Strawberries planted!

Dear Sister Payne and Elder Payne,

Today was a good day that went so very fast.  I love you both and am very proud of your willingness to serve the Lord and his children.

Much love,

Dad

Happy Memorial Day!  I got up early this morning and got the ribs on the smoker so they would be done in time for lunch.  Then I spent some time cleaning the kitchen.  No one woke up early today.  Julie made pumpkin muffins for breakfast, and they were delicious.  The ribs were good too.  I think they may have cooked just a little too long; the outsides were a bit tough.  The smoke flavor was really good; we just don't eat a lot of meat.  There's a bit left.  Maybe we'll dice it up and use it in tacos in the next few days.  What we lack in meat consumption we more than make up for in taco consumption! 😊

Neil has been dying to play Ticket to Ride for days.  We finally made that a priority this afternoon.  Neil, Spencer, Becca, a duo made up of Isaac and Abbie, and I played together.  It was a close game; I won by a very narrow margin, and I think everyone had fun.  We also played Hobbes Ball and foursquare outside.  Actually, the kids played while I sat under the plum tree and fed Nathaniel a bottle.

Dinner was mostly leftovers.  Lunch was so big that no one was very hungry at dinnertime.  Julie made a delicious smoothie.  Usually I don't really love smoothies, but this one was really good, I think because it was not as thick.  If it looks and acts like a milkshake, I want it to be a proper milkshake.  This one was easier to drink, and I really enjoyed it.  Julie commented that I drank three (small) glasses.

After dinner I weeded the area of the garden in front of the woodpile and then planted the strawberries.  Julie had the great idea to put them in a raised bed.  We were going to build planter boxes until she suggested using an old wading pool that had holes in the bottom.  Brilliant.  That is now in place, and I expect terrific berries this year.

Thankful: I am thankful to live in a free country.  More than that, I am thankful to live in a safe area where we can live in peace and comfort without fear of violence.  Throughout history and in far too many places today that is not the case.  We are magnificently blessed.

Ministering: Not much today.  I texted Carlan about the dripper line strung through the fence to water his blackberries.  The Bates ministered to our little girls.  Camilla told Rachel that Julie told her she is not allowed to ask for Popsicles.  Rachel said that was fine, and that she could come get one after dinner anyway.  So kind.  Now I've got to figure out how to get my girls not to be mooches.

More later…

Ticket to ride was so much fun today, and the finished finished game board always looks cool.

Isaac was my helper planting strawberries.