Weekend Update/August Blog Challenge!

I was so excited when The North East Blogger Network posted that there was going to be an August challenge. Basically the same as the Everyday in May. I, like many other blogs lately it seems, have been finding that I dont have much to write these days. I have a few things in my mind but putting them into a post is a different story.

After our fun day Saturday I knew I had to share and it just so happens that the prompt for the challenge yesterday was Summer Traditions/Activities. It was perfect timing!

As I've mentioned before, we live in a "city". Thats what the people who built this place call it anyway. Comparing it to a place like Boston, or Chicago, or something, its nowhere near a city. It takes 15 minutes from our house to get downtown. You dont even have to touch downtown 95% of the time to get anywhere. We probably drive into downtown once every few months. And then there's the other side of this place. The side we love so much more. We live 5 minutes from pure country. Farms, tons of land, way too many farm animals roaming around, fields of food growing. It's wonderful. Why do we love it so much?

We get to go picking! Ever since I can remember this has been a tradition. Every year my mom and I, my grandmother, my aunt and my cousin pick a day during the summer and spend hours picking and laughing and just having a good time. My grandmother told us a story the other day about how that was like the "family" trip in the old days. They'd drive a good distance and have a family day. My cousin and I were very young when we first started so the memories are endless. We pick strawberries, blueberries, and raseberries. It's fun having to dig to find the good ones. This time around the bushes were small for some reason and the blueberries were very tiny. But after awhile, we caught on to the fact that we had to basically bury ourselves in the middle of the bush in order to get big good ones. My grandmother thought this was wonderful and kept saying "another one! we've found a gold mine". We cant wait to go back! Here are some pictures:

Note: I totally dress better than that! That was my "getting dirty" outfit :)

Here are a few random things that have been happening:

• Dad pulled his back. He had surgery on it back in 2002 and was out of work for about 3 months so its a big deal when he hurts it
• We are going up to Maine to visit family on the lake..so excited!!
• We start school in less than a month and I'm not even ready!
• It's only supposed to be in the 70s this week. Right now its about 40. 
• Big and Littles Network starts today and I'm so excited to be part of it!

Have a wonderful Monday! :)