Around the Farm

We started our orchard 3 years ago. We put in plum, apple, peach, pear and cherry trees, grape vines, and raspberry, blueberry and blackberry bushes. We added 2 raised strawberry patches this year. We're starting to see fruit.
One of our pear trees is producing. There are probably 30 pears on it this year. Can't wait to taste them!

This was my garden at the end of May. Everything is quite a bit bigger now, including the weeds.

Our Red Delicious Apple Tree is only on it's second year and has around 15 apples on it. It was the only one of our apple trees to set fruit this year.

Green beans. My favorite! Here are the first 3 rows. I planted 6 all together. We're hoping to get 100 quarts canned this year. They are producing now and I should be able to can my first batch at the end of the week. Nothing like fresh green beans.

The kids are growing too. They're spending lots of time outdoors especially in the garden and pool. This is where the Bug always ends up with the Baby when I mow.

Zucchini Bars

These are yummy! The maple adds a different taste from plain old zucchini bread.

4 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. maple flavoring
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. vegetable oil (I use 1/2 oil and 1/2 unsweet applesauce)
1/2 c. raisins (optional)
1 c. nuts (optional)
Combine all ingredients. Then add 2 c. diced zucchini. Pour into greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
Ice with a powdered sugar icing while still warm. (Sometimes I just dust with powdered sugar when cool).

Today is one of those days. Not in a bad sense. A good one. I love Saturdays like this! Other than being a little too warm, the day is perfect. (If you know me, you know I hate air conditioning. I'd rather sweat.)
I got over 6 straight hours of sleep last night. That was a first - maybe even since the baby has been born. I was slightly worried (the husband even more so) because she had hit her head yesterday and threw up shortly after. I thought I should call the Dr., but he said not to because she was fine and they'd just insist that she was brought in to the ER. So when she slept for so long, he thought maybe he'd made a mistake. But, she was fine, just tired.
Now she's taking a nap on the family room floor with her little hiney sticking up and her hair all sweaty. So precious. For some reason she's napped there every day this week and since she's not a napper, I'll take it.
I have zucchini bars in the oven (the basement oven, it's already 81 in the house at 11 am). I plan to post that recipe soon. It's a yummy one!
Bubby is vacuuming the pool so we can all enjoy it on this hot summer day. He's also hung clothes on the line. I only have 4 loads left to go. And I thought I was caught up on laundry! Somebody must have cleaned their room.
The girls are pulling weeds from the flower bed, begging Bubby to hurry up with the vacuum because they are melting from the heat. The flower bed looks awesome though!
The husband is off to bail hay. Always working...but that is what he enjoys. Maybe later he'll hop in the pool and cool off. But now, hay is on the ground and will be wasted if not bailed. The animals will want to eat this winter. Thankfully he enjoys bailing and he gets to spend time working with his dad. Memories in the making.
So other than swimming and laundry (and maybe mowing the neighbor's farm) we get to enjoy the whole day at home, which always makes me happy.

Big Brothers

I never had a big brother. I was the oldest. And I wasn't a very good big sister to my sis.
So I really enjoy watching my kids and their relationships with one another.


All are crazy about the baby. But each has their own special relationship with her. Leeny can make her belly laugh. No one else can get her to laugh like that.
The Bug is like her second mama. She can comfort the baby (second only to me) and care for her. I love knowing that the baby is secure with her oldest sister.

And that leaves Bubby. I don't really know how to explain it. Except that the baby looks at him with total adoration. She will giggle for him and play but it's like he can do no wrong. She is crazy about Bubby.

And I LOVE it!

Leeny's 6th Birthday

Tiny came to spend the night and go to Springfield with us for Leeny's 6th birthday. Leeny and her best buddy, Tiny, had a blast in the tub and I had clean floors when they were finished.

Leeny wanted her ears pierced for her birthday. Tiny came along for moral support.

Oh, how pretty! No tears, just smiles.

We had to ride the carousel 2 times. Once on the bottom and once on the top.

Who wouldn't love a cookie taco? Talk about messy! But the girls loved them.

Then we went for a Mexican lunch. Leeny wanted a pina colada and Tiny liked the strawberry daiquiri (non-alcoholic of course).
It was so much fun spending the day with these girls. I loved listening in on their conversations. Six-year olds have funny views on politics, homeschooling, dating, food, etc. I wish I could have recorded it.

8 Months

She rarely holds still now. Even in her high chair.

She's developing such a fun personality - so playful.

The Baby is happiest when she can see mommy.

She loves bath time.

Or shower. Doesn't really matter as long as there is water.

Happy 8 months Baby!

Recess

The kids had most of their schoolwork done by 9 am today. Apparently they got up at 5:45 to eat breakfast with their dad. I had no idea. They were quiet as mice.

By 9:30 they were in the pool. The sky was grey and it wasn't that warm yet. They didn't care.

Water was sloshing over the top as their "wave pool" got a little wild. And you can't have a wave pool without tubes, even if you have to use pink ones.

They lasted about an hour. It was decided that a second breakfast was in order.

Those kids can put away a lot of food!

Lessons and Other Happenings

Freshly picked strawberries taste unbelievably good before you refrigerate them. After refrigeration, they taste like grocery store strawberries. So eat lots and lots after picking.

Pampered Chef includes a safety holder with their Ultimate Slicer/Grater. You should use it. It will save you from slicing off a chunk of your thumb. Thumbs take a long time to heal. We won't have to worry about me using that safety because I'm never using that tool again. Think food processor instead.

Nine inch square pyrex baking dishes will do damage to your foot should you drop it from 5 feet in the air. Not that anyone would willingly do that. But in the event you stick the dish on top of a box of clothes and forget it's there when you lift it out of your suburban, don't say I didn't warn you.

If the janitor at Prompt Care sticks a sticker on your 8 month old baby when you are limping out of there at 9:30 pm, remember to remove the sticker. Babies can get them off of their clothes and eat them. Thank God she didn't choke!

If you leave paper on the floor, the Baby will eat it or tear it to shreds. Don't leave Vacation Bible School Orders on the floor!

Kids will swim in any temperature water. Even if the water is so cold that they are shivering, can't feel their legs and their lips are blue. Oh to be a kid again.

I think those are the main lessons for the past 10 days or so. In other news:

The baby is 8 months old today. I want to post some pictures of her later. I'm not sure how well they'll turn out though. She is mobile and never holds still anymore. Maybe if she's asleep....

Leeny lost another tooth. She is now missing the bottom two. So cute.

The Bug has learned to hot roll her hair. We just might need another bathroom now. She's hogging the one we have.

Bubby is preparing his first speech. He gets to give it at 4-H tonight. He's speaking about his goats. Hope he keeps it to 2 minutes or less! Pictures later.