Almost Wordless Wednesday - Summer Edition

 (Persuing personal interests.)

 (Making strawberry jam.)

(Summer library reading program.) 

(Summer sunset as seen from the backyard.)

CUHRAZY!!!

That would be a description of my life right now. We always look forward to summer but it doesn't mean less work, just different work. I like the change of scenery but we have filled our plates for this month. First we finished up school but I am still doing some correcting for olders who were working towards a specific goal. Next is the tent trailer clean-up we are working on so we can sell it. (Yay! New school books!) The garden is in and growing be it slow. The Pacific Northwest hasn't been so great for gardening the last few years. We are hopeful this year will be better than last.

We are now the proud owners of two bunnies for a certain ten year old girl. Thumper and Chubby are the names they came with and they need supplies and attention. So far, said ten year has been doing a fantastic job of taking care of most of this on her own. Her and daddy are building a double hutch as they are a boy and girl and well...let's just say we are happy with just two bunnies.

The biggest venture we are working on currently is that of storage auctions. Have you ever seen Storage Wars or Auction Hunters? They are two favorite shows around here and we are doing something similar. We purchased our first two units last week and are sorting through and selling contents. Not an easy task my friends but fun so far. The jury is still out on whether or not this is a worthwhile venture for us. We intend to go to one more auction, have a garage sale and see where the bottom line ends up before deciding to continue. I would like to say that it is not glamorous by any stretch of the imagination but Steve and I love auctions and we are enjoying doing something like this together. We make a pretty good bidding team.

My laptop, which has all of my pics on it, seems to have bit the dust. My tech guy is hoping to recover my info so I can post some pictures of our adventures again.

Off to scrub the trailer. Makes me tired just thinking about it.

New digs

We purchased a tent trailer almost three years ago. It sleeps ten and has served us really well. The fact that we are a family of seven means that finding hotels that will sleep all of us in one room is difficult. The two drawbacks to the tent trailer have been 1) no bathroom and 2) set-up has become difficult after Steve's shoulder injury and surgery.

We only used the trailer once last year and decided it was time to upgrade. The fold out bed feature worked for us but putting the roof up and down did not.

Enter the hybrid trailer. It also sleeps ten people but it has a bathroom AND the beds pop down instead of sliding out. Perfect!!!

Due to the size of the beds we will be able to still sleep all seven of us on the three pop-out beds and leave the table and sofa set up to use daily.

Each bed area has a curtain to close it off making nap times easier.

The fridge is bigger than the one we had in our tent trailer and the kitchen will be perfect for making camping meals.

We found this trailer used but it looks new. Also, being a hybrid means it is only 22 1/2 feet long for easy towing but 29 feet long when extended making for lots of room for all of us. Score!!!

We can't wait to take it out camping very soon. We also have a trip planned to Canada for a family reunion this summer. The comforts of home while seeing some of God's amazing handiwork on the road, how perfect is that? Also, we are fans of not having very much in the Blazer with us while we drive. Can. Not. Wait.

(We haven't moved, these pictures were taken before we purchased the trailer.) 

Garden 2011

It's that time again. Time for freshly tilled dirt and newly planted seeds and plants.

Gardening can save a lot of money through out the year but starting up isn't free. I am determined to keep track of costs and yield this year to see how much it benefits us. 

So far we have spent $32 on soil and compost, $11.48 in seeds and $30 in plants for a total of $73.48.

We also have two fruit trees, an apple and a prune. I hope to find a food scale to use for weighing the produce we harvest this year.

We are all about the fancy around here. Yes, those are milk jugs covering my peppers. They like to be warm and here in the Pacific NW we have to help them out a little.

Those are our cucumber mounds up there. The pickling cucs like to vine out so hilling works really well. My guys worked really hard this weekend getting everything tilled, raked and staked out. I love it!

The strawberries are blooming, too. Ahh, the promise of summer.

Part of my mother's day gift was seeds for the salad garden. Love, love! We already have radishes and lettuce sprouting. I can't wait for fresh salad!

MIA

Admittedly I have been MIA the last while. Life has been so busy with the weather giving us a few breaks, our library fines being paid (ahem) and trying to wrap up school. Here is our life in list form.

Plans for the garden are in full swing with our tomato and green pepper plants already purchased. Thank you boy scouts!

The garden has been turned over once and compost is coming later today or tomorrow. Thanks, hon!

Three kids are in swimming lessons again and loving it.

Six of us are done at the dentist for the year. Four are done at the eye doctor.

Two kids and one daddy are getting new glasses.

Kids are busy working on earning jobs around here. There are plenty of earning opportunities this time of year.

Steve helped me get our raised salad garden planted yesterday. Love, love, love!

Someone is having a birthday soon and it's a big one. Plans are under way.

I am working on a re-org of my desk area. I am easily distracted by pretty things so hoping some pretty organizational items on my desk will help.

We purchased a new to us hybrid travel trailer. We are currently in the planning stages for two trips. One close to home and one out of country. Can. Not. Wait.

That's it in a nutshell. I am hoping I find my blogging mojo somewhere in the desk clutter. Wish me luck!

On the road again

My parents recently purchased a travel trailer. They plan to take a few days here and there and travel short distances inluding to the  homes of their grown children.

They came this last Sunday and we had such a great time.

The only live about two hours away. But getting to share every day activities and meals was priceless. 

They came in during school time and sat with the kids and talked about what they are working on.

Giving help when needed. Love it.

The two days went by so fast. We can't wait for them to come back again!

Clear as mud

Youngest had some money burning a whole in his pocket. I went out to run errands and he asked if I would stop at the Dollar Store and pick up a certain toy for him. I told him I would but when I got there I was having trouble locating said toy. I called home to ask for some help. He is six and this is what he told me.

"Look for the pirate stuff. When you see the pirate stuff look to the right and to the left of the pirate stuff. If you can't find it then look more to the right and the left. Then just look everywhere in the toys."

Thanks, that was very helpful.

I couldn't find the toy.

We are going back today so he can look for himself. It would seem that my eyesight is going. I better get my eye appointment on the books.