to buy some Fall decor around mid September and the shelves were cleaned out.  I mean there were things but nothing that caught my eye.  This year I was determined to get my hands on some goodies and I did.

Inadvertently my color schemed turned out to be cream and orange.  Looks good in a neutral way but I think sometime in September I'll put my orange curtains on to give the room some warmth.  I'm not done decorating, I still have to get some stuff out of storage but being that its August what I have going on right now looks pretty good.  I have a Fall look with out it screaming full on Fall.  Make sense?  Maybe not lol!

PUMPKIN HAUL