Summer Vacation

Luke in is cool new shirt (thanks Chris and Erin!)... Mustache!

School has been out for a couple weeks now and I still have a whole month before I go back! Ahhh.... It's so nice to just work and not have to worry about studying. I have been blogging (duh), gardening, canning, working some extra hours, and spending as much time outside as possible with Luke.

A couple of weeks ago, a girlfriend and I (plus kids) wen to a local farm to pick blueberries. The kids had a great time but they didn't pick much, they just ate tons of fresh berries. We got them super cheap, about $1.80 lb.

Ready to Pick!

yum!

I turned what was left of the berries into Jam. It was my first time and I think could get really into this. First of all... it saves a ton of money. After my initial investment of jars and lids, it cost me about $1.31 per jar of homemade jelly. Secondly, this way I know what's inside it. Have you tried to find jam without high fructose corn syrup for under $3... impossible! And the most important reason... it's delicious!

Aren't the jars pretty?

Then I tried my hand at some Salsa Verde. We love this stuff. Alan has made it before but we have never canned it. The picture above is of the tomatillos, jalepenos, and green chilies getting ready to be roasted in the oven.

Then you throw it all in the blender with onions, garlic, lemon juice (to increase the acidity for preserving), spices and cilantro. After that, let everything simmer for 20 minutes and it's ready for canning!

The finished product. This one was even cheaper than the jam, about .89 per jar!

This is what Luke was up to when I was canning.

Our blackberries aren't quite ripe yet.

Bee!

Luke picks the blackberries as soon as they ripen.

Showing me the blackberry he found.

Here's what left of my veggie garden. My cilantro is already gone and the red/green leaf lettuce has gone to flower (meaning... not producing anymore). The tomatoes are just now starting to ripen and the zucchini plant is going crazy!

These are baby romas... they should be ready in about 1-2 weeks (if we have a lot of sunshine).

The crazy zucchini is taking over the garden.

Can you spot what's weird about this picture (it's the inside of my refrigerator)? There is a small plastic turtle that I have found 3 times in the fridge now.

We went to Toy'R'Us the other day with Luke... just to play. He became fixated on this turtle and wanted it more than anything else in the store. He carries it around and pets it.

Forest Park

Baby Calf

We live near by a free park that has a petting zoo and sprinkler park in the summer. Luke loves this place. Who wouldn't? On this trip, my mom, Jordan, Alan, Luke and Marie explored the area (I was working :(

Luke and his sheep friend

Luke thought the sheep was playing "get me"

Nana and Luke with a bunny

Luke kissing the bunny

Alan put together these photos of Luke in action. If you can't tell, he's shouting "RUN!!"

Walking on the benches

At the sprinkler area, shouting and running.

Marie was dancing

Waiting for the water to pop up

Posing in front of the mosaic wall.

Aliya's 3rd Birthday

The Birthday Girl!

July 20th was Aliya's 3rd Birthday! Tracy put together a fun pirate theme party with a pirate ship pinata, treasure hunt, and pirate costumes (eye patches, tattoos). She and Craig are now renting my mom's house in Forks. And my mom is staying (or will be soon) in the apartment upstairs on weekdays since she is still working in Forks. She'll be commuting until her contract is up. On a side note, July 26th was Tracy ad Craig 's one year wedding anniversary! Congrats you two!

Craig manning the grill

The awesome pinata

Marie was up visiting for part of the summer. She nailed the pinata.

Luke's first time hitting a pinata. He tried one handed but that didn't quite work out for him.

The grand kids (minus Russ)

On the treasure hunt, complete with maps.

Hmm... which way?

Yay! The treasure!

Candy!

My tough guy tattoo and bandanna

Aliya on the swing set in her cute pirate outfit.

Luke flying the airplane

Aliya was showing me her loot!

Even more unsure

So... I am getting very excited about the idea of being a Midwife but I haven't made any decisions. The Seattle Midwife program has recently changed to a 3 year Bachelors to Masters program (!!!!). Which would be give me a Masters in Science of Midwifery and then I could test with the state to get my Midwife License (not a lay midwife, they aren't licensed). It's an intense program that goes year round and would not allow me to work since so much of my training would be at live births (read: unpredictable times and long hours). Here's a link to the program:
http://www.seattlemidwifery.org/midwifery-education/two-degree-opt.html

But the super bad news: it's expensive! $25,000 a year! Even with financial aid we would have to get a substantial amount in student loans. Is it worth it to go in debt for a degree? If so, how much? Plus, once I get the degree who knows how long it would take me start making some good money.

The other option is to become a Nurse-Midwife, which is also a Masters degree. There is a program at The University of Washington but it would take longer and is very hard to get into. Nurse-Midwives practice mostly in hospitals, Licensed midwives practice in birth centers and home births. There would be more funding available for a nurse-midwife program and I would already have my RN and could potentially work. Blahhh I'm rambling now. Still very unsure.

Directions please

As I get closer to applying to nursing school I feel pulled in another direction. I have been thinking about this for some time, but being a focused person I have refused to indulge the idea of changing my mind. Through my own experience, extensive research, and encounters with the culture I have been considering becoming a Midwife. Not completely different than a Nurse, but overall different philosophies on the medical field and what should be apart of routine care and what shouldn't. I am very passionate about providing birth choices for women.

I haven't decided. If I went into nursing I would not want to work in Labor and Delivery, the hospital policies and skyrocketing c-section rates drive me crazy. Either way, it's still an Associates degree and about the same amount of time to complete. I think both would be very rewarding. Nursing would allow me to work less for more money. As a Midwife, I would run my own business. I'm probably romanticizing the idea of being a Midwife a little bit. The reality is long hours and a practice that could take years to develop. Plus, my mom is a little skeptical of midwives... especially when they birth outside of hospitals. Maybe that's why I want to do it! She'll be thrilled when I tell her that our next baby will be born at home ;)

I don't know... I'm a little lost.