Mrs. Rogers Neighborhood

As I launch this new platform (Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood!) I want to give you insight into lots of different areas of my life, one of which would be our garden and all that it is. I think the best way to learn to garden is to learn all you can through experts (books, videos, articles, etc...) then execute.  I had heard through many sources how important it is to trim off dead branches/leaves from plants in order to promote new growth, but I never actually did this.  I figured that the dead stuff would fall off on its own.  My husband had been doing his own research and found that in order to condition our soil in the backyard we needed ground cover, ideally mulch, for water retention and to bring nutrients back to the soil.  He covered our backyard (in a rather comical fashion) with mulch and we began to see it start to break down pretty quickly.  Our yard was so dry previously, but we also know the mulch takes time to condition the soil.  Patience is a virtue we are lea

In between our time in New Jersey and Baltimore; Bill, Reagan and I took a night as a family of three and stayed at a B&B near Lancaster, PA.  Our time there was so sweet.  We bottlefed baby cows, checked out the massive milking operation, went through the chicken coop, got a tour from one of the dozens of kittens, greeted the goats and miniature horse and snuggled in our king sized bed and watched our favorite farming you tube show. We were the only guests that night and didn't see anyone until we woke up in the morning for breakfast.  We got to enjoy the flurry of excitement that a working dairy farm holds.  Family and staff ate and lingered over coffee.  Cheesy potatoes, peach cobbler, fruit, bread, hot cocoa, super soft scrambled eggs, and so much laughter were being passed around.  People came and went discussing the plan for the day.  Rain softly fell outside.  Reagan happily took it all in.  The food pictured doesn't look like

Before maternity leave wrapped up and I headed back to work, Bill and I went on our first family vacation.  We flew into Newark, New Jersey and headed to the Jersey shore where Bill's Aunt and Uncle have an incredible home in Ocean Grove.  I cannot believe this was my first visit to this wonderful little beach town.  A perfect mixture of bohemian and Victorian with a huge flea market to boot!  We spent a few days relaxing and then headed to their home inland soaking up the culture and hitting our favorite little cider stand right down the corner from their home. After our time with Bill's side of the family we took a drive down to Baltimore for my Uncle Rob's wedding and to introduce Reagan to many more family members who had not yet met her.  The blissful reunion and introductions will be something I will not soon forget.  She met aunts and uncles and cousins, my best friend and her great grandmother.  We went to our favorite ice cream place, got time with pre

When Bill and I found out we were having a baby back in September 2016, we opted to not find out the gender, and that ended up being a blissful surprise on the day of!  Our sweet baby daughter was born June 26, 2017 @ 5:02am weighing 7 pounds 7 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long.  To be honest, labor and delivery was the most wild experience of my life.  I did not know what my body was capable of until that day.  I still cannot believe this tiny person grew inside of me and then was pushed out of me... yes, a little graphic, but seriously the most incredible thing I have been a part of.   The process is long, but the reward is the sweetest. These pictures are my favorite from her first few weeks of life.  What an incredible honor to be able to be at home with her while she discovered the world and learned about life and what it holds. To my sweet daughter: Reagan Marie Rogers, you have changed my world forever.  What can I say to e

I have been on maternity leave for 3 months now, and these have been some of the greatest months of my life.  I truly and without a doubt cannot imagine my life without this little person and that honestly blows my mind.  I love her with every fiber of my being and wish I could just sit and stare at her every day of my life.  I will do a little back tracking and tell you more about life thus far, share lots of pictures and tell my birth story when time permits.   When I think about the emotional, physical and mental journey the last few months have been, I am overwhelmed.  I am completely changed and feel like it's impossible to really explain becoming a parent.  It's incredible and wonderful and exhausting and exhilarating.  I just feel so fortunate (because blessed somehow is played out in today's culture) to get to call this sweet person my daughter.  I want for nothing and constantly remind myself that this is my life and I really am living it.  I spend so much t