i love this life

First, a disclaimer: I'm beginning to realize what a poor photographer I can be. I cannot always blame the camera, because I'm fairly confident that, in the hands of a better shooter, it could do some pretty badass stuff. But if I waited until my photos were all perfect or artful or whatever to show them to people, you'd never get to peek into our lives.

Kind of like God. If I wait until I'm holy to pray, I will never speak to Him again. Good thing He loves sinners! Good thing you guys don't mind crappy photos!

A friend gave Rob the goods to start brewing his own beer in exchange for some of the fruits of that labor. I was not very gracious at first (the items are large and space-taking), but have since been converted. It's not like he got a liver-and-onions machine, after all.

First batch was a honey wheat and it was DELICIOUS. The batch currently aging is Belgian-style wheat. He confessed to choosing recipes he knew I'd like so as to win me over faster, with more energy. It worked.

"Terra, kiss me right here."

"I GOT YOU!"
"Ok, Blake, now you kiss ME right here!"
We love that girlie.

When it's too hot to play outside (mid-90s), but you still need to move it move it, just strip down and play some Xbox Kinect. These boys were SWEATY, and we had the A/C on!

A delightfully quirky care package from the delightfully quirky Molly.

It was really fun, even if it was REALLY BOSSY! I have yet to make the bracelet, but Rob and Blake christened the "EAT THIS" bag "black sugar" and promptly ate it all. Molly's note (in reference to a book we've discussed) on that bag reads: "Cookies & cream bars (basically Rice Krispie bars but with crushed Oreos). NOT Nourishing Trads approved - unless coating Oreos with marshmallows counts as 'soaking grains.'"

Catherine and I hit up Rocky Creek Farm with our kiddos. This is pre-strawberry picking.

During strawberry picking - the kids did really well once we showed them what was too early to pick and what was far too late to pick.

Our crew, sans me. We ate berries by the handful (I ate once they were home and washed), and I made jam. The berries were so tender and wonderful that the ones at the bottom of the buckets were bruised by the weight of the ones at the top of the buckets. The hard store-bought kind no longer have much appeal - strawberries aren't supposed to be that firm.

Nerd alert! Nerd alert! There was a LARPing fair or something happening while we picked. I didn't want to intrude or be sucked in and discover the magic of pointed ears and long skirts in hot weather, so I just snapped a pic from far away.

I dragged him on a walk. It was hot (his shirt was in my back pocket most of the time). His legs were tired. I bribed him with ice cream.
But this is proof we went somewhere and did something. Outside. Together. We played 20 Questions ("Mom, can we play that question game? One thousand questions?"). We pondered what we'd do with a million dollars. My son cannot ponder a number so large, because the idea that he could own all the LEGOs in his catalog, with money still left over, boggled his little mind to the point that he truly couldn't come up with anything else to spend that money on.