The Strawberry Patch is Open!

Last night Nathan came home when he was supposed to be working overnight. I like the overnight shifts because then he's home sleeping during the day and I can leave the kids and go do errands. I had planned on visiting teaching in the morning with just Thomas while the kids did their schoolwork at home. Then during nap time I'd let them watch a movie and I would take Alexis to the grocery store. That was my plan. Then Nathan came home last night and said he wasn't working overnight, but going in to work at the clinic today. So much for plans!
So we set off this morning to the grocery store, all of us, and actually made good time and had great spirits. We had just enough time to unload the groceries before visiting teaching, so I left the little two buckled and the older 3 and I quickly unloaded the van and put the cold things away. I grabbed the Ensign and we hopped back in the car and went visiting teaching. The sister we were seeing had been trying to get ahold of us because she was taking her son to the doctor and we couldn't come. We didn't know this until showing up on her doorstep, but had a nice 7 minute chat instead of the usual 1 hour. I was a little disappointed because I was looking forward to the visit, but we loaded everyone back into the van and drove home. We went in the house and started working on putting the groceries away when the said sister called me on the way to the doctor and said the strawberry patch was open. Since it was only 11:00 and we still had plenty of time until naptime, we all ran and jumped back in the car and took off for the strawberry patch. We came back for the camera and we wondered what our neighbor, Ray was thinking of us coming and going so much while he was sitting outside watching us.


We were so happy to be going to the strawberry patch! We've been waiting and waiting for it to open. When we got there I was a tiny bit sad, remembering how last year I took pictures of the 5 of them in the wildflowers and dreamed of this year doing that with 6 little kids. It would have been fun and the kids so cute, but probably also stressful with a newborn. So I tried to enjoy the fact that this year it's so easy and relaxing with older kids. We'll be able to go more often and get more strawberries and make more things. I think that's why I've been looking forward to this season.

We got 20 pounds and ate a good amount of them today. I can see they won't last long in this house! I'm excited to be more creative than I was last year (I don't think I made anything last year.) and am dreaming of all the good stuff I can make.


We always check out the animals: chickens, rooster, rabbits, peacock, and goats. Today there were 4 little baby goats frolicking around and trying to nurse. They were so cute! Now we all want goats. :) Here Madalyn wanted her picture taken of her holding a feather she found.

Alexis with her feather.

Spencer wins the prize for being the messiest. Even Thomas didn't come close. Why do some boys have to wipe their faces on their shirt after every juicy bite?

It's been a great day and I feel blessed to have things work out the way they did even though I hadn't planned it that way. We did our school work during nap time and finished late, around 4:30, but that's why I homeschool: It's so fun to be able to go places with my kids and schedule our day how we want it. We were the only ones at the strawberry patch, whereas afterschool hours was probably crowded. I felt like we had a really good happy family, bonding day. (Doesn't always happen when we go places together.:))