Getting Ready For Strawberry Picking

Push play to listen to this song with the post:) This is a multisensory post-LOL!



It's Februaury and that means in Florida strawberry picking season is coming! As soon as I heard this song last year, I started imagining the day of picking while playing this song on the way to the field. Of course in my head, it's an ideal day with the sun glistening through the tree leaves, music in the air, strawberry baskets swinging in my children's hands with smiles on their precious faces, they're skipping in their innocence and a slight breeze is blowing our cheeks. Each year, for about the past 5 years, we've made sure to go to a local u-pick farm and pick our heart's desire full of scrumptious strawberries. It's usually very hot, the sun usually picks that day to shine in all it's glory! One year, it was so windy that sand blew all over the place while we were picking-not so ideal:). Their precious faces are red from the sun and heat. The only skipping is usually them jumping over the rows instead of walking around.:) It's still the perfect day! I think we've been to the same place twice, but usually it's a different farm we venture to and we've shared the experience with several diverse groups of friends and family each year too. We pack up our van with the necessary flat containers to tote our goods back in, pack the drinks and sunscreen and head out the door. It's the memories that have stuck with me. One year, my father-n-law came with us along with my sister-n-law and her children. Since he was from Laos, it provided an opportunity to share stories of when he grew up with the grandchildren in the car and for us talk about the Lord with him. He has since passed away, and the trip to the strawberry field is one of my sweet memories of him, his quirky little laugh and watching him out in the field feeling right at home picking strawberries. Ahhh-sweet Patew (Grandpa in Laotion). A favorite picture I like to snap each time is my daughter's little hand around a strawberry. Their hands grow just like them-too fast-and looking back it is so precious to see their tiny fingers grasping the strawberry. When we get back home and rest for a little bit after unpacking the car, we wash our new yummy prized-possessions, eat some more and decide if we're going to make the strawberry jam that day or the next. We'll use the next few days to create as many new recipes with the strawberries that we have strawberries for. I love to try new recipes all the time and to share these cooking moments with the girls. If you have some strawberry recipes that you love-please share them with me! Following are a few pictures from last year. As long as the baby doesn't come early-we'll be picking in a local field real soon!

Sweet Strawberry Blessings to YOU!

Amanda:)

The Group Last Year After Picking:)


Trinity's Hand


And We're OFF! Getting Ready To leave For The Strawberry Field


Jocelyn (5 months) And I


My Sweet Mother And Joci