Summer Vacation – Week 7

97th Annual Snake River Stampede - Nampa, Idaho

Monday – the peeps are four weeks old today.  How quickly they grow up! 

I started out my day by chopping up a bunch of old credit cards.  Why was I saving them?  I have no idea.  Next we got busy with some housework and laundry.  Off to the library for our regular visit to check out books.  Home to get the chicks out for some exercise in the coop and then the girls and I spent the afternoon reading our library books.  I didn’t get a whole lot accomplished today but I’m okay with it. 

Tuesday – thanks to the two free tickets the girls received as part of the summer reading program we went to the rodeo (my ticket cost $14).  We made it our date night.  First we stopped, en route to the restaurant at Walmart so I could use my three Albertson’s double coupons with their “ad match guarantee”.  I bought two bonus sized boxes of Ziploc sandwich bags (120ct each), a bottle of apple cider vinegar and a bottle of Soft Scrub for $3.69 with tax.  I’ll have plenty of zipper bags for freezing veggies, fruits and meats this summer as well as any I might need for school lunches, packaging gifts and organizing stuff. 

Target was next on our list in hope of cheap school supplies and we found exactly what we needed.  I used my gift card with a balance left on it and I still have $1.29 to use later.  Final cost on school supplies today $0. 

Then it was time for our dinner at Marie Callendars.  I had planned to use the two free meal vouchers the girls had earned in the summer reading program only to find out it was Kid’s Night and for every paying adult a kid eats free.  We only used one voucher and that leaves another one to use later.  We get to do this all over again!  Our final tally on dinner with dessert (kid’s meal comes with a huge slice of their delicious pie and they shared with me, I’m so lucky) and a big tip for our great waitress - $18.56. 

The girls had fun dressing up for the event in their denim skirts and cowgirl hats.  They looked adorable.  We had a blast tonight.  I haven’t been to a rodeo since I was in high school so I was every bit as excited to go as they were.  Although I hadn’t planned on buying concessions the 4-H group was doing them as a fundraiser so I did purchase a $3 bottle of soda.  I don’t mind supporting them one bit and they worked hard too.  We couldn’t have asked for a better night and the final tally for our family dinner out and the rodeo - $35.56! 

Wednesday – yesterday before we left for the rodeo a very dear friend of mine stopped by with the back of her van loaded with fabric, patterns and notions for me.  Three black trash bags filled with fabrics!  A couple weeks ago I had told her how another friend of mine had given me a bunch after cleaning out her garage and what all I had been doing with it.  She quickly asked me if I wanted some more – Yes please!!  She really blessed me with quite a load and I will be very busy using this up. 

We spent the day with my parents.  I took the bags of fabric over to show my Mom and we went through it all and figured out what I’ll be doing for the next several months.  J  We also showed my Mom how to make homemade yogurt and did some investment cooking with her.  Then we got to go out to the garden and pick produce and came home with a load of peas, lettuce and raspberries.  I filled up my buckets with more decomposed granite from Dad’s big pile to add to our chicken coop.  By the time we got home and got the bins to the curb for the trash man and our truck unloaded it was another busy day and a late night again for us and needless to say I am exhausted! 

Thursday – after two very busy days and late nights I decided to postpone today’s “field trip” until tomorrow.  I decided we need a slower paced day to get ourselves rested and rejuvenated.  I started out my morning while the girls slept in by freezing raspberries and watering the garden.  We baked a peach blueberry coffee cake for our breakfast in the toaster oven on the deck.  Once our daily chores were done the girls read books and played while I tidied up my sewing room, did some reorganizing in there and finished going through and putting away the fabrics I received.  Tomorrow I hope to sew a little.  I’m glad we decided to put off our other activities as today’s high was 104°!  It was definitely a hot one. 

Friday – Another hot one today!  High today 100°.  The girls voted to stay home and run through the sprinklers, read their books and watch a little TV and I agreed.  I spent the entire day sewing my little heart out.  Another week has come and gone.  It is going too fast.