Just call me Martha Stewart:)

Raspberry jam all lined up in the freezer

I've been saying I want to make home made raspberry jam for years now and I just get to busy and and forget during raspberry season. This year was finally the year! I went to Picha Farms and bought a flat of raspberries. I was able to make 11 jars of jam, and 2 yummy raspberry cobblers with all those raspberries. I was surprised how much jam I was able to make with so little berries. It's yummy and a special treat to have especially when I make home made bread. I highly recommend trying to make freezer jam. It's easy and cheap and so good!
Then I got a little bolder. I made some baby food last night. I've had friends tell me that I'm crazy to buy my baby food and that we could save so much money making our own, but I've never really listened. It sounded like too much work. But, Travis had so many extra green beans from our garden that I decided to give it a try. I made 6 small jars of baby food with a lot of green beans so in the long run I don't think that would be the cheaper way to go. I've heard that some veggies and fruits make more than others. Anyone have any good tips for making home made baby food? Which ones seem worth the money and work to make? The good part is Peyton ate the food and really liked it. The first few bites she made some yucky faces, and then she devoured it. I would love to hear from any mommies on this subject:)

Home made green beans, pretty color!

Happy baby after eating green beans:)

Brayden turns 3!

Wow, we can't believe that Brayden turned 3 this week. These years have gone so fast, but yet we couldn't imagine our family without him. He has a laid back spirit, but is still a 3 year old who loves to play. He has a lot of patience and will work on something until he figures it out (that reminds me of Travis:) He loves playing with his baby sister and of course mommy and daddy and his best friends, Cooper, Pedro, and Tanner. He still loves Elmo, but is really into trains, airplanes, cars, play dough, coloring, books, trucks and especially garbage trucks. One of his favorite things to do is play basketball. He loves watching it on TV and will watch a whole game with Travis (the only other thing he will watch is Sesame Street). So this year we decided to do a basketball birthday party. He loved it! I tried to keep it simple with pizza, games, cake, and of course presents. I really enjoy planning and doing the kids birthday parties. I think it's fun and a special day of the year to celebrate them. I hope that eventually they will look back at their birthday parties and know that mommy and daddy loved them very much. We thank God for Brayden and pray that he will love the Lord the rest of his life! We love you Brayden!

The basketball Cake

Eating pizza with his best friends

Cousin Pedro with a basketball nose:)

"Happy Birthday to you"

The Family... Notice the basketball attire

Peyton hanging out with Lita

Washington DC Trip

3 Babies hanging out

Angie and I in Baltimore

Travis, Peyton and I just got back from Washington DC last night. We went there mainly to visit one of my best friends, Angie. Angie and her husband Andy live in New Zealand:( They moved there a few years ago and then her parents moved to Washington DC. She came into the states to visit them, and we just had to go visit her since who knows when I'll get a chance to see her again. We had such a great time catching up and letting our babies play together. Angie had twin boys a week before I had Peyton! I miss her so much already and wish that our time together wasn't always rushed.

The National Monument, notice I have my feet in the water

The Lincoln Memorial

The US Capitol

If you know much about Travis this will make you laugh

At the Smithsonian Museum of American Natural History

The White House

The National Monument

While we were there we had to do some sightseeing. How amazing! It was so cool to see all these important buildings that have so much history to our country. We saw the Capitol building, Library of Congress, the White House, National Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and the Smithsonian museums. On the map it looks like all of these things are very close together, but when you start waking you realize that's a joke! Thankfully they have a Metro system that is pretty easy to use (although I don't know how comfortable I would feel using it by myself without Travis). The weather there the first few days of our trip were almost like home, but the last few days I thought we were going to die. Not only was it 95 degrees, but it was so humid! You walk outside and immediately were covered in sweat. Not fun! We also took a day trip to Baltimore and went on a cruise around the water which was really interesting.

Peyton was a perfect angel the whole trip. She did great on both flights, slept in her stroller (even in the 95 degree weather), and was happy the other times. That was definitely an answered prayer. If you've never been to our nations capitol, go! It was such a neat experience and we can't wait to take the kids there again some day when they can appreciate it. When you are there standing looking at all these amazing monuments and buildings, you just feel like you are apart of history.

Hot baby in the stroller

Peyton on the airplane

On a side note, Brayden stayed here with the Nevils for a few nights and with my parents the rest of the time. He did a great job, but missed us a lot! We probably missed him more:) We went and got him last night and we both said to each other "he has grown so much!" He's been pretty excited to be home and we're happy to all be together again. Speaking of how much he's grown, Brayden turns 3 tomorrow! More on that later.

Pricesses and Knights

Brayden kept on saying about the costume "I don't like it."

Notice the gold shoes!

We look like we belong in the Medieval times:)

Our friends the Johnson's threw a birthday party for their little girl, Kivi. It just happened to be a dress-up princess party. All the girls had to dress up as a princess, and the boys knights and jesters. Brayden got a knight costume together and daddy was an archer. Mommy got in the spirit with a tiara and Peyton looked like a beautiful princess. The party was complete with a dragon slaying contest and a no-utensil lunch. We had fun and hope that Kivi felt special!

To the cabin again!

Playing some really "fun" game:)

Yummy carrots

"Hahahaha"

Last weekend we went out to the cabin with our HFG (Home fellowship group). A HFG is families from our church who get together weekly and have a Bible study. We also do potlucks and fun things together too. We always say that we "live life together." We take a break from lessons in the summer to have Family Summer Fun Days. Each family gets to plan a week and what we will do. When it was our turn we decided to head out to the cabin! We had a lot of fun. The weather yet again didn't cooperate like we planned, but the kids don't care, they're just happy to play outside. We had a yummy dinner of homemade hamburgers and hot dogs and finished of our night with peanut butter and jelly bars (so good!!!), and smores. Of course we stayed up way passed our bedtimes and payed for it the next day as the kids got up at the crack of dawn:) Either way it was fun and we were reminded of how special our friends are to us. Our lives have been so blessed because of them. Yet again I bring my camera but don't take any pictures. Thankfully Tiff took a few:)

Friends for Life!

Peyton and Jared meet for the first time! (How cute is this kid?)

My friend Heather and I have known each other for a long time! We grew up going to church together and I don't remember a time when she wasn't in my life. We have been through a lot and love each other more for that. She is one of those friends who doesn't get mad at me if we haven't talked for weeks or months at a time, we just start where we left off. She recently moved back to Washington and had her first baby. I'm so glad that she is now in the mommy club with me:) Her son and Peyton are only 2 months apart and he is soooo cute!! Heather, I love you girl!