But just like the mailmen, we at the TToT are here rain or shine.
10 things for which I'm thankful, comin' atcha.
And keep in mind, no sun. Low light + old phone = sub-par photos. Sorry 'bout that.
1. With the lower temps, our electric bill is a small fraction of its usual amount.
2. Phoenix having his license is everything I always hoped it would be. It makes me so, so happy when, come 5:15, he and Star say, "Bye, Mom! We're leaving for practice!" I just smile and wave and continue doing whatever it was I was doing.
3. These days, that thing I'm doing when they leave usually is something in the kitchen. I've been able to make real meals every night. I can plan and use what needs used in the fridge. I can look up new recipes and even try them out. I've also made dessert most nights, so the kids are happy, happy, happy.
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| I made some apple pie to use up the canned apples from last year. Making room for the gazillion apples currently growing on the trees. It tasted way better than it looks. |
4. My niece's Baptism was last weekend.
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| after-Baptism party |
5. As was my dad's annual 4th of July party. It was a different crowd this year, with many people who don't normally come showing up, and people who usually come not coming, but it was still loads of fun for everyone.
For those of you mothers of multiple children who struggle with getting a good photo of all of your children in the same frame, know that the struggle will never end. Every year there is the photo on the steps theatrics. The first photo is always my siblings and me, and then more people are added to expand on the family. I'll just give you the first two tiers.
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| the siblings |
Not
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| the siblings with my dad and stepmom |
One
Good
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| the siblings with Dad, stepmom, and Mom |
Photo
7. The plants Donna gave are planted around my house and are doing well.
Despite the fact they came home like this:
And the fact we have a dog who has dug up almost every single plant we've ever put in the flower bed.
8. I outsmarted him this time.
9. We have a wide-open weekend ahead of us.
10. And lastly, what would a TToT post be without a garden update?
The green bean season is coming to an end, with 40 quarts on the shelf. Cucumbers are in full swing, so pickle-making is, too. So far, 16 quarts.
Your turn! What makes you want to jump up and yell, "Thank you"? Link 'em up or let me know in the comments.
And seriously, if you've seen the sun this week, show me a photo.
Have a lovely day!
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A Fly on our (Chicken Coop) Wall, Amycake and the Dude, Considerings, Finding Ninee, Getting Literal, I Want Backsies, The Meaning of Me, Thankful Me, Uncharted, The Wakefield Doctrine
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First of all, that pie looks delicious, no matter what the lighting. The crust caught my eye. I have pie crust envy because try tho I may mine never turns out like my grandma's beautiful n' flaky. My daughter makes beautiful pie crust too. Must skip a generation. Second, yay for baptisms and all things family! Those photos really make me smile. And third, so jealous of your veggies. We didn't plant anything this year so I'm doing the next best thing, buying from our local farmer's markets, second best thing to growing your own. I had a bit of a downer day and this post made me feel better. Thank you for that. :)
ReplyDeleteI will let you in on my secret for the pie crust. I buy it. Pillsbury. Just unroll it into the pie pan. :)
DeleteIf you don't grow them yourself, the next best thing is certainly to buy them from the local farmers who do.
Oh, thank you for saying that. I'm glad I could help. :) Hope the day has continued to get better.
My mother's secret pie crust recipe: take a Pillsbury crust and roll it out just a little thinner. Takes away the storebought quality somehow. Fools everyone.
DeleteSmart lady.
DeletePhoenix getting his license sounds like it's the best thing that's ever happened to you - it must be good to be able to get on with things at home instead of constantly ferrying the younger ones to various places :)
ReplyDeleteThe apple pie looks good, though I'd prefer mine with custard please :)
Great family photos - as a rule I don't 'do' kids but your little niece looks adorable.
The tall guy with the white t-shirt at the back of the group - obviously a brother but is he your twin? You look so much alike :)
Glad the plants survived the journey in the back of the car, I love the colour of the red and pink one.
Just to make you jealous, we've had sunshine here almost every day for three weeks :) I've got a Mediterranean tan just from walking the dogs and driving around in it :) Had a couple of thunderstorms with torrential rain because it's been so hot, but only in the late evening or during the night.
Ha! It does rank up there as one of the top 20.
DeleteAh, you English and your custard. :)
She is a cute little thing.
He is not my twin, but yes, when I have short hair, I look just like him. One reason I don't like to get my hair cut short. :)
I was really worried about those plants. They seem to be doing well, probably in big part due to the rain we've had.
I'm glad someone in the world is enjoying some sun. We did manage to get some for a few hours today before the clouds rolled back in. It was nice.
That bowl of cucumber has my mouth watering! Thank you for posting this, and I don't think your photos are sub-par at all. In fact they just look like you've used a soft-focus lens.
