Long Weekends

I treasure every moment of being a stay at home mother to my boys, but sometimes I wish my husband could be there to enjoys the activities with us. I love long weekends because he gets a chance to do those activities along with us... and this weekend was no exception we were BUSY!

The boys go to enjoy a birthday party on Saturday afternoon... Happy birthday Lilly!
Followed by FRESH strawberry shortcake for dinner at grandma and grandpa's house... an even more special treat great- grandma and great-grandpa came over too!! (my momma always grows the best strawberry's in her garden)

Sunday we went to Hershey for our annual Memorial Day picnic with my Husbands family. This is the one time of year when we get to see my husbands uncle Jack. He is an awesome guy (probably the coolest guy I know who graduated from Penn State class of  '52 ) He is the man Riley was named after (well that side of the family).

 Nan and uncle Jack (2011)

Mr. Jack Walker and my little Riley Walker were having fun together at our picnic, I was able to snap a few shots of them hanging out together. I feel honored to have my son names after such a kind, gentle man, Riley took to him immediately.

Monday is our day of rest where we as a family went on a relaxing hike together. We got to follow the trail down to the creek and explore all around.

Do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Deuteronomy 4:9

 

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

My boys were very excited too stop and look all around at the different things God created....I just love nature and feel that everything is so purely God... his creation at its most basic. I find it so easy to be with him and rejoice in him when I am surrounded by such beauty.

How great is the love of the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1

Connor liked this tree... He thought it looked like a smiley face with a beard... gotta love imagination!

(Deer)

(Dog)

 (Butterfly)

Connor was loving looking at the different tracks we found in the mud and the different tree's that had fallen over in the forest....

 

 

Riley was fascinated by the water. Once he crouched down and didn't want to get back up even after Daddy and Connor were out of sight.

We got to explore under a covered bridge....

We got to throw rocks into the water....

 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 john 1:4

At the end Connor was on Daddy's back and Riley was on Momma's shoulders but it was absolutely beautiful and I wouldn't couldn't have asked for a more relaxing hike. I LOVE long summer weekends!

 

Super Simple Rainy Day Recipe: Rhubarb Jam

It has been pouring rain for the past few weeks months and I have been running out of idea's to entertain my kids inside we had a winter filled with this:

 

 

   

(This was the first day of SPRING!)

The rest of spring has been filled with this:

 I found a recipe for rhubarb jam and it sounded easy enough.. actually it sounded SUPER simple so we had to give it a try. I found it on allrecipies.com

 

Ingredients

• 5 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
• 3 cups white sugar
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin

  

Basically what you need to do is get your mason jars ready, wash them in hot water and let them rest in warm water till you are ready to use them... why? I dunno that is what the recipe said...

 

You need to chop and heat up your rhubarb put it in the stove to simmer. Then you need to add sugar... continue mixing till it looks something like this (above). Then take it off the heat and stir in the dry strawberry gelatin mix. Scoop into jelly jars (mine are not jelly jars much too big!)

 

 Turn the jars upside down and let them rest for a bit. Then you can put it into your refrigerator. The jam is good for only about a month so use it up... that's it! now all you have to do is eat it and its actually really good. My kiddo's love peanut butter and jelly so this works GREAT!

Yard Sales According To: Me

I have never really found my niche at yard sales.... now I do love a good deal and I have been none to go to "junk" stores and frequent re-use it shops... but going to yard sales has always been hard for me..
first of all I think maybe I am kinda rude... seriously who would try and sell a wooden bench for 50.00 at a YARD SALE?

I know what price I am looking for and i have VERY specific taste... I usually feel like it is a waste of time... I am NOT looking for clothing... i am NOT looking for toys... I am not interested in anything form the 70's 80's or 90's... I am looking for old stuff... what I have learned is that I don't need to bother going to yard sales in big developments.. their stuff is never old enough...I need to find houses where the residents are more "mature"

I love how rusty and untouched this old thing is... I found it  last year at an Amish man's farm sale... I just love it! he had more and I wish now I would have gotten more. To think about the history an object can have...

these chairs I found this weekend... just driving down the road (on our way to get ice-cream) and we passed a house with a bunch of fun chairs outside... I got all excited but husband really didn't want to stop (he knew he would have to deal with me getting annoyed for example : the bench I kinda... maybe... almost... liked for 50.00! humph)  he compromised with me and said if they are there on the way home we can stop.... right away he asked me how much I would pay for that kind of a chair in good condition.. (my good condition = not falling apart too much and only needs a little wood glue)... I said about 10-15.00...

A Little Dinner Party

Last minute things are kinda ideal for me... somehow God always allows them to come together... I put on my Grandmother's apron and got to work....

 

  

 I dressed up our dining room... I got to use my wedding china!! for like the 3rd time ever...  (we are going on 6 years this June)... I found a drop cloth that fit just right at Harber Freight for 6.99! for a 12 ft. by 4ft. piece of fabric!... I love the texture it kinda feels rustic and I like that! 

 

I had to put two tables together to make enough room... oh how I long for a VERY large table...(note to self 10 ft. table is a big as we can go ) Husband really had so squish on the end. I hung Christmas lights from my ceiling and added simple name tags and flowers from a bush outside..I  also threw in some tea lights for good measure....

and what were my kids doing while I was making everything so girly?... well....

 

 

 

 

... not much but they were having fun too...

 

 

I have been very fortunate to have been introduced to some very special girls. I met them when they were in seventh grade and I was in my first year of marriage.  I got to know them well by sharing sleepovers, midnight shopping trips, and many beach trips.

 

They went from seventh grade girls...

  

...To high school girls before I knew it....

 

 

Most of my favorite memories took place at the beach where I got plenty of time to talk and learn about their lives.. they were each unique and special... not one I would trade for another...

 They welcomed me into their lives and I got to celebrate milestones... like sweet 16 birthday parties...

They have been a major part of my life too we all went to the wedding of a fellow youth leader together... they kept my husband busy occupied  entertained while I was part of the wedding party...

Graduation is coming this year and it is a little crazy the thought of them in college the real world... I wanted to throw them a dinner party to celebrate the truly uniqueness that is them... The wonderful special gift they gave me of allowing me to be a part of their lives.... thanks girls!