More updates from this past week! It sure was a busy one that's for sure, but it was a lot of fun!

A couple of years ago we ended up in Comanche with B's family for the 4th of July weekend. Well we were delighted and hooked on the exceptional display and loved spending the time with family.

We didn't make it down there last year, but decided this year we would go - it worked out well! The guys were able to get the shed taken down at Uncle Doug's house and we were able to spend time with Mimi Net and cousins as well. Plus we got to see the great fireworks show! Due to the drought in Texas this year most of the shows around Texas were canceled. The one is Comanche was PACKED, but we got a good seat and enjoyed a great display!

The fireworks were great. I wished I had my long lens with me. It was awesome to watch the boys sitting with their cousins in awe at the fireworks. We enjoyed watching the kids play a game of tag before the sky got dark enough for the fireworks. Brings back childhood memories for me. I love hanging out with family.

Here is my latest canning fiasco! LOL - Bread and Butter Pickles. I snagged cukes on sale 8 for $1 - can't beat that. And we got a precious few from our own garden. Darn heat is just killing everything.

Here's my cukes all cut up and soaking in the salt for two hours.

Here's my pickles cooking in the brine for 5 minutes. I figured out when I went to make the brine that I was almost out of vinegar. Grr...wish I had noticed that earlier as I was at Wal-Mart to get lids and rings. Pooh - oh well, more pickle making another day.

Since I ran out of vinegar I only made one batch and ended up with a quart and a pint. I am quite proud of my first batch of b&b pickles. I do hope they are good!

Here is my first batch of freezer jam. I made red plum freezer jam. Boy is it yummy. It turned out a little more tart than what I get at the store, but I have to admit I like it that way. It was so yummy. We at it on toast the next morning and in PB&J sandwiches! I ended up with six 1/2 pints in all.

While we were down in Comanche I did quite a bit of cemetery hunting...as hot as it was I did enjoy myself. While out visiting Mimi Net I was looking online and found a small rural cemetery about four miles down from her house. Imagine that!!! Mercer's Gap is a precious little rural area with a tiny Baptist Church and a cemetery. There was a geocache there so Daddy, Red and I took off that afternoon to go check it out. I waymarked several woodsmen of the world markers and a homemade headstone as well as the cemetery itself. Daddy snagged the cache while I was exploring the cemetery.

This precious little outdoor church stable structure sits right next to the little white church house. It was so cool to see. It doesn't look like it gets much use - but I am sure the Summer temps have something to do with that.

I surveyed the Sardis Cemetery and uploaded quite a few pics for find-a-grave. It is another rural cemetery that has quite a bit of history in it. It's still in use today and very well kept. But watch out for the stickers - they will eat you up! There is a cache here as well so i grabbed it while I roamed around!

This particular grave caught my attention...lots of love here...

While at the hotel we spent quite a bit of time in the swimming pool. Bug's favorite place. Cousin Davin came over to swim and the boys had a ball playing in the water. Red not so much, but he did get on the steps (on his own accord!) and play around in the water a bit.

Red decided to become the photographer for a bit and took a few pics while we were "lounging" by the pool . I thought he did a pretty good job on this one!

And here is mom, reading her book! ;)

I have to fit this one in! LOL

Daddy decided that with the grass so dry that he needed to cut the yard before we left out for the weekend. Less chance of catching on fire I guess. Well since it was soooo dry and just walking across the ground causes a Texas dust storm he decided goggles were necessary eye protection, with his sombrero and googles in place he was ready to tackle the yard. LOL

And a dust storm it did create! I didn't dare head out there with my camera - but it was quite a sight!