June 2014: A season for drying, freezing, sewing, gardening, baking, hiking, biking...

June 3rd: We finally got to try out our cool food dehydrator that Sam and Kiley gave us two Christmases ago! There are stacks of plastic trays inside the contraption, and you can use as many as you want at the same time. It comes with instructions and a recipe booklet to help you with temperature and timing questions. The first food item we tried to dry were more cherries from our big tree out back.

Stacks of fresh cherries halfway through the drying process
They look a lot like cranberries at this stage 

Our awesome Nesco food dehydrator and instruction booklet

This is what it looks like with just one tray inside

Cherries almost done! 

The finished product looks like Craisins but taste like cherries
Some of the cherries got too dried out and others were still too squishy

The awesome Seal a Meal machine that my mother gave me a few years ago
I finally used it to shrink wrap some cherries!

This is the opening where the vacuuming and sealing takes place
The clear rectangular container holds the juices that get sucked out of foods

Yea! My first bag of "sealed" cherries! It was so fun to do ;-)

These ones look even better. I put all the bags in the freezer for longer shelf life.

Last month in our High Desert Ward relief society, we had a joint activity with Bear Canyon Ward and made cute sun dresses for girls in Africa. These are the three that my friend, Patti Waseta, and I made (Patti is an excellent seamstress). I actually brought them home to sew because all the sewing machines at church were taken during the entire activity. Patti and I helped put doll kits together for children at UNM Hospital that night instead.

Little dresses in sizes 1, 8, and 6

Packaged and ready for delivery

This year my front porch pots look bright and cheery. I know they won't last the whole summer due to really hot weather. But at least the Geraniums are hardy enough to tolerate the heat. I have some in every pot!

Our cute southwest home on 6413 Cranbrook Street NE
We moved into this house on September 21st, 1997!

We changed and updated the landscaping, the stucco, and the interior over the years

Summer shrubs in bloom in front of our house

Heavenly Bamboo in front of our porch

Pretty vigas, corbels, kitchen window, and screen door

Freshly picked lettuces and spinach from our spring garden 

Salad greens cleaned, refrigerated, crisped, and ready to eat! 

Extra large homemade rolls right out of the oven--yum!
I finally discovered a great way to start using our #10 cans of whole wheat a couple years ago
It's really easy to make wheat flour in a Blendtec blender--thank you Mike ;-)

I have to say that I LOVE doing things at home: cooking, baking, sewing, laundry, ironing, painting, decorating, organizing, cleaning (except for dusting--yuck!), gardening, crafts, etc. I love it all, and I remember looking forward to being a homemaker, wife, and mother since I was a little girl (okay, so the mothering desire came later. Actually within a month of being married, I got baby hungry for the first time). 

I love being a wife, a mother, and a grandma more than anything in the world. My family means everything to me. I love and adore my wonderful husband and children. They make me proud and happy, and I thank my Heavenly Father for such a wonderful blessing in my life.

June 7th: Today Mike and I wore ourselves out. We started the morning with a 4-mile walk; ate breakfast; then went for a 16-mile bike ride! I don't know how he does that every pickin' morning! Now at least I know the routes he and the guys take to and from Sandia Labs. I would be tempted to follow them during the weekday mornings if it weren't for the busy streets--they kinda scare me! I have a difficult time mounting and dismounting my bike with the seat so high. Plus, I would never be able to keep up with those biking pros!

This is the now famous "Breaking Bad" house that was used in the series filmed here
It's right off the biking route in a quiet residential area 

The now famous roof where a pizza was thrown on top!

So this is where the fictitious Walter White
(played by Bryan Cransdon) resided with his wife and family 

As we got ready to cross Menaul Blvd, there was the Octopus
Car Wash where many of the "Breaking Bad" scenes were filmed 

Stopping for water refills near Los Altos Golf Course

I wish I had half Mike's energy and stamina!

My sweet biking partner anxious to head home 

Me, collapsed from exhaustion near the Los Altos Golf Course!
Can't we just stay here and take a nap?