ReplyDeleteOh, that was very nice of you to say. If I could send you some cucumbers I would. It would mean less I have to can. :)
Deleteok beans I wont get to this year. We have already started giving them away... but pickles in a whole 'nuther story! I love me some pickles! Especially homemade! We are just pulling out of the rain ourselves here. Worst part is it is making the bugs seem like otherwordly beings...I swear there was a twelve legged tarantula in my bathroom sink yesterday!
ReplyDeleteAt least you can share the bounty and help other people eat a healthy diet. :) I don't even like pickles. My family loves them, though, so pickles I will make.
DeleteOh, the bugs are HORRIBLE!! We never have mosquitoes at our house, thanks to all of the bats. This year, the bats just can't keep up. The little kids are getting eaten up.
I love all the photos, pie, pickles and especially the baby. But the family photos are always a challenge, even with just 2 children. I don't know why my son always has to make a silly face, even at age almost 30. I hope it stops raining and the sun comes out. Your garden is prolific. Who knows how many green beans and cucumbers you'll find when the sun finally does?
ReplyDeleteMy brothers just can't just stand there and smile. They are constantly making jokes the whole time we're up there. I hold in the laughter as long as I can. :)
DeleteWhile the rain is getting on my nerves, the beans and cukes are loving it. Tomatoes, not so much. Half of our plants are dying.
The pie looks scrumptious. I'm doing something pie-ish or cobbler-ish or crisp-ish with blackberries today.
ReplyDeleteYou look exactly the same in every one of those family pictures, except for the one where you and a brother are laughing; I'm guessing he is to blame.
I only like sweet pickles. Do you make sweet pickles? My great aunt made bread and butter pickles. My grandma made lime pickles. All sweet. All good. I also like pickled beets.
The sun has come out here. It feels like a rain forest now.
What recipe are you using?
DeleteYes. My brothers are always to blame. They are so immature. :)
I mostly make dill pickles, but I did do 7 quarts of bread and butter. I don't do beets. Never even tasted them, actually.
We had about 4 hours of sun today. It was marvelous. Thankfully it was in the morning, so it wasn't warm enough to get everything steamy and rain foresty.
I used Ree Drummond's recipe for blackberry cobbler. I didn't eat any of it, as I have no use for blackberries. Seeds, yo.
DeleteMy recipe was similar, but I used little individual containers. Ramekins? I think that's what they're called. I'm not a fan of berry seeds either, but I couldn't not eat the cobbler. It was so yummy.
DeleteHer little dress is divine!
ReplyDeleteOh our dog used to do that too. Bass turd!
I've never made pickles before. We really really really want to try pickling beans. Make them spicy but canning things intimidate me. It's the whole sterilizing process that gets me!
It was a beautiful dress.
DeleteIt's bad enough that they dig up the flowers, but they dig big holes up along the foundation, leading to basement leaks. THEY MUST BE STOPPED!
I was scared to can, too, when I first started out. Once I got one batch under my belt, though, I realized it wasn't hard. Give it a try! (Know anyone who knows how to do it?)
I thought about you during the 4th as I knew you were at dads. Excellent. All those smiles. Great shots.
ReplyDeleteLove the baptism. Again, great shots.
I'm just happy when I wake up each morning. The rest of the day is gravy.
Have a fabulous weekend. ☺
Thank you!
DeleteSeriously, we all need to be thankful that we get to wake up each morning.
The pie looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed that your beans have grown and are canned. I haven't seen any buds on our plants yet.
The plants look like they survived the trip home just fine. Glad they could be put to use!
It was pretty good. :)
DeleteBryan managed to get our plants in early this year. We got lucky with the weather. But I'm surprised you don't even have buds yet.
You saved me TONS of money. Your plants are all around the house.
The sun is here; the heat is not. I will, as always, gladly take your rain.
ReplyDeleteYour niece is so beautiful! What a memorable day for your family! (And I had no idea that godparents could be teens. What an honor for your kids!)
My garden is pathetic this year, and between the squirrels and the drought, I'll be lucky if we harvest any grapes. The apples have disappeared off the tree already.
I wish I could send it your way. I'm glad you are getting to have some mild weather, though.
DeleteShe is a beauty, for sure.
Anyone who has been Confirmed and is in good standing with the Church can be Godparents. They waited to baptize my niece so Buttercup could be Confirmed and be the Godmother.
No grapes!??! That's a bummer. Did artichokes come in yet? I know how much you like those. Oh, I wish I could send you some apples. Our trees are drooping with them.
Oh, yes, artichokes have come and gone. We had more than enough, which was very nice. Artichokes are an early spring crop here.
