just pickin' some berries

Ah! Time just goes and goes and goes and for some crazy reason life doesn't seem to think I deserve any time to stop and blog about it.  Madeline has finally almost recovered from jet-lag.  And we've only been back a week... Let's just say I'm kinda tired.  On top of that we're enjoying some wonderful time with Jeremy's family.  We're having a sort of 'un-official family reunion' because one family didn't think they could make it.  They live in the Middle East.  I mean come on.  It's not that far!  No.  We  understand. We miss them a lot! But we understand.  We can't wait to see you guys next year!  

Today on the agenda was picking strawberries up on GREENBLUFF! My soul is happy when I spend time on my beloved Greenbluff.  I'd love to build a house up on that bluff one day.  I love the way the sky could be on the cover of Pixar's Toy Story with its perfect puffy clouds.  I love the way the purple mountains compliment the waving green wheat fields.  I love the fresh air and the pine trees.  The views, the people, the stillness.   I feel like Maria from The Sound of Music escaping to my happy place.  I've taken many a drive up there just to escape from the cares of the world and find the peace and happiness I so often am lacking.  I love this beautiful world.  This morning, however, wasn't full of drives through the country side.  It was full of picking berries in fifty degree windy weather. brrrrrrr.....   But we made the best of it and had a lot of fun.  And I got to take some fun pictures.  And that makes me happy too.  

This next series of Madeline pictures makes me smile.

"mmm.... what's this?"

"OH that's GOOD!"

"I'll just take a bite out of it"

"Or I could help myself to them..."

"oh oh oh do I love strawberries!"

"SHOVE IT IN!"

"This might require two hands..."

*pant* "more PLEASE!" 

"Those were the best strawberries I have ever had...."  

*sniff*

Happy Fourth of July! 

What a blessing we've been given to be born

in such a great nation.  Happy Birthday, America.