Making Jam and Jelly!

I have discovered that I love making jams and jellies!

The red jars are strawberry jam.

The green jars are yesterday's creation: hot pepper jelly.

(The pepper jelly is my husband's favorite!)

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Jamie and I decided to take the kids to Jekyll today. We were there a couple of weeks ago, and it was simply beautiful and fun! When we arrived just before 11 AM today, this is the beach that greeted us!

I looked at Jamie with concern, but he assured me that soon the tide would be headed to a low...and we would have plenty of beautiful beach to enjoy. (There was very little beach, and a lot of debris!) Trusting him as I do, I decided that I would not rain on the kids' parade as they seemed unaware that we did not have a big, beautiful beach on which to play. Sure enough, within an hour...my husband was right! :-) We had a wonderful time, and I can't wait to go back!

Creating a Scrapbook!

I have always wanted to scrapbook, but I was overwhelmed with the idea of trying to "go back" and create something from all the years of pictures. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I was in Statesboro by myself (what a RARE occurrence!), and I decided to visit Hobby Lobby. While there I made up my mind that I would purchase just a few basics and try to create some scrapbook pages from some recent pictures. I convinced myself that I would just focus on one page at a time instead of trying to capture on entire event. (I am one of those people who has to break things down into smaller chunks, or I end up a large, impossible task because I have simply made it TOO BIG!)

After spending only $25, I decided to try my hand at creating a memory book that my family could enjoy. I would have never guessed that I would get so much enjoyment from doing this...I think I have found a new hobby! While I have looked online at a variety of ideas, I quickly realize that my work demonstrates the skills of a beginner, but I decided that it is okay that I am not making these really complex pages. I may work up to that, or I may simply continue as I am. I am very excited about this new endeavor, so if you have any tips, hints, or ideas...please feel free to let me know!

Here are a few of my first pages:

This is one of the pages I created to highlight our March Disney vacation. I created this one the first day that I attempted to "scrapbook."

These two are pages that I created today. I bought a couple of sheets of school-themed paper for this. I think they have turned out fairly well, so I am going to buy a few more school-themed sheets to finish up the 2008-2009 School Days section.

Father's Day 2009

I feel very blessed to not only have a wonderful husband, but he is also a terrific father!

Life is good!

Death by Vegetables!

This past week has not only been busy but also very tiring! My latest realization of why God is great is that I was definitely born in the right time period. I am not sure that I could have survived had I been born in the times where it was not just a summer ritual but a necessity that vegetables are gathered and put up for the winter. My sister Kathy and I have put up corn this week, and while I feel sure that our freezers should be full due to effort alone; they are not.

Even though the work was tedious and tiring, I did enjoy the time I spent with my sister. She is almost 18 years older than me, and she enjoyed an adult relationship with our mama that I will never be able to have. When I spend time with Kathy, I learn so much about mama that I never knew. I am very thankful that I have a sister with whom I can spend time and enjoy her company. Yesterday as I left the farm, we left each other's company with promises of meeting again next year to once again put up corn and enjoy time with each other.

Brooke's Back!

Yesterday seemed to take forever as I waited for 2:00 PM to come, so I could call and check to see where Brooke was on the route home from camp. I spoke to Mrs. Rachelle, the 4-H leader, and she said they would arrive about 2:30 in Reidsville. I was very happy to hear this, and my heart sailed when I saw her with bags in hand...ready to head home. I asked her how she enjoyed camp, and her reply was that it was...okay.

Okay, is not the response I was expecting. I really figured she would say that she either lovcd it or hated it...but what did okay mean? Once we got home, we sat down on the couch and she told me a little about her week.

It seems that Brooke does not like the idea of a public pool as she only went swimming once, and then she decided that some of the kids at camp were not bathing as she thought they should (daily)...yet they were swimming in the pool. Brooke decided that there was no way the pool could be kept clean under these conditions, so she was not venturing back in...

Brooke was also concerned that some of the kids were simply not responsible enough to be at camp because of the amount of money or other items that the kids seemed to lose. Brooke said she just could not see how someone could bring their purse with them to class, but then forget it just a little while later. Brooke was also shocked that if someone found a purse, they would remove the money from it. She told me that she just did not know what was happening these days...