DeleteWell, the garden wasn't a total bust at least. There is still hope for the tomatoes!
DeleteMy dogs eat my plants. So far their favorites for grazing are the Kabloom calibrachoa that I'm supposed to be evaluating for my job, the Euphorbia Diamond Frost and my ornamental grasses. My mom uses that flag trick to keep her dogs out of her flower-beds. I don't think it would work for Jackson yet because our pet-fence isn't working properly.
ReplyDeleteThey EAT them?!?!
DeleteI don't think our flags are working because the dogs connect them to the line, but because I use so many they are a serious nuisance. I hope it continues to work.
They eat them. For a while they were taking a chomp every time they walked by my patio pots. My parents have an Aeredale that gives every utility line locate flag she sees a wide birth - just in case.
DeleteWow. I have never heard of a dog doing that. Of course, I'm far from being a dog expert.
DeleteWhat a beautiful christening gown! Are Phoenix and Buttercup godparents? How wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt was so pretty.
DeleteYes, they are. I admit to being a wee bit emotional during the Baptism. :)
Okay First. Yes the Sun is still a thing. I would be glad to send it to you. I could use some overcast.
ReplyDeleteAnd OH NO YOU DID NOT post Apple pie and ice cream. I need NEED apple pie like no ones business. ALl the time. Which is funny because before I had Maggie I hated apple pie.
ANYWHoo
Those flowers! And good luck keeping the dog out! I mean that sincerely even if I don't believe it won't help for long. Our dog that died last year was a digger. He dug under bougavillias to get out of the yard. Those things have the biggest freaking thorns. There was no trimming those things.
If you can manage it, that would be wonderful. :)
DeleteI'm sorry! I didn't know it was your thing! Funny how pregnancy changes us, isn't it?
Our dogs dig for comfort. Unfortunately, they like to relax right up next to the foundation, which causes leaking in the basement. We are leaving a few spots for them to dig away from the house, so we have a bit of hope that it will work.
There IS sun, it has not died. But I get it. In May, that was our situation. Days and days and days of cold, rainy weather. My basement was flooded, my furnace was out (and, yes, it was cold enough that I wanted it to run) and it felt like the sun would never shine again. I hope you see the sun soon! It's no fun to go without!!
ReplyDeleteIt isn't much fun at all. We feel like our summer break is being stolen from us. Which, seriously, is such a spoiled brat thing for me to say.
DeleteI like hearing that the sun is visiting other people. It will get to us eventually. I hope it's soon, though. The public school kids head back July 29, and it would be nice if they got at least a little bit of summer first.
…it's because we're all living in secret Oregon. That cloudy thing… pretty annoying, at least we've started to get the humidity, which is not as good as 90 degree days, but better that cool damp weather.
ReplyDeletePhyllis tried doing a garden a couple of years ago, but the deer and rabbits put an end to the leafy vegetables…we have a pair or pear trees (yeah, couldn't let that go by) and an apple tree… I think word is out in deerville…. they're really starting to show up morning and early evenings
At least people in Oregon have pretty scenery. We've got corn and soybeans as far as the eye can see. We haven't had much humidity, either.
DeleteDeer and rabbits can do some serious damage to a garden. Fortunately, the dogs pretty much keep them at bay. We have so many rabbits running around the front yard, but none have figured out how to get past the dogs to get to the garden in the back yard.
Hopefully you get to keep some of that fruit for yourselves!
I will send some sunshine via instagram. We are in serious need of rain so you can send me some of that. IF I had a garden and let's pretend I wouldn't water it because I wouldn't, all of our stuff would be dried up. BTW your pie looks delicious to me!
ReplyDeleteI saw it, and I thank you!
DeleteWe don't water our garden either. Except the one year we had a drought, and then we did it wrong and caused our tomatoes to get rot. So, no more watering. :)
Thanks!
Ooops, I think Iv'e been hogging the sun... I'll have a word with it in the morning, tell it head your way for a bit... it's just a loan mind, I want it back ;)
ReplyDeleteYour apple pie looks yummy, I think (judging by the pic) that your apple pie is the variety that we call crumble... it's one of my fav puddings. Actually, I made apple pudding myself today... an 'apple Charlotte', which (in case you don't already know) is stewed apple topped with sponge, served with custard or cream, it's yummy :)
Your nieces Christening photo (the first one from the top) is probably the most beautiful Christening image Iv'e ever seen... adorable!
I'd appreciate it if you send it our way. Thanks. :)
DeleteI did not know what apple Charlotte was. It sounds delicious, though. My pie is a one-crust pie. There is a crumble on top, but it also has a crust on the bottom. I guess it's a cross between a pie and a crumble. :) I'm happy with any of them. Apple anything is yummy as far as I'm concerned.
