Canning!

Growing up I loved to help my mom do her canning. I didn't get to do a lot because she didn't want me to get hurt, or probably really didn't want me to get in her way. As I got older she didn't can as much as she used to. I have learned that I didn't pay attention as much as I should have. After I got married she helped my do Lasagna sauce and Jam so I feel pretty confident with those.

I love dill pickles especially the ones my mom made growing up. This year I decided I wanted to do pickles so with a lot of my sisters help on Tuesday we canned some dill pickles. Today I am doing Lasagna sauce. It is exciting to me that I can actually do this myself, well mostly. Andrea has been a really big help. Thanks Andrea for everything!

Gretchen's 2nd Birthday!!!

Yesterday was Gretchen's 2nd Birthday!!! Chad was out of town on her actual birthday so we celebrated it on Saturday.

She got a bike just her size. That is all she ever wants is a bike. Now that we have it she is a little leery, but we are working on that. A older 4 year old brother scared her and told her she is going to fall so she doesn't want to get on it. Then Saturday afternoon we went to the Treehouse museum. Gretchen wouldn't dress up though so I think I got way more pictures of Easton.

She loves Cinderella or lella so I made her a crown cake.(thanks Aunt Andrea)

On her actual birthday I didn't take to many pictures. Oops!

We went to our weekly summer movie and she fell asleep on aunt Andrea. Then we went back to Aunt Andreas and she played while I canned, another post will be coming about that in the near future. She got some food and dishes from her cousins and then some friends brought her a Cinderella doll. Then we went to a bridal shower and then sang to her and had some cupcakes.

Water

Yesterday at Target we found some water shooter things in the dollar section. Of course I gave in and bought each kid on. I am a sucker for the dollar section. I hope my kids don't figure that out to soon. Well they both love them I just fill up a bucket of water and they play outside with them for an hour or until Gretchen dumps out the bucket three times then they have to come in.

Yesterday Gretchen didn't have her suit on and just got in the bucket with her clothes on so today we decided to put a suit on.

Good times!

My friend Marietta invited my kids over to play in her fun backyard. She has a huge slide from her deck, Easton loved it but he went so fast that he landed flat on his face almost every time. Marietta has lots of fun toys for the kids to play on and both Gretchen and Easton were in heaven. They didn't know what to play on and just kept moving from one thing to the next.

Heritage Days

This week where we live has had its annual heritage days!! On Thursday night we went and had a dutch oven dinner in the park and listened to a little music. Saturday morning I woke up bright and early and jogged in a 5K. I love to run in races because when you finish you just feel good. Well usually anyway. I haven't ran to train for this race and thought I just might die at the end. I didn't of course and still would like to run in some more races. The race started way late so I got finished and we had breakfast and then headed to the parade. The kids came home with a ton of candy
After the parade we went home for a while and then we decided to go to the park and see what was going on. It was super hot so we got a snow cone. I love snow cones!

Easton and Chad sharing there snow cone!

This is mine and Gretchen's snow cone!

It was really hot and we told the kids that they could do one ride so we decided to go home and come back after dinner when it would be a little cooler, or we were hoping. We watched a Hypnotist show. Easton thought it was pretty entertaining. He sat and watched the whole thing.

The rides were incredibly expensive so we decided to let them go on this blow up slide thing. Gretchen was a little stinker she went up and wouldn't come down I had to go get her.

We came home got PJ's on and then watched the firework show from our front yard. Gretchen watched the first little bit and then fell asleep. It was so nice to be able to walk in our house and put her to bed.

Is this Normal?

This morning I picked up the phone and dialed my moms work number. Yeah my mom has been gone for almost 4 years. Shouldn't this not be happening any more? I just needed to ask her a question. I haven't actually picked up the phone and dialed the number for a really really long time. It is crazy I don't cry and miss my mom every day, I do think about her at least once a day probably though. So this seemed out of the blue to me. The weird thing is about an hour after I attempted to call her I was cleaning and I found a letter she had written me a few years ago. I do wish I could talk to her and ask her a few questions but I know I can't. I just need to continue to live life and stay strong to the Lord so that one day I can see and talk to her again.

Cherry Hill

We went to Cherry Hill yesterday with Andrea and her kids. Easton has been before but Gretchen hadn't.

This was Gretchen's first time down the slide. She wasn't so sure at first the water was pretty cold. She did warm up though and really enjoyed going down the slide.
Kendall

Easton

Charly & Easton
Gretchen

Noelle, Charly, Kendall


Easton loves his floaters!

Marshal

I think spending a day at a water park is such a good idea Easton didn't wake up until 8am. That is amazing. He could go to bed at midnight and still wake up at 6ish. So I was super happy that I got to sleep in a little bit.

Thanks Andrea for letting us tag a long.