Bluberry Picking in Virginia!

Welcome, Company Girls!

 

 
Previously, while we lived in Florida, I picked with friends early in the morning, around 6am. It got too hot for picking there by 8am, well before little kids are supposed to wake-up! But, for the free blueberry iced tea served at Beulah Berries, it was well worth the trip. I even made a Youtube video about that place.

This was our first time picking as a family in a few years. This time we went to Swift Creek Berry Farm near Richmond, VA. The weather was cool for July and it was cloudy. It rained the day before so the berries were wet and glistening. Perfect conditions for picking!

 



Weather here in the river city has been awesome this summer! We stayed out until about 11am and it was still very nice out. The berries were sweet and plump. We filled two 3-gallon buckets and paid about $20 for them. The price was reasonable at only $2.09 per pound, plus we ate a satisfying amount while picking.
 

 
 


I made blueberry jam a few years ago and it was so, so, good. I won't be doing that this year, though. The berries are great eating fresh and I froze a gallon for smoothies.

So far our family has picked apples in Charlottesville in the fall, picked juicy strawberries in the spring, and picked blueberries in the summer. I hope we can make it back out to Charlottesville to pick fresh peaches before the summer season is over. Then in the fall, pick grapes and apples again!

How about you? Did you make it out to u-pick farms this summer?

Company Girls: Pool Time!

Besides finishing off a month-long Clutter-Busting Challenge, this week had a few highs and lows. Like going to friends' block party, staying out way too late (a high) then the car battery dying and not getting home 'til midnight (a definite low). I guess the flashing battery light was a true car trouble warning! My husband also changed the alternator himself (a high!) and the vicious mosquitos have begun attacking the kids and I (a real low).

We had our annual pool party on Sunday (one more high). Even though the water is still freezing, no child could resist a dip in the pool. It was a great time: bbq sandwiches, mac n' cheese, potato salad, apple cobbler, umm-mmm. Nope, it did not matter that the water was only 60 degrees.

We  found inexpensive bathing suits at Sam's Club. I bought them during the Sam's Club Open House (free shopping pass!) We also bought a couple of pool toys at the end of the season last year. So except for getting more sunscreen, we are all set for a great summer of swimming.



Swimming Laps!

The children swam 4 times this week already. Not me! The lifeguard said it was too cold for her so that's enough reason for me to stay poolside. I was very surprised to that my children remembered the back float. Isabella even swam freestyle and backstroke!



Big Pool = Huge Fun!

I taught them how to swim since they were in preschool. We did not have money for swim lessons but had a pool access in the neighborhood. So, I had to toughen up and get over my fear of water. I watched a couple of swimming tapes from the library, got them some goggles, and months and years of lessons later they can float by themselves! Also, one summer, a friend's teenage daughter gave them weekly lessons. It really helped learning from a cool, big kid!

But freestyle and backstroke are all I know. I'm hoping the lifeguard or my husband can teach them (and me) the breaststroke this summer. We shall see!

How about you? How has your week been? Share and link-up at Company Girls Coffee!

Strawberry Picking- A 5 Year Dream Come True!

This Friday, I'm sharing our strawberry picking trip as my highlight of the week over at Company Girl Coffee.

 

We lived near the beach in Florida and despite the sandy soil, many farms dotted the area with u-pick offerings for blueberries, strawberries and other produce. Many sweltering days in June, friends and I would sneak past sleeping children and leave as early as 6am to pick blueberries at Beulah Farms. Even though it was already in the 80's by then, it was better than waiting until 8am when it would already get to the high 90's.



Why we never got together to pick strawberries in May when the temps were more bearable, I don't know. But I always fancied picking strawberries. Maybe it was because of watching Strawberry Shortcake during my daughter's preschool years. But every year, I just plain forgot.

When my birthday rolled around this week, I knew the perfect outing for me was picking strawberries as a family. We didn't have much time to pick but it was worth it! Unlike picking apples up in the mountains, all the strawberries are within reach by our feet. It was like an Easter egg hunt. Each bright green leaf revealed red jewels of fruit. Not even the bugs on some of them dampened our spirits.

Next time we will come earlier on a cloudy day, wear long sleeves (the leaves make our skin a little itchy),  bring a picnic lunch, stay longer to take the free hayride and play in the playground.  Strawberry picking will surely be a new springtime tradition. Have you enjoyed u-pick strawberry farms? I always check my local area for seasonal u-pick offerings because it is so much fun!

 

 

Building Fond(ue) Memories: Peek Into Our Week

 

Welcome Company Girls! My week has been pretty decent so far. I haven't had much time to read or sit outside. But the children and I have enjoyed fun times. We still had plenty of strawberries our neighbor gave us. They were starting to look sad. But instead of putting them in the freezer for smoothies, I dipped them in chocolate. So yummy!

