Making wrinkly foods

I am borrowing a dehydrator from a friend to make wet foods, dry. I did a grocery bag full of apples, LOVE THEM. They are not a variety of apples that I lust after when fresh, but dried I could have eaten a ton last night.
I also did some blueberries, not my favorite, but still very cool.
I have always wondered if I would like to own a dehydrator, would it get a lot of use? Or just take up space? But I tell you what last night I was looking around for things to dehydrate it was so much fun!

Summer wrap up

Today Odin and I went shopping for school supplies. SCHOOL SUPPLIES! He starts kindergarten in a little over a week and and a half. And while I cannot believe that it is almost September, we have done a ton of great stuff this summer. I will let the pictures speak for the most part.

Jumping off the diving board in Michigan

Johno showing Odin that he can pop a wheelie

We took a short ride on a Steam Train the other weekend. The boys 

loved it

 

Watering the lawn

Odin visits the Pacific (in Washington)

actually we were all there

Yesterday we went to a lovely Mountain Lake

We took the raft (and some friends)

to practice some safety skills

Bedtime Story

Odin has been in a morning day camp this week. It was just what we both needed. Although at times it was hard to motivate him to get up get dressed and eat breakfast, all in all he did a good job.
Today during my "free time" I ran a few errands and found a few new books for him. When I picked him up they were sitting on the backseat and he was looking through them. When he asked me a question about the book, I am Snow, I was surprised because he had read the title himself.  He has had many sight words and has been increasingly interested in print lately but has not wanted to try reading with us at all.
Over dinner we talked about what he wanted to read tonight. I told him I would read one book to him and then suggested that he read one to me. Sure enough I read one new book to him at bedtime tonight (about eagles), then he read me the second one! All by himself! I helped him sound out a few works, but he read the book and was so excited.
He started to read the second one and then asked me to finish. O.K. buddy, but next time . . . it's your turn!

Yes Michigan!

After  very busy two weeks in Washington we decided that we needed a break. (actually it was planned months ago.) A pool vacation to be exact. And maybe a little time with grandma and grandpa too. We have been here a few days already and have soaked in the pool and baked in the sun. I finally understand this whole heat wave thing people keep talking about. You see in the Pacific Northwest it's been a pretty chilly spring and into summer. Not so in Michigan! But the weather has been lovely for the pool.
Johno joined us for a few days but had to go back to the paycheck.

Big things

A couple of weeks ago we were planning our river trip. We also realized that our house in Minnesota was going to close on the day after we came back. Going on a river trip is one thing, but going on a river trip where you would be out of communication for four days is quite another.
We had a very busy few days trying to get the necessary documents notarized and mailed (overnight). But it all worked out in the end. We had a great time on the river and now we are no longer homeowners.We celebrated the occasion with a bottle of champagne the other night. I was afraid to say anything until it was completed, but I think we are safe now.

River Trip details

We spent four days on the water. We learned that our new boat was exactly what we needed and that river trips are a blast with company. You see in the past we often went alone on trips, having a good time but with more people comes more fun. We went with three other families and there was someone for everyone to play with. The river was a mix of flatwater and rapids. Thankfully the rapids were near the end for rafting newbies such as ourselves. Canoe camping gave us a pretty firm foundation for raft camping only now we have seen how the other half live... Hand crank blenders, cast iron woks, and giant coolers.
There is talk of the next trip this season. Hopefully it will materialize.

Camp kitchen

 

a river trip

We returned late Wednesday from a blissful trip down the deschutes river. Our party was a group of 13 in five boats. Did I tell you we got a new (to us) boat recently? We did! And it's no canoe.

Internet is cranky, hopefully i fill in more details soon!