Blogging Confessions

I have to confess that I am not the best blogger in the world.  It's kind of a love/hate feeling.  I love to do it but I hate the guilty feeling it gives me when I don't keep things updated like I should.  So, I'm sorry for my absence and I will attempt to do better.  My summer was very busy and it just flew by.  I can't believe the kids are back in school already.  The middle of June Josh took drivers education classes for 2 1/2 weeks.  The day after he finished drivers ed, 2 of my nieces from Florida came to spend a couple of weeks in Iowa.  We entertained them a lot and let them experience farm life!  They had been here before so they knew what farm life was like but this time they were here for a more extended time. 

Their parents (my sister and brother-in-law) and their other sister came through Iowa on their way to Colorado and stayed for a few days.  While they were in Colorado, we enjoyed our county fair a few days, Vacation Bible School and making applesauce.  I put up 84 cool whip containers of applesauce.  The kids didn't care if they saw another apple in a long time.  My sister and her family returned to Iowa after being in Colorado for a couple of weeks.  We had arranged to have a family picture taken with my parents and all my siblings and our kids.

We left on our family vacation on July 31.  We went to Branson for a few days.  We had a very relaxing and enjoyable time.

We went to Silver Dollar City on my birthday.  When I went to get the tickets from the ticket booth I randomly told the ticket lady that it was my birthday.  She then put this birthday ribbon on my shirt to let everyone know it was my birthday.  I had lots of strangers wish me a Happy Birthday!  It was a wonderful day!

When we got back from vacation we got busy switching all of our hogs around like we do every 6 weeks.  The last week before school started we enjoyed a slower week - getting ready for school with school registrations and orientations, canning peaches, making peach jam, and going to the Iowa State Fair two different evenings.  I can't really say we are in a school routine because of all the hot weather we have been having, the 2 kids that go to the Christian school have gotten out early 7 days due to the extreme heat.  It's been crazy!  I'm still doing a lot of canning.  The apples on my other apple tree are ready, so this week I canned 67 quarts & 17 pints of applesauce.  I don't care if I never see another apple for a long time!  We should have applesauce to eat for at least a couple of years.  Yesterday I canned 19 quarts of tomato juice.  Can't wait till chili soup time.  Well, I hope you have all enjoyed your summer and I hope to be a better blogger this year.  I hope you don't mind all the new posts coming soon! 

Blessings,
Vicki