GG Scores!

GG (Great Grandpa) scored a home-run today. The doorbell rang and he went to get Benny. 

"Benny, come see! Come see the truck."

Benny said, "No."

Arielle picked him up and said, "GG wants to show you something." 

He was AWESTRUCK! 

"Wow."

"Wow!!!"

 What captured Benny's attention? The DUMP TRUCK! GG knew Benny would be fascinated to see a truck like his in action - even as Benny resisted coming to GG. That'll preach!

He froze. He didn't move once during the whole transaction. Arielle said he was so excited he was shaking. We got 10 Cubic yards of gravel for the driveway and 2 cubic yards of pea gravel for under the play structure.....except he brought me a bonus of an extra 1 1/2 yards of pea gravel. I've been wanting to define some flower areas....maybe we'll get to it before winter. 

Stacia began to shovel gravel into the wheelbarrow and Benny was right beside her. 

Benny insisted on carrying the gravel in his shovel too when Arielle and Stacia moved the wheelbarrow to the back . 

Priceless! Benny and his great-grandpa working on a job together. 

These two spent some time playing when the job was done. 

A big day is coming up for both....in just 10 days Stacia turns 14; and Benny's Daddy and Mommy will sign for their first family house (they've had 2 homes, but this will be the first house and the first one they purchase). 

Benny climbed  straight up the rock wall without any assistance from any of us...though we did do a tad bit of hovering. 

Pure joy at his accomplishment! High Fives all around! 

I spent a bit of time weeding in the garden. I will always need more time out there. LOL  I heard rustling. Look at this! Lucille scratching up carrots and eating kale. I had quite a time getting her out. She's getting quite plump.

We harvested a couple of rows of beets. 

The corn is tasseling....we shall see.  Maybe we'll get a few ears yet. 

Beets are pretty. I've never cooked them and haven't liked them, but Michael asked for them. I boiled one and he said it was good. I boiled two more for 10 min, and then skinned them and tossed them in with the other veggies I was roasting for dinner. 

These carrots were also tossed in to the roasting mix...bit of olive oil, garlic, salt...

I was thinning out the carrots and these were big enough to eat - so we did. I also picked some baby red potatoes and a zuchinni to roast.  YUM! I was pointing out everything on the table from the garden...salad, roasted veggies and someone pointed to the chicken and said, "Is this from the garden too?"

"No," I replied, "But if Lucille keeps getting into the garden you may end up with chicken from the garden."  I would never. I couldn't. It was a yummy dinner. We didn't have a single bite left. I was satisfied with the veggies...and they all enjoyed adding the air fried chicken to the mix. LOL

A salad for the chickens - they love all the garden left overs. 

The green tomatoes are starting to ripen. We had visions of making salsa when this started. I don't know what I'll do with them now....I expected to have all the tomatoes at the same time. LOL 

I like the purple carrots. Sweet. 

CHERRIES and a Parky Update

Today was neurology day. We used to hate this day  - which arrives like clockwork every few months It's the day we are forced to accept Michael's diagnosis.  I think we're moving along the acceptance plane, today it all seemed rather, "Hoo hum."  No big, new developments.  They're adjusting some meds at night with the hope of a better sleep pattern for Michael...but that's about it. And we're o.k. with a hoo hum neurology appointment. 🐽 

We redeem neurology days by trying to catch lunch with Josiah while in Anchorage. He suggested Burgerfi today - great choice. I tried an Impossible Burger yesterday  - I overwhelmingly liked Burgerfi's quinoa/veggie burger over the IB. 

Michael pointed out the cherries needed picking as we drove in the driveway. I kept hoping they were going to get bigger and sweeter. It appears they are made to be  tart!  Krista, Benny and I picked the cherry crop. Not bad as we weren't expecting any produce for another 2 - 4 years. 😏

Someone ate a cherry or two while helping

Stacia and I  set out to  make a pie after Michael and Dad made their opinions on cherry usage known.  We only had 1/2 the cherries we needed; I used blueberries for the other half. I made it sugar-free.  Did you catch that? A sugar-free cherry/berry pie! I hoped Michael and Dad would like it.  They did. I am wondering if I can do the same thing with an apple pie.

We were excited the crust worked. AND it tasted great. Next time I'll cover the edges - but for a whole-wheat, sugar-free cherry pie - this couldn't be beat. 

Dad "felt lucky," tonight so we agreed to a round of Farkle. He was pulling ahead until Stacia rolled SIX ONES in a turn. She ended up winning. 

BTW - that's 9:00 p.m. behind her

 HOW can it be August already? I can't wrap my mind around this fact! Oh, Michael bought a chainsaw off Craig's list....he and Dad came home with stories.

Mother's Day in August

Michael suggested a date for he and I after church. I was surprised as I know he's tired and he had preached that morning...but he insisted it was a good time to go on a date. He said Krista could take Dad and the kids out to eat and he and I were going out.

So, we did. Then we meandered along - and I kept saying I wanted to go home for a Sunday nap..... We got home and SURPRISE!!!!

Mother's Day in August

For a family who didn't open Christmas gifts until February - this isn't over-the-top odd. 🐽 We were traveling on Mother's Day.....

There were flowers, gifts, nachos, kids and grand kids.....a good day was had by all....especially me.  This gave the "big boys" a chance to see the new play structure. 🐽

Stacia and Josiah 

 It was also Bella and Gideon's first time to see the structure. They approved. 

Bella likes the slide

 It didn't take long for Gideon to find the rock climbing wall. 

Um...one of these kids is not like the others....

