A Love Affair

This butterfly was in love with my sunflower.

Happy Sunday!

End of Summer Family Lake/Cabin Fun

Jake's been waiting for this all summer!

Cambria's impressed by her cousins tubbing abilities.

The little girls holding on for dear life.

A little tether ball before dinner.

Beer/Soda pong tournament.

Jake's not impressed with the competition.

Ally must be winning.

Ending the evening with GIANT roasted marshmellows.

They were HUGE!!!!

Coo Coo

My garden is going a little coo coo this summer.

I have elderberries ripe a month early, strawberry plants that still think it's spring and carrots poppin up all over the place.

I am not complaining, I just think it's strange.

This just means I can still have cherrios with berries everyday.

Gettin a litttle old.

I will probably be missing it in the winter though.

Thanks to this coo coo growing season and my fellow share-opers I have not had to buy veggies or herbs or eggs or laundry soap for about 2 months now!

That is truly something to be thankful for.

To learn more about share-oping check out our blog or follow us on facebook!

Weekend Fun

The dragonflies were out in full force.

They are so beautiful.

Old chicken coop at the Ranch.

Fun old stuff at the Ranch.

Averie's hoping the baby ducks would swim over.

It was a great day for a swim.

My sunflowers are finally open!

Roasted Tomato Pasta

1 1/2 - 3 lbs. vine ripened tomatoes

minced or crushed fresh garlic

olive oil

salt n pepper

1 lb. spaghetti noodles

3/4 cup freshly grated parm cheese

fresh chopped basil or 1 recipe pesto

Slice tomatoes in half, remove tops and a bit of the bottoms and line 1 or 2, 13 x 9" pans.

Drizzle generously with olive oil.

Sprinkle with lots of garlic, salt and pepper.

Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 30 mins.

Pour roasted tomatoes into a big bowl and dice with two knifes.

Toss with cheese, noodles and basil or pesto.

Delicious & Easy!

A great way to use up all those tomatoes from your summer garden.

What We Wore Wednesday For Back To School

This is sooo sad for me. (tears)

My oldest kids first day of their senior year. (tears)

I didn't even get to drive them to school. (tears)

My son has his own car and he drove. (tears)

I waited until I got home to start the balling. I will savor every moment of this last year. It's sooo strange coming to the realization that my job raising these two amazing individuals is almost at an end. I am soooo blessed to have the two most wonderful, loving, enthusiastic, caring, and wonderful teenagers any mother could have asked for. They are sooo special and unique. And now I am crying so much that I can't see the computer screen anymore.

On with the rest of this post!

Our annual back to school pic!

Averie's first day of first grade!

Morgan's first day of 7th grade!

Bayleee's first day of 12th grade!

Jacob's first day of 12th grade!

My first day of back to work!

No more sweats and pj's for me.

Shirts - Style's for Less (Our new favorite store, Bay's outift came from there too)

Jeans - Old Navy

Camera - Birthday present from my DH

Camera Strap - Shey B

Ugh, I can see again but I am still sad.

Enjoy the day!

I linked up to the Pleated Poppy!

Elderberry Madness

The best invention ever! My grandmothers berry steamer.

What to do when your elderberries are ripe a month early.....
call in some reinforcement.

Leesa and I doing the Elderberry happy dance!

Leesa, snippin away!

So beautiful.

More harvesting! There is a TON of berries this year.

Yummy!

Making Ridgetop Farm jelly is serious business!

Leesa with her finished product!
Helpers get their share of the haul.