Jam Making

I love  making jam with my family.  This year was the first time I didn’t have to do every step.  It is so much more fun when their help really counts.  We did two and half flats of strawberries this year!  Excited to have those on peanut butter sandwiches, pancakes, and/or just by the spoonful!  (Shhhh…don’t tell my kids 🙂

Love these teaching moments with my kids!

-Chris

The strawberry jam crew
The strawberry jam crew
Rahab mixing sugar & pectin
Rahab mixing sugar & pectin
Esther smashing strawberries
Esther smashing strawberries
Jadon coring the strawberries
Jadon coring strawberries
Strawberry Jam
Strawberry Jam

Kayaking

Our children received kayaks for Christmas.  They got to try them out for the first time in June!  They loved them!  It was so fun to see how quickly learned how to maneuver through the water with them.   I hope they see God’s creations in a different way on with these kayaks.

New Kayaks!
New Kayaks!
Esther
Esther
Jadon
Jadon
Rahab
Rahab

 

MN Lake Vacation

June 8th to June 12th we took a family lake trip to Northern Minnesota to Ox Lake.  It was a great week with my parents and my brother.  We had two boats for the whole week.  A little fishing boat and then a canoe.  We also rented a pontoon boat complete with a  tour guide for one day!  We caught a lot of fish this week!

Going Fishing
Off to go fishing

In between fishing we would play games, do our nails, a puzzle, or just visit!

Battleship anyone?
Battleship anyone?
Doing their nails!
Doing their nails!

Then back to more fishing!

Look what I caught
Look what I caught
Fishing with Daddy
Fishing with Daddy
I got this!
I got this!
Learning from Grandpa
Learning from Grandpa
I'm catching!
I’m catching!
Grandpa teaching
Grandpa teaching
My parents
My parents
Mom's fish!
Mom’s fish!
Me and my Dad
Me and my Dad
Greg's fish
Greg’s fish
Mike's fish
Mike’s fish – that is a real fish!
Time to fillet!
Time to fillet!
Family
Family

We also explored the lake as a family in the canoe!  No we didn’t tip the canoe.  But there was a lot of stay seated reminders!

We all fit in a canoe!
We all fit in a canoe!

Our last meal was of course a fish fry!  Our chefs did an amazing job! The fish was excellent!  Even the kids liked it!

Fish Fry!
Fish Fry!

Truly special treasure!

Grandpa Bill's tackle box…given to my Dad…who gave to my Brother
Grandpa Bill’s tackle box…given to my Dad…who gave to my Brother

The bonding moments that happen around the camp fire are just precious to me!

Camp Fire
Camp Fire
Love!
Love!
Uncle Mike teaching the starburst way!
Uncle Mike teaching the roasted starburst way!
Eat mine Daddy!
Eat mine Daddy!
The Lake
The Lake
Family!
Family!

Can’t wait to do more family vacations!

-Chris