Mom's Salsa

Fresh Salsa is one of my favorite things! My tomatoes are coming on like crazy so I picked the ones that were ripe and also a few peppers and we were set! So yummy!!

Here is the recipe I love :)

Mom's Fresh Salsa
12 Roma Sized tomatoes
1 Green Pepper
1/4 onion
2 Whole jalapeno peppers with seeds
1 can green chili
1 tsp minced garlic
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBSP Brown Sugar
1 tsp salt
1 can chopped olives (optional)

4th of July

The Fourth of July was PERFECT this year! We made a very fast trip to Idaho to see Burke's family (with a much too short stop off to see my Parents also--but we will make up for that in a few weeks when we go to the Andrus Reunion!) We left Fruita on Thursday evening and stayed in Sandy (Thanks to Sheldon & Becki!) and then got up and made our way to Idaho! By early afternoon we were oohhing and aahhing over the fantastic remodel job that the Hill's did earlier this year! It is sooo beautiful and we are so happy for them! We really had a relaxing fun filled weekend. We were able to spend some great time with Burke's family (but we sorely missed Mel, Ben, Quinn & also Uncle Zach) I only snapped a few pictures at the Ucon Fireman's Breakfast (Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Hill!) and the Idaho Falls parade. We also enjoyed the beautiful fireworks on the Snake River sitting right next to the temple. ---Perfect! We got up Sunday and went to Sacrament Meeting before we headed out on the long drive home-- But we made it home by about 8:30 that night and we can't wait until it is time to go again!!

Rebekah thrilled about the parade! She held this pose for quite a while! (Nap time?!)

Quotable

As we were stopping to fill the truck with gas the other day Preston asked, "Is the truck all passed out of gas?" To me this picture of Preston can be exactly described that way . . .he goes and goes until he finally "passes out of gas" and falls asleep no matter how uncomfortable he might be!

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Preston: "Mom, are the kiddos driving you crazy yet?"

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Preston sniffing Mom's arm.
Mom: "Ummm what are you doing?"
Preston: "I'm smelling you"
Mom: "What do I smell like?"
Preston: "You smell like a Mommy!" (Duh)


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Preston: "Mom do you know where Daddy's boots are? I need them to tie up my bike!"

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I Believe in Miracles!

This post is for my Mom & Dad, who taught me from a young age that a garden was something worthwhile. They showed me with their example that the things worth having take a lot of effort and that God will bless those efforts to flourish beyond what you ever dreamed possible.

It is a lesson I am still learning . . .


Wow I feel so blessed! I am absolutely amazed and loving my garden. We are starting to really be able to enjoy some of the fruits of our labors. I really don't think I have green thumbs, I am just being soooo blessed in my garden. We are learning and not without mistakes, but overall this has been a positive experience and has really nurtured my heart to work with the earth. It really grounds me and helps me keep the important things in perspective and has given me time to ponder and pray and feel God's love for me. I have been going out in the early mornings and letting my kids run wild through the yard and I sit and pull weeds and count my blessings. It has brought me so much peace to start the day out this way. Here are a few pictures of our progress!The grapevine--truly I have done nothing to this so I get no credit here, but it has been fun to watch this grow all spring and summer. My neighbor says these grapes are divine :) Can't wait!

The tomatoes are probably doing the best. We finally got them staked up this week and they look about a million times better (and the fact that Burke took a cultivator and weeded them thoroughly! Yea for my Hero Husband!!!)

mmmm the fresh green beans are my favorite! Also loving my salad and herb section --using that almost everyday!

Here is a shot of the peppers, tomatoes (before we got them staked) and the corn just beyond that

watermelon, cucmbers, zucchini, corn

*Roughing It* Backyard Camping!

So Preston has been begging to have a campout as a family. Okay, truthfully I have been the one begging, but I put my friend Preston on the job of nagging Dad about it. Because Burke has been putting in such long hours at work, we were not seeing when we were going to get it done during the month of June (which is when I wanted to go) so we (I) finally settled for a backyard campout. It was soooo very fun!

Playing Hopscotch in the driveway while we were waiting for our dutchoven dessert to finish!

Roasting marshmallows over our very exciting "campfire"!

Preston just could not understand what we were doing with the marshmallows-- he kept lifting his up and nibbling quick bites and then holding the rest over the "fire"!

Me and my sweet baby girl :)

Burke and the kiddos set the tent up. We all squished into the tent and slept fairly well. It took about an hour for all of us to fall asleep together (which was pretty good considering!)

A few fun projects!

Preston might like painting better than just about anything else right now! We have been doing a variety of projects, but here are a few that involved paint! Preston really loves loves loves to create with vibrant color and I think he must feel free when I hand him a brush and put some paint on a tray :) I love to watch his little face while he concentrates (with his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth!) and he works to create his masterpiece! I love you little buddy!

Somehow Preston really thinks it is more fun to obey the frog than to obey Mom-- works for me because these frogs have the best ideas of what to do next *wink*

Here is our attempt at creating a solar system poster! We have been loving the summer reading program at our library! It has helped our library trips be much more consistent these last few months! Last week we got a book about our solar system and the "milky way". We definitely were not going for accuracy as you will see, but it was a very fun way for us to apply some of our newfound knowledge about God's great Universe!

Preston painting his "very dark night space"!

Burke helped Preston run the glue, and the Preston decided where they ought to go! I think we ended up with an extra planet and a very chaotic cosmos!

Preston was so pleased with the finished project that he begged to hang it on his bedroom wall :)

The Taste of Summer!

I can't believe it has been a month already! I have many posts to update and I have even tried to do it, but Preston crimped the end of my camera cord so I had to wait until I had another to use! Thanks to Burke for going out to the garage to find my other one or it still wouldn't be done! Hopefully I will get several posts done in the next week or two to let you know a few things we have been up to!

These pictures were taken after a fun family Saturday--we drove the Monument (which we still hadn't done after being here almost a year) and hiked a tiny bit (but I forgot my camera!) and then came home and made fresh strawberry milkshakes. YUM! Here are the kids sampling theirs.