Blueberry pickin' time

Wow, a caravan of seven cars followed one another to a treasure just 20 minutes from our town....a wonderful blueberry patch! We visited this patch last summer, too, but waited until late July to pick when the berries were juicy and sweet. This summer, we decided to go a little earlier since there were more children and it wouldn't be as hot as it's gonna get (it was still a scorcher). The berries weren't quite as sweet but there were plenty of ripe ones for the picking.

It was fun to be outdoors with friends, talking through the bushes, watching our kids run around, listening to the little giggles as they hid, and filling our buckets with pure blue delight.

Mom, where are you?

See what Andrew did as I picked the berries?
He hunted for frogs and caught eight (in the jar he's holding).
Imagine that.

Hmmmm...this might be the photo for my next project.

The car still does it to 'em

No matter how old they get, the car still puts 'em to sleep. Especially after a long day in the pool.

Someone is gonna have a "crick" in their neck.

No, the strap doesn't normally hit him
there when he's sitting up....
notice the slump.

Yeah, he's our snorer.
Can't you tell?

It was so good, she barely found time to talk

Summer entertainment thus far

Catching toads.

Gardening

Reading books with Dad

Family style bowling

Counting

Swimming (duh!)
It's already hit 100 degrees!

Visiting the uptown old bookstore.

Eating watermelon.

Painting and crafting.

Seeing the magician at the local library.

Playing marbles together.

Putting on chapstick
(and going a little overboard with the application).

What Luke is saying these days

"Mama, these flip flops are too floppy"
said after tripping over his flip flops in the store parking lot.

"Mama, God made us out of nothing and called us good! Just like that, we were made and we are his!"
said after a week long excursion in VBS.

"Mama, don't forget to put that sunscreen on my nipples"
said as we were spraying the stuff on our skin at the pool.

Just when I thought....

For the past six years, I've had issues with my teeth. Most of my problems came on during and after pregnancy due to all the hormones that come along with that wondrous gift. This is a person who had her first root canal at age six and currently has five root canals in her mouth (my four year old already has four root canals). My dentist has assured me that my issues stem from genetics and not so much from nutrition or hygiene. So, imagine my delight when I went into my dentist office today with only a cleaning on the agenda...no root canal, no crown, no impression, no fillings, etc....just a cleaning. But just when I thought that I was clean and clear, she gives me some bad news. Seems they found more deterioration and that I might possibly have some major nutritional deficiencies. Now I'm off to the lab for blood work and then to the natural food store to purchase a boat load of vitamins.

When I told her that we were considering having a fourth child, my dentist adamantly exclaimed, "NO! Let me get some work done first. You must schedule your next pregnancy around your dental work, please! Give me until 2012, at least." Of course, my husband has perfect teeth. You know, the kind that makes dentists poor. But my dentist is rich....off me alone.

Our Father's Day gift

I saw this creative idea on Impress Your Kids and knew that it was the craft for my kids to help make for their Daddy's special day...AND it was VERY easy to do!

Here's how we accomplished this cute craft:

1. Put nine large Popsicle sticks side-by-side and then tape them on one side.

2. Flip the sticks over and paint them (optional).

3. After drying, use squirt glue to adhere a 4x6 picture, centered.


4. After drying, place the picture stick frame face down on cutting board/mat and slice between the sticks with an X-acto knife of some size. (I used a pencil sized razor X-acto knife.)



5. Write or decorate how you desire.


6. Painted a clean food can with two layers of white acrylic paint.

7. After dry, adhere the picture sticks to the can with hot glue, allowing space in between sticks at your desire.


Maybe I can get a picture of Mitch's face when the kids give it to him. I imagine the can will find a home on his desk at church. I think I should have found a larger can, though. Mitch LOVES pencils and pens.

Just some stuff

A few weeks ago, a friend and I went to another friend's house to make an ice cream cake. It was a "made-from-scratch" recipe and I think it might become a birthday staple in our home. The kids loved it! It called for Swan's cake flour, powdered cocoa, eggs, salt, baking powder, sugar, and obviously, ice cream of your choice. I recommend a coffee flavor.

Our boys love to hunt for bugs, frogs, and any other creature that crosses their dirty fingers. They were excited the other day when we raised our garage and found a bird sitting in our driveway. Upon closer examination, we discovered the bird was badly injured so we offered him a tray of water. He refused but managed to walk to the bushes in our front yard. Sad to say, we found him dead later that evening. Wow, that's awfully morbid for a post, yeah? It was a good lesson for the kids, though.


I'm thinking that I might start making my own laundry detergent using this recipe from Ramblings of a Crazy Woman. I have several friends who do this and all have said that it's worth the time to save the money....and it lasts longer, too.

My children like to go to their grandmother's house (my mom) a few weekends of the year. Only the boys were expected to be away but as I was preparing to drop them off with my mom, she asked if she could keep Abigail, too. So, Mitch and I have had a free weekend to ourselves and it's been delightful. We slept late today, ate a late lunch, ran some errands around town, did some house hunting (just dreaming, not really moving), ate dinner, and crashed at home to snuggle on the couch and watch some golf.

Thanks, Mom, for giving us this time. It's been wonderful. I hope you enjoyed the hours with your grandchildren because I know they loved every minute with you.

A message from Abigail to Moriah

Nintendo Mario Bros. to violin

I loved playing this game when I was a kid in the 80s. Believe it or not, my mom was one of my favorite competitors. Stuart, my brother, was the best at it (the game, that is...not playing an instrument).

Goat milk

I told you earlier that Jennifer makes me eat healthy (and sometimes unfamiliar) food when I'm over at her house. She attempted to get me to try some goat milk the other night but I whole-heartily refused and I don't regret it a dang bit. However, Jennifer chugged that glass down and then admitted, "Yeah, it does kind of have a funny after taste."

Yes, that's me bleating in the video. I couldn't help it.

Awkward

Thanks to my husband for making me laugh today when he informed me of this hilarious site. Enjoy!

The car. The car. The dang car.

Anyone else clearly see their nasty sin when they are trying to un/load kids in the car & load groceries, satisfy their musical tastes, answer their repetitive questions, talk over them to answer, get interrupted while answering, break up arguments, find out who threw the gum out the window, pretend to "turn your head" to see what he/she wants to show you, move the rear view mirror to make eye contact through stern vocals, find a napkin for their sneezing snot, sigh when they SPILL their candy/food/drink......not to mention all the while TRYING TO DRIVE!?!?!?!

Just curious.

Isn't she lovely?

My brother and sister-in-law are expecting their first child this fall. My SIL is so cool...she went fishing with us last weekend and I couldn't help but capture the moment for her scrapbook. Of course, it was high noon with a hot and bright sun over our heads, creating shadows - but she didn't care, basketball belly and all. Love you, Stu and KKS!

Jennifer's house is always fun

We spent four hours at Jennifer's house this past Wednesday morning and it was full of laughter, teasing, cropping, eating, giggling, excitement, puzzle solving, scrapping, and meaning. My kids have grown up with her sweet daughter, AC, and our families have done many many things together over the past six years.

Jennifer, you are a hoot and I love every minute the Lord allows me to share with you. I'm praying for you and your family.

She makes me eat healthy
when I'm her house.

Yeah, here's another photo for
the rehearsal dinner slide-show.

Her amazing backyard has been the
location for many of my children's memories.
What great stories!

No, these weren't healthy cookies at all.
Jennifer ate them all by herself, right, Jennifer?
Don't lie....you know you did!