Happy Anniversary!!

Here is the happy couple. We celebrated our 20th anniversary today. We dated/lived together for 23, but actually married for 20.
Tonight we went out on a date. It was fun. We listened to a live musician, ate lobster, and took a walk by the river. It was very nice. It is hard to believe some of the things we have done and accomplished in 20 years. For me it seems like I have been with my husband forever, but in some ways it doesn't seem like 20 years has gone by.
Happy Anniversary to us!!

Just Hanging Around

Not much is going on here lately. Just hanging around, enjoying the summer. We have been picking berries and beans. Lots of beans. Everyday there are more beans to pick.
My husband almost has all the wood brought up from the woods. Next comes the splitting and stacking.
We did make it to the ocean, twice so far, but of course I forgot the camera the first time and the second it ran out of batteries. Oh well. There is plenty of summer left.
The two boys here at home have been working and sleeping and thinking of their firsts coming up. One going off to college for the first time and the other going off to school, (high school) for the first time. In fact, cross country practice starts this week. Kids in high school really do not have much of a break. Even the one going off to college has been working on forms, and entrance exams.
My oldest is finishing his summer working in Alaska. He says it is going fast. He will be returning to college a junior this year! Wow, I can't believe it has already been two years.
The girls are great. They have been enjoying the outside. Sometimes as soon as they wake up they go outside. They play imaginary games all day long.
I have been gardening, a little bit of sewing, driving the boys to work, playing with the girls and also enjoying the relaxation and calm.

Yogurt Pops

We made our own yogurt pops the other day. Very easy. Take any Popsicle maker and pour yogurt into it. Not all the way to the top. We pushed strawberries into two of them. The girls loved them. I think we will try strawberry yogurt next time.

Bread Day

We have been having the three H's here in Maine. We are not used to it and it always causes a lot of conversation anywhere you go. Most people do not have central air and not many have any kind of air conditioner. So we run a lot of fans and try and not cook too much.
Today we had a bit of a respite from the heat and humidity. I woke up this morning and felt a breeze. By mid day we had mostly clouds and it was much cooler. I decide to make bread.

First I made dough for Challah bread in the bread maker. I braided it and let it rise. It looked so yummy when it came out of the oven. We are going to have french toast tomorrow morning!


I also made three loaves of whole wheat bread for our daily use. It will last about two weeks. I will freeze some. We don't eat a lot of bread, but when we do we like it to be fresh, not store bought.


For supper I made pizza. This one is pepperoni. I found some natural, minimally processed, nitrate free pepperoni. I get a little nervous serving all the processed meats. So I don't do it much, but when I do I try and make it as healthy as possible. Everyone said this was a great pizza.


This one is mine. One of my son's likes it too but he only had two pieces. It is a garlic and mushroom white pizza. I put three kinds of mushrooms on it. It was very good.

This one was half green pepper and half cheese. It also was very good. I like to sneak some whole wheat in the dough. The rest of the family would prefer just white flour for the dough. This time I only put a little whole wheat.
The girls made their own pizza's but someone served it to them before I could get a picture. The girls as well as the boys, when they were younger, love to help me in the kitchen. They always want to make a miniature version of what ever I am making. We have had tiny biscuits, small pies, and mini pizza's.
Tomorrow is supposed to be hot again, so I am glad I got all this cooking in today.

Sharing

I thought it was very nice that this butterfly was sharing his Cone flower with this Japanese beetle.

Again the butterfly is sharing. This time with a brother or sister. Seriously though, these Cone flowers had bee's, beetles, and butterflies all over them the other day. I couldn't pass up some shots.

Not So Cute Mom

The other day I noticed this cute shot. As soon as I clicked, the older girl said to me, without turning, "This may look really cute to you, mom, but I am getting very annoyed right now with her on my bed". This little six year old is getting very grown up lately. I have to try and remember that she needs her time without her sister. It is a challenge, especially since her sister loves her very much and considers her a best friend.

A Little Sewing Time

I have had a few nights where I was able to get some sewing done. I made a pair of shorts for the oldest girl, a skirt for the youngest. I want to make some more, and have the patterns already cut out.

Here is a close up of the hem on the skirt.
I got the pattern online at http://www.oliverands.com/blog/2008/08/lazy-days-skirt-free-pattern.html
It really is as easy as it says it is.


This skirt came from a tutorial online at http://neverenoughhours.blogspot.com/2007/12/easy-skirt-tutorial.html
It also was very easy. Both these skirts were very fun to make too.


Here are a couple of blocks I have been playing with from a jelly roll. A friend and I are going to make a second raffle quilt for our library and we are trying to come up with a pattern. She bought a jellyroll and thought we could do something from it.
We made our first raffle quilt last year. Here it is.

I have some more shorts and skirts to make, and I will work on the raffle quilt, but I also have a project in mind for myself. This is the fabric.

It will be a simple 10 or 12 inch block comforter, that I probably will not quilt together, but tie. I hope to get working on it by the end of the month.
I love fabric, and sewing, and creating.

First Peas

My oldest daughter planted her own peas around a tree. She noticed the other day that there was a pea pod! She was so excited. Dad quickly got the camera and took these shots.

I think every child should get a chance to plant something. Even if it is in a pot on the window sill. It gives them so much satisfaction. They made this grow! Plus they learn a little science at the same time. Which as home learners we are always finding opportunities.

Camping trip to Peaks-Kenney

This is Borestone Mountain. http://www.maineaudubon.org/explore/centers/borestone.shtml
My husband and the two boys hiked it on Saturday. We camped at Peaks-Kenney State Park. It was fun. The girls and I stayed mostly in the water, as it was a 90 degree day here in Maine. We actually hate the heat, but being in the water made it bearable. Later we had a wonderful barbecue with marinated steak tips and veggies on the grill. We all ate too much. We were all so full we decided to wait until the second night to have smores. The girls both got a turn out in the canoe. We could have done without the horse flies. I heard someone call them moose flies. They were very annoying. Always swarming and if you were above water and wet they would bite. Ouch! I really do love camping. If forces us to do things together and not clean the house, or get on the computer, or cut wood. I also really like the coming home part. It is nice to be clean again and sleep in a bed.

Yum! These were so good.

A double rainbow after a short shower.

This End 150 really was the end of the road. The guys thought it was funny.

A few shots of on the top of Borestone.

Glad I wasn't up there when this shot was taken.

That is a beautiful view!!



A little relaxing, and smacking of flies at the campsite.

The girls were wiped out, in a good way.
I am not sure where we go next, but I hope it is the ocean.

New Swing Set

My husband made these swings for the girls. We have all been on them but the girls use them daily. They love being side by side. Sometimes they get to swaying horizontally and almost hit each other, but they love it. They have also stared doing the twisty twirls.

Visit from a dog

We had a nice visit from a friend of ours and she brought a dog. She knows we are allergic to dogs and we were a bit shocked but it all worked out. The kids loved it. Now we are taking care of it for a while. It pooped on our table.


All kidding aside, this is very cute. I have never seen anything like it. Our friend put pineapple chunks and melon balls inside. Oh, and can you see where it pooped? Those are raisins. This friend of ours is always coming up with fun things for the kids. And me.