Attitude

When you are the youngest of six, image is everything! You can never let them know that they have gotten under your skin. Always smile and make them wonder what you're up to. Even when you sleep, make it look like the world is your oyster.

Our Garden is Growing and Growing.

Yep, this year we've had a much more productive and prolific garden. So far I've canned 84 quarts of green beans and given away enough beans to can about 30 more jars. Even our onions are doing well--they actually look like big onions.

Our tomatoes are just now turning red,....so I wonder what will come of them.

Last year I had a great zuchini crop, not so this year. It's the only thing not growing well.

For a while the garden had the imagery of an english garden. Not anymore, weeds are rearing an ugly head, but, it's producing well and that's all that counts.

It's been a while since I've been able to grow green bean plants this tall--up to Liam's waist.

Potatoes, it's been a while since we've planted these, but we tried it again this year. Although most are small, they taste great. We planted yukon gold. Barry will plant kennibeck next year, and then we'll compare.

For dinner after harvesting these, we ate, fresh potatoes, fresh green beans, and the first few semi red tomatoes available along with corn bread and homemade wheat bread (topped with honey). Mmmmmm.




Not to be left out, Pete and Bailey love attention too.

I'm a Published Author

.....well almost, he has his proof copy and is still looking for all the grammar errors his sister claims he has (but hasn't found yet :)

however, his life dream of writing a story and having it published is almost complete. He's been working on this book for about a year now.

He's so excited and we are too.

Cailin's almost ready to get hers published too....maybe I'll end up with another Erin Hunter and a Christopher Paolini on my hands.

Cooking 101--Fried Chicken

Connor loves fried chicken. I don't like making it. He knew he would never be able to convice me to make it so, he took this desire into his own hands and asked his Granny for instructions on how to make it. He had watched her a time or two, but has never done it on his own.

I found some chicken legs on sale and his cooking quest--to make fried chicken all by himself--was on!

I'm told it turned out great! (Not only do I not like to fry chicken legs, I don't like to eat it either) But, according to Dad, the meat was throughly cook and it wasn't terribly greasy. A wonderful first time frying experience. Congrats Connor, you've earned your place in the kitchen....anytime we need fried food, you're hired!

Choose You This Day

Ryan just got back from youth conference. The theme was from the Bible--Choose ye this day whom ye will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.

He had a wonderful time....lots of smiles, dancing--yep, I'm told he cut the rug quite a bit both nights. His favorite dance was one he learned while at Autism Camp, the Cupid Shuffle.

I'm going to employ all of my best coercion skills to get him to write about the conference...but I'm not going to hold my breath. Here's some photos to prove he was there with a smile!

4th of July

For the past few years our 4th of July celebrations have started out at the ward breakfast. My friend, Ann, took this picture of the boy's scout troop performing the flag ceremony.

A few day's earlier some of my siblings came for a visit....Brian and Risa along with their adorable boys (how did I not get any photo's of them? ) Elizabeth and Cheri, her husband was gone to Madagascar for a business trip she decided to come east and visit with us!

We had fun, although it was cut short as Cheri had to leave because of an unexpected family emergency.

She showered her nieces and nephews with gifts from her latest trip to Thailand. Cool t-shirts for the boys and small wooden jewelry type boxes along with bracelets made from local girls to my girls.

Not able to find anything for the little ones, she gets some fun bath (soap) paints for them. And, indeed they had fun (and still do) bathing.

Everyone left the day of July 4th, since it was on a Monday and they all had to get to work the next day.

The kids and I were going to go to Radford for the fireworks display, but alas, a rainstorm came and postponed the fun to the next night. Tuesday, we headed over to Glen Coe area to watch the fireworks. We were happily surprised to find many friends there--we joined up with the Brame's, Turner's and Henegar's for a wonderful night of chatting, and watching the beautiful fireworks display.

Boy Scout Camp 2011

This year, during the last week of June, you could find Barry and Connor at scout camp.

Connor had a great time, earned a few merit badges and still loves scouting.

Here's his take on the week:

Eh, it was fine, but I gotta say, it was so hot we couldn't even light a fire for fear of getting so hot we would burn alive. As if that wasn't what we were already doing!!!

During the middle of the week, they had a family night--we all piled into the van and joined them for the evening. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs or pulled pork BBQ, sides and cobbler from the scout dutch oven cook-off.

Connor helped pick wineberries, which are native to the area, other scouts turned it into a yummy cobbler (sadly, we didn't get any--gone before we got there).We got to see the campsite and found these cute little frogs which Liam, Cailin and Delaney tried to catch.Barry got as many hugs, loves, and cuddles from Brianne, to help tie him over till he would be home in a few days.