Summer softball

Tonight was the last game of the season.  We have spent tuesdays playing games in Godahl and many  tiny towns in our area. Most I had never heard of let alone visited. It has indeed been a summer of ball in our family this year. So glad the girls were part of this team it was fun to watch them learn and  grow under the guidance of some awesome coaches

Waiting

For a train is so not fun.
Ten minutes and counting ...

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

9pm ...main street

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

as summer moves into august...

it seems that many weekends are spent canning and freezing...
most years it has been tomatoes, grape jelly and applesauce
this year we have branched out into other loved items all in a quest to buy less
processed items and eat a more natural whole food diet.

corn on the cob...
my first attempt at freezing it on the cob
and yes buying frozen corn is actually a good choice the ingredient list is usually one item
and if you read labels you know how rare that is.
but I liked knowing where my corn was grown, and what stuff was put on it during the growing season
(finding organic in my area is difficult...so plan B is knowing who grew it and choosing those who
think like me.)  buying local is a win win situation...
I love when reducing my carbon footprint...

and those sliced peaches in the top photo made there way into peaach crisp
(again not organic, sigh I trust the tide will turn and soon organice won't be a novelty but
instead the norm)  perhaps not the perfect whole food scenerio but I do know what went into
it ...plenty of organic ingredients..and so it is a better option than buying it in the store.
As we have slowly switched our buying habits
-going for organic when possible
-purchasing grass fed beef and pork
-free range chicken and eggs
-whole wheat raised organically
-not eating white foods, sugar, wheat, and salt
(we still eat them we just use the whole food versions somehow discovering that in order for it to be white
the processing included bleach, yes bleach turned me from ever needing to eat white again)
-buying local
at first i thought we would be giving up...
and instead I have discovered the furthest thing from that.
-we eat less than we used to.
-we are full until the next meal, no longer needing to snack all the time
-the food tastes better, love hearing the kids say, what is this it tastes awesome?
yes we stopped buying the boxed foods that so often in the past filled the cupboards and panty..
now our "hamburger helper" made from scratch with real food options and this version
they love even more.
and so as this summer of change continues the freezeers have become empty of packaged convience foods
(there are still a few frozen pizzas and some ice cream haning out in the freezer)
and have started fill with strawberries, blueberries, corn and now peach crisp
we have tried beefalo and grass fed beef
the chickens we now buy from a vender at the farmers market almost make you
weep, they taste that good.  the chicken stock made from the roasting chicken is
filling  a freezer shelf waiting to be enoyed in soups and dishes all winter long.
as I spend more time preparing food (more time as in not opening a packaging and popping it in the oven)
I find that cooking has become something i want to do, i enjoy doing.
and as one thing is figured out I find that the willingness to try something new becomes
more common...next up...home made tortillas, and home made french fries.
(there is high fructose corn syrup in those bad boys in buy in the freezer section at the grocery store...really
why is there corn in my potatoes????)
...and that is another post all that corn we eat.

Birthday cookies....

made by candace of course....

these she shared with the daycare kids...the monday after her party
daycare kids love celebrating birthdays especially when they have fun shaped cooies

Watonwan county fair...

as a kid I looked forward to the fair each year...it was the event of the summer.
as I packed the kids into the van this year to head to the fair I found my enthusiasm was
rather low (oh honestly I would have rather stayed home in the air conditioning)
I have felt for years that it truly was not how I remembered it, watching as year after year it
became smaller and smaller what used to be multiple buildings filled with venders and organizations is now down to one, barely full.  the animal barns are follow the same trend.
The rides often leave me wondering if they are remotely safe and the games seem blah compared to
what I remember...and yet it is the fair.  It is that thing every child to experience,yes every summer
we headed towards the rides first thing, and reyna jumped right in line, no fear in this one, not an ounce
rosie opted for a ride on the ferris wheel with her dad and yahaira jumped on something that made me dizzy just watching it..she loved it! of course.
and yes the rides seemed few, but i did see a few that I recall from my own growing years.

but this....this, made me smile
real plastic ducks in an actualy game setting
so many years it's been oriental trading company ducks in a plastic tub
not planning on playing any games I quickly changed my mind
simply because picking ducks is so a fair time ritual.
and those little ones needed to experience it....
she had to stand there awhile, watching the ducks swim by
(oh I remember doing the same thing sorting out the perfect duck to choose)
she loved the water and left her hand trail in it a bit longer
(it was hot, I couldn't blame her)
she was thrilled with the purple ball she won...
her momma was pretty happy to have watched this memory being made

 

she would stay in the barns...no really camp right there amongst the chickens and
bunnies...she only asked a half dozen times if she could bring them home...

at night...it is just magical

 

 

thank goodness her big brother jumped on with her...I'm not sure I
could have made it through all that spinning

Meyer Beefalo Farm

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Toddler Town

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

golden birthday

I decided for her golden birthday (7 on the 7th)
she would open one present a day for 7 days
and each present would contain 7 items
almost immediately I ran into a bump how to make the rainboots and umbrella fit the rule of 7
finally I decided to add 5 raindrops to the gift bringing the "gift" to 7
each of the raindrops contained a gift with things she always wants to do but doesn't get to do to often
a treat from McDonalds, a treat from Dairy Queen, a gatorade from Casey's, a movie rental from Redbox
and a toy from Target

on sunday 7 nail polishes

 

on monday 7 pairs of socks

on Tuesday 7 little golden books

 

on Wednesday 7 bath supplies
the flower for her hair and lip chap were in use when I took the photo

on Thursday 7 dollars in a tiny purse

and on Friday 7 packs of gum

Every Child is an Artist...

 

saw this quote on Pinterest and knew it would be perfect for Rosie's birthday party
so I asked Macy if she would want to paint something with that quote...she said yes.
When she is a world famous artist I will be happy knowing we have something she created
she brought it last friday on Rosie's birthday...I was speechless.
It turned out awesome!!!

7th (golden) birthday party

it didn't matter to her that her party fell on friday the 13th
she was simply excited to have her friends over for a fun celebration

she is my artistic child
the messier the medium the better
an art themed party was of course the perfect thing for this soon to be 7 year old

 

it was the best party ever! she exclaimed when everyone left

 

 

the cake...

Candace created this masterpiece for Rosie's birthday...

 

I had asked if a rainbow inside would be possible, Candace welcomed the challenge
I told the kids there was a surprise inside...they guessed a sign popping out, an explosion or slime
the excitement when they saw what was inside was so awesome to hear...
they loved the surprise!