 

 We still had plenty of melted chocolate left afterwards so I added a little milk, oil, and white chocolate chips to make fondue. We had Matzo crackers, apple and banana slices and marshmallows to dip in the chocolately goodness. It was so much fun to share this spontaneous moment with my kids. (Their first dip into fondue!)

I've also been decluttering for ten days! I had a hard time letting go of crafty preschool things like Playdoh. But my ten year surprised me with her rendition of the Cupcake Wars in Playdoh.

How about you? What are your highlights this week?

Rapunzel Birthday Cake

Spring is here and with weather to match. Usually it is tremendously hot in Pensacola by now. So we are thankful for the mostly cool few days, despite high pollen counts. Since we moved in the winter, I had no idea what kind of trees and bushes we have around the house. Now that flowers bloom overnight it seems, I've been pleasantly surprised to find out we have azaleas and wisteria. Our sweet girl had her birthday this week. Since it was on Monday, we had a couple families join us at Perdido Kids' Park. We had the park almost to ourselves. It gave us moms a chance to visit without worrying too much about where the children are running off too. The park is fenced throughout and only has one entrance/exit. We love this park! A themed-birthday is nice, too. But who knew that kids still love to just play in the playground and just eat cake and ice cream. Simple and almost free birthday parties are still in!

Parties over the weekend get overcrowded at the park, however. It doesn't matter what time you have yours. There will be 8 other parties going on at the same time. As you can tell, this was taken during the Easter Egg Hunt- it should be the Saturday before Easter again this year. Plan to come if you can. Last year, the Optimist Club hosted it and some of the eggs had $1 bills inside! This birthday cake was inspired by LifeAsMom's Tangled Cake . Last year, I feared our little girl was getting over the Princess craze- she kept asking to wear blue jeans! But alas, she is a girly-girl through and through. More pink the better for her 8th birthday and this pink-frosted strawberry cake fit the ticket. I am afraid of making birthday cakes... because I need frosting lessons! That's why my cakes don't leave the baking pan and have marshmallows for a border. If you are wondering, there is no birthday salutation because I forgot to get gel icing. Sprinkles made the best last-minute substitution.

Do you buy birthday cakes or make your own? I do like that homemade cakes are much more inexpensive and my children adore them, even if they are simple with uneven frosting. I'm mentally preparing for October's cake- my son wants a dinosaur cake for his 7th birthday! I have no clue how to make that. Looking for cake ideas- there's tons here. Frugal ideas to swap? Check out Frugal Fridays. Want to share stories? Tell yours at Company Girl's Coffee at Home Sanctuary. Ok, I had to link-up with Amy's Finer Fridays too, because babies and birthdays turn me all sappy.

Company Girl Coffee 10.8.10

Hello Company Girls. It's been many months since I've been able to join you. Life has been quite a whirl here as homeschooling season got started. The worst Florida summer is over. Now it is officially fall, although it still gets hot in the early afternoon. Weather survival hinges on layering- start with a light sweater in the morning, bare down into camis by midday and head to the beach, then put on your sweater again for dinner. Pretty soon we won't be able to get by with flipflops either.

How about you? Are you enjoying the crisp fall leaves? Do you look out and see the beautiful painted leaves? Our seagrass is turning golden brown. My children found a couple of crunchy leaves to jump on. Here, you have to spread them out because each crunch counts when there are so few leaves that fall. Irregardless of the lack of scenery, we can make it more festive indoors with pumpkin bread, apple pies, and hot cocoa.

Don't you love the fall? Share your thoughts and link-up with all the Company Girls.

Company Girl Coffee 5.7.10

Hello Company Girls! I haven't been with you for so long now. I'm glad to finally have time to visit! Today I'm having tea with LOTS of honey to soothe my allergies.

With the BP oil spill threatening our waters, we're trying to visit the beach as often as possible. Very early of course as it already gets in the 80s here by 10am.
The past few weeks have been busy with playdates at the park. Pensacola is home of the Blue Angels. So of course, the kids park has at least 4 Blues planes and this awesome climbing wall. I love this park! It looks like a castle from the outside and has a separate Tot Lot for 2 and under. The only thing that concerns me is that the water fountain says domestic water. What does that mean?

Where we live, we've been enjoying feeding the ducks and watching the snapping turtles come out of the pond to bask in the sun.

It's only the first week of May & the magnolias are already blooming. I love admiring them from afar where I keep can safe with my allergies.

Company Girls love to keep each other company. Learn how to be part of this great community at Home Sanctuary.

