taking stock

• I took the kids strawberry picking last week. We filled two 5 quart buckets of strawberries so fast that the kids started picking berries for some of the other berry pickers in the field. That was fun.
• I made this cake at the weekend with some of the berries, though I substituted sour cream for the yogurt. So. Good. You must try it.
• We have a robin's nest in our yard again. Last week it had 5 eggs in it. Now there are none. I suspect the black snake in the shed had something to do with it.
• Toby's company picnic was last weekend. Our children ate about a dozen snow cones between them and almost as much cotton candy. They bounced on the bouncy castle until there was no air left, rode ponies until the ponies gave up and ate until there was no more food. We were the very last people there - standard Gayner procedure.
• The buttons I'd ordered for some baby sweaters have finally arrived - the very first thing I bought from etsy! Expect to see more finished projects next week...
• I found this tutorial for making friendship bracelets. I made three looms for the two big girls and myself. Now we're bracelet-making fools! It's so addictive - the girls have plans for all the people they'll make them for and have a go a making necklaces, as well, while I have plans on making sturdier looms out of plastic material and making up sets to give as gifts.
• Today finishes up pretty much all of our school work for the year. Yay! We can now close the book on grades 4, 3 and K. I'll be sharing my grand plans for summer school (fun summer school) in a couple weeks.
• Tomorrow morning we head west for a week. First a few days of catching up with some of our very favorite people, then cabin-camping at Deep Creek. I'm giddy.

Have a great week!