Gavin got married!

This has been a fun weekend,  Our nephew, Gavin got married.  Preston and Sunny took the weekend off for it, and came down Friday night to stay over.  When they got here, Preston was telling me he missed Evelyn and Wrenley.  I said well call and tell them to come over.  Mallory also came out.  We had fish and shrimp tacos, and hung out visiting.  I enjoyed having a few of the kids around to liven up our Friday!

Saturday was Gavin's wedding.  He married his fiancé, Hannah in her hometown of Madison.  The church they got married in was a tiny little church, but it was beautiful!  The church also happens to be the one that her parents got married in, and yesterday was their anniversary!  So cool!  I was infatuated with the stained glass windows in the church.  I asked Saige to take some photos of them, and she did, although maybe not exactly what I had in mind.  My mom also accidentally took a photo of them, but she was aiming for Lawson at the rehearsal!  :)  

Lawson was the ring bearer!  He did a great job!

This one of the baptism of Jesus is really stunning.  I don't think the photo does it justice.  I am so impressed with the work and the colors!  

Their wedding was short, simple and beautiful.  I am very happy for them, and as always, I am a sucker for a wedding.  I love them!  
And my own kids were all there, which always makes me happy when we are all in the same place!  

Gavin and Hannah - I hope you have a lifetime of love and happiness!  

Today, Cameron and Preston are in Oklahoma City to see Lebron play before he retires.  I love that they hang out doing stuff together.  They spent the night with Colin and Spencer last night, and I believe they were getting up early to help Colin remove some big tree from their yard before they left.

The rest of us had Sunday lunch instead of dinner so that I can go on to work.  Jim and Andrew took Evelyn fishing.  Everyone else, including the dogs are taking naps!  The amount of fun they had is causing them to be sleepy I guess!  

 

Embrace the weird

 

Ok so in my last post, I mentioned that Jim and I might be getting a little more time at home, and getting a little more odd in our old age.  Which is why when we were in severe storm warnings and were watching the coverage, and noticed the cats were also seemingly worried about the weather, I had to take a picture.  I was completely amused with them sitting there watching the storm coverage.  Only later did I realize there was a moth flying around the TV and that might have been what they were focusing on.  Still funny.  

Do you know who does not worry about weather?  These 2 lazy dogs.  They slept through the entire storm warning.

Madison sent this picture and I was blown away by how she looks like a big kid now.  Why do babies not stay little?  

Trying new things is something that I love.  Saving money in our current governmental fiasco is going to be necessary.  We may not have master level gardening skills, but I do have a lot of weeds.  This week, I happened to see a friend's facebook proclaiming that they had made red bud jelly and that it was delicious.  I was not completely sure that was a thing, so I did a little research.  Turns out, it is a very real thing, and there were also a bunch of other jellies that can be made with "weeds" from your yard.  I reached out to a couple of my "hippy/gardeny" friends, and was overwhelmingly told that red bud jelly is in fact, delicious.  Most of them also recommended dandelion jelly as well.  

And yes, curiosity got the better of me and I found myself in the yard picking dandelions and red buds.  Maude needs to spend time outside anyway, so rather than watching her go potty, I put myself to work.  I did have some trouble picking the dandelions, as Maude kept sticking her head in the bowl and eating them.  Silly dog!

In both types of jelly, you use the flower to make "tea" and then use the tea for your jelly.  As a lifelong lover of pink, this is the prettiest tea I have ever seen!  One small problem - I did not have any pectin laying around.  I am currently boycotting walmart, amazon, and target.  I found a place on line that sells bulk pectin, but the price was incredible.  Finally, i remembered that Menards has a canning section.  One trip into my favorite store later, and I was set.  My friend Dusty came over to help me!  We were equally excited about this project.  Also, I was overjoyed at having an evening to visit with her!

Red bud jelly is absolutely beautiful.  Here are my thoughts on it - I liked it, I don't think I love it.  I love the color.  I love that I can say I have tried it.  I gave Jim a spoonful and he didn't come in the kitchen asking for more, so I am guessing he wasn't overly excited about it either.  It has a light floral taste, and a bit of a woodsy, mossy taste.  I am not thinking it is something that I will need to make again.  Is it terrible?  No.  But I think there are too many good foods in the world to eat some that are just meh.  

