This Week

Strawberries at $1.25 a lb, and cherries for $2 means everybody pitches in.

Cutting tops off strawberries for jam.

De-stemming cherries for pitting and freezing.

Hulk smash!

***

We are still studying Colombia, and had our big meal Friday night. Mykela got to join us!

Colombian chicken:

Cubed chicken mariated in lime and chili powder, browned, the tossed in a casserole with bell peppers, onions and black olives. Pretty, sin't it?! Pour OJ over the top, cover with foil, and bake 45 minutes. Yummy!

Arepas - sort of like fried, flattened corn meal biscuits. Super yummy with honey on them.

We also got some fried avocadoes. Not sure if they fry them in Colombia or not, but they looked really good, so we decided to try them! Some of the kids were less than thrilled, but the grown-ups liked them.

I also grabbed an assortment of drinks from South/Central America, and we all tried a sip or two of each.

The mango was the most popular, coconut water the least (although I think it would be excellent served cold on a really hot day). There was a lot of discussion around each of them, and I was pleased that the kids have learned to use more descriptive words and phrases than just "good" or "bad".

***

Logan turned SEVEN!

He is BETWEEN six and eight, get it??

***

Andy Mason was here Saturday! And now we're all hungry for pizza.

She really was having fun, she just didn't want me talking to her!

***

I have a new grandbaby!! We are all in love!

***

The garden is producing! And we caught a cute little mouse eating the green beans...

***

Me, in preschool story time, reminding the kids of our upcoming dance party: "And we're going to have an ICE CREAM bar!"

Little boy: "Make sure there's lots of alcohol, too!"

#maybeforadifferentprogram

***

The teens played floor-sized Scrabble.

It got pretty intense once I showed them the prizes: "Libraries Rock" journals made with waterproof paper. So cool! In an agonizing finish, the winning team got it by ONE point. So I gave everyone journals:)

***

Friday we had a new-to-us performer, Aspen Black, the Singing Cowgirl.

She was lots of fun!

and a REAL cowgirl! Somebody was fascinated.

She gave a guitar lesson in the afternoon, and Christopher attended that. I think I know what someone is asking for this Christmas...

One more week of Summer Reading programs! Then a week to clean up, after which I get a week "off" - sort of. JAKES, followed be each kid's "special day". I'll rest when I go back to work again!