~Guess Where I Ate~

Our total bill was $37.95... we paid $3.50!!!

The boys wouldn't let me post a picture of them... but they make some cute cows!

~Pickles~

Mmmm, four pints!

~Christmas in July~

It is really hot outside this week so we are hanging out in the house! I got the blocks out for the little guys and the big boys assembled the slot car track. That noise just about drives me bonkers but the boys love it!

I listened to Christmas music all morning while we did our chores and played. We ate lunch in the living room and watched a Christmas movie. We were going to have candy cane milkshakes but attitudes were not the best and naps needed to be taken asap! I never got around to making them later.

Gregg returns tomorrow from a 12 day business trip!!!

~Todays Harvest~

It was too hot to do anything today! I waited until 8 pm to pick the beans and noticed there were several pickles ready too! I'm hoping there is enough to can one jar of pickles and one jar of banana peppers. I may end up freezing the beans because we have to many leftovers in the fridge right now to eat them tomorrow.

Tomorrow promises to be even hotter... No worries... I've got fun plans :0)

~Happy 4th (on the 5th)~

I was beginning to feel like I was missing out on all the fun. It seems like everyone was partying all weekend long and I was running behind on all my regular chores... forget about adding in some fun stuff. Today was finally my day of picnicking. Too bad it was WAY too hot to be outside. We had our picnic indoors with my parents and family.

Of course we enjoyed lots of food! My dad did the grilling and we did the eating. Way too much eating! I took this special jello, baked beans, coleslaw...and root beer floats! YUM! Everyone else brought every other side dish you could think of! Did I mention way too much food!?!?

A bunch went swimming but I elected to stay inside with my little ones:-) We enjoyed pictures of my brothers recent vacation. We talked and got caught up on all the stuff going on. The kids played Wii because it was too hot to be outside.
They also had some water balloons to battle with! How is it that it takes forever to fill them and they are all smashed in no time! Jared was trying to get Grandpa with the last one.

My niece was kind enough to pamper my feet:-) Not my normal style but it really makes me smile. She did a great job on the fireworks didn't she!?!?!?

Yawn, now I know why I didn't party all weekend, I'm beat!

~Helping with Haying~

Around here, the first gathering of hay and straw happens before the 4th of July. I was delighted that my boys were able to help the neighbors with that chore this year. The weather was delightful and the job was finished much quicker with many hands helping!
The boys enjoyed riding on the trailer and pulling the bales off the bailer. They had to get "sea legs" as the trailer tipped and bumped a bit. They also helped put the bales on the elevator that took it to the top of the barn. I didn't have my camera the whole time so I just got this shot of them way out in the field. And since our neighbors are so nice... they sent us home with a dozen ears of corn and the promise of taking the boys to a horse auction Saturday morning.

~The Garden~

Our garden is growing slowly. We haven't had much rain this year so all the plants are on the small side.
Left...mint and strawberries
Right... wax beans, green beans, chamomile
Left... tomatoes, peppers, beets
Right... pickles and onions




I have been using a lot of the mint and got my first picking of green beans!!! Everything else is still growing:-) I added a list in my side bar to try to keep track of how much we are actually getting. At this point I don't grow tomato, pepper and beans to freeze and can... just to eat. The pickles and beets will be canned.

I need to learn how to use my chamomile this year! Any tips!??!?!