Grapes!!! and more grapes!! and then more grapes...and more...

This past Friday, my order of Concord grapes came in. I ordered it from a local, mom and pop company that finds small orchards ,who practice organic farming as best as they can, and buy the whole lot. They send out emails and let you know what is coming and when it is available.

This is an awesome opportunity! When I picked up the boxes of grapes, I had never smelled such fragrance from grapes! Wow!  I guess I have never bought Concord grapes before.

I was so excited! I borrowed a grape steamer-juicer thing, from a friend and got busy the next day.

Do you realize how long it takes to pull 40pds of grapes from their stems?????????

I worked for two days, making juice and jelly. And truth be told, halfway through the process, I was quoting my bro-in-law, "you know, you can buy that at Wal-mart". I had to remind myself why I was doing this.

I am at home...I have the time, and opportunity, to give my children what I consider the best type of food. Not everyone can do this, I am privileged to be able to do this.

And then it came...Hotrod asked for his first taste of juice...he took a sip...and gave me the biggest smile he could manage.

"Thanks, Mom."

That is what I do it for.

(I did take a few minutes to take pics of the grapes. They were too beautiful not to!)

My little Princess...

My daughter has become a girl...a princess. She holds herself with grace and poise that I sometimes laugh at in one so little.  Little in size maybe, but not in spirit and life and passion.  

She really should not look so grown up in these pictures!!

 

Oh my!

I am speechless... I could stare at this photo all day.

It is amazing what a dress can do to a girl.

I hope you enjoyed these!

Sheer Joy

  We recently got to go splash around in a shallow part of our local river with friends, E and C.  Such a time was had by all!

There are some things that don't need to be explained, one of them is the sheer joy of children playing in the water. So saying that, I will leave you with these pictures to enjoy!

Time to go home.

 Thanks E and C for bringing us along!

We Ain't Moooooovin'!!!!

What the cows were thinking when we crossed their field for the second time with no food...

(oh, this must be read in a southern voice. You can't do "cow" with a northern accent...sorry.)

"Oh my! You're back! Surely you have food this time! Ain't I just the prettiest thing you ever did see? I thought you recognized me! Yes, I was Miss Sweet Buttercup 2007."

"You ain't got no food in that there truck, do ya? Do Ya?

There's gonna be trouble..."

"WHAT? NO FOOD? Now you gonna see my ugly side!!"

"Did someone say food?"

"You ain't got no food! Here is what I think of that!!"

"...girls...get...ready"

"We are ready! Stand strong girls! We ain't backin' down...no way!"

"OOOHHHH! I  ain't that good in confertation!  I hope they'll give 'fore we hav ta do somethin'!

"Stare 'em down hard! Show 'um who's boss!

Don't move! Gertrude! I said don't move!"

We actually had to push our way through the cows with the truck.  They stood pretty firm, but the front grill to a big, black truck is still more intimidating. :)

The Way We Roll

This past Sunday, we all went bowling with a few friends from church.  The first time for the kids, and thankfully, we were in the glow-in-the-dark lanes.  They are separate from the rest of the bowling alley and we did not have to worry about keeping up with the them as much.  That is a good thing!  

We all had a pretty good time! Princess really got into it, Hotrod...he could take it or leave it.

Princess: "ooohhh! look at all those pretty white things!"

Momma: "Hotrod! Get back into our lane!"

Ok, forgive my less mature side, but this picture has  so much potential!!! My more mature side is keeping me from saying much!!!

Although it is really cute of Matt giving Princess instructions on how to bowl.

"Oh yeah!  I did that!"

"Look, Daddy!"

I did not realize that they made such cute bowling shoes!!

Hey, Hotrod is finally getting into it!

"Whatever! If it makes it, it makes it."

"Is it going to hit???"

"YES!!!"

I wish I could say that there was a glitch in the computer...but, I am just that bad at bowling.

"Ok, baby! Roll the ball!"

Maybe I shouldn't be the one to give her lessons...

UUUMMMMM....My daughter won....

So precious!

"Momma! I gawo in the dark!"

Good times!