Summer Things

Here are a few photos:

The lemonade stand that Katie and Sam had the other week...Katie was selling Lemonade (crystal light) for a nickel and Sam had books "Free to Read".  We had planned family customers and even a few from the neighbourhood that came.  It was super hot that day so Ben set up the umbrella.

 Katie set up a hair salon and did Sam's (and my) hair with all kinds of pretty barrettes.

 A picnic lunch from our holidays in Kelowna in July.

 Macarons I just made This Very Morning...these are for a baby shower for a friend of a friend tomorrow and it was very best batch so far.  These are finicky enough that I knew to plan about 4 practice batches in advance.  Recipe source is the Bravetart blog.  To remember...whip the meringue part stiff enough, get the JK brand almond flour from Planet Organic, blend with the icing sugar for a minute and sift together.  Rest for 15 minute after piping and banging the tray to get bubbles out.  Pipe straight up, not at an angle for nice round shapes (my sous Chef, Gram and Papa Gram helped me figure out that one.)  They have chocolate swiss buttercream icing in between and I tinted the cookies pink.  Yum!

 It's been a busy crafting month...I also made my first quilt for this baby shower.  Quilt along as you sew the strips together, cotton batting and white minky backing.  Binding finished by hand using bias binding strips from all the different fabrics.  I's super proud and although sad to give it away, I am beyond proud of the skills I have gained. Who else needs a quilt?  =)

Ben is running a half marathon tomorrow.  The girls and I will go try and watch him on the course.

Not sure what we had planned for the coming week.  Hair cuts on Wednesday...and?  We are still working with the strict diet for Sam and restricted exercise, so nothing too crazy.  The more we keep it simple now, the sooner we can get on with life as normal.