Summer is....

staying up late and sleeping in.



Must be nice, huh!

Another Summer Reading Program

Thanks to a reader's comment, I was able to get my kids involved in another summer reading program. If you are interested, check out this website.

They are only required to read 8 books, fill out the journal, and tell about their favorite part of the book and why they liked it. Super easy! They both should be ready by the end of the week to pick out their reward...a free book!

Blackberry Pickin'

Down the dirt road beside our land, there are blackberry bushes everywhere.


We have gone blackberry pickin' several times, but this weekend was special because the kid's cousins, LB and W, were with us.




We all had the best time! I think more got in our mouths than in the buckets, but isn't that the way it is suppose to be???

Plum Trees

My mom loves to come to the land and take the kids on "adventures" as they call them. Recently, on one of these adventures, they found plum trees in some brush along the dirt road.

S with her cousin LB

We have been wanting to plant a plum tree on our land, but haven't yet. So needless to say, the kids were excited to find some already near us!

Plums are another reason I love the summer so much.

Growing up, we had a huge plum tree in our back yard. I spent many summer days under that tree eating plums until my tummy hurt! Sweet, sweet memories!

Road to Avonlea

My friend, Beth, recently told me about a TV series that came on A&E a few years ago called Road to Avonlea. I had heard of it before, but really did not know anything about it. I did a little research to learn more about it.

Here is what I found.

It has been said that this series was created for the audience that fell in love with Anne of Green Gables. It is set in the fictional small town of Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, in the early 20th century (1907-1914). There, 11-year-old Montreal heiress Sara Stanley is sent by her wealthy father to live with her two maiden aunts, Hetty and Olivia King, to be near her late mother's side of the family. She must adjust to life in the small rural town of Avonlea and learn to get along with her cousins who become victims and cohorts in Sara’s antics and misadventures.
Beth had watched the series on DVD last summer and said the kids would enjoy it. I took her suggestion and tried it out. The kids have loved it! Needless to say, we are now on our way to watching the entire 7 seasons.

For us, it has been a special treat especially on the rainy days we had the first 2 weeks of our summer break and when they want to veg in the air conditioning after playing outside on these 90 plus degree days that we are experiencing!

If you haven't seen it, it really is a good family friendly series that is fun for all to watch.

Bucks for Books

My two oldest girls have signed up for a great reading program this summer. Through the month of June, they can earn $3.00 for every book they read! They are able to earn up to $60 just for doing the thing that they love to do...and would do anyways!!!

The other part of the requirement is to write a brief summary and give an oral report on each book. (It is not as hard as it sounds!) The report is just an overview so the volunteer who listens to the oral report will have some knowledge of the book. Super easy!

This is the first year they have participated and did not know what to expect, but the volunteer, who is a very sweet older lady, has put the girls at ease.

I am so thankful for our local library. We check out books on a weekly basis. The ladies there are so sweet and helpful. I love that they encourage my kids in their reading.

When we return our books, they are always sweet to ask how they liked the book or what was this book about. They build them up by saying, wow, you are a super reader. It is so good for a child to hear that kind of encouragement about reading from someone other than mom! I am thankful that our small town librarians see their job as something more than "just a job."

As for the reading program, I will let you know how they did at the end of the month!

I Won a Kimba Pin!

I was thrilled to be contacted by Kim at Everything Etsy informing me that I had won the Kimba Made giveaway!

Kimba has an Etsy shop full of fantastic pins that she makes and I am so excited that I won one. Now comes the hard part.....deciding which one to choose! They are all fabulous!

I have been reading Kimba's blog, A Soft Place to Land, for a little while now. She is such a creative person. I have often been inspired by her creative ideas and have tried some of them out in my own home. She knows just how to change something that is simple and ordinary and makes it fabulous with a little work and usually a can of spraypaint!

The thing that I also love about Kimba is that she loves the Lord and her family. Although she is not preachy on her blog, her faith shines through. I admire that about her. She wants to make her home a sanctuary for her husband and children. Something that is a priority in my own life.

She did a series that is called Building a Soft Place to Land. It is terrific. Take a minute to read these posts. They will speak to your heart, encourage you, and make you realize we are all wanting the same thing!

I have only recently become familiar with Everything Etsy. From what I have seen so far, it is a fantastic site full of lots of helpful information especially if you have an Etsy shop or if you are thinking of starting one. I love that they spotlight shops like KimbaMade and introduces us readers to so many talented and creative people!

I encourage you to stop and check them both out. I know you won't be disappointed, you may even become addicted like I am!

Thanks Kimba and Kim for such great giveaway! I will wear my Kimba Made pin proudly!