Walker's creative self has been at work again...

We've been watching and re-watching the movie Secretariat... love that movie such good messages in it. Anyway little Bug has been playing and acting out the scenes... especially the race scenes...

love all the horses in the gates ready for the race to begin.

So 30+ jars of apricot jam later I am done canning and today picked apricots and called/showed up on doorsteps handing them out. All of these plus 2 more boxes all found homes.

I have more to pick tomorrow and drop off to a few other friends and then will call the foodbank to see if they take fresh produce. If not I guess the rest will head to the garbage.

This morning I started with another big ol' bowl of fresh picked apricots...

Made some apricot syrup... the taste testers gave it a sideways thumb. Maybe it will taste better on pancakes and waffles?

Made four jars of this yummy sweet and sour sauce... this got a big thumbs up and Ainsley said it was so good that she would like to eat it on toast?? Not sure on toast but on chicken and meatballs it will be tasty! Will make more of this over the weekend. Made some fruit leather too, which has an undecided rating since it's still on the dehydrator.

Currently we are up to our eyeballs in apricots...

The poor tree limbs are just hanging onto the ground with all the weight...

Kiddos and I picked a big bowl today (more like I picked a bowlful while the kiddos argued about who was going to use the step ladder and ended up picking 8... but that's life currently... man I hope this arguing phase passes quickly).

Walker helped pit them...

And I ended up making 2 kinds of apricot jam today... a plain apricot jam and then a pineapple apricot jam...

Will pick more tomorrow... and make a sweet and sour sauce, and apricot syrup. Hope to get a batch on the dehydrator as well... and then I'll be calling everyone I know to come pick apricots and take them home!!

Last night we headed to the fairgrounds and sat in the grandstands...

Something completely out of our element... and you could tell as well... as we were minus the cowboy hat and boots. Ha! Alta had a competition for her horse club and we came to cheer her on...(she's on the gray horse in the middle)

Kiddos thought it was pretty cool to be up on the gates watching the action...

I had no idea how long these things were... we stayed until 10pm and there was still much more to go! Kids sat and watched for quite awhile and then got restless... they watched other kiddos slide down the rail and pretty soon they were loving the fairground toys...

Hello, poor neglected blog... we've been busy.

Picking a sampling of raspberries from the back yard...

Working on a new house project...

and of course swimming... Ainsley woke up today with sore muscles... the intermediate class is tough on her... she's a very tired girl when she's done. Little Bug is coming along quite nicely... he loves doing the front crawl and can go the short length of the pool. He however absolutely despises the backstroke (which is Ainsley's favorite) but look at him yesterday...

We've been doing a lot of swimming and swim lessons lately... the goal is to get Walker swimming by the end of summer, or at least more comfortable with the idea of swimming. We've been at this for 3 years now and I think this group of teachers (finally) is working well. The first couple of lessons he stuck close to Ainsley... and wasn't so sure of the whole swimming with the noodle.

Today he was having fun... or at least tolerating the pool...

It's funny how he has no fear of most boy stunts but is so hesitant about swimming. He's has gotten a little bit more confidence with having lessons twice a week and then swimming with us parents on Saturdays and Sundays.

Ainsley is doing great... she loves the backstroke and has mastered that quite well... the front stroke is more challenging for her and she hates to practice it but she's getting the hang of breathing to the side and today she swam the whole length of the pool. Her teacher recommended 1 more week at her current level and then moving her up to the intermediate/advanced class. She's very excited.

Their imagination... is always at work.

King Triton and Leaf Girl..

Finally the 7 year old gets his first 6 yr molar poking through... could a first loose tooth be next?

Last night little Bug read to me a favorite story...

For those of you who haven't read it, it's about a boy named Spencer who has too many toys and the parents have had it and decide it's time to donate a few.

So while reading it... I'm making comments that it instead of Spencer the little boy should be called "Walker". Little Bug read a few more pages and then stops... puts the book down and says, "Now Mommy... don't connect with the story!" aka don't be getting any ideas about donating any of MY toys!