We painted rocks - I need to get better at this. 

Cousins. 

Jamin 

 Benny can't quite figure out why there aren't strawberries here any longer. 😂

Creating masterpieces is serious work. 

Annie and Auntie Arielle

Annie is 6 1/2 months old

 Everyone got started on a game of 500 with the aerobie. 

"I have your wallet and keys, Uncle Jamin." 

What a fun expression....

He had a little help going this high. 

Woman down! 

Krista even made a sugar-free cheesecake. I was heartened to see the texture worked. We all agreed it needed to be a bit sweeter or have a bit more pizzazz...but this is an experiment we can build on. 

She Thinks She's a Cat

She must think she's a cat. There is no telling where Lucille will show up. While some take fun in portraying me as a crazy chicken lady - there are some crazy chicken men around here.  She seems to have claimed the garage. I won't are so much when my exercise equipment is out of there. 😜

Later in the day

"Well HELLO, Lucille." Yuuki did not appreciate her at the doorstep. 

She continues to lay eggs in the brush....we can gather them now. 

Productive Saturday

This was a very productive Saturday in the kitchen. I THOUGHT I had finished with all of last year's salmon and FOUND MORE....I have decided not to process any tomorrow....and hit it again next week. Izaak is to blame for the craziness in the kitchen today. Stay with me.....

I woke up with great energy. I found all the salmon tails in the freezer and pulled them out to make jerky. If I use other pieces I have to pull the pin bones...and I don't know how. It looks tedious. I watched Cory do it for a few minutes. 😏

I also pulled what I guessed would make one canner load of salmon. It did.

I filleted my finger. It hurts. Since I was bleeding, I checked my fasting blood sugar. 110. Not great but better than it could have been.😉 I learned there are special gloves I can use in the future to keep from slicing my fingers or filleting my palm. I got all the skin off a LOT of salmon. I set the salmon, which was to become jerky, in a marinade. I combined both the recipes from  yesterday and I think we're all happy. 😜 I cut the other salmon into chunks and covered it. It needed to thaw before I canned it.

Dad and I headed to Fred Myers. There doesn't appear to be a paper on Saturday, at least it isn't delivered to the Valley....we ran into Dakota and Izaak as we went in. Izaak told me pork roasts are on sale and he was going to can some. Hmmm....that reminded me the chicken is on sale (buy one get one free) and I have been waiting for a sale to replenish our canned meat.  I stocked up.  I also picked up 25# of blueberries. See....Izaak brought this on me. ::wink:: ::snort:: ::gasp:: It certainly had nothing to do with over-ambitious planning.

Dad and I got drinks and set and enjoyed our coffee and conversation.

When we got home I realized I was going to be canning until 3 a.m.  I've been thinking of buying a second pressure canner and Michael thought this was a good day to just do it. I've not snatched one worth the price being asked on the for sale lists....I have been looking since about January.  Krista and the men childs (Nolan and Alex) volunteered to find a canner.  Of course,this is the EXACT wrong time to buy a pressure canner in Alaska. It's also a hard time to find things like sugar, kosher salt, jars, lids and rings. 😅 They went all over the Matsu Valley. They called stores in the Anchorage Bowl without luck. As they were out, I remembered, BreZaak have a canner. I called and diverted the kids to pick it up. 🐽 They DID manage to track down wide mouth lids, thanks to another searcher of canning supplies. I HAD stocked up...but I've canned over 103 jars of food this week...from 1/2 pints to quarts, but all wide mouthed. Izaak gave me 6 or 7 doz pint jars....shew.

ANYWAY -  by mid afternoon I had jerky going - as well as 2 pressure canners.

Krista sanded the rockers - we'd inadvertently painted what shouldn't have been painted. 

I love the way they turned out. 

Dad picked up one of my current books. SCORE. He read the whole thing...we discussed the method as I worked in the kitchen. I have a new garden bed Alex made. We want to try this method in it....Dad is ready to give it a shot. We'll work on getting it started next week.

I kept working in the kitchen.....the play structure was enjoyed. 

Playing UNDER the trampoline is a favorite. 

Krista came in to make SUGAR FREE drinks....and I went outside to join them. Both canners were up to pressure...what could go wrong? 😜

Slowing down...living wide awake and fully present....in the midst of the chaos. 🐽

KRISTA cooked dinner. Score.  The kids cleaned up. They are all such a blessing. The pressure was up for the last batch of meat.  Dad, Stacia and I ran to return BreZaak's canner (and get hugs from the kids), while Michael and Krista kept an eye on the pressure. LOL 

We got home and played a round of Farkle. Realizing it was 10 p.m. we stopped at one round....Michael won. We thought Dad had it, but Michael zoomed from behind with a big roll and snatched victory from him. 

Jerky making tip of the day....line the bottom rack with a fruit roll up tray or even foil. I didn't put any meat on this tray....but it was worth the loss of space..... It only took one load of jerky to realize I didn't want to clean this mess up every time.....

The bottom was clean and the insert soaks; whereas the base/motor does not. 

Today's results....32 1/2 pints of salmon, 22 pints of chicken, 6 pints of pork, 4 pints of dried beans and 7 bags of salmon jerky! OH - and 12 pounds of blueberries frozen. Getting ready for winter....

I am getting into the rhythm of an Alaskan summer this year. We spend as much time as we can outside....and we are squirreling away the salmon.

It is just after midnight and it's DARK outside. I'm up to see if the predicted Northern Lights materialize. I'm not sure if I should wake people up if they do...tomorrow is church and Michael has to preach....