RIP

REST IN PEACE

Canon

Powershot SD400

Digital ELPH

March 2005- July 2008

You will always be remembered as a great camera.

We researched long hours before your purchase and

were not disappointed with the quality pictures you produced.

Your service through many family vacations and

children's milestones will not be forgotten.

Although Scott survived the fall into the Green River,

you did not. Your death, while untimely, was imminant.

You survived several falls that would have

shattered lesser cameras.

Your patience at the hands of our children

was exemplary. Thank you dear camera.

You will be missed.

My new favorite treat

My friend Breanna shared some of this granola with me and I have been hooked ever since. I never made granola before this recipe, but now I am seriously obsessed.

Whole Lotta Nuts Granola
3 c. old fashioned rolled oats
½ c. slivered almonds
½ c. flaked coconut
¼ c. hulled green pumpkin seeds
¼ c. sunflower seeds or pine nuts (I’ve only used sunflower seeds)
½ c. chopped pecans or walnuts (I do ½ c. of each)
½ t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
4 T. butter
1/3 c. honey (I’ve also used agave nectar)
½ t. vanilla
½ c. raisins or chopped dates (I’ve only used raisins)
½ c. dried cranberries or blueberries (I’ve never used them)

Preheat oven to 325

In a large bowl, stir together all the ingredients through salt. In a small saucepan, melt butter and honey over low heat, stirring. Add vanilla and pour butter mixture over the oat mixture and stir until well combined.

Spread the granola in a thin layer on a baking sheet with sides. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes to keep from sticking and to brown evenly. Bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned (Do not overcook, granola will crisp while cooling) Cool granola on the pan and stir in dried fruit. May be kept for a week at room temp. in an airtight container.

This is my favorite craving lately. I can't make enough. I eat it all day long and 1 batch never seems to be enough. I love to put some over plain yogurt with cut up strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. Drizzle a little honey on top- yummy!

I could get used to this

We just found a pool to hang out in this summer. I have never really loved taking my kids to the pool because it has been too crowded or too far from our house or my kids needed me to swim around with them to have any fun. Now we have found one that fits (a majority of the pool is 4ft. deep or less) and now I understand how I might want to be at the pool everyday. I keep trying to think of ways to fit it into our day. So far we have been twice, but it has only been 1 week- so the rest of the summer is looking promising.

Cam loves it too- he might actually overcome his fear of swimming. I'm not holding my breath for it to happen this summer though, but we'll try.

Elle's favorite activity was, of course eating snacks poolside (my girl). She loved the water too- especially spraying people (she would laugh when she got me) with the fountain in the kiddie pool.

Davis jumped off the diving board! This is him- mid-360. He even jumped off the high dive- once. Too bad I missed the photo-op. I didn't have my camera there that day.

The law of the harvest

We usually do a garden each year, the kids are catching on and getting used to having something good to eat from the backyard. I am not sure who gets the most excited about the garden. The kids love to go out and check on the progress of our plants. That is usually the first place they go when they go outside. The only sad part for me is that most of the harvest never makes it in the house (especially the raspberries). Elle loves the raspberries so much, she will even eat them while they are still white. Here are a few pictures of the fruits of our labor. Right now we are getting raspberries, zucchini, and a few tomatoes. We are waiting for our second crop of peas (the first was yummy), and pumpkins. The law of the harvest at our house is whatever the parents sow, so the kids shall reap.

Fun on the 4th

We had a fun filled day on the 4th of July. Steve and Jana and their kids were in town, which is all my kids could ask for (that and spending the day at grandma's house). "The cousins" want to play together any time they can. We love having kids so close in age because some of our kids best friends are in their own family. We had a big water party- even grandpa got in the action and got drenched in his clothes. Of course there was food, a few fireworks (just don't ask where Steve bought them), and we finished with firework watching on the lawn of good ol' Murray High. Good times.