Life Lessons in the kitchen

This sure makes me nervous, and no this is not something you should try at home.

It is harvest time here at the Tolbert residence and the girls and I are making memories! Daddy is too! He builds weird contraptions to make our job easier.
Last week was quite eventful. We had someone break into our house while we were gone. It was not as dramatic as it could have been thankfully! Our neighbors were kind enough to notice someone walking around the back of our house...long story short, they chased him out of our house, into the road and did not catch him, but got a great description and his license plate number! The girls do not know that he was in our house I did not want them fearful, but they do understand that our neighbors are hero's for chasing  the robber out of the neighborhood. We rewarded with blackberry pie!
Since my girls were old enough to hold a spoon, they help in the kitchen! I guess you can say I have been "homeschooling" for quite some time! HA. I have many pictures of them helping right along side me. Yes it would be quicker without them, and less messy...but my favorite memories are truly of them right next to me in a chair chattering away and helping pour or stir. They love it! I think even little boys should be taught! It is also a great way to teach math! Ava counts out how much we need,  Dana is now old enough she can add the fractions. We experiment together, they have to taste and see what it is missing. Also a great time to teach them about giving.
So we made our blackberry pie for the neighbor! I told the girls this was an extra special pie. So every step we did had extra love into it...the top of the pie had little feet cut out, to say thanks for chasing the bad guy away;)....and yes...at the end before it went into the oven they laid their little hands on the pie and prayed for it! They had precious memories with this and were so proud to deliver their pie and a home made card to the neighbor!

It is hard to get a picture of Ava NOT eating blackberries. She was in charge of the filling

This is a oops face, too much cinnamon.

Beautiful and messy cooking away!

Using the rolling pin my grandma gave me when I was her age

We are so thankful to be safe. Thankful for God's hand on us. It was a good lesson for the girls to learn, that God sometimes lets things happen to us to remind us that he protects us. We chose to not make it a big deal, but make a bigger deal out of those that helped! And to learn some love and life lessons in the kitchen!