Strawberry Season

Yesterday, the kids and I headed to our annual spot to pick strawberries.

We were suppose to go on Thursday, but I saw how hot it's suppose to be and decided we needed to go right away!!

If you live in North Jersey and want to go strawberry picking I suggest you go here.

Look at those beauties.

Speed Racer looking for the perfect strawberry to pick.

Ballerina loves picking fruit, vegetables, and flowers. She's a chip off the old block!

Showing off their strawberries.

They not only look yummy, they also taste very yummy.

After the picking the kids wanted to go to the playground at the farm. That was fine by me because it was next to the flowers.

Speed Racer riding one of the bikes.

Ballerina climbing up the ladder. She is wearing boots because we have learned after three years of picking food, that even if it hasn't rained the fields are still wet and muddy.

Ballerina peeking through the flowers.

Speed Racer driving the truck.

The kids are wondering what we are going to go with all these strawberries.

We're making jam of course.

But first, we are going to make dessert. I thought we should make something light and refreshing. I came up with angel food cake.

Look at that batter. I will share the recipe at the end.

Speed Racer hulled the strawberries and Ballerina cut them in half.

Look at them go. Ballerina started chopping the strawberries. I think she watches me in the kitchen.

Once the strawberries were in the pot I realized we still had a lot of strawberries left.

I sliced two cups of strawberries and froze them to use this weekend for strawberry rhubarb pie.

Tommy and the kids love this pie!

I cut some up to freeze and throw into smoothies.

The angel food cake turned out great!!

The kids ate their dinner very fast because they knew what they had waiting for dessert.

Are you wondering what the hell is that? It's a angel food cake slicer. It cuts each piece perfectly.

We made seven jars of jam. We are looking forward to having some for lunch today!!

So now I will share my angel food cake recipe. I have tried a handul of times to make this cake and it never turns out right. I think that I have a hard time getting the egg whites to the right consistency.

I know I cheated. But it turned out and that's what is important. I add the zest of a lemon you could probably do orange zest. I also added 1tsp of vanilla extract, and love.

At the end of the day we have about 15 strawberries left. Hopefully next week we will be able to pick up more from our farmer's market. I think that PA strawberries are better!!

 LOL!!!

Summer and Merit Badges

 

 

Several months ago the kids and I were watching Max and Ruby. Ruby was working on achieving some badge for something similar to Girl Scouts. Then I thought to myself that would be a fun thing to do with the kids this summer.

I came up with a list of things that we have done in the past, things that the kids have never done or things that the kids are a little afraid of. I thought that if they were being awarded with a Merit Badge they might try the activity.

The List of Merit Badges

1. Go to the Movies

2. Go to a Drive In Movie

3. Water Balloon Fight

4. Go Camping

5. Collect Shells and Sea Glass

6. Catch Lighting Bugs

7. Go Vegetable Picking

8. Go Strawberry Picking

9. Go to Camel beach

10. Make Root Beer Floats

11. Go miniature golfing

12. Take Bing for a walk

13. Take Bing swimming and give a bath.

14. Sink or Float Experiment

15. Watch Fireworks

16. Collect Bugs

17. Take a Trolley Ride

18. Create an obstacle course

19. Build a sandcastle

20. Go tomato picking

21. Go to Bushkill Falls

22. Make Smores

23. Family Fondue Night

24. Family Picnic

25. Go on a boat ride

26. Family 5k

27. Eat a snow cone

28. Do a reading program

29. Wash a car

30. Bird Watching

31. Go Blueberry Picking

32. Try lobster

33. Go Cherry Picking

34. Go flower picking

35. Make a flower arrangement

36. Go peach picking

37. Go to a baseball game

38. Make Ice Cream

39. Make jam/jelly

40. Amusement Park

After I made up the list I then made up the merit badges.

 

I hung all the badges up on the bulletin board.

I also made a calendar for the kids to see what we are doing for the month and when we will be working towards a Merit Badge.

The kids love looking at the calendar to see what we are doing that day and what is coming up in the next few days.

 

The kids will be allowed to hang up their merit badge on the door under their carton picture.

