Garden update

I know I haven't exactly been updating about the garden like I wanted to, but I've been a little busy actually working in the garden and in the kitchen. I have been picking, canning and freezing quite a bit over the past couple of weeks. Seems like everything decided to come in all at the same time! Soooo, so far I have canned 13 pints of green beans, 2 and 1/2 quarts of tomatoes (lots more of those to come), 10 and 1/2 quarts of kraut and frozen countless bags of squash. It's a busy time of the year, but I love it!!!

In just a week or so the corn will be ready and the rest of the tomatoes should start turning! Busy, busy, busy, but come winter we will all be happy with all the summer veggies we have to eat! Yum!

Kraut

Tomatoes

Green beans...yummmm.....my fav!

More to come soon!

Class of 2001 - 10 year reunion

It has been a little hard to admit, but I have actually been out of high school for 10 years now! Some days it seems like it was just yesterday, but others it seems like a life time ago. Way back in the day I was super nerdy and super involved...imagine that! I was queen band nerd as the drum major, beta club president and even the Senior class secretary/treasurer. I ran for the office simply to have the title and get to sit on the front row at graduation! Little did I know or realize the office held a lot more for me in the future. Guess who is suppose to be in charge of getting the reunions together....yep, the class officers!

So....with the help of our class president's wonderful wife, Dre' (who didn't even attend our school), my best friend from high school, Celeste and our class valedictorian, Kelly, we managed to put together an amazing reunion. It was a huge success thanks to all the hard work of the above mentioned and another classmate, Emily, who donated her grandparent's BEAUTIFUL blueberry farm and her husband the DJ to the cause. We couldn't have done it without you!

The beautiful venue.

The adorable table candles.

Drink and dessert table.

Me welcoming people as they arrive. Here in the picture I am welcoming Chris, who told his wife he wouldn't be able to make it due to work. Alice was quite surprised and excited to see her hubby! How sweet.

Alice

Celeste and Emily in deep conversation. I'm sure they weren't gossiping about anyone!! ;)

Hey Katie.

Kelly reading our senior prophecies.

Everyone hanging out.

My favorite pictures of the night: 

 
 

20 years of friendship. We 4 have been friends since I moved to Springville way back in 1991. We were all in Mrs. Cagle's 3rd grade class.

 
Besties!

All the graduates of 2001 that came to the reunion. We have a great turn out of 30 graduates.

Special thanks to my date: my dad! He was our photographer for the evening and captured all these great shots for us.

Next time I am handing the planning portion of the reunion off to whoever wants to take it! It was lots of work, but I think it turned out pretty good.

Our newest neighbor

Over the last few weeks I have noticed this little guy running around the garden, playing near the creek and hiding under my house! Fortunately we plugged the hole he was using to get under the house becasue he turned out to be a SHE!!!! How do I know you may ask? Well the new cute, furry little kitten under the shop seems to be a big clue. Apparently our new little friend is also a new mommy.

Of course she is a wild cat and won't even come close to us, but this is where I caught her sleeping the other morning....on the back deck. She is a pretty little thing and I'm pretty sure she's keeping the mice away. So for now, I guess she can stay. Quite honestly I don't even know what else to do with her! At least she's not costing me money in food!!!

Birthdays, swim lessons and playing at the park with friends

Tuesday was a big day for the girls. First, it was Little Bit's official 5th birthday!! Of course it was no big deal to Little Bit because she had already blown out her candle at her birthday party. And as you know, once you blow out your candle, you are officially another year older (according to Little Bit). So HAPPY BIRTHDAY Little Bit!!!!

We started the day with swim lessons. This is the 2nd year the girls have taken swim lessons and I can tell a difference already. Miss Priss has always been fairly comfortable with water, but Little Bit was a little more cautious. This year both girls jumped right in and went full force. They are both enjoying the water!

After swim lessons we met up with some friends at the park. Alice and her boys are here for the week, so of course we had to get the kids together and let them play for a while.

After a long morning of swimming and playing, we all went to Chickfila for great food and company! It was a great way to spend a 5th birthday I do believe! I still just can't believe she's 5! Time flies when you are having fun!

More pics from the birthday bash....

A few more pictures from the party!

Mommy and her birthday princess!

Mommy and both of her beautiful princesses!

Four precious princesses sittin' on a fence!

P.S. I forgot to say thanks to my photographers for the day! Thanks to Pop and Uncle Jay for taking pictures during the party for me! It made for one less thing for me to have to worry about!! :)

Last full day at the beach....**sigh**

**Sigh.....our last day at the beach....bittersweet....you wanna stay, but its nice to go home too. Well by the last day Little Bit warmed up a little to the ocean waves. I still can't believe she actually went out as far as she did. We had gone to the pool the night before where she played with her floaty and felt confident. The next day that confidence carried over to the ocean and she had a blast "riding" the waves with Miss Priss. They played for what seemed like hours just a giggling! It was a great day.

After a long day of surfing, they girls took a break to dig in the sand.

Last but not least our seagull friend that hung around in front of us just walking back and forth. Miss Priss did a great job taking this picture!!

Tomorrow I will try to post our "formal" pictures from the beach....can't wait!!!