A glimpse from the past week or so...

Keith has been travelling quite a bit for work...Alberta and BC last week and Ottawa this week. We miss him when he's gone. A lot.

But we've also got lots to keep us busy. Our evenings are filled with either baseball and soccer. It will continue this way for a while.  This is the first year of baseball for the Maxter. He's playing coach pitch and loves it. (Surprise surprise, right?) He may be small, but he's mighty and he gives it his all!

He has big excuses every evening that he *needs* to watch the world cup soccer games on TV so that he can learn new moves and tricks for his own games.

My sweet friend Juli was here visiting from BC a few days ago. Her stay was short and we were busy gabbing or doing something the entire time. Which makes the time go extra fast. Thanks for squeezing in some time for me Juli while you were here...I know how tricky that can be! :-)

And hurray hurray...it's strawberry season!

LeeAnne, Max and I went strawberry picking. Or eating. Picking/eating. Same thing.

Last night after Max's baseball game, LeeAnne came over and we enjoyed some Strawberry Shortcake. My fav! (Recipe included below)

Strawberry Shortcake-lah

(recipe courtesy of my sistah LeeAng-ah-lah)

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tbsp sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup milk

2 pints strawberries, sliced

whipped cream, optional (whatever!)

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking owder, salt and cream of tartar.

Cut in butter until mixture is the size of peas.

Add the egg & milk. Mix well.

Spread into a greased 8 inch pan (square).

Bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes.

Cut into squares and top with strawberries and whipped cream. (Use REAL whipped cream. Not that coolwhip junk. So says LeeAnne.)

And this morning I attempted something I've never done before. Making Strawberry Freezer Jam. About 4 phonecalls later (to my mom with questions) I had made 4 batches of it. You didn't know I was such the little housefrau, did you? Me either actually.

Strawberry Freezer Jam-bo-lah

3 cups crushed berries

5 cups sugar

Mix and let stand 20 minutes.

Stir once to make sure sugar is all dissolved.

1 package certo crystals + 1 cup water

Bring certo and water to a full boil for 1 minute.

Immediately pour into berries and stir well for 2 minutes.

Place in jars and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.

(Don't fill jars to the top. Leave room to allow for expansion when frozen.)

Store in freezer.

Eat on toast. YUM!

You can double this recipe. (Some recipes state that you can't do that.) Just make sure you accurately measure your ingredients...don't skimp on sugar or add more berries then you're supposed to!