Fall food fun

Bountiful Baskets

Alyssa has gotten plugged in to a program up in Lacey called "Bountiful Baskets". Several times this season, she has put in an order on Tuesday and picked up farm fresh produce on Saturday morning. A week ago the website announced they had peaches and pears available and she called me to see if I would show her how to can peaches. I said I would and asked her to also order me a box of peaches and one of pears. She arrived Monday with the fruit, her kids and the dog.

Sterilizing quart jars.

Peeling.

Packing.

Processing. A blue and white speckled enamel canner filled with peaches ready to boil.

14 quarts of summer yumminess to be enjoyed during the dreary months.

Here is what was left of her bounty and the canned fruit ready to head north.

It got pretty warm in the kitchen during the process but we took consolation in the fact that when it's 90+ degrees outside we were going to be hot and miserable. Might as well be hot, miserable, and accomplishing something. So we followed in the tradition of many many generations of women that provided for their families in this same manner.

Thanks for letting me be involved in your first canning experience, Lyssa! Hopefully you can put up your feet today.

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Playground buddies

Cousins making memories

Today Genevieve met her teacher. I found out that her teacher and I went to the same university, Michigan State. I also found out that my first dorm room was a couple doors down from her first dorm room. Separated by 20ish years. Small world.

While we were in the school, Rowan and Danika were playing on the playground. Alyssa sent this photo to my phone. I sent it to my email. I loaded it on to my desktop and then put it in my blog folder where I retrieved it from to post here.

Isn't technology amazing!

But not more amazing than having such precious grandchildren.

Little moments caught by technology make me smile :o)

Back to School!

G'vieve at Kindergarten Orientation

Genevieve attended the Kindergarten Orientation a couple weeks ago. She gets to meet her teacher tomorrow.

The Ol' School hasn't changed much. This picture takes me back to the year our kid's started school here. G'vieve looks so much like her mom!

One thing that is amazingly and wonderfully new to us is the artwork throughout the building. Genevieve is going to be experiencing a great big world of education this year.

First day of Second Grade!

New back-pack full of school supplies.

Checking out the playground equipment.

Hope he can spend some time here every morning getting the wiggles out.

A little bit different kind of architecture than his old school.

Can you find his name? Everybody seemed really nice this morning in spite of the typical first day of school nervousness.

Is it obvious that this is by the nurses office? See the bandaid?

If the wall art doesn't clue you in the sign should...in 26 languages!

Har commented that some of the kids can't even read one language.

When our kids attended this school there was no school mascot that I remember. It appears that they are now the "Tickle Bees". That will be fine. We could use more tickling around here!

The Jr Higher and the Junior

Our guys are now in 8th and 11th grades. I didn't get photos on their first day but this is their first Saturday after their first week of school.

I will be taking photos of Danika on her first day at headstart very soon. When she begins her program we will then hunker down and get into the routine that will be ours for the rest of the 2001/12 school year. I'm looking forward to a terrific year!

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4 year old check-up & visiting Grands

Birthday girl with cake

Dr's appointment

Waiting to be seen.

Hearing test.

Eye chart for non-readers.

Pirate girl.

Playing with Garrett at the lab.

Pat-a-cake.

So sweet!

All done. Two shots and two attempts to draw blood... poor dolly. But she's a trooper!

Walla Wallans came to town

Wyatt trying to impress Henry.

Gar-bear looking at Anabelle.

Almost 2 months old. She is getting so active. She has always been alert and observant. I'm glad her mom has some appointments in town...we get to see these little ones more often.

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More Lacey fun and Danika turns 4!

Water works

The kids were disappointed that the pool wasn't set up. It didn't get super warm when we were there but it got warm enough to play in the sprinkler for a few minutes.

Logan set it up and the kids ran around like a bunch of screaming banshees. It is so nice that Lys and Logan have a big yard for the kiddoes to run off all of the energy that they have.

Construction Project

Har was measuring out the proper height that the step needs to be.

Logan dug spaces for the foundation blocks.

That is going to be one solid step!

The girls "helping".

Handy Manny's tools come in handy!

Multi-tasking men

Har continues with the step project while Logan gets the cook fire going.

We had the kids cook their own supper. Nothing like hotdogs cooked over an open fire. They were all so serious in their task.

Katie used Spiderman and "the look" to keep Garrett from helping himself to her hotdog.

The guys put the finishing touches on the project.

The Family Tree

Their apple tree is right in the middle of the back yard. It has low hanging limbs and is perfect for kids to play in and around. I don't know if it was Genevieve or Wyatt that said it but one of them told Logan that he had a "great family tree". I agree!

Early Birthday

Little Miss Danika got to have a little party before we left. Blueberry cake rolls and presents! Sounds like a birthday celebration to me.

Official Birth-day Celebration

Danika requested that we take her out to McDonalds for a birthday breakfast. Yummy pancakes and sausage and OJ. She remarked after breakfast that she was "free as a cucumber!"In lieu of going to Chuck E Cheese for pizza and games, we had an impromptu karaoke party. It was super duper fun. Har put the microphone running into his sound board and out through the big speakers. It sounded great! Wyatt sang 4 songs that they wrote for Danika and Danika herself sang a few. Har got some of it recorded so it will be fun to listen to later.

Mom was on hand to read cards, sing and celebrate too. I think Danika had a nice time. She mentioned as she was snuggled into bed that "This was the best day EVER!"

It was a very good day.