Relaxing Days

As I sit here in the cabin, watching it rain again, I am thankful that I packed my winter pjs!  I know that may seem funny to all of you that are experiencing the heat wave back in Oklahoma, but here there is no sign of heat.  I say that with exclamation.  I don't have a lot to share other than we are having a wonderful time.  Most of all it is relaxation at its finest.  Tina, Madi, and I enjoyed having a nice quiet day at the cabin yesterday.  We watched the humming birds, did a puzzle, read our books, watched it rain, and took naps!!!  Yes, I said it took naps and oh how marvelous it was.  The bed here in the new cabin this year is hard.  It seems that I can sleep better on the couch in the afternoons instead.  We have had some wonderful moments and hope to have some more.  It is still raining but now the sun is coming out from the clouds. 

Oh, I forgot to tell you where Parker was didn't I!  You were probably wondering.  No, I didn't leave him in South Fork.  Even though we considered it several times on the drive up here!  (Spilled pop, candy, etc....)  Laverne, Jerry's friend that meets us up here has his two grandsons with him and Parker and Nate are just one yr. apart in age.  They have hit it off really well, so Laverne offered for Parker to ride double with Nate on Jack!  Yep, what a great name, Huh, Jack!  So, they  rode yesterday and seemed to get along really well, except for just up the hill from camp they got bucked off.  One horse with two masters doesn't work to well.  Once they got all of the details worked out the three made it just fine to Brewster Park and back with no injuries. 

I tried several times yesterday to connect to the Internet and couldn't.  I talked to Forrest who lives here and he told me I could only get Internet if I sat in the back room here in the cabin.  Low and behold he was right.  I came to the back room, held my mouth just right and my computer found the Internet signal!!  Just shows you how modern technology is selective to area I guess.  Who knows?  LOL

I said I didn't have alot to share but it turns out I did I guess. Sorry!   I guess the lack of people to talk to really has had an effect on me.  My fingers are just typing so fast with excitement to tell you of all the happenings.

 

 

The view from where I am typing.  If you look really close you can see the rain dripping from the edge of the roof.

Making Jam

I have learned something new!  I am so proud of myself!! 

I learned to make jam!  I was raised on the farm and always watched as my grandmothers canned pickles, peaches, beets.....etc. etc.   They did it all.  Made cucumbers into pickles, made chow chow, took corn off the cob.   Any number of weird things you can imagine they have done it. (pickled peaches is the strangest thing to me)  I never really had time or interest in doing any of these things until recently.  I am not sure what came over me, but something did.  Maybe it is that canning is an aging process that doesn't happen on a regular basis.  Maybe I feel that the art of canning is being lost.  I don't know something weird definitely came over me.  As I drive down the street now, it is as if I have some sort of fruit radar.  I look constantly in search of fruit trees.  Wondering if I can preserve it. ????? I know weird right.  I feel it too.  Anyway I made two types of jam, Sand plum and Apricot. 

I had a friend that gave me a little instruction on how it works but boy I couldn't believe how complicated it all seemed at first.  I had my fruit all picked, washed, run through the sieve. (not sure how to spell that, never used one until now)  I was ready to go. Sure-jell bought, jars washed, seals heated, sugar measured, fruit cooked.
 

The next few steps seemed to be critical.  Bring to boil, add sugar, boil only one minute.  Not a second longer!  Very important. Don't know why but my friend stressed this point strongly.

This is a picture of the finished product.  Yes, they are upside down.  I forgot to take a picture once I turned them back over. 

 

Oh, and it is delicious!!! I can't help but brag.  I am proud!

How many will survive?

After all the rain that we have received this week the neighborhood has lots of water puddles.  Over the holiday weekend, Parker spent the majority of his time outdoors playing with friends.  Parker is definitely an outdoors man.  He loves to be out playing.  We literally have to force the boy in to bathe and eat in the evening.  When he came home, he walked in with a Dr. Pepper can.   I asked him what are you doing with that can.  With that he responds it is Aric's.  He started heading toward to the bedroom and I said no you are not going in there with that pop can.  He said well mom I have to do something with it.  Do something with what?  I am now wondering what he is up to.  I soon find out that the boys have discovered frog eggs in some of the puddles.  He was planning on putting them in his aquarium in his room where the salamander lives.  When I found out what the plan was I quickly sent him out the door.  I don't care where you put the eggs but not in the house.  I don't even know how he knew that they were frog eggs.  After I sent him back out he was a little upset.  I followed him out and he said, Mom, I just can't let all of them die.  I have to find somewhere for them to live.   I told him put them in the bird bath. 

At first when he dumped the can there were probably 20 eggs.   By the end of the day there were more like 100.  I am not sure that there are really that many but lets just say there were a lot more.  He decided that he would collect all he could in case the puddles all dry up.

