Busy, Busy, Busy July

Yes, we are still all here. We have had a busy month, here are some of the highlights (without pics, and we will get to that).

My Sister-In-Law (my brother Sam's wife) and kids came for a visit and stayed a week. Andrea and her kids (Zach, Riley, and Gracie) came from Yakima-and we literally ran all week with 5 kids in tow. We bought Seattle City Passes, which was a great deal if you broke it all down. We went to Pacific Science Center, IMAX movie, The Aquarium, a 1 hour harbor tour of the Seattle Harbor, Woodland Park Zoo, and the pass also came with passes to 1 of 3 museums, but we didn't go-because the kids were tired (and so were we). It was nice spending so much time with Andrea. Her and Sam have been married for 1 year, and we haven't had a chance to really sit and visit much-so it was nice once the kids were in bed, to chat, watch a movie, or whatever.

On our way home from the Zoo on Thursday late afternoon/evening, my Mom called to let me know that pickling cucumbers were up, and because of the heat, they were only available for a week. So, I had to act fast. The following week was also going to be busy with Cub Scout Camp and another visitor, and babysitting my friends 2 boys for 2 days. So after a busy week doing all things Seattle, I went to Yakima on Friday. We drove down in the morning, got my cucumbers and stuff. Visited with my Parents, and went home that night to prepare to make pickles all day Saturday. But that didn't happen. I needed to get supplies and wash jars and prepare. These are things I usually do BEFORE I go to Yakima-but it didn't happen. After I ran errands, I took a nap, and didn't make the pickles until after church on Sunday. I made 39 Quarts of Pickles and 14 Pints of bread and butter pickles, which was a new thing for me.

The following Monday, I volunteered 2 days for Cub Scout Camp. I am the Webelos Assistant Den Leader, so I volunteered as a leader, being that Mac is a full blown Boy Scout now. I was told I was a saint several times for being at Day Camp, without having a Cub Scout in Day Camp. I switched "daycare" with another Mom-who was also volunteering 2 days as well. She watched Mason, while I watched her 2 boys when she went. I was a "station leader" for Scientist for 2 days. I didn't know what I was doing, and hated Science in my youth. The experiments were fun, the boys had a good time, and I did 10 Mentos and Diet Coke Fountains in 2 days. I don't want to see another 2 liter bottle of Diet Coke or a package of Mentos for the next 6 months.

After my 2 day stint at Camp, my other Sister-in-Law (Lee's sister) called on Monday wanting to come over Tuesday evening with her 2 adorable little girls Natalie and Ashtin. She came a day early. I didn't get a chance to put my house back together from my previous company, or put my pickles away. She came, and I was so happy to see her and the girls. Jessica has been in Washington for almost a month from Florida. She goes back in about a week. We went shopping at Seattle Premium Outlets (10 minutes away from my house), visited, played with the girls. They just wanted to hang out. Thursday I was trying to get Mac ready for Scout Camp. He needed olive green "Scout Pants". The Scout shop didn't have any his size. We were blessed to find some that fit him, and the best part, I didn't have to hem them!!! Thank You REI! Thursday evening, all of the Bryant Grandchildren had their portrait taken, together. There are 9 total ranging in the ages of 12, 10, 9, 8, 6, 3, 2, 2, and almost 1 years of age. I wrote 2 twice because there are two 2 year olds. It was interesting to say the least. There wasn't 1 picture where all of them were smiling, looking forward, etc. The older kids were looking like zombies with fake smiles, while waiting on the smaller kids to stop crying or look forward. I finally said "we are never going to get a perfect picture, so we need to take what we can get". We were there for an hour.

Friday-was getting Mac packed and ready for his first Boy Scout Camp. His troop went to Idaho, and will be back next Saturday. Mac was really excited. They were meeting at 3:30pm-so we had the morning and afternoon to finish what we needed at Target or G.I. Joe's/Joe's. We got him at the Church on time. I then wanted to crash.

While Jessica was here, she was able to update her blog (my In-laws have dial-up). I showed her what I did to mine with Leelou Blogs, and she showed me the "how to get pictures" on my blog. So, I got my camera (because I had been taking pics) and Lee forgot to put on the memory card IN THE CAMERA!! She showed me with her pics and blog an,d I will be buying my own camera, my own flash drive thing, and Lee WON'T TOUCH IT.

Sorry for the "book" on our lives. So tell me, what kind of camera do you have? I'll be shopping for a new camera next week.

Happy Morf of July!

When Mac was 2 1/2, he couldn't say his "F"s at all. We lived 1 mile away from Grandma and Pa Bryant-who celebrated the 4th of July in a big way. When you have 5 acres of land, in Western Washington, it gives you free reign over what you can do, or should I say blow up. And don't get me started on the food. It was enough to feed an Army. So, one year, when Mac was 2 1/2, his Grandma says "Happy 4th of July!" and he said "Happy Morf of July!". He continued to say Morf of July for 2 years. Lee and I called it Morf of July for several years after that, with Mac correcting us. Mason, said Morf of July for only 1 year.
Lee and I have always enjoyed celebrating the 4th of July. We teach our family the meaning of the 4th of July, and to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S. We have always supported the troops, and are grateful to all of the men and women who are serving in Afganistan and Iraq right now, fighting for us-for our rights & freedoms.
I hope everyone has a fun and safe 4th of July!

Neighbors-the Good, the Bad, the Cranky

Since moving to our new house, we have been blessed by having great neighbors. They have all been very nice, helpful and a pleasure to get to know. On the other hand.....we have our other neighbors that we don't see, but hear all the time. They are our neighbors that live right behind us. We live in an established neighborhood that is over 20 years old. So we don't have any CCNR's (covenants or restrictions). Most new neighborhoods have rules and regulations, mostly to help keep their home price value's up.

