Instagram July

We went black raspberry picking which went much more successfully than last month’s cherry picking.  Every year I make something different, and although I did make black raspberry sorbet (recipe over there on the right) this year, I also tried making them into muffins and they were DELICIOUS.  I was afraid they might be too sour, but they weren’t.  They were moist, sweetly tart, and scrumptious.  I’ll definitely do that again next year.

Happy Fourth of July!  We held a picnic here and the weather managed to cooperate enough for us to have a blast. 

You know how when you host your own party, even though it’s fun and you have a great time, and you wouldn’t change a thing and blah blahblah?  Well, it’s also tiring and never quite as enjoyable as attending someone else’s picnic. 

The next day, I got my turn.

oh yeah.

While I was lazing in the pool, Farmer Smith was hard at work…

Then later that night, Dave and I had a date night with friends!  We went with friends to the Hollywood Casino for dinner, some horserace betting, and a little hanging out listening to the band.

Jack did a lot of firefly catching this month.

Jack bugged me and bugged me until I finally got Jiffy Pop.  His final argument that won me over was “we can pop corn while we make s’mores sometime!”  Unfortunately I got the Jiffy Pop home before I read the directions which said not to heat it over an open flame.  We started to make it over the burner, when we found out you also can’t do it on a ceramic (glass) stove top.  So Dave fired up the grill. 

It was hard to tell for sure when it was done so it ended up kind of burned, but since it was Jack’s idea, he proclaimed it “the best popcorn ever” though he hasn’t asked for Jiffy Pop since then.

We did make JiffyPop-less s’mores this month too.

We went shopping at Target and saw these awesome chairs for only $17 but I hated to buy them without checking with Dave first because he has something against chairs.  I really don’t understand his phobia?  prejudice?  discrimination?  thriftiness? But I knew if I brought home a couple of chairs he’d be annoyed.  We texted him the photo below but he was not moved and later pretended he didn’t understand what we meant.

Seriously.  How can one NOT be moved by the awesomeness of that chair and the baby blues of that girl?

Aunt Sue gave us three boxes of hand-me-downs from the cousins.  Can you tell what Jack enjoyed getting the most?

He wore one that night to the swim banquet, with his sleeveless shirt and shorts (what he’s wearing in the picture).  He felt a banquet (though held at a swimming pool) called for the proper evening attire.  He put us all to shame, I tell you.

Maddie’s swimming finally ended last week.  It was extended an extra two weeks because she made it past Divisionals to All-Stars, and finally to Mid-Caps (East Shore v. West Shore). 

Those swim meets are long, however, the kids and families involved make it all worthwhile.  We’re all looking forward to swim starting in late September.

In late July, we attended a picnic with lots of kids at someone else’s house.  I got to relax at that one while the adult female ran around like a crazed person.  Ha.  (Strangely, the adult males at both parties were relaxed and had a fabulous time).

                                                                    Glow Sticks are the best.

Maddie helped out with her Relay for Life team’s car wash.  You never saw cuter car washers!

And finally, let’s end with a little pampering.  My brother-in-law, Allen, gets my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, future sister-in-law, and me gift cards to the Hershey Spa for Christmas every year (I KNOW!  He’s awesome!)  We always schedule them at the same time and this year we all got pedicures and had lunch in the spa’s little restaurant.  

We had an amazing, relaxing time.  Thank you Allen!

July, I love you.