Summer So Far

What a beautiful summer it has been! The kids and I have enjoyed watching the flowers in our garden grow and learning the names of new wild flowers. The whole family has also enjoyed lots of berry picking: strawberries, june berries (service berries or saskatoons), blueberries (big thanks to Nina and Papa!), raspberries, currants, and chokecherries. Lots of these we turned into jam, jelly, and syrup. Some of the blueberries we froze whole for later. Joel and I canned peaches for the first time and just this week Nana (Joel's mom) and I pickled some cucumbers (sweet dill). That also being my first time, so I'm thankful Nana was there to help and give me suggestions.

In the next month or two (depending on frost) I hope to make some Rose hip jam, Mountain Ash jelly, dry chives and mint leaves from the garden, and learn to grow lettuce indoors. I'm also on the hunt for a grinder for making pickle relish.

The family finally did some hiking a few weeks ago:

Madelynn is walking officially now. It's been great fun seeing her learn and succeed in this milestone. She is still small for her age, but is healthy and developing just fine.

Nana and Grampa are here visiting with us this week. It's been great to have them here. The last time we saw them was October of last year for Canadian Thanksgiving. Right now they are out camping with Joshua for two nights. I have the girls here with me and we actually went to the library!

Please pray for us as we are coming up to some major decisions that will affect where we will live for the winter and decisions that will affect Joel's career. We want what God wants, we just aren't sure what that is yet.