My life this summer

So much has gone on this summer. Here are a few bits and pieces of it.

• We are getting to be rather experienced parade walkers.
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• Ken's parents were here and willingly joined in on the fun and heat.
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• We have had a wonderful summer of picking blueberries! I think we have picked around 7 gallons this year which is way more than ever before. Thank you God for the bumper crop!
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• We have picked some raspberries too.
• I missed the strawberries and Juneberries however. The u-pick strawberries cost more than I wanted to pay and I was busy anyway. We did get about 5 from our garden- the few we found before the chipmunks did.
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• Terry (Granddad) gave swimming lessons to Jonathan. He still has quite a way to go but progress was made. Mara has enjoyed swimming this summer.
• Terry also took the boys on their first ever sailboat ride. A very fast one too they said.
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• I got up early one morning and together with Concha and Mary made breakfast at 5:30 am for a bunch of bikers headed off on a bike tour. They spent the night at our church building and we also cooked supper for them the night before.
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• The kids with Granddad and Nana (and Matt who they enlisted at the last moment when Megan dropped out) put on a Bible story skit for Sharing Sunday night.
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• I spent many hours trying to get the quilting done on our quilt so I could take it to the fair. I gave up finally the hour before entering would close, I should have quit much sooner and saved us all some stress! I am working on it so it will be all ready for next year.
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• Mara made a quilt to send to an orphanage in Africa but she took it to the fair first and won a ribbon on it.
•  We ended up taking a total (between all of us) of 94 items to the fair.
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• We got a few ribbons (these are some of most of mine and Mara's but none of the other kids') and got nearly $100 in premium money. Mara also got an additional prize of a $25 gift certificate to Ben Franklin.
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• We spent quite a bit of time at the fair. Ken had a booth and I helped him and we also helped with this Republican booth.
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• We also had fun looking at the baby pigs. Aren't they ever so cute?
• I have had fun talking to some people at the farmers market about raising bees. I was also excited when Alysia sent the link to her husband's new blog where he tells about being a beekeeper.
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• I have had weddings to do flowers for nearly every weekend lately. That run is almost done and I am rather thankful for the break.
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• We are still having a lot of fun with our home school baseball games. Last week we didn't have quite as many kids but it was still plenty for a good game. 
•  I helped a friend alter her wedding dress. The shop she bought it at said that it would cost over $200 for them to alter it ( more than the cost of the dress), we found the supplies needed which cost her less than $9 and then we got it done in a couple of hours. We were excited about all the money we saved.
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• Megan has been enjoying having a "New friend" here to live. Minnie Mouse was a gift that she received from the friend I helped alter the dress for. She has been going everywhere with us lately.
• Megan has also been enjoying writing letters.
• There are a lot of weeds in my garden.
• There is a lot of yummy food too! God has been causing our garden to grow quite wonderfully!
• I am learning how to use more fresh herbs.
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• In an effort to make myself use what is in our garden and on our shelves I am challenging myself to limit my spending on food to $50 for the month. I will let you know how this goes. :)
• I am working to get back in the mode of menu planning.
• I am feeling thankful for the many, many blessings God sends our way!

How is life going for you?