While I sat and listened, I heard something that made me feel good about the job that Jamie and I have tried to do as parents. Brooke told me that the week had made her appreciate how much time her Daddy and I spent with her and Zach; she was glad that she had rules to follow, so she would know what the rules were when we weren't there to remind her...and she said that no matter how aggravating her brother could be at times...she missed having him around because he was the one person who always thought her ideas were the best ideas he had ever heard of...

We missed her too... :-)

Can you keep a secret?

Whenever someone comes up to me and says, "You are never going to believe what Zach told me," my palms begin to get sweaty and my mind races as I try to prepare my reaction for what I am about to hear. Well, this past Thursday evening when I arrived to pick Zach up from VBS, I had that moment. A gentleman, who has a son Thomas that is Zach's age, came up to me and said those very words. I smiled nervously and replied that I could only imagine what Zach had said. Thomas's dad went on to tell me that while they were eating supper, Zach asked him and Mrs. Phyllis, Zach's VBS teacher, if they could keep a secret. Of course they told Zach that they could!

Zach went on to explain that his mama was just going to die when she realized what he had done. (Now, this is the exact way that I heard this retelling, so in my mind I am silently praying that whatever it was that Zach had done...please Lord, don't let it be so bad that we have to either move or simply never go into public again!) I kept smiling and listening to the secret that Zach shared that he was sure would cause my death...Thomas's dad continued the story by saying that Zach then leaned over and whispered, "I'm at church, and I am not wearing any underwear!"

Mrs. Phyllis came up at this point in the story and told me that Zach then leaned over to her and said that you really aren't suppose to wear underwear with a bathing suit. Now, I am guessing that in Zach's mind, he thought that everyone would assume his blue shorts with loud orange blossoms on them were just another pair of shorts and not a bathing suit, especially since he was wearing a t-shirt and shoes with them. Both the adults thought this was extremely funny, I on the other hand can appreciate the humor now, but I was on the brink of heart failure wondering what secret my child had just shared with other members of our church...a secret that would make me want to die...thank goodness it was just that he wasn't wearing underwear at church.

By the way, for those of you wondering why I would send my 6-year old to VBS in his bathing suit...it was the night that water activities were planned, so I was trying to make sure he was dressed appropriately. I guess Zach questioned the appropriateness of his dress!

That Zach plus a Waxing Pedicure!

With Brooke gone, I have had to work a bit at keeping Zach entertained...I am officially calling this week "Brooke Appreciation Week" because I have not fully appreciated the amount of time she spends playing with Zach. (I would like to take this opportunity to point out; however, that Zach has serious HERO WORSHIP when it comes to Brooke...so is it really that shocking that she would spend so much time with someone who thinks she is absolutely wonderful?? I think not!) Anyway, I thought it would be a great idea for Zach to have a friend over today. What would be better than one Zach...how about two? The boys first began by playing the Wii...after about 10 minutes of arguing...I stepped in and suggested that maybe another activity might be more fun. (At this point, I was doubting my sanity and wondering why I thought having a friend over would be fun!)

Both boys decided that they would go swimming, so off they went in the pool. (I did have to review the rules with them...no drowning each other, no hitting each other, no head first diving...just the basics.) The next 4 hours and 45 minutes went beautifully. I could not believe it. They played and had a wonderful time...I even told Zach that his friend could come back soon (and I meant it!). I am quite pleased with how the day went.

I decided since I had been so selfless today that I would drop Zach at VBS and go get a pedicure. I am thinking the two ladies there were very bored and decided that I needed a lot of work. My feet have been rubbed to the point that they are sore, and one of the ladies insisted that my eyebrows needed waxing. I must tell you that I have never had my eyebrows waxed before...WHO THOUGHT OF THIS??

Never in my life have I experienced anything like this...I must say though that the results are really nice...so now I am wondering...why has no one mentioned to me before that my eyebrows need shaping?? Are there other things I should be aware of?? :-)

Camp, Reading, and VBS

Yesterday was the day that Brooke headed off to camp. Jamie, Zach, and I saw her off at the 4-H office in town. She seemed fine, and I reminded her that she would have a wonderful time. Once they told the kids to load up on the bus, Jamie headed to work and Zach and I got in our car. I decided to pull off past the bus in case Brooke needed to tell me one more thing...good thing I did! Brooke jumped off and waved at me to stop. She came up to the driver's side window and told me that they could have gum at camp; I had bought her a big pack a few days ago, and she wanted to grab it out of the car. I noticed her face looked really funny, so I got out and walked around to her. I hugged her again and told her she would love camp. When I looked back at her face, she was all teared up. She told me that she was sad to leave us; it took everything in me to keep from telling her that we would just call the whole thing off...she could just stay home! BUT, this is what she wanted, so she assured me that she would be fine...just being a little emotional. I told her not to hestitate to call if she needed us, but I did think she would enjoy herself. (I hope I am right!) She walked back on the bus, and Zach and I headed home. My heart was a little heavier...I am praying that she does have a wonderful time.

