I really can’t believe that today is the first of June. It’s hard to believe not only because May flew by in a flurry of activity, but because we are having some really cool weather today. I won’t complain, though, because I am sure we will have some really hot weather before long and I will be wishing for a cool day like today.
My Family
The big news for our family is that school is out for the summer. Woohoo!
I am definitely not one of those parents who dreads summer break. It is my favorite time because our schedule is more relaxed and we have time to just be home and enjoy being with each other.
My big kids did so well in school this year. Their grades were excellent, which is important. But, the most important thing to me was that they received awards for their behavior. While being in public school can be hard sometimes, my kids truly are thriving and being a light in a dark world.
At the beginning of the month we got six new kittens. Janna had asked for an orange kitten for her birthday and my good friend had six orange kittens she was willing to let her choose from.
When we went to see the kittens the kids fell in love with them and we ended up bringing all six home. 🙂 They have provided hours of enjoyment for the younger kids especially.
In May, Julia went to the Prom.
I really can’t believe my “baby” girl is nearly 16 and went to the prom. We are in uncharted waters here.
We go to church with the boy who asked her to prom, and we have known him since he was very little. He got permission from my husband and I before he asked Julia which was very nice.
While knowing the boy made it easier to let Julia go to the prom, my husband chaperoning the prom sealed the deal. I guess there are advantages to him being a principal in our school corporation. Julia had a lot of fun and I am thankful that she had this opportunity.
If any of you are interested in the details of Julia’s attire, here you go. We got her dress at a consignment sale and it still had the tags on it. Score! The jewelry she wore and the clutch she carried were all my grandma’s. She looked beautiful if I do say so myself.
Last week we picked strawberries at a local u-pick patch.
If you follow me on Facebook you probably already know that we came home with 72 pounds of strawberries. My brother and his family went with us and all total we picked 108 pounds of strawberries.
What I’m Working On
Speaking of strawberries, that is all I have worked on since Friday.
I am so thankful to have a nearby source of such beautiful fruit. I ended up freezing a total of 8 gallons plus a quart of strawberries. (Here’s how I freeze strawberries.)
We also ate some, made two pies, and made five batches of jam.
Three of the batches were made using this easy strawberry jam method which uses powdered pectin. I also made two batches the old fashioned way with just strawberries and sugar. This method requires a much longer boiling time.
Earlier in the month I made prom corsages, bouquets, and boutonnieres. The corsage below is the one I made for my daughter. She chose to have a very simple corsage on a rhinestone bracelet.
I also made flowers for two other couples. The bouquet below was for a girl who goes to our church who went to prom with the brother of Julia’s date. She wanted her flowers on a plastic sonic screwdriver (Dr. Who). This proved a little challenging, but I figured it out.
The girl loved her bouquet. I also made the flowers for a boy in Julia’s class and his date.
I am definitely not a professional but I was happy to help these couples out.
While I didn’t do any sewing in May, I am going to have to dust off my machines because Julia needs to start working on her 4-H sewing project.
My Favorite Picture
I love this picture because it shows my youngest four kids having fun playing in the yard. They were running and playing and generally having a great time.
This picture reminds me of how fun it is to have a large family because there is always someone to play with.
On the Blog
I posted a few times in May, mostly about our garden. Here are the posts I managed to write in May.
- We’re All in This Together
- {Garden Update} The Garden Has Been Planted
- {Garden Update} Everything is Growing
- {Garden Update} Enjoying Fresh Strawberries
- Learning About Cicadas
Well, that about does it for May. To keep up with me until next month’s update head over to Instagram where I have been sharing all sorts of random pictures. Also, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Facebook while you’re at it.
What were you into in May?
I’m linking up with Leigh Kramer to show what I’m into lately!
