As I sit here waiting for our new upright freezer to be delievered-- I thought I'd post a mid week update.....   Feeling a bit guilty as we dipped into our savings for this purchase--  and then reading THIS... I need to get back to this--

Things are HOT HOT HOT!!  Ughhh-- I am thinking about crawling in the freezer when it arrives---hmmmm nahhh probably not a good example for the boys-- but today does seem HOTTER than the previous few days!! 

I have been pretty good at getting some things off my nesting list and 30 Days of Surprises done this week-   The water balloons were a HUGE hit-- and Stephen is still playing with a few regular balloons-- what better way to learn your colors--  he loves em!!  We also got the shoe shopping done-- and I totally forgot about a local county fair that is this week--that will be FRIDAY's Treat.  

I was able to make 9 loaves of Bananna bread yesterday-- I need to get the Zuchhini bread done SOON-- waiting for my BIG order of flour to arrive.   Also waiting for my oats to come so I can make some MAJOR granola!!

Today I am hoping to get some cabbage rolls made and frozen.  Trying to decide if I should put up peaches this year--  Oh my Rebekah and the boys have really been putting away the peaches I did last year-- but oh I am so much hotter than I remember last year-- but then I read on my MOMY's board I can freeze them (vs. canning and heating up my kitchen to 110'!!     

No blanching and it depends on what you want to do with them on wether you plop them directly into a freezer bag or if you do them on cookie sheets first and then put in bags after frozen....I do it the quick way lol....For smoothies I just hit the bag with my rolling pin and I can break a clump off real easy For cobbler/pie I just let thaw....To eat,let thaw about half way and seperate with a fork....We have let them thaw all the way and they were soft but not mushy or brown.....

They are WONDERFUL dehydrated!! We love to eat them as snacks!! I just love dried peaches...

So we'll have to see-   My MIL offered to come help me finish up some food prep (breads, and maybe even peaches---) but oh the cleaning I would have to do before she arrived (this Friday) I think it would be better to just wait-- I love her-- but she would  if she came now-- she knows I am busy-- and work hard with the kids-- but she is really a NEAT / CLEAN PERSON!!

I read 2 great blog entries this week-- well many more-- but these 2 really GRABBED my attention--

I really like her idea to:

Meeting with the older girls on alternate days has been wonderful!  It allows us to spend time and really focus instead of feeling like we are just grabbing a few minutes for hasty instructions.  It also gives them a bigger chunk of time to focus on their work uninterrupted on their independent days.

This may just be the trick for us right now-- alternating with sitting with theboys while the other does independent work-- instead of "flitting" around and giving each 10 minutes--    We have already moved Stephen's nap time to after lunch (he was a good morning napper) and then doing school then-- That made a huge difference in our day-- I just keep thinking-- yes-- it may work today and tomorrow-- but in October-- it's gonna be a whole new ball game!!    My loving dh-- has volunteered to do some schooling when new baby comes-  He could do MATH and a few others-- I would then do reading, grammer and things like that--  So that would be nice-- we'll see-- just taking 1 day at a time right now...

And I'll leave your with this blog entry--  I do love her blog-- just as much as I love her book- Seasons of a Mothers Heart!! 

But today the Lord is with me and in my midst and I am loving Him in the midst of all the moments of a busy home-and He is loving me.

So, think about this today and let it sink in, and then make a heart-felt commitment to follow this type of life-giving, heart celebrating  of life--what you sow--what choices you make every moment really do have consequences!