Strawberry Picking

I took the kids to a ward function of picking strawberries.  Being new to the ward and a half hour late I didn't see anyone I recognized but we had a good time and it was good for the girls.  Entegra and Inara started off having a great time.  They wanted to pick every berry they saw but I explained the tiny green ones are not the ones we want and the disgusting smooshy moldy ones...eww...we DEFINITELY don't want. :)

Inara had enough half way through.  So, after Entegra and I finished picking the rest of berries we wanted, I took them over to see the goats and chickens.

We had a picnic in the back of our vehicle and went home to have "strawberry shortcake" (tiny angle food cakes with strawberries and whip cream) YUM!
We'll be going back for picking blueberries and peaches!
Oh, for locals, that's Hartland Orchard.

Memorial Day 2011

We had an enjoyable Memorial Day.  It started out with, well, breakfast.  But then we decided we wanted to start cutting off the branches of trees that were either dead or hanging over our house.  As we were searching the basement for our hot-pink extension cord, we came to the conclusion that we wanted to get the bushes and dead leaves away from our house.  Entegra was a great help with her rake, always asking where she could help. Inara protected her brother from unsuspecting bugs that may have wanted to climb on his swing that we had brought outside.

Benjamin cut up the bushes and raked out the leaves while I attempted to fill the garbage bags with leaves and twigs.  We saw tons of bugs and spiders and 3 skinks.  We were able to finish that task and were pretty proud of our selves.  Benjamin continued by mowing the ivy behind our house and the back yard as well.

Baby Bracken helping by hanging happily on my back.

After cleaning up we had our bar-be-que and had a great family time.  We finished our evening with Twister and video chatting with family.

Bed time

Lately it has been a struggle getting the kids into bed.  Nothing has changed but their persistence.  Every night we go through the same routine.  Put on pajamas, brush teeth, read story, family prayer, tuck girls into bed, kisses, and goodnight.  Then I feed Bracken and put him to bed.  Shortly thereafter Inara starts getting out of bed, opening her door and closing it.  Entegra comes out sometimes and asks for a drink of water.  Inara constantly says she needs to go potty, and since she's potty training STILL, we take her the first 2-3 times, not that it ends up mattering in the morning.  Still after that Inara comes out of her room, so we take her back, and then she comes out, and we take her back, and on...and on...and on.
The whole process starts about 7:20pm and ends around 9pm.  
I can understand the toilet trips have become a part of her routine but she should be bored with being put back into bed.  All we do is walk her to her bed, put her in and call it good.  If we talk to her all we say is "It's bed time!"

Well, tonight has been nearly no different...except...

...we found her camping out in the hallway on the floor.

Silly, slightly obnoxious girl :)