Canning Time - one of my favorites!

We have honestly been so incredibly blessed with our garden and I honestly love it!  It is so fun to plant one seed and watch an entire plant create such beautiful vegetables and fruit.  Love it so much and we have always been so lucky and always get tons and tons of yummy things.

My favorite part is not only enjoying the fresh stuff but I love, love canning and making salsa, spaghetti sauce, all kinds of canned fruit and fruit leather

This was just one small sampling of what we get to grow in our garden.  This year we had everything we needed to make salsa except the vinegar and tomato paste.

 This was just the start... love homemade salsa and spaghetti sauce!  It lasts all year!

 This year, my SIL Kisty traded some plums for peaches so I decided to make some jam and fruit leather and here is how it started... cut them in half, take out the seed, and cook them for a bit...

 blend them up nice and smooth and add just a tiny amount of sugar

okay, for the jam, you add a LOT of sugar but not for the fruit leather - I was really surprised that I didn't need to add much at all

 And then...you spread it nice and smooth and let it "dry" in your warm oven for hours and hours - delicious!

The jam just set up and it is SO good!

 

We also canned a ton of peaches and froze a ton as well - I love it for smoothies and shakes! YUMMY!

So fun and I love feeling like I used what we planted.

First Day of Preschool - yes, there were tears..

The kids started preschool on August 21st and they were SO EXCITED!

They only go 2 days a week for 2.5 hours so I didn't think it would be hard at all...

for me, I mean.

 As soon as I said it was time to get ready for school, the kids ran to their closets and this is what I walked into :)

How cute right?

They picked out their own outfits and shoes and they were so ready to go!

We had gone to orientation the week before so they were semi-familiar with the layout of the place so they walked right in and started playing in their front area.

I said, "Goodbye guys!  I love you!  Have a fun time!"

And they all said, "okay, mommy have a fun time too.  Bye!"

No tears, no fears, I was so happy and proud of them.

 Love, love, love their preschool!

I took these few pics and then I was on my way.

I waved, said goodbye and yes, as I turned my head, tears rolled down my cheeks!

I thought of the day they were born, they day they came home from the hospital, their 1st birthday and everything between then and now in about 10 seconds and could not believe how blessed we have been with these 3.  They are so amazing and such good kids!  I didn't cry because I was sad and worried but rather proud that we had made it to this point happily and a little part of me thought it was strange to leave them with people that weren't related to me but I love their teacher already and am so grateful for people who bless my kids life.

Happy 1st day of preschool Jax, Austin and Rio!  So proud of you - it's just the beginning of your amazing journey of learning.

Playdate with the Gallagher's

I just learned this week that some of our good friends are moving to Boston and although we're happy for them, I'm totally sad and will miss them so much.

We had a super fun play date with them this summer and the kids still talk about the park and their fun time.

This was the kids first stop into their "tunnel castle"

 Coming out of it with their sticks for hiking

 "Can you find us?"

*Gabe, Christian, Rio, Austin and Jax* 

Cute Sunny was missing in the pic

 My friend Kara was telling the kids their next adventure to go on - she is such a cute mommy!

There goes our little ones - off in the jungle being their own kind of jungle creature.  They're so cute and had a really fun time together!

Annual trip to the Aviary - love it!

We are so lucky to have this incredible spot to visit!  I absolutely love it - we always have such a fun time!

This is "Andy" the Andean condor.  He is HUGE!  You'll see a little later..

He was our first greeter when we arrived

 Then we had to make a quick stop at the donation area to help conserve areas - the kids thought they were so cool to put in their "own" money

 Brinlee, Jax and Rio

 "Hoot, hoot" - I love owls!

 The kids loved seeing all the owls too!  They thought it was fun to see they are all different sizes

 Ready to watch the bird show :)

*Erin and Cole, Jax, Rio, Austin, Brinlee, Ethan, Hayden, Kristin, Ty*

*(in front) - Andrew, Logan and Grandma Morris*

 Aww.. we get these in our backyard sometimes - American Kestrel

 Peek-a-boo!

We're all kids at heart!

 Kind of a lame pic behind the fence but these toucans were so, so pretty!

 Flamingos!

Jax found this really cool feather and carried it around the rest of the day

 There is the little baby flamingo and his mama

 Hayden, B, Rio, Austin and Logan - so excited to be together!

 We had to do another one with Jax and Ty

 Amazing and beautiful Crane

 We were so excited we were in time for "Andy's show" - the kids loved it!

 Look at that wingspan!  It was honestly about 10 feet!  Amazing..not the prettiest bird we saw but way cool

 Kristin enjoying the show with all the kids!

Can you see Rio's face and Austin's arm up?  Yep - Andy was flying toward them :)

 And another time when he flew!  I love the reactions of the kids - so cute!

 Then we got to go on a walk with him around the aviary - it was so cute to see the kids be so cautious and careful to take care of him

This is what happens after a long day at the Aviary!  Wiped out!

Hike and a Movie

Well, we had one last hike for the summer as well.  They kids had a great time with their hiking buddies, the Foulgers and although it was super hot and well, let's just say, Roxy and I are not the best navigators...so we went along the bike trail and not the hiking trail and had to turn around.

It was fine though - we had a great time and the kids didn't know the difference!

Pose for the camera!

Rio, Austin, Jax with Lucas in the middle and cuties Avery and Reese on the right

 We had a great view!  Can't beat that!

 Coming along the trail - isn't that cute?  Loved this narrow walk way trail!

 Just before we completed our hike, we had to get a pic of course of all the cuties and of course, my kids ended up with the Foulger's binoculars :)

 My cute kiddos on our last hiking adventure this year - I'm so grateful to them and their awesome adventurous souls :)

 We also had a few "movie" trips with our cousins this summer.  Logan stayed at home with grandma while we went and the kids loved it!  They had a blast!

*Hayden, Jax and Rio*

This time, we watched the movie, "Epic" which was so cute!

*Ty, Austin and Brinlee*

Last summer adventures @ the beach and Cowabunga

We honestly had such a fun summer and I'm missing it already :(

But, I do love the fall so it's okay -  just missing the swimming and warm weather a little bit.

Our favorite places this summer were for sure the Herriman beach and Cowabunga - we loved them and were there all the time.

Rio is honestly a little beach bum - she could play all day in the water and sand - love this girl!

 My own little sand monster - he didn't mind the sand on every inch of his body!

 YAH!

 This one doesn't just throw up water, he makes sure to throw the sand too :)  Such a cutie!

 I love Austin's face - he is so excited to get back int he water and play

 "I'm fine mommy, I'm just going deeper.."  No fear this one!

 Alicia playing with the kiddies

 Love it!  Building their own style of castle

 Meliss with her little Jett - so sweet

 Jett, Nolan and Logan - all lovin eating up the sand!

 Me and my big boys - love you two!

 Jenny, Jamison and my 4 little ones - look at that view!  Isn't it gorgeous!?

 See? Sand monster this one!  YUMMY - anyone else want a sand shake?

 Hmm..now what?

 Jamison and Logan working on sharing their things - it can be a little tricky but Jamison was awesome with Logan - such a fun friend!

" Look at us mom! We can build water castles"

Our last amazing trip to Cowabunga :(  We had so much fun but I was honestly so so sad.  It broke my heart as we left because we had so much fun there and gained lots of memories too.  We loved spending our last day there with Meliss and her boys and our cousins too

*Brinlee, Hayden, Jax, Rio, Austin, Logan and Tyler*