So busy!

I can not believe how busy we have been lately.
Having two extra kids here hasn't been that bad honestly. Although, we've been out and about. We are visiting local farms, museums, parks, forest preserves, etc, etc. We've hardly been home! =)

Everyone has been enjoying all the traveling though. So that is definitely a good thing! But I am a bit worn out. And we've been using more gas than usual. It's worth it though.

Today we visited a working 1890's farm. Fabulous experience. All the kids (even my 2 year old) got to do laundry the old fashioned way. They rubbed the spots on the washboard, then put it into the wash tub (which would have normally been full of boiling water but obviously was not today LOL). Then into the rinse tub and then they got to crank it through the ringer and go hang it on the line. We also saw some animals. In the summer kitchen volunteers were canning cherries (I so wanted to jump in, watch them do it, help in an effort to learn from experts and then take some home! But I did not). Their garden was large and growing well. And the kids were able to pick some cherries as well. I know living in the 1890's was hard work - no heat, no air, wood burning stove, etc - but I have to admit, when I visit farms and I see it all, I feel a deep sense of I kind of wish we were more like that today! Crazy, I know. But maybe someday, I'll have my own homestead and can capture some of it - all with indoor plumbing though ;-)

The most interesting part of the day was that my 8 year old wants to become a volunteer there herself! So, we'll see. They run a "farm hands" camp and we told her she could do that next summer and then, after seeing what work she would have to help with, then we'll see what we can arrange. The down side is that if you are under 14 you have to have a parent who volunteers with you and I just don't know that dh or myself could make that commitment. Although, should it come down to it, I would gladly volunteer with her. I just think with the younger kids and the business of dh and I trying to work extra jobs here and there that it's not a possibility in our schedule. But who knows what next year will bring so I haven't told her any of that ;-)

Aside from that, I've been on a major baking kick. Thankfully things cooled down around here at the end of last week. More banana bread has come out of the oven and cupcakes and cookies! I am really loving it =) Next week I am going berry picking and hoping that I can come home with small mountains of strawberries, raspberries and blackberries! Oh my mouth is watering just thinking about it. And we recently unplugged the second freezer since we didn't need it, but I have a feeling when I get done, it will need to be plugged in again! But of course, I will be putting my canning set to good use too (which reminds me I need more jars!)

Not much else here. I truly think that we will be extremely busy through-out most of July! Crazy! So I will try to stop in and say hi, but I will probably be sparse around here.

I know this winter we will have to tone down the driving, scale back on outings, and that we will be in our house a whole lot more. So for the moment, I am trying to take advantage of the nice weather and the willingness of the kids to be out and about right now! =)