Oh, I'm glad you liked it. I had never seen a priest do that before, so I'm glad I got a photo.
Family pictures are indeed fun! If you believe it or not, the sun still exists, it's being held hostage over here!
ReplyDeleteYour pie looks awesome, I'd eat some :-) How wonderful you get to preserve so much food, definitely helps with the grocery bill, I suppose. Can't wait for my tomatoes to finally be ripe, I have a ton hanging on there right now!
Enjoy your week, Christine!
They are fun, as long as you aren't worried about getting a good one. :)
DeleteWell, if someone has to hog it, I'm glad it's you. I know you're using it well.
It does help some, but with the amount of food my kids eat, it is surprisingly not a huge dent in the food bill. We have some tomatoes that are just starting to turn. Looks like I'll be canning those next!
Thank you!
Well, I know you saw my sunshine photo already, but I can send more - would you like any? Just holler.
ReplyDeleteI am always so envious of your canning skills and love thinking about all the fresh things you have stored for future months, Sigh. I shall continue to live vicariously...
I can't even get a decent photo of my one child, never mind try a family shot! I think that's half the fun, though.
Thank you! Kenya put some on Instagram for me, too.
DeleteLisa! You can totally can things! It's easy to do, just takes a bit of time. Next year, just come for a visit and I'll show you. OR just keep on coming with Lizzi. Apples should be ready for canning by then. And we have TONS of them on the trees this year.
I do love the photos, even though none of them are frame-worthy. They are the reminders of all the fun we've had together.
It's cloudy here, too, but I kinda like it. With the humidity, when it's hot, it's HOT so it's a bit of a welcome break. (sorry) YUM to homemade pickles! Have you ever tried putting some hot peppers in with them? My dad used to make them that way and they were amazing. YAY for kids going to practice without you - something to look forward to as I mourn babyhood, especially with the latest sitter quitting last night. I like the photo of you laughing the best.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't even mind cloudy. Well, I would, but not as much as the rain. :)
DeleteWe have purchased hot pickles, but no one but Bryan likes them. My boys aren't much for spicy. (They take after their mama.)
Not another sitter loss! Man, you seem to be having quite a bit of trouble with sitters. I hope you find a great one who will stick around!
I have a child turning 6 soon, but I have the benefit of having older kids. It is sad. I'm crying with you about the boys' growing up, but there are so many things to look forward to. Big kids can be loads of fun, if not cute and cuddly. :)
Congrats on the baby's christening - great family photos
ReplyDeletesorry to hear about all that rain I saw your post on instagram - not fun driving in that storm - hope you all are safe...
The canning looks and sounds wonderful I come from a canning generation and I can nada which so sad...
the apple pie looks yummy - enjoy the week and yes the sun will come out tomorrow and if not the next day!
Thanks!
DeleteWe're safe, thankfully. Just wet. :)
My grandma spent so much time canning as a kid, she refused to do it as an adult. Don't feel bad.
It came out! And we took advantage of it.
I had to laught at your family photos! My family still struggles to get good photos too. Every year, my mom bravely tries to get a photos of all of her children and every year, my older brother refuses to smile, my younger brother does something weird. Theatrics here too!
ReplyDeleteMy kids are jealous of the dessert every night thing,...actually I am too! We only eat dessert Sundays, but I love dessert...I'm just too scared of what it would do to my hips to eat it every night.
Hahaha! I'm going to say it means our families are hilarious and full of fun, which is way better than a properly posed photo. :)
DeleteI never, ever gave the kids this many desserts when they were little. Now that they are teens, I've loosened up. Consider it a bribe to keep them home more. :) Thankfully, I've been hauling plenty of dirt and mulch lately, so the hips are not feeling the impact yet.
You must be totally enjoying the extra time you have, not taking kids to practice :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a fantastic picture of your niece and the priest. My next favorite? The "apple brown betty"! I'd be putting that sucker in a bowl and dumping 2-3x as much ice cream on top. I'd help you get rid of those apples lol
Fantastic to have such bounty from your own property. The work no doubt is difficult, but what a sense of accomplishment!
Love the family photos. You guys have the same smile!
Oh, it is a long-awaited dream come true.
DeleteHa! Don't think I wouldn't do the same thing if I didn't have to share the little available ice cream left in the carton. :)
I had no idea how much I would enjoy gardening when we started out. I just feel so...capable?...independent?...I don't know...it just feels good.
It has been noted that there is a similarity. :)
I know I'm late in commenting but just so ya know...I was drooling over your apple pie!!! Didn't comment because R's iPad eats comments up and I refuse to go there anymore. ;)
ReplyDelete