Halle's Drawing Of Mom

Halle Reading

Budget Key Rack

I wanted a key rack for upstairs to hang behind the door. So I had David cut and route a piece of leftover trim. I stenciled the letters with paint from the entry and screwed on some leftover hooks. Budget, but it works!

Food For The Winter

Luke and I spent Saturday morning together while Halle was at her bestie's house for a sleepover from the night before.  We went to pick berries "to store up food for the winter".

We have read Blueberries For Sal 100x!  Sal and her mother are picking berries for the winter alongside a mother bear and her cub.  Super cute book.

I had so much fun hanging out with Luke and enjoying his sweet, friendly personality without any distractions.  

He was amazing!  Such a little trooper the entire blistering morning.  Didn't complain about being hot or thirsty one time!  He captured a few hearts along the way and caused a few laughs from pickers on the other side of our bush.  He was so proud of every plump, juicy berry and showed them to all of the ladies picking their 4+ gallons.  

I think some of those ladies are out there for hours.  I would think a row of raspberries were picked through and sure enough I would pass some rock star berry picker with a quart of stellar raspberries.

Luke has a thing for bugs, worms, caterpillars, centipedes, etc.....basically anything he can step on, pull apart, crush with a stick, hold captive, collect, etc.  He hit the jackpot:

That one blueberry bush was covered!

Check out these babies!  Large, juicy and sweet blackberries.  I am so thankful we have a local berry farm. 

I found an easy, low sugar jelly recipe in Family Fun so the kids and I made jelly.

4 cups of berries

1 1/2 cups of sugar

box of pectin

mix, bring to a boil, boil for 1 minute, ladle in jars, cool, freeze!  That easy.

Hump Day

Levi has discovered popsicles.  Only.....because his sweet Halle and Luke offer him theirs.

When he sees them come down from the freezer he starts squealing.  It is so cute.

And the kids actually enjoy being chased for a slurp of popsicle.

Luke will share anything.  Halle, not so much......unless it is with "her sugar".  

Today I got them ice cream from Cold Stone (had a coupon).  I asked Halle for a bite, she gave me the leftovers on her spoon....that she just licked.  I asked Luke for a bite, he passed me his bowl.  

Today we left the house for the 1st time this week.  We were starting to go cRaZy.

We went to JJ's for lunch, considering that is the only place to eat lunch out that is free.  We actually went in and ate, which we rarely do.  For some reason I was not in any hurry today, so we posted up there for a bit.  When I was there I realized it was Levi's 1st time to eat JJ's, in JJ's.  Pretty sad considering he is 11 MONTHS OLD TODAY.

Levi is standing on his own, but not taking steps.  He will mock you with simple words.....yuck, no no, hi, etc.  He loves David and get so excited to see him.  He is "super speedy fast" at crawling.  He is finally starting to house some food, some of which he is allergic to.  He is so super sweet and such a lovey little guy.  

Halle has decided she wants to read.  We have been practicing almost every day.  I am thankful I have not pushed her and that she has developed the desire on her own.  She is doing really well and can read most of an easy reader.  She had her 1st sleepover this weekend.  Her bestie, Emma, spent the night.  She spends the night with her cousins often but this was a 1st with a friend.  She had so much fun.  Her hair is sooo long.  She prefers to wear it down and is growing it out like Repunzel's.  

Luke, is Luke.  Crazy.  Wild.  110%.  He is truly an extrovert that goes 100 mph until his head hits the pillow.  We found him some shoes tonight for super cheap and he was so excited.  He carried them with such pride and talked about shoes the entire way home.  He and David have been wrestling and throwing frisbee this week.  Tonight he busted out a few moves David taught him and then looked at me and in his tough voice said, "that's called wrestling, mom."  

"Dad, are you bigger than that L?"......the L on a store front sign.  "Are you stronger than that tree,....that car.......that building?"  He is so stinkin' cute and so sweet but he has truly been our most difficult.....that includes having a newborn.  He has so many strong, positive qualities.  Love him.  

Before....

My $3.95 Goodwill mirror. A little love and spray paint!

.....After

Our Daddy's Da Man!

David built this for the kids this weekend!

MiPaw's Grand Kamp

I just realized my last 3 post were camp posts.  Haha.  

The kids left yesterday, with their 2 cousins, for MiPaw's 2nd annual Grand Kamp.....take notice of their shirts.  Last year my sister, Katie, designed the shirts for camp but we didn't get them printed in time.  Well, this year I decided to try some good 'ol iron ons.  Worked like a charm!  I was very impressed.

Tonight the kids are at Barter Theatre to see Beauty And The Beast.  Earlier today they went to Wallabies (wall-to-wall of inflatables and obstacle courses).  Tomorrow they are going to a pool.  

I think Mimi and Pawpaw will need a vacation after the weekend.  Last year they went for a week.  We dropped them off making bets whether this year would be shortened to a long weekend!  Nailed that one on the head:)  They have looked forward to it for weeks and I anticipate they are making memories that will last a lifetime.  

David and I miss them like crazy but are enjoying the quiet and a little more free time.  If only he would take me out to eat every night it might feel like a vacation.  Tonight we had black beans and rice.....I guess that hardly counts as cooking:-/  

Summer Kids Camp

Halle and a few of her besties did a summer camp, a.k.a. VBS, 2 weeks ago at BCF.

The last day the parents all came to watch them sing their camp songs.

Everyday they made a craft and also got a t-shirt with their hand prints on the front.

BCF did an amazing job with the kids and they had a blast!  I also throughly enjoyed my quiet house every morning from 9-12:)