Our neighbors that live right behind us haven't been any trouble, until recently, with the weather improving and home projects underway. Almost every Friday, our neighbor mows, weed eats, uses a blower (instead of sweeping), and also trimmed his trees with a loud motorized tree/shrub trimmer. He did this until 9:00pm, until it got dark. A few weeks ago, he was using an Air Compresser, a small one that "clicked" on every minute or so. It was very loud and obnoxious for an Air Compresser, I should know, Lee has 4 of them. This Air Compresser was on all day for 2 days almost a month ago. On Saturday evening, our neighbor was Pressure Washing his deck, with a gas powered Pressure Washer. It is the loudest Pressure Washer on the planet. He started around 7:00pm, maybe earlier (we heard it when we were eating dinner, which is usually 6:00 or so on a Saturday). This continued on until 9:30pm-when Lee had enough of the noise. I should also mention, it was a hot day so we had the windows open as well. Lee went over to the neighbors house to introduce himself, the conversation went something like this:



Lee: Hi, I'm your neighbor that lives directly behind you.

Cranky Lady: Yes. (very short, cranky, snappy yes)

Lee: Well, we were wondering, if your husband was going to be done anytime soon making all that noise.

Cranky Lady: We know what the laws are, and we have another 30 minutes. (in a defensive way)

(Washington Noise Ordinace is that you can be noisy until 10:00pm)

Lee: Well, we were wondering if he could stop.

Cranky Lady: Well your kids are noisy when they play outside. (not really, but whatever)

Lee: Until 9:30 at night? No, I don't think so.

Cranky Lady: Well you were banging something over in your back yard and we didn't say anything.

(Mac was doing a project of some sort in Feburary, and he did this for 1 hour, until 5:00pm when it got dark, and I believe he did this for 2 days, 2 weeks apart).

Lee: Until 9:30 at night?

Cranky Lady: Well, we know what the law is.

Lee: So, you people know nothing about common courtesy?

Cranky Lady: FINE! I'll tell him to stop.

End of conversation, she slams her door.



Lee comes home, and says "I think we might have problems with them in the future".

In all of the years that we have lived in Apartments, Townhouses, other neighborhoods, etc. We have never had anyone who made so much noise until 9:30 at night. We understand that people work all day, all week. And maybe they don't want to do thier home chores on Saturday's to have thier weekends free. We understand this. Lee is one of those people, who works all day, all week and also wants to relax. In his home.

Nectarine Jam

7 years ago, a friend of mine made Nectarine Jam. She told me it was her new favorite jam, and her other favorite was Peach. I love Peaches, but after I made this jam-this has become my favorite, and will make a ton of it this summer, which is pretty much now. I got this recipe on the internet (my friend was on vacation at the time I needed it). It's super simple, and super yummy! The recipe is from a lady in Texas, so my friend Becky will appreciate that.

Nectarine Jam

6 Cups of Nectarines
3 Cups of Sugar
1/2 Cup of Lemon Juice

Slice up 6 cups of Nectarines, add sugar and lemon juice. Cook it for 1 hour on a mild boil. Skim foam, and put into jars. Process the jam in a Water Bath canner for 5 minutes.

*Hope's Notes: I peeled the Nectarines the first batch I made (put them in boiling water for 30 seconds or until the peel comes off, then dipped them in cold water). The second batch, I was getting tired, so I didn't peel the Nectarines, and the jam turned out to be darker-and it tasted different, not bad different. I preferred the peeled Nectarines. The recipe didn't specify peeled or unpeeled. The texture and consistency was absolutely perfect!

New Look! Next....Pictures and summer stuff.

I found this website that has some really cute backgrounds-Leelou Blogs. I have tried and failed to apply new backgrounds in the past. Mostly, because I'm attempting all of this at night. You know, that time of evening when your brain turns to mush and you can barely read. Or at least, that's what happens to me. Pictures, Lee has emptied every memory card we own (I think it was 3-4 at last count) and he put them on what I call Laptop Computer #3. It's an old laptop that we have, that has no internet on it, on purpose. So, my mission, if I choose to accept it, is to go through those pics and somehow, get them on my computer to get them onto here. I know it will envolve a disc or 2. Or, I could just take some new pics of the boys and post them here, but that would be too easy. But, I have taken the camera/cam corder hostage. It is charged and ready to go, with an empty memory card in it. We have also been busy doing summer stuff. Mac got out of school a few weeks ago. I have signed both of them up for Swimming Lessons nearby. We also have some trips planned, Mac has his first Scout Camp in July somewhere in Idaho, we have family coming to visit, and we might go camping at the beach again. 2 years ago, I took the boys camping at Westport, by myself. For those of you who know me well, I don't like camping, I loathe it. The trip went fairly well. The weather was great, we had a great time playing in the surf and sand. Mason wanted his Dad when we had any downtime and he would sound like that kid on the Incredibles "where's Dad! I want Dad!". It was emotionally draining. Anyways, the weather this last week has been amazing! The sun is out, my yard is drying out, and my allergies are in high gear. Claritin has become my new best friend. I also have some canning planned. Since we moved into our new house, I have a place for food storage. All of my canning (peaches, nectarines, jams, pickles), have been in boxes, where I have taken inventory of what I have do and don't have. This year, the jars are on shelves, and it's a beautiful sight! Since Christmas, we have been rationing the pickles, so that is on the top of the list. I have some trips to Yakima planned, where I go to get fruit, pickling cucumbers, beans, and whatever else. I have an awesome recipe for Nectarine Jam that I will post later.
I am also going to try to blog more regularly. It's going to be a busy summer.