Blackberries and such

Yes, I’m still alive.

No, I have not been blogging.

Often times I think of a blog idea, but it’s almost always bad timing – like I’m in my car, or cooking dinner, or some other thing that won’t allow me to stop and write. Just keeping the world up on my life day to day doesn’t feel like enough. I like to throw in some thoughts and experiences and ideas, too.

Of course, that’s not going to happen today. Nope – it’s a life update!

Today is exciting for our little family because Rick started his new job this morning. I spoke to him at lunch and he’s already feeling great about where he’s working. Especially after he let them in on the fact that we’re going to Hawaii in October and they okayed it. It’s always nice to let your employer know that you plan to take a week off not long after you start, right? If we hadn’t already been planning this since February, we’d probably postpone, but the tickets are bought (thanks Mom and Dad) and the army rec cabin has been rented (thanks Mom and Lt Col!). Hawaii, here we come!

This last weekend was our annual berry picking/jam making/river swimming weekend up where my parents live. You can read about last year’s trip here and here. I didn’t end up taking any pictures, which is nuts, so the pictures there can pretty much tell you the same thing. After all, we went to the same place to swim, picked berries from the same vines and made jam in the same kitchen. What more could I add?

Truthfully, I could add lots.

Like how we spent most of Saturday with my favorite nephew, who happens to be a few years older than me, along with his three wonderful sons and my favorite niece. They joined us at the river, and then later came over for dinner. After having a house full of 13 people, including three teenagers and three children, I have only one thing to say: Thank you, Mom!! My mom is incredible! She just jumped right in and threw together a meal for everyone, made everyone feel welcome and was wonderful to all of my in-laws. I am a lucky girl, fo sho. I hope I’ll be as gracious and generous when my kids are grown.

I haven’t felt this great about having family in a while. I do love a big family, especially when they can be kind to one another. I really needed that dose of goodness!