My green thumb might not be so green

This is the first year I caved in and planted a vegetable garden.  I bought a seedling starter pack with soil pellets, and tons of seeds.  After one week I had so many starters I actually gave some away and had huge hopes of Ratatouille for dinner every night. 

I do blame most of my gardens problems with the extreme heat we have had this summer, but I'm sure that if I would have planted sooner it might have helped.  Green beans are on the left with squash in the middle and peas on the right, with tomatos mixed in.  Also had another planter with onions, carrots and more squash. 

Three months later only a handful of green beans and peas, about 10 squash (a few lost to animals), 1 tomato that had a huge animal bite taken out before it was even red, 3 pinky (yes that small) sized carrots and the onions died before they were fully grown.

Even with all of the trouble this year I still want to try again, although this time I won't plant to many squash, they completely took over everything! The squash is now getting run out by a pumpkin plant that grew from a rotten pumpkin I was too lazy to pick up.  lol

What are your favorite things to grow?  Any tips for a better garden for next year?

Here goes nothing

With birthdays approaching fast I realize how quickly time is flying, so I have decided to start writing down our family's journey.  Braylon will be 1 in October, Haley will be 4 in September and we have been in Charlotte now for 5 years!
A little more about me, I thought I would always live in Indiana near my family, but reality set in when Bret started searching for teaching jobs and the choices were Las Vegas, Florida or North Carolina.  After we moved here we found out we were pregnant and had to start preparing to raise our children away from the family circle.  We really cherish the time we get to visit Indiana, or when we get to play host for the family. 
Shortly after Haley turned 3, Braylon decided to make his appearance, keeping both of us girls on our toes.  We made a lot of changes when little B was born and decided to try our hand at cloth diapering and fell in love. 
This love has also lead me to my new adventure as a Work at Home Mom.... White Elephants.  This blog will be a little about our adventures as a family and a little about our adventures of becoming "crunchy"