'Twas a Happy Easter.

I love how Easter has these traditions that are "set in stone"--baskets with goodies and Easter egg hunts, and dyeing eggs, and most especially talking about the resurrection.

I think I love how confident Easter feels, and how I want all of my holidays to possess the same assurance that what we do as a family is just the right fit for our family.  It's my goal that I hope to figure out in the next few years...

The First Canning.

Sometimes the things we never picture ourselves doing, are the things that become new traditions.
Like canning.  For several years now my dear mother-in-law has asked me if I would like her to help me can fruit.  I've always turned her down--not enough space, not enough time, there was always an excuse.  But not this year.  As I've tried to pare down and simplify my life, bottling peaches and pears and all things from the garden has suddenly become quite an appealing past time.

We gathered on Labor Day and labored for our families and our food storage, laughing and talking and enjoying the warm early fall.  We bottled 4 bushels of pears and split them up between all of us.  We drove home that day and I was filled, not just with fruit, but with pure satisfaction.  This authentic pleasure is something I would never have considered to bring so much joy.

The following week we gathered again, this time at Jacee's.  The kids played and we canned.  Mom told us of her early days of canning with little ones and how her mom had helped her every year.  I couldn't help but smile inside, thinking of how she is now carrying on the tradition with us.  It was an exhausting, but sweet day.

Without the help of husbands to watch little ones, we only bottled 4 bushels of peaches, and had to send Mom home with her 2 bushels.  But now I have a freezer laden with fruit and two shelves heaping full as well.  It's a lovely, simple, perfect feeling.  And I can't wait for the applesauce...it, too, will bring great rewards.

Summer is Water Play and Great Big Homemade Snickerdoodles.

Why I can never get them both to smile is beyond me.

Easton sported his life jacket around all week anticipating the day when he would get to wear it.  And to everyone he spoke with on the phone he had to announce first thing that he had a new life jacket.

Patrick's Olympic spin out of the slide

Learning to swim with Nana

A bit apprehensive of this slide at the beginning, as soon as I reminded him that he had been on it 50 times last year, Easton must have topped his record by at least 100.

A few basketball games ensued.

Was this number 97?

Now for the picnic and "Great Big Cookies" as Tate would say.

It was a Tater moment such as this last year that inspired Nana to make these delectables again this year.

Goodbye sweet afternoon.

Berry Delicious.

Can anything be as delectable as fresh raspberry pie made from Grammy's homegrown raspberries?