One Step Report #31

Yikes!  Another week has come and gone and our summer vacation is almost over.

This week’s report:  81 steps.

Highlights:

1.  It was a lot of fun to celebrate our daughter’s birthday at the beginning of the week.

2.  We went to the school to look at teacher assignments and class lists for the coming school year.

3.  We had several hail storms this week.   We made a memory watching them together.  The children made more memories playing with the hail after the storm stopped, and after they had melted to less than half their original size.


4.  I got to spend some time with a dear friend who will be moving soon.  It was fun to share a warm bowl of soup with her, and to watch the rain and hail together.

5.  Since the purchase of our Space Shuttle we have been a 4 car household.  This week we sold my husband’s Toyota Camry.  It was a bittersweet thing to watch it drive away, but a blessing to sell it.  I’m so thankful for all my husband sacrifices for our family.

6.  On Friday my sister and I drove to Colorado to spend some time with my parents and our other sister.  I also took my baby with me, who was fabulous on the drive.


7.  While in Colorado, we hit garage sales and a flea market.  We also did a number of other things together.  My mom and sisters are just awesome.  It was inspiring to be around them, and inspiring to watch my dad pack my sister’s truck to hold all the things we were hauling home.  (more to come on our adventures) 8.  After a very short trip, we drove home today.


9.  It was great to come home.  I missed faces like this.


Have a great week!

Birthday Girl

We had a birthday at our house this week.  A beautiful little girl turned 6.


At her request, the day started with breakfast in bed.  The family gathered to her room for our morning scripture study, pledge of allegiance, and family prayer.


A party with her friends…




complete with a decorate your own cupcake finish.


Of course, the day wouldn’t be complete without a few gifts, dinner of your choice, and some candles to blow out.  (At her request, just a bowl of ice cream with candles in it, no cake.)


To finish off the day, we got out our measuring board to see how much she’s grown in 6 months.


It was a great day for a wonderful girl.  I can’t believe she’s six.
Happy Birthday cutie!

Jennifer

Lavender Lemonade

It’s August, the month of sleepy summer afternoons, good books, and lemonade.

But not just any lemonade.

Homemade lavender lemonade.  Our favorite summertime drink.  Delicious and refreshing.


My husband just looked at these pictures and said, “If only you could describe how good that stuff is!”


Here’s how to make it:
Boil 10 cups water with 4 cups sugar to make a simple syrup.  Remove from heat and add 4 Tb. dried lavender buds to the syrup.  Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours.  Pour mixture into a large container, using cheesecloth to strain lavender.  Discard lavender buds.


Squeeze up to 10 lemons until you have 1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice.
In a large container, mix lemon juice with 12 cups water.

Add lemon water to syrup mixture and watch the color change.  Stir and pour a bit into a glass to taste.  Feel free to add more water if it’s too strong, or a bit more lemon juice if you want it stronger.

Add ice, and serve.

Enjoy the refreshing taste.  Serve some more.

You get the idea.

Makes just less than 1.5 gallons of lemonade.


I poured some into pint sized mason jars to share with friends.  Fabric and a tag finished the gift.  I enjoy sharing gifts from my kitchen.


Hope you try it, and happy August!

Hopeful Homemaker

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