Once we got home, I decided to check my email. Low and Behold! Brooke had sent me one on Sunday night telling me how nervous she was about camp, and she hoped that she had made the right choice in wanting to go...talk about something making me doubt myself as a parent. She did end her email by saying this was something she wanted to try, but she just hoped it worked out well. (We both are hoping it does!)

Never did I realize how much Brooke helps me around the house until she is gone! Zach took every step I did, and he became very frustrated with me that I could not make the Wii do things that Brooke can. He finally told me that he wished Brooke was here, and that I had went to camp. (He later said he was sorry, and that I am good for a few things...then he asked for a grilled cheese!) Finally, I decided to get Zach out of the house, so we headed to Grandpa's to pick blueberries. Zach picked about 10 before he decided that it was hot and Grandpa was probably sad in the house all by himself. So, I picked blueberries by myself. I hate to say it, but I did not mind so much. It gave me some time to think and process my morning thus far. I ended up with 2 beach pails full of blueberries, and I made the most delicious blueberry cobbler last night after Bible school. :-)

This year at GMS, we are hosting a Summer Reading Olympics program to encourage our middle school kids to read. Last Monday was the first night, and we had 22 kids visit. Last night, we had 20 kids come by and many of them were first time visitors. Upcoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders can check out books, take AR tests, eat snacks, and enjoy reading from 5 PM until 7PM each Monday evening. It is very rewarding to see these kids participating and enjoying themselves. I am also participating! I read a very good book by Katherine Patterson, Jip, His Story. It was a very interesting story, but then in chapter 12 there was a plot twist that I did NOT see coming. The good and interesting story turned GREAT! I really enjoyed it! This morning I have started reading When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. Several 8th graders told me last year that it was really good...I will let you know!

During the reading program, I took Zach to VBS. One the way home, he told me that they had a birthday party for Jesus, and it was cool! He then told me about the awesome Jesus necklace they gave him. Then Zach asked me if we were Jewish...when I told him know...he wanted to know what the difference was between us and someone who is Jewish. I tried to explain to him about race and religion...then he wanted to know why Jesus was Jewish and not Christian. How do you explain this to a 6-year old? Now, let me be clear...I am not so concerned about him understanding as much as I am concerned about how he will repeat what I say (and where)...because I can assure you that it will come up at some point and be "Mama according to Zach"...not "what Mama actually said." I will let you know what comes back to haunt me!

VBS and 4-H Camp

I was able to talk Zach into attending VBS this year. He went one night last year and did not want to go back. Hopefully, this year will go much smoother. It was odd to take him but not Brooke. We just about have her things packed for camp. I am still nervous...but I am not really sure why...I think it is just thinking about her not being here at home with me plus I will not even talk to her until Friday! I have never gone a day since she was born without talking to her...even if it was just on the phone. I keep wondering if this was how my mom felt when I went to camp. It is moments like these that I miss my mom the most...

Saturday, June 6

Zach just informed me that he and his Daddy are headed to Alaska for an important hunting expedition...I told him to be safe...he assured me that he would! We never know what Zach is going to say or do next...he keeps us on our toes! I will need him to distract me next week as Brooke heads off to 4-H camp. I am excited and nervous about this...it will be the first time that she is really away from us. She is very excited, so I am trying not to let her see that part of me just wants to keep her at home (forever, I think). While I don't want to wish time away, I will be happy and relieved to see 3:00 PM get here next Friday. Being a parent is very complicated....we want the best for them, and we want them to have wonderful opportunities and experiences...part of that is allowing them some independence and time to blossom on their own...that is really hard! I hope that I am giving her enough space, but still close of enough to at least soften any upcoming falls. :-)