Author: Allie Zottola

When Things Break

I hesitate to blog about “hard” things because in reality, I know that situations that have been tough for me are absolutely nothing compared to what others are going through. I always want to keep things real on my blog, though. Reflecting on the hard days helps me realize that God has been so, so good to Jimmy and I and has always carried us through the ups and downs of life.

In April, our washing machine broke. I was using it, and then it just died mid-cycle. Jimmy tried to fix it, but to no avail. In May, my truck broke down and needed a new fuel pump. Thankfully Jimmy was able to replace it and get my old girl up and running again.

Now it’s June and our refrigerator decided to act up.

Fridge

We got home from the Outer Banks and I noticed the freezer was extra icy. Then we put a thermometer in the fridge a few days later and it was showing the temperature of the fridge was in the 50s and 60s. Jimmy said the only way he could attempt to fix it would be to unplug it and get a good look inside.

Of course, we were wondering what to do as all of our food was already rotting in the warm fridge. Jimmy wasn’t sure if he could fix it or if whatever he fixed would break again soon, so we decided to buy a new fridge with help from my parents. We couldn’t get a refrigerator shipped in for a few days, so it was a long week of shuffling food and trying to figure everything out.

Since April, we’ve become the owners of a new washing machine, fuel pump, and refrigerator. Whew!

Amongst all the crazy, we have been blessed. We were able to buy those appliances, fix my truck, and we’re both alive and healthy. I think we’re doing a-okay 😉

You just never know when things will break, and I’m learning that it’s okay. We have been so blessed by our families. Jimmy’s dad and step mom helped us get the fridge into our house the other night, and my parents helped us afford it.

We are blessed to have our sweet little home. We are blessed to have each other!

Couple smiling against brick wall

I’m learning that I can choose to be thankful and content when things break. Did we want to spend money on all of those things right before we have a baby? No. Did we have a choice? No. I can either have a sour attitude, or choose to reflect on how in the midst of it all, we have been cared for and loved by God and those around us.

Of course, it’s easier said than done to be content and thankful in all situations. I’ve cried my fair share of tears with the stress and craziness of it all (maybe I can blame it on pregnancy hormones… haha), but I really am learning so much each and every day. And for that, I am thankful ❤

Our Garden 2018

One of my most favorite times of the year is here: gardening time! As per usual, Jimmy and I planted our garden on Memorial Day. This seems to be a safe planting time frost-wise for the Pittsburgh area.

A few days before planting, the garden was weeded, tilled, and compost was added. We then picked out our seedlings, put down landscaping fabric, and planted!

Guy and cocker spaniel puppy outsideGarden with wood and steel fence and landscaping fabric

Here’s what we planted this year:

  • Two “sweet 100” cherry tomato plants
  • One “early girl” tomato plant
  • Five green bean plants
  • Four “yum yum” sweet multicolored bell pepper plants
  • Three “keystone resistant giant” green pepper plants
  • Three green swiss chard plants
  • Three “candy” onion plants
  • Two “aristocrat” zucchini plants
  • One cucumber plant

Remember how I said we were going back and forth on whether or not we would plant a garden this year, and how we ultimately decided to plant one, but smaller? LOL. We went all out. I think we’re just hooked on gardening and can’t help ourselves 🙂

Vegetable garden with steel and wood fence and landscaping fabricVegetable garden with fence and landscaping fabric

We added some bamboo stakes for the green beans and peppers after I took this picture, and will put in tomato cages once the plants mature a little more.

We still haven’t finished our fence from last year, and we have paid for that because some rabbits (we think) have already nibbled on our green beans and swiss chard. Sad! One morning at like 6:00 I saw a rabbit in the garden and ran out in my pajamas like a crazy woman to shoo it out. It worked and the rabbit hopped away 😉

We put down some small animal repellant after we noticed the damage to the green beans and swiss chard in hopes that we don’t fully lose any of our plants. I’ll be sure to post some updates on the garden as the season goes on!

Cocker spaniel puppy in vegetable garden with zucchini plant

This is our second year using landscaping fabric to prevent weeds, and so far so good! If we hadn’t figured out this little trick, we definitely wouldn’t have been able to keep up with weeding and all the other projects we have around the house. Landscaping fabric is truly a game changer and I highly recommend it.

I think that’s all for our first gardening post of 2018. Yay! I can’t wait to start harvesting vegetables.

Do you like to garden?

What’s your favorite vegetable?