Last week, I canned green beans several times. I also dug up the ugliest, cracked, huge carrots I’ve seen lately, and diced and canned them. Although I got cucumbers, I did not make pickles. Instead, I sliced them up and made a fresh salad for Rob to eat and served them on a veggie tray. So far, I’ve canned about 19 quarts beans, and 20 pints. Since there are quite a few jars left over from last year, I really don’t need more. I do want to freeze some. I got 11 pints carrots.

This week is VBS at the church. We are in charge of packing bags and bags of snacks and treats for the kids. Rob and Michaela went to Costco and the restaurant supply store and bought the snacks. We’ve been rounding up little prizes with the help of the childrens’ pastor and staff. Last week, we got a head start on the job and prepacked a couple hundred bags on Thursday. Malcolm helped:)(He filled a bag with candy and I poured it out when he wasn’t looking…then helped put the candy in the bags….and so forth.)

This week, we have been very busy adjusting the amount of packed bags, according to the number of kids that actually show up each day. We have packed 240 more bags, and still have some to go. Tomorrow, we will pack more. My aunt has been helping. Whew!!!

While we are not packing bags, we are the bathroom monitors. The whole theme is “Water Week” and the kids are rotating between stations with various water activities, including a huge blow-up water slide. Of course, being Vacation Bible School, they also are getting songs, object lessons and another teaching time. Our job is just to make sure kids can be safe while finding the closest restroom, and do what they need to do without running all over, slipping and falling, dripping water everywhere, or even worse, getting lost! We are having a blast.

This event is for kids that are older than Malcolm. There are 3 young kids that needed childcare because their adults are helping, one of them being him. I was so happy and excited to see that they are doing a mini VBS just for those 3. For him, a Covid baby who has spent his entire life at home for the most part, this is a BIG DEAL to get a craft and story, etc. You may notice the tail of a whale poking out of the cup. If he pulled on the string, a mini “Jonah” came out the bottom. Jonah went in and out until he finally broke……such is a craft’s life for a 2-year-old:). But boy, does he love his craft!

I was able to get out and weed in a flowerbed one evening and work in the garden a few times. When I cleaned the bathroom, Rob picked me a bouquet for me to put in there, as I often do. The dahlias continue to bloom more and more and I love having so many flowers available.

Even though we’ve been super busy running around for these snack bags, we managed to avoid fast food, except for yesterday when we didn’t finish our job until 1;30 and one little boy had had enough. He got a Happy Meal. Otherwise, I’ve cooked salmon, sandwiches, salads galore, hamburgers, mashed potatoes, potato salad, and we devoured a Costco chicken. My lettuce is holding despite the hot weather, but will bolt soon. Another batch should be getting bigger soon.

My mom, aunt and sister came and celebrated my birthday last week. We had such a fun time visiting.

I did some grocery shopping today, after a couple of weeks. I am finding prices rising rapidly, and really noticed a difference in the time I’ve skipped shopping. Even so, I was able to use coupons and get everything I needed, and stay in budget. I’m glad it’s garden time! Too bad I can’t grow diapers:). (And, yes, I could save money while Mac and Zai are over here by using cloth, and have chosen to do disposable anyway. Just sayin’. It’s the beauty of being frugal the rest of the time!)