Official Start of Summer

Part of me wanted to skip blogging about our summer, not because it wasn't exciting or eventful or memory filled, but the task of going through all of those pictures and trying to organize them in a way even semi-coherent was daunting. Then I read an article about this who was a professional scrapbook-er.  Her 16 year old son died unexpectedly and the one thing she said she was so thankful for always doing was taking so many pictures and recording those memories.

  OK! OK! I'll do it.  

Anyway, enough explanation.  To me summer officially begins when we can pick strawberries and make strawberry jam and/or sryrup for our pancakes! YUMMERS.

Here is our favorite recipe for STRAWBERRY SYRUP:

 8 Cups Strawberries-sliced in half

3 Cups Water

2 Cups Sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons Vanilla

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large pot and cook for 10 minutes.  Straw mixture in a mesh strainer.  Use a wooden spoon to force all the liquid our of the strawberry chunks.  Return the strawberry liquid back to the pot and boil for about 20 minutes until the mixture thickens.  Pour into sterilized jars.