Random 5 for Friday ~ July 25th

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1. Our weather is beautiful! Though we started our week with the 90's and horrible humidity, it suddenly cooled off yesterday and the last two days have been absolutely ideal! Low 80s without any humidity. Cool nights that need a blanket for sitting on the porch. It makes harvesting our crops so much nicer when you aren't sweating to death!

2. I'm really enjoying my adventures in canning. This year is my first year using a pressure canner. I actually am working on a post all about my adventures in canning. It's been rather fun and I love seeing my jars are lined up when I'm done.

3. Speaking of harvesting our crops...we did our first corn from the garden. Last year our corn, though it got HUGE, didn't end up putting out very good ears. Actually we think we got them over ripe. But this year. The weather has been ideal corn weather. I also went with a new variety of corn (still heirloom and organic) and it has done well! We just ate our first ears at lunch and...THEY. ARE. AMAZING. My husband says we will only buy this corn from here on out. 

4. Living to Flourish. I am still amazed at how much the book Flourish: Balance for Homeschool Moms really touched me. I ponder on sections from it all day long and find myself bringing to mind so many of the concepts. If you haven't read my review yet, please consider it--I had such a great time putting my thoughts down. And on SUNDAY I have a Flourish Giveaway going LIVE! Yep, I decided that I need to bless two OTHER ladies with this book. So make sure you come back on Sunday and get entered to win!

5. The weekend. My sister-in-laws are in town this weekend. One from Cincinnati and the other from Arizona. We also have their cousin (who is like a sister to them) in town from Oregon. So it appears that a chunk of extended family has decided to swoop down onto my in-laws farm tomorrow. Winnebago and all. My father-in-law is panicking because he doesn't like lots of people on his property AND he can't stand his extended family. LOL! I guess someone got the bright idea to feed everyone so now there is this big old weenie roast planned. Sigh. At least I got off only having to provide devilled eggs. I have LOTS of eggs. LOL!

Something else exciting for the weekend--my husband will be giving his very first ever sermonette at church tomorrow. He is an introvert and has stage freight. He has avoided the speaking list for the last 12 years...but our new pastor approached him last fall and asked him to consider it because some of the older men have been impressed by my husband's speeches in their Men's Spokesman Club. Love-Of-My-Life is scared to death. He is a bit comforted by the fact that they have another Spokesman Club tomorrow BEFORE services and he can give his sermonette a run-thru for his speech. But it doesn't make it THAT much better. 

I assured him that no one has died from giving a sermonette.

He gave me a look and said "There is a first time for everything."

I reminded him of one of my most favorite scriptures:

This is my beauty of a dahlia in my front flower bed. Gorgeous.

So he's a nervous wreck right now. But he did give me his rough draft to read and it's very very good. I especially praised his introduction and he was relieved. He says he spent 2 hours writing and re-writing it. All I know is he didn't come to bed until 1am. And I expect he'll do that again tonight as he does his final touches.

Have a most excellent and joyous and blessed weekend, my friends!