Shelling...

This summer Pop decided to grow a garden.  His older 8 grandchildren helped him plant it, and now we are all learning how to pick, shell, shuck, clean, blanch, and freeze various garden vegetables.  Lots of quality family time spent around buckets of veggies! :-)  My boys aren't smiling with me on that last sentence. However, they work well to the tune of Dude Perfect videos! ;-)   

I digress...  Even Em has gotten in on the action.  Here she is shelling butter beans after her nap this past Sunday...

Watching her shell butter beans brought back memories of Erik's mom.  Retia had red hair and brown eyes like Emery, and from time to time, Em's mannerisms remind me of her.  Erik's mother knew all about shelling peas and beans and freezing them properly.  Oh, how I wish she were here to walk me through all of this!  But, a sweet friend from church and google have been my two main guides.  Well, those and my husband.  After 15 years of marriage, I am convinced he knows a little bit about everything!!  He looks a little bit grumpy here, but, really, he was super excited about not taking his Sunday afternoon nap and shelling beans instead!

And, just for a little funny, Josh said he was going to shell Smarties!!!  :-)  I love that kid!!