On the other hand, I really did like the dandelion jelly.  I am not sure we put enough food coloring in it, and I think it could be prettier, but the flavor!  It tastes like a buttery honey.  I absolutely would make this one again.  As a matter of fact, I am planning to make it again.  Oh kids - guess what you are all getting for Christmas this year!?!?  Jim tried this one as well.  He told me that the spoonful was too small or a sample to get a read on how he feels about it.    I did some math and we have about $5 in this entire project - less than store bought jelly.    And the best part - I got to hang out with my bestie, catching up and laughing like we were 14 again!  So much fun!

Now that we are older....

Our lives (Jim's and Mine) are getting a little bit weirder.  We have only 2 kids living at home now.  The 2 we have are incredibly helpful, incredibly smart and self sufficient, and also, they dislike leaving the house unless it is necessary - like for school.  They aren't really into sports, don't really have any desire to be in activities at school, could care less about going into town once they get home for the day from school.  They are both in 4-H and band, and that is about the extent.  We have gone from having multiple children involved in everything, to having just 2 kids who are basic homebodies.  Which means, I have to continually entertain myself.  Saturdays in a wrestling gym are replaced with home projects and working at the liquor store.  Basketball tournaments have been replaced with garden centers.  Leading children into runs for chickens and baby pigs and auctions - replaced with oh wait, I am actually still doing that.  :)  We have gone from the boys and Quincy being Jim's right hand men, to Hope being Jim's right hand (wo)man.  So when Jim came home last night, and the entire county was on fire, he was excited about getting out there to burn some piles he has made.  I tagged along, as I don't trust him to be lighting fires without supervision!  The girls agreed to cleaning the kitchen, and putting away our Chewey delivery.  Jim, the dogs and I were off to the land of fire.  

Another sunset filled with smoke and wispy clouds, interesting colors and breathtaking beauty.  The dot in the sky is the very tiny sliver of the crescent moon.  I took a little break while Jim was spraying out our fire with his new handy, dandy spray rig, and took the dogs on a drive.  The dogs are so funny.  Carlos and Blitz - LOVE to ride.  Ollie, tolerates it, but definitely wants to be where you are.  Maude - she curled up and took a nap on the back seat!  She'll get there someday!  :)  

Side note - when I broke my shoulder last fall, I had some bulbs that I wanted to plant.  Mallory came out and helped me - which I really appreciated.  I appreciate it even more now, as my yard is filled with beauty!  Thanks Mallory!  

Ok back to the point - the dogs and I helping Jim.  We took the puppy, not thinking she would be in danger, however, as we lit the pile, Maude crawled into the pile under the branches.  Crazy dog!  Luckily, she loves Jim and came running when he told her to!  We have to take her with us, as every day's goal is to wear her butt down!  Too much energy!  Blitz absolutely hates her little sissy.  Ollie is infatuated.  Carlos is coming around.  I even saw them playing together multiple times yesterday.  Blitz is getting old, and I am noticing she doesn't hear as well as she used to, which I think causes her some problems.  She is sort of a grumpy dog nowadays.  

My husband is a pyro.  I guess everyone needs a hobby right?  :) 

The girls are enjoying the warmer weather.  I cut both of their hair.  I can't help but notice how big Wrenley looks now.  It is just too fast!  

I may not have as many places to run for my kids, but I see many activities to run to in our future!  This one in particular is going to need to be kept busy!  

The peach trees are starting to grow leaves and little branches.  I am so exited about it.  Fingers crossed some day we will have some peaches!

Also new - I am attempting to plant bushes in the raised beds.  These are blackberries.  I have blueberry and raspberry bushes started in Preston's room, but I feel like it is still too cold out to put them outside yet.  I did plant more strawberry roots this week as well.  Fingers crossed that someday I will be successfully getting lots of berries for jellies and afternoons of snacking while floating in the pool!

I am not ready to just sit in a rocker yet....projects and weirdness it is!