Day 3, 4 & 5 of Heat Wave

Day 3

• Woke up sweating
• Went to garden and picked a pound of green beans and 3 zucchini
• Went raspberry picking, blueberry buying and milkshake drinking at a local farm
• Came home and hid in house for 5 hours
• Made raspberry jam and blueberry lemon tarts
• Played with our 'vanilla' friends
• Made a picnic dinner and drove 30 mins to a water park

Day 4

• Woke up at 6am for a 7am breakfast meeting
• Hung out at former ministry for 3 hours chatting
• Decided to go for a 15 min oil change
• Spent over an hour at oil place
• Waited in traffic in 40 degree heat due to a stall in tunnel
• Jumped illegally into another lane, went to Tim Hortons to avoid traffic jam
• Armed with an iced coffee, still took almost an hour for a normal 10 min commute
• Came home and showered and went and got the girls from their grandparents
• Baked an apple pie
• Went for dinner to celebrate Vanilla Daddy's 37th
  
• Came home to 8 kids and 2 babysitters, served dessert and coffee

Day 5

• Caught a cold...and a bunch of other things!

Honestly, who catches a cold in a heat wave??!!??

Favorite people

These are some of our favorite people to hang out with....

Pookie & Lukas


Bear & Mikah


The whole gang...otherwise known as Chocolate & Vanilla

Summer time fun!

It is reaching temperatures so high around here that we barely know what to do with ourselves. Hubby and I were debating all sorts of activities to entertain the girls until they heard the neighbour kids playing outside. Off they went, pre-lunchtime and happily played whatever, wherever...Then as I pulled them inside for lunch, I rashly promised sprinkler time and all kids could join in.

So, now my kids are running through 2 different sprinklers in the backyard (otherwise known as the park), playing super girl with their towels and eating cherries and grapes with their friends.

I'm not quite sure what I was worried about....no pictures though, I don't post other kids on here unless I have permission!

One of the worst comments for a mother to hear...

I've been in Saskatchewan for 6 days and I have 3 more to go. I've tried to call and talk to the girls everyday. Today I called and Bear came to the phone and said,
"I forget what you look like." and then she hung up.

I feel pretty shitty right now.

My beautiful Pookie is 6 today!

Dear Pookie,

Today you are six years old. I'd thought I'd reflect on how these six years have formed both of us....

2003: You announced your impending arrival at 3 am.
2009: You still rise at the crack of dawn, despite my threats and pleas to sleep in.

2003: You came out with a head of dark wavy hair
2009: You have probably cut off more hair than most kids your age have been able to grow! It is thick,dark with blond highlights with a touch of wave. You hate getting it brushed or cut.

2003: I changed your bum multiple times a day...and you were constipated.
2009: You take care of your own bathroom business...and you are still constipated.

2003: I dressed you in whatever I wanted.
2009: You dress yourself and me sometimes.

2003: You babbled, I encouraged it and I thought it was wonderful.
2009: You talk nonstop, and though I often ask you to be quiet, I mostly think it is wonderful.

2003: You were an only child.
2009: You are a great big sister to Bear.

2003: You were a baby
2009: You love babies. You have a nurturing heart and a kind spirit.

2003: You came out heavy, tall and with a big head.
2009: You are skinny, tall and still have a big head (but you've grown into it!)

2003: You were perfect and beautiful and I instantly fell in love with you.
2009: You are perfect and beautiful and I love you more than you can imagine!

Love your MamaBear.

Garden bounty

Good eats from my garden away from home...butter lettuce, carrots and peas. I love eating from my garden!



Pookie & Bear doing their best rabbit impression!

Strawberry Season

One of the perks of living in our village is the abundance of local produce. There is a huge number of berry farms within a 5 min. drive as well as tons of fresh veggies. Due to the super hot June we had, strawberries came early and went fast. Yesterday the girls and I bought some of the last flats of strawberries available. We love our smoothies in the winter, so I wanted to stock up on freezing bags and bags full and thought I'd try making jam. So, I tried two different methods. The first was a Dr. Oetker method which involved cooking the jam and adding the pectin, but instead of boiling the jars in a canner I just flipped the jars with the hot jam instead. This sealed the rings without cooking! It will keep for 3 months in a cupboard and for 6 weeks after it is opened. The second method was a No Cook, Low Sugar Freezer Jam. Just chopped the strawberries, gave them a little mashing, added sugar and package, let sit then into the jars and into the freezer. Good in freezer for a year. We tried some jam and it was good! The better part was how it smelled, like just picked strawberries!

Chopped and Mashed...


Jars awaitin'


Finished product!