The calendar is planned out so they can receive 3-4 merit badges a week. The challenge is getting the kids to try things that they are afraid of. After I read the list to the kids, Ballerina gave me a little resistance with some of the activities. I had to think quick and tell them that at the end of the summer if they received all their merit badges they will get a surprise. I hope this works!!!

Peonies

Happy Monday. I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

My peonies finally bloomed. I felt like it took forever this year. It was worth the wait!!

This is the first flower of the season. I picked it last week.

Since then, this is what has bloomed.

The flowers smell so wonderful I would love to have hundreds of these plants all over our yard. Maybe some day.

Our table centerpiece. Don’t you just love the salt and pepper holder?

Speed Racer is less then thrilled that I am using Tommy’s truck for table decoration.

I thought I would make up a basket of peonies.

There is something wonderful about flowers, white baskets, and doilies in the summer.

Red, White, and Blue

Nothing screams summer to me more then Red, White, and Blue.

Memorial Day kicks off summer for us, then we have Flag Day, and every one's favorite Fourth of July.

I looked around our house the other day and realized I needed to add some red, white, and blue.

I decided to do a Patriotic Mantel scape.

It needs something a little higher on each side of the star. I will know the perfect item when I see it!!

After I finished my decorating I noticed a little something in my coffee.

Do you see the shining heart? I think someone was sending me some love!!!!

Today, I am waiting for a big delivery!! I can't wait to show you and tell you what I am doing!!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!



I'm Painting

Good News... (Well for me)

I am FINALLY painting the North Wing. (Garage)

I am so excited. I get up early in the morning and paint for an hour, then I have to get ready for breakfast and getting the kids dressed. If the weather permits I paint during the kids quiet time. Then after I put the kids to bed I paint for a little bit.

This morning Tommy helped me paint before his morning run. He painted his ceiling and I touched up the corners in my room and did all the corners in Tommy's room. Hopefully during quiet time I will be able to finish up Tommy's walls. Then tonight I can do the ceiling and corners in the kid's room and work on the walls tomorrow.

I bet you are wondering what color I am painting.

No it's not pure white!! My father insists that you paint with FLAT paint, because it covers better. I have to say I agree with him. I usually use egg shell but is shows every stroke. The flat paint does not!!

Here is the color Antique White

Two of my favorite things antiques and white!!!

Here is the wall painted. I still have to get under the sink, Yuck!!!

The sink will have a back splash!!

Ballerina was not happy that I was painting the walls white. She wanted the walls pink. I explained to her that if we paint the walls white we can decorate with whatever color we want!!

She accepted this response. Speed Racer wants rainbows!! Hmmmm!!!!

Hopefully by the end of the weekend everything will be ready for me to focus on the flooring.

My goal is to have the room close to done by June 25th. I need a deadline and that seems perfect!!!

Have a great day!! The weather is perfect to spread some mulch so that's what I'll be doing today when I am not painting or taking care of the kiddies!!

Gymnastics

Several weeks ago Speed Racer completed his third year of gymnastics.

It was on a Thursday night and Tommy was away in Vegas.

I tried to make the whole day special for Speed Racer.

I let him pick out dinner and dessert.

He selected spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and for dessert a carrot cake.

He also asked for some flowers. I was happy to buy them for him.

Farm animals Here are a few peacocks.

Speed Racer gets to pick out an outfit because Ballerina gets a costume for her dance recital.

Speed Racer and his class warming up.

Miss Jamie talking to the kids.

Speed Racer waiting his turn for the obstacle course.

Speed Racer thought it would be fun to hide from everyone.

Bouncing on a ball.

Climbing the wall.

It took him all year but he FINALLY did the ropes!!

He loves them now.

His class waiting for their medals.

So very serious!!

Miss Jamie awarding him his medal!!

Speed Racer loves gymnastics and looks forward to doing it next year.

Showing off his medal.

Speed Racer hanging from his favorite bar.

The one thing I learned from this is...it's a good thing that my kids are twins and share a Birthday!!

Ballerina does not like it when someone else is the center of attention. Oye Vey!!!!