Yesterday when I came home for lunch, I drive into the driveway to find both of my children in the middle of the flowerbed, gazing into the bird bath.  As I get out of my car I am greeted with loud exclamations of the eggs have hatched mom, LOOK!!!!  Sure enough it is full of tadpoles.  When I looked at them I thought they might be mosquitoes.  I told the kids I wasn't sure if they were tadpoles but Parker said "MOM, They ARE Tadpoles, I PROMISE!"   When I came home from work today, Chris told me to look in the birdbath. He said look at all of those swimming around.  I  looked and I am guessing that they are tadpoles.  They now look more like a tadpole than mosquitoes.  I guess we will se what the next few days bring for them but what I really am worried about now is how many frogs will survive.  How many of these little guys will I have around this time next week?

 

Summer Reading

I love to read.  I always have some type of book with me.  I usually read fiction.  Sometimes I read other stuff, but mostly fiction.  I decided recently that I would try something different.  I would try reading the 100 Greatest Books.   The list is made up of several books that I have heard of but never  took the time to read.  In high school and English Lit. in college we were always reading books to write reports on. They always had us reading something for education purposes.  I never enjoyed this reading nearly as much.

The first book off of the list that I read was Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.  I really don't want to offend anyone or ruin anyone's day.  It is strictly my opinion, but I didn't care for this book.  I read it to see what happens in the end, to find out what happened to the main characters.  I don't know what makes this one of the 100 Greatest Books.

I'm not a literary expert so maybe I am missing something.   I have moved on now to reading Anna Karenina.  Maybe I need instruction.  Who knows.   It is a little different than what I expected.  I have carried it around for too long, but I will finish it.  Even if is seems like torture.  I really had the intention of reading all of the 100.  But after the first two, I may not make it.  I may go back to reading the fun stuff instead of all the serious books.

End of Soccer Season

This weekend is the District Tournament.  I am glad this season is drawing to an end.  However, I have not made it yet.  This weekend could be a test of my ability to hold it together.  I do miss having at least one free evening a week to do whatever it is I choose.  I love to read. I love to bake.  What are those you say.  Those are my true hobbies.   I am just posing as a sports enthusiast right now.  No....don't get me wrong I love to watch my children play sports.  But the past few weeks have been a little more than hectic.  Parker started baseball before soccer season was over.  We have had three weeks now of baseball games and Soccer started the last weekend in March.  I don't mind having one or the other but both is a drag.  We have also been attending AWANAS every Wednesday night.  Every night has something.  Either game or practice and Saturday's are reserved for the soccer games.  We have had two great soccer seasons, both teams have played really well. Pray that I have enough energy to make it!!   Baseball however will continue through the third week in June.  I will eventually have time to read again right?  HELP

The Magic Kingdom

 

 

I know that we went to Disney in February and tomorrow is the last day of April, I am a little behind in getting this out there.  Those of you who do read my blog, all three or four of you, I apologize.  I guess I should say sorry.  I am so slow.

 

 

Going to Disney was something that I had anticipated from the time that Madi was a tiny baby.  I always dreamed of the day she would see Cinderella's castle.  I can remember thinking about how many times she would smile in awe.  I had looked forward to this trip for years.  I actually thought that the day may never come.(if it were up to Chris it really might never happened, he is not a big fan of Disney)  The time arrived finally and I am sad to say I was a little disappointed.  We did have a wonderful time.  I just think I had it worked up so in my mind that no matter how much fun we had it would never compare to what I imagined.   The kids loved it and I loved it and Chris had a good time but there were downfalls.   Too many people.  I don't like crowds a lot and there were a lot of people.  I know what did you expect, Cathy?  Hello it is bigger than the whole town of Cordell.   I knew that there would be lots of people but not lots and lots.  You know what I mean don't you?   Anyway......We had a wonderful trip as a whole.  We spent a lot of quality time together as a family.  We saw the fabulous five, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto.  We even dined with them!!!  Thanks Chris.  Life was good until all the people cut in line!!!  Yep it happened and I didn't deal too well .  Now I will share a few of the pictures with you.  Disney is just one of those things on my list.  I will check this one off my list and move on to something else.  I am so thankful that God allowed us to go and to travel to and from safely.  May we be so fortunate and blessed to spend more time together as a family.  I love my husband and my kids.  And I love to spend time with them!  (even if it is nowhere else but home)

 

 

Day Two: Epcot

 

Another day, bright and early.  We spent another long day seeing the sites.  Our day actually started extremely early.  We were up before the sun on Friday.   We had a breakfast with Mickey at Chef Mickey's at 7:20 am.   To be there on time, we had to catch the bus at 6:30 am.  And these times are the Eastern time zone.  So getting up to be ready for us came really early, 4:45 am CST.  The kids were not receptive to this part of the day.  Once we got going, things seemed to go smooth. 

Chef Mickey was fun.  Not sure it was really worth what it costs.  The breakfast was really delicious with a huge variety.  The best part was seeing the Fabulous Five:  Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto.
 

 

 

Chris was so excited, we could hardly tare him away from Minnie Mouse.
 

After the Under the Seas ride, there were several aquariums filled with beautiful sea creatures.  This starfish was really unique.  We have so many pictures, I have had a hard time picking just a few.  Hope I don't bore all of you too much. 

 

The seahorse tank was by far Madison's favorite.  She could have spent the whole day here.   This area was definitely one of our favorites.