Company Girl Coffee 3.5.10

Whew! Friday again already? And a new month too! I was up early but still getting a late start. So to keep the kids occupied, we filled up the sink with water, toys and bubbles. Double sink means one is filled with boats and the other has babies taking baths.
Welcome Company Girls! Coffee anyone? I hope I get some time to sit and drink it! This week has been tough. I was sick in the beginning of the week with a major head cold and migranes. Then when I got better, my dear husband got sick and our car overheated and is still at the mechanic's. Thank goodness for AAA and free towing.

At Bible Study we talked about gossip. Can't tell you anything else about it! It will be really fun practicing what I learned... not really. Then later that afternoon, I visited with a friend I have not seen forever. It was so cool to teach her a little bit about couponing and she taught me a little bit about being healthy. Then she gave me some quail and venison maple sausage. Anyone know how to cook quail? It gets me all excited to eat foods the Bible has talked about.

I'm praying for a wonderful, sunny, and warmer weekend for everbody! If you have a Wa-Mart gas station, here's a $2 off $10 coupon of gas. Drive somewhere fun!

Company Girl Coffee 2.19.10

Hello Company Girls. No coffee today, due to my sore throat. So tea and Halls are what I'm having. Wondering what this is all about? Visit Home Sanctuary to learn more and be part of the fellowship.

I second Rachel Anne's comment. Where has the week gone? My Valentine's date kept me floating on air enough to forget the days! I did have a great week. Saturday, our dear friend took my kids to the Mardi Gras parade downtown then watched them that evening so hubby and I could go out to eat. Then Sunday night, Valentine's Day, she kept them again so we could see Book of Eli. I don't know how I would survive motherhood without great friends!

We also had our MOPs meeting this week. Every month, we have such a blast with 50 plus moms in our group chatting, eating, crafting. This month we made journals by simply covering composition books with scrapbook paper. I broke down and asked some girls to help me froo-froo mine so it wouldn't look so drab. And it came out cute! The best part is that I ended up giving it to my favorite CVS manager. She helps me out so much every week I shop there.

There was the usual shopping, which I meant to completely avoid. But who can when there's 75% off Valentine's sales at Target already! I did go ahead and "inform" the grandmas of the sale in case there was something they wanted to buy for my daughter's upcoming birthday. The downer for the week goes to no-tv punishment for 5 days since my kids wouldn't mind their mother. It's hard for me because I cherish that 1.5hr break to talk on the phone or blog. But after listening to Lisa Whelchel talk about her Creative Correction book, I was motivated to discipline. They weren't hurting though, Church activities provided enough tv time to compensate! I listened to Lisa on Focus on the Family (Feb 15 &16) and I highly recommend it, especially for moms with young kids.

I also went to Bible Study. It's always a fantastic time to fellowship and glean from one another. Are you gals in some kind of Bible study? Months where we have none seem to be the loneliest for me. Us women folk just aren't normal without company girl time. That's why I'm so glad for this group. Have a great weekend, everybody!

Company Girl Coffee 2.12.10

Hello Company Girls! I've missed you all last Friday. I made some cafe au lait for all you coffee drinkers, topped with Cool Whip for me. One day I hope I can learn to make homemade whip cream! I didn't get any of the small things done this week. I'm aiming to buckle down and try again next week. Are you not yet a Company Girl? We'd love for you to be one! It's such a lovely group. Visit Home Sanctuary to learn more.
Yesterday, we finally made it to a Homeschool League event: Valentine's Skating Party. My daughter and husband were scheduled to skate (since I don't know how!) and they made it around one lap before she asked to get out. The girl was plenty scared seeing other kids slam into the wall! Our son is 5 and gets scared easily so I didn't sign him up to skate. But given the opportunity to take his sister's place, he gladly skated 5 laps. My husband felt great that at least one of the kids let him fulfill his Daddy duty. But he quickly got out of the stinky skates when it was all over (they still reeked even after getting sprayed with Lysol). Yuck!

It was great fun, although overwhelming with so, so many kids in one place. I told my daughter that none of these kids rode the big yellow school bus because each one had school at home like us. There's something about that school bus that still makes my kids want to go to regular school. So I hope that it resonated with her that she's not the only one missing out on the bus thing! They also enjoyed decorating and passing out their Valentine's cards and boxes. Plus, the Valentine's treats were so yummy. The only problem we had was making 80 cards to pass out! The procrastinator in me of course waited until the day before and still insisted to making them instead of just buying the premade ones! I'll know better for next time.


It's rainy, cold and dreary out here. I sure am sure wishing we had the snow our northern Virginia friends are enjoying! Driving home, we got some sleet, which looked like tapioca-sized hail to me. But it's not the same, even scarier than skating, according to my son. I sure hope the weather clears up and returns to the sunny Florida we all love. How is the weather were you are? How are you celebrating Valentine's Day?

