JcPenney Farm

The kids and I were invited out to the JcPenney farm to split some flowers! It was so much fun for the kids, they got to go down to the lake and check out the fish, they enjoyed looking at all the cows and gardens. I enjoyed talking with Carolyn and digging up bits and pieces of her garden. I brought home hollyhocks, lillies, mallow, a pretty silver plant(whose name escapes me!) and a couple of others...I will have to ask Carolyn their names again! The kids brought home a spike bull skull, and several bird nests! It is a gorgeous farm and I am so thrilled that I get to have a bit of JcPenney fame in my flower bed! The transplants are all doing fabulously so far. I brought home a few seed pods that will get planted when dry (Cone Flower, and Columbine). I can hardly wait to see my garden this fall, and next spring should be even better! Thanks again Carolyn! WE had the best time!

The Tea Garden

The Cottage

Cherry Picking

So, about a month ago we went cherry picking at Gramma and Grampa's house! It was so much fun!

The kids worked hard filling up their buckets, and we picked the trees as clean as we could!

Of course, there was a bit of tasting...a lots of playing with Bailey! and then a few days later...

There was the best cherry jelly that you've ever had! Thanks Gramma and Grampa for inviting us over to enjoy your harvest! Yumm!

My Swimmers

Sam

Noah

Isaac

Hannah
This was a rough season! We are just so darn busy with summer school, working at the shop, and everyday life that we were all pretty exhausted! I was the parent rep this year which involved a lot of organizing, phone calls, working every meet, and begging parents to pitch in and help. (not so much fun for me!) The kids however, did fantastic! They each brought home piles of ribbons...we have more first place ribbons this year than usual. Isaac swam up several times with the 12 and 15 year olds (just ask him about it...he's very proud!) He did a great job too. Sam and Noah are doing great as well, they are always in the fight to the finish line...sometimes Sam wins, sometimes its Noah! They are fun to watch! Hannah had a rough start, its her first year on the team and when it came time for her to start racing she got extremely nervous and started to cry. Then a mom (not me!) jumped in and swam beside her to the finish line! I was floored by her kindness and Hannah did great after that! The promise of an ice cream after the meet didn't hurt either! So all in all it was a great season and we are all relieved that it is over! Our big award ceremony and pool party is tonight so we'll let you know how that goes later!

Fruity

Our little strawberry patch is doing quite well this year. We are getting about three berries a day. So, I am freezing them. I think this will be great for milk shakes, and maybe by the end of the summer we can make a strawberry pie! Who knows! They are very tasty too.
But my favorite fruit this year would have to be these big black cherries! They are so delicious!
When I saw them for sale at our local grocery store...I had to buy them! They remind me so much of growing up in California. We would drive along the highway somewhere between Gilroy and Casa De Fruita and there were these little roadside stands selling these big cherries! I loved them so much! One particular time we were driving along and we had bought a nice big bag of yummy cherries, it was summer so we had the windows down. It was common practice for us to spit our pits right out the window as we drove along munching happily on our cherries! Well, on this day I was sitting in the backseat, mom was driving and Sarah was riding shotgun. I'm telllin ya, every dang pit they spit out their windows came right back in through my window and hit me! It was horrible and hilarious all at the same time! Fortunately, I still LOVE these cherries...so, I brought them home, took the boys out back and promptly had a pit spitting contest! Yup, I cant still spit a pit! Love it! Happy Summer!

Happy Independence Day!

Yes, I am a bit late posting this...but, life goes on right?! We had a great holiday...we relaxed! We had a yummy breakfast at home, we wandered down the street and watched a good old fashioned, small town parade! Complete with ALL the local firetrucks, tractors, ATV's and plenty of horses! They are still tossing candy, which of course, was the kids favorite part! We relaxed all afternoon, we napped, we watched movies, we played in our little baby pool, we lit a few of our own fireworks, we had a yummy barbecue, then around 9:30 we walked down to the high school and watched our local fireworks show! We loved every minute of it! It was a wonderful day! Happy Independence Day!