Summer '13 So far.

Hello again friends. 

I know I am a slacker when it comes to blogging. I really want to make it a regular thing but I get writer's block so bad! I have a running list of blog posts I would love to do but you know I can never get the words to come out the way I want. I really would love this blog to be a real representation of me...I guess at this point as lazy as I am being with it...represents me.

Basically, I have been trying to occupy my kiddos, keep my house clean, and perk myself up.

I have tons of pics to show some of the things we have been doing so lets get right into it.

Bike Riding:

We have been riding bikes around town. We have a favorite spot off the bike trail.

I absolutely love this picture. So calming and serene.

My boys are trying to catch tadpoles.

Hope came up with this picture and pose. I just love all the green from the leaves and moss on the trees.

Looking at minnows and tadpoles.

I think tadpoles are the neatest things ever! We didn't bring any home to watch grow but it was fun trying to catch them.

They were devising a plan to catch them all.

Faith just couldn't grab one.

Random pics around the creek.

This rock looks like a shark head.

Eeek...snake skin

Memorial Day.

We met the hubby at work and ate lunch in the park.

I love the pond with all the ducks.

I love his mohawk.

Look at those babies...too stinking cute.

After eating lunch we took hubby back to work. Lowe's had cornhole games and a bounce house set up for people to play. They also had hot dogs for customers.

Sj was having a hard time climbing up the bounce house with his socks on.

I have been waiting all spring for the strawberry fields to ripen. I have always wanted to take the kids to pick strawberries. We went to Barrett's Farm in Leesburg.

The farm was so well kept. They had 3 varieties of strawberries. Everyone was so friendly.

We picked over 20 lbs of strawberries. We only had to pay $22.00.

I ended up freezing 5 quarts of hulled whole strawberries.

I gave a huge bowl away 

AND

I made Old Fashioned Strawberry Jam 

Isn't that a beautiful color.

Recipe:

Old Fashioned Jam

8 cups of hulled and crushed strawberries

6 cups of sugar. 

Boil mixture until it reaches gel stage (220 degrees F on a candy thermometer).

Put in prepared jars and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.

Easy peasy...and beautiful.

I just love the deep color the jam turned.

So that is mostly what we have done so far.

We still want to take the kiddos to the Columbus Zoo and Zoombezi Bay. We want that to be a few day trip. We would like to go up to Columbus and get a room..Visit Zoombezi Bay water park one day and then walk the zoo the next and come home.

We want to go back to Newport, Kentucky to Newport on the Levee and to the Newport Aquarium.

We would love to take the kids to Kings Island BUT it is so expensive and I am still apprehensive about taking them to a place that big! So we may be taking them to the Coney Island.

We also want to go camping and find more free things to do.

Here's to a busy summer and Hopefully more blog posts coming soon.

Be Blessed,

Erin

Staying Busy.

Today is my last day of peace and quiet for a few months.

It's the last day of school for my kiddos. It's time for the summer festivities.

We have lots of plans for swimming, bowling, zoo, water parks; we have lots of plans!

I can't wait to see how the summer turns out.

Lately, things have calmed down considerably here but I am still busy.

I still go to church every Sunday and to my Women's Bible Study on Wednesday.

I volunteer in Kids church so I get to prepare a lesson and some fun activities through that.

I have also been helping people. Yesterday I helped an elderly church member and my mentor.

She is unable to do climbing and lifting so I helped her complete her spring cleaning.

I can honestly say I am loving and enjoying my life again.

I have also been doing a bit of crocheting here and there.

I have been making these granny squares out of Caron Simply Soft. I will finish out the burgundy and then I can piece together this blanket. I will be stitching it together and creating a border in white. This blanket will be given to the above mentioned mentor. I also plan on making blankets for the rest of my Bible study group.

I've been steadily working on the color block blanket I am making with my 10 colors of stylecraft. It is supposed to represent a sunset over the ocean...We will see how it turns out.

The non-busy parts of my days are spent here. My mom got her a new swing so her old Amish made wooden swing now hangs on my front porch. I spend most of my evenings on this swing watching the goings on in the neighborhood. It is also a great place to crochet. All seems right with the world when I am swinging.

My garden has been keeping me busy.  

Here is garden bed #1. I have tomatoes(several types), watermelon, snow peas, cantaloupe, broccoli, eggplant, bush beans, fennel, iceberg lettuce, and chives growing.

Bed #2 has Kentucky wonder beans, cucumber, serrano chilis, onions, Tequila sunrise hot peppers, squash, sweet peppers, and carrots and a volunteer tomato plant.

I have 3 containers with strawberry plants.

Bed #3 Has more tomatoes, sweet peas, okra, bell peppers, jalapenos, Kale, sweet peppers, cabbage and zucchini.

I can't wait to be able to redo my garden beds. Fresh block, fresh soil, fresh starts.

My container garden on my back deck is flourishing. 

These pots have herbs.

Basil, rosemary, parsley, oregano, chives, thyme, cilantro.

I have spinach, leaf lettuce, kale, green onion, walla walla onion, iceberg lettuce, peppermint, orange mint, and chocolate mint.

I have Neon Lights Swiss Chard growing here in my red containers.

And I have Cherry tomatoes growing in my Lowes buckets.

My back deck garden is pretty much a salad/juicing garden.

My house chores have also kept me pretty busy.

I have 4 kids, 2 dogs, 4 cats, and 2 kittens at this moment so my house can get dirty quick.

It takes a lot to keep up with the house chores! Here is my kitchen.

(what you cant see is the dirty bowls and cups in the sink)

My dining room seems to be a collect all room. 

However, I am doing well keeping it tidy.

I have a great update on my hormonal situation.

It seems that eating properly, staying active, and taking the vitamins nightly have been helping.

I have had a lot more energy, my symptoms have lessened! I did have a couple tired days but other than that I am feeling more and more like myself again! Praise God.

I also want to take a moment to ask you all to pray for those communities in Oklahoma.

I have been watching the coverage of it and the scenes are just horrific.

That is all for today. I need to take a shower. I'm all dirty from digging in the garden.

Be Blessed,

Erin

Almost Summer an Update

Can you believe it is almost summer again?

I can't.

My children have six days until they are out of school.

I cannot wait! I am looking forward to lazy days and no schedules.

My kids are really excited too.

The end of the school year means prom season. 

And the beautiful and colorful dresses.

It also means sunny days and out door play.

Here we are knocking the seeds out of our Maple Tree.

Here are a few of the pics we took on Mother's Day.

This staged pic is supposed to look like Eddie is using his Jedi powers to lift hope.

I think he succeeded.

They wanted to get a pic of them all jumping.

Here they were throwing the maple seeds (helicopters) in the air.

I love how they twirl around as they come down.

We had glorious weather on Mother's Day.

Finally, Here is a pic of some of my strawberries...I can't wait until they turn red!

Sorry if this post seems a little spacey.

I have a terrible summer cold.

Complete with Fever, stuffy head, stuffy nose, runny nose, cough.

I can't concentrate too long.

Well that will be all for today.

I hope to get back to blogging regularly once I get well and things seem to calm down.

We will be having special visitors this weekend.

Can't say anything else as it is a surprise.

Until next time,

Be Blessed.