Our summer days are filled with a lot of fun, but there's a little bit of structure to them, too.

For starters, Grandma volunteered for a continued summer education program for the kids, so

three (and sometimes four) days a week, there are some reading, writing, and arithmetic classes

going on.  This is going to be a big help this coming fall for mom!  I am very thankful for such

a loving and dedicated grandma.

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Secondly, I'm a big believer in teaching that life is not just about "education", it's about work and chores, too.    Everyone participates in the daily management of our home. 

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But there are some chores, that I think that will make some fond memories for the children - like going out to the front yard and picking strawberries, or raspberries, and then freezing them.

On this particular day, I sent the kids out of the house with the mission to go pick cherries from our solitaire cherry tree.

It had just started to mist with a little rain when they left, but I figured a little bit of getting

wet wouldn't hurt anyone.  But, after they'd disappeared from my view, it began to downpour.

I expected them back at any minute, but it didn't happen.  I kept waiting and waiting, and finally figured that they'd slipped into one of the barns and was having a great time there.

Hours later, they came back.  They were laughing delightfully and showing me their bounty.  They were

so proud of all that they had picked - and in the heavy rain!  They never did go to the barns, all that time it was pouring down rain, they kept picking cherries!

I mentioned to them that now it would be nice for them to sit down on the porch and to pit the

cherries.  Wouldn't it be nice for dad to come home each night and have cherries with his ice cream?

I gave them a quick lesson on how to do this, and they all got busy. 

Some of the cherries went into the refrig, but most went into plastic baggies in the

freezer.  They are easy to freeze!

 When it was all done, they posed for pictures....

 And yes, Dad has really been enjoying his vanilla ice cream every night, with scoops of

frozen cherries heaped on top!

Don't miss Mary's Show and Tell...

and....

read Spontaneous Birthday Party for Antoinette to particpate in Mary's Birthday Theme this week.... (I've added pictures)