California Dreamin'

Welcome Company Girls! While it's evening here now, I still put on a pot of coffee. The gentle pitter-patter of rain outside just calls for it!

Today I did laundry and got reacquainted with the lint remover. Some black socks came out spotted with white fuzz. Does that happen to you? Hubby was sick and left some tissue in his jean pockets. As I rolled the lint remover over 12 socks back and forth, I was surprised with calm that came over me. I got these lint removers free a while back and thinking of freebies makes me happy. BTW, that's my Frugal Friday tip: be on the look-out for freebies. Every week I get something for free. This week it was toilet paper, paper towels and post-it notes. Pair a few coupons with a sale, voila! Instant frugal. It's easy to find freebies at Target, Publix, and Wal-Mart, too.

Now you know how easily amused I get. On a more serious note, flu season hit my laptop. Not too long ago, I cleaned out a virus. And this week it got two at the same time! Thankfully, all my docs and pics were saved from the last incident. I had to reboot the whole system. But what I forgot to copy was all the addresses of my bookmarked favorites! Oh well. At least I got to spend more time with family. Just this Tuesday, hubby and I stayed up til the wee hours of the night talking while he worked out and I clipped coupons. Just like college days when no sleep was routine.

We've only had one overnight trip away from the kids when we went to Monterey, CA. Since living in the Gulf Coast, I've forgotten how wonderful it is being engulfed by mountains. The crisp air and cool nights was a relief that summer. Except for when I thought we'd fall off the mountain and die driving Big Sur, it was a perfect trip! Even though I can't wait to get away there again, being able to reconnect with my husband when the kids are asleep this week has filled up my emotional tank. Having no agenda except to share and dream together is truly a Fine Thing.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! Enjoy the link love. I hope you will visit other sites I've listed here. The fellowship is unsurpassed at Company Girl Coffee. Frugal Fridays is filled with inspiringly economical tips. Finer Things Friday keeps me motivated to stay positive.

Company Girl Coffee

Welcome everyone! Today I have tea and zucchini bread. We have a lovely consignment thrift shop just down the road. That's where I found the teacup on the right. The one on the left is from a teacup exchange tea party two summers ago. It was a fun twist on a party. Bring your own teacup and simply leave with someone else's cup.

This week is a blur. Most I remember is battling a computer virus. I was so frustrated I just left it alone for a few days. I didn't even want to touch the computer. Thank God for answered prayers. I went on google and followed a few suggestions and now it's fixed!

Wow! I went out for coffee with a friend last night. Wish I could have taken all of you there. The kids were already tucked in bed hours before. Hubby was relaxing and hanging out with me before I left. I was ready to go with an hour to spare. Not rushing certainly makes for a better outing!

Being with you gals last Friday made me realize just how much I miss my girlfriends. I saw many of them at our MOPs meeting. And don't you know, the topic was about taking care of yourself, including going out for girls' night. While I love big gatherings, my soul yearned for that quiet heart-to-heart, to be heard and cared for then return the favor. And that was the agenda. My friend and I had a sweet time of fellowship together. We're doing this more often!

And I haven't forgotten my "pampering me" time. It's been on my mind all week. Thanks for all the comments, it's keeping me motivated! I plan to sneak in some bath time while the kids nap today. I still have new candles to try and lots of books on my reading list. Please try to get some "me time" too and let me know about it. We'll keep each other in check. Because we know if mama ain't happy... you better get out the chocolates!

Join us every Friday at Home Sanctuary for Company Girl Coffee! Girlfriend time is such a fine thing that I'm linking this post to Finer Things Friday.

Coffee Time!

I'm loving having you over for coffee! In college, my roommates were Vietnamese and loved to drink iced coffee: strong black coffee plus sweetened condensed milk poured over a glass of ice. So yummy! I prefer no ice while it's still winter.

The highlight of my week was getting the kids to bed by 7pm and taking a nice long bath. I don't remember the last time I soaked and read a book uninterrupted. I plan to fit that in my weekly schedule!

We started back up yesterday with our homeschool co-op group. In preschool art, the kids read snowy days storybooks. For craft, they made this cute paper bag decked with marshmallows. Using the stapler was hands-down their favorite part! Who would have thought?

The rest of the week is a blur to me, mainly because of all the cleaning and shopping that had to be done. With the weekend underway, I'm looking forward to catching up on blogging and maybe some sewing. There's a lot of tulle calling out to me!

Wondering what being a Company Girl is all about? Visit Home Sanctuary or see all the Coffee links this week to learn more. It's great fun, I hope you'll join us.