Each time I have a conversation with a certain friend of mine about my blog, it gives me pause to once again put pen to paper, or fingers to the keyboard as it were. I love doing it, but for the past 2 years, give or take, I have found it difficult to find the time to do so.
That all said, gobs of things have happened over the summer or even more recently, worthy of talking about. It's been a fantastic summer! I love everything about it- it's my time, a little time away from our home school routine, running the older kids to as many activities, a time to have my friends over for a pool day, to run or not as was the case during the heatwave, to go on dates, to look forward to family reunions, weddings, barbecues, time spent at my in-laws', long weekends up north, painting projects, and my list could go on.
The weather, even when it was way too hot, was perfect for me. When you have a swimming pool, you want to enjoy it, and enjoy it we did. Shawn put his garden in and it produced tomatoes, jalapenos, zucchini, cucumbers, watermelons, onions, lettuce, corn that the cranes came and ate, and the broccoli, too, and beans. We made cucumber salsa, canned pickles, pepper jelly, tomato salsa, and various jams, and we baked pies, too. It's the simple things that bring so much joy.
We had lots of firsts:
Austin got his driver's license
He got a new (to him) car
He landed his first job
He was able to golf about 10 times this summer
He had braces put on in May
Braaten just started 9th grade at Marshall High School
She made the freshman volleyball team
Bray also has braces on since May
Braaten paid for her own ticket and flew to Manchester, England to visit our friends for 3 weeks
She went to the Olympics (women's volleyball- US vs. North Korea) We won! She saw Hope Solo up close
She passed me in height this year- she's 5'7" now and still growing. I'm a whopping 5'6"
I'll be left in the dust by all 5 before I know it
Melanie started the 7th grade in Marshall Middle School
She made the 7th grade volleyball "A" team
She joined the rocket football cheerleading team
Can we say 1 too many activities for 1 child? Yes!
Live and learn...:)
Grant & Cooper, who always get lumped together because they're twins, joined the 5th & 6th grade Rocket football team
They played on a travel baseball team and really loved it
They get to be home schooled without their older siblings and they are loving that time with momma
And momma loves it, too.
Life is busy, it's hard sometimes, but we press on and continue to find joy in the journey.
God is so very good all the time.
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| A pot o' pepper jelly. It's really good. |
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| I painted and distressed the table. The chair, on the other hand, got distressed by being outside. |
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| A homemade blackberry pie. |
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| Homemade blueberry jam. Not as appealing looking, but ever so tasty. |
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| I painted and distressed this mirror that I snatched up for a dollar. |
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| Shawn picked this bucket of blackberries and picked a whole lot more than that. |
5 comments:
Carol-It is so good to read what you have been up to. I have the same problem I am always coming up with great ideas of things to blog about but never get it done. Thanks for the update. Have a great weekend. julie :)
Thanks for the update. I agree... summer is grand. I for one am sorry to see it go. Hugs, Kat
So glad there is still such an abundance of joy in your corner of the world. Often when I sit down to blog anymore, I get a little melancholy for all the blogs I first connected with. Thanks for the updates, and may you find even more, and more joy as time goes on. Hugs my friend!
Hello Carol,
It is pleasant to see you back…I missed your blogging.
Nice job on the table and mirror…I have always liked the distressed look – you don’t have to become distressed when it gets scratches and such.
Ooh…your pie looks so good. All those berries, how wonderful! Yummy jam!!! I have never tasted pepper jelly.
Yes, summer freedom is so refreshing. Good to hear it has been a great summer for you.
Today is my youngest child’s first soccer game of the season. Sunday my middle child will be 18. He will also get his driver’s license any time now.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
:) Hope
There is always a plethora of things to write- I Love to read your happenings.
And that pepper jelly is soooo yummy!
Keep up the posting!
- Pam
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