Mulberries (Pinterest Poser Challenge Fail)

Me and berry picking? Yeah, we hate each other.  Last year, I took my kids on a lovely, peaceful outing to pick strawberries and my kid breaks his arm.

In happier times, minutes before the broken arm incident
last summer.

This year, we discovered a lovely mulberry tree in our backyard and it has ended up being the bane of our existence.  I didn't think this was going to be another berry picking sucks story, but well....

Last year, after the arm breaking incident, I was able to make the best of it.  Well actually I made jam.  And it was good.  Sure, JT had to wear a cast all summer long, but he had homemade strawberry jam on his gluten free toast.  And I felt less guilty and my relationship with strawberries wasn't ruined forever.

"Do you want to go strawberry picking?," I asked the kids a few weeks ago.

"I never want to pick berries ever again, ever," JT said firmly.  "Not blueberries, strawberries or any berries."

Mmmm-kay.  Got it no berry picking.  In a cruel twist of fate, enter the mulberries in our backyard.  For a kid that didn't want to be reminded of berries it's just not a good thing.  Those f#&ing berries are everywhere.  Don't worry about picking because they fall like rain all day long.  But no worries, I thought, I will show my little guy how to turn this berry situation into a good thing (again). 

Once I discovered what the berries were (thank you Google and Pinterest), I was going to write a post about making mulberry jam and giving it away to my neighbors just like Bree on Desperate Housewives. 

I was going to write a post about how to be inspired by a mulberry tree and use it for my art, just like Vincent Van Gogh.  But sadly, I am no Bree or  Van Gogh.  I am an overwhelmed, overtired mom of four who is just trying to make this whole summertime season fabulous and make sure no one is afraid of berries.

Van Gogh's Mulberry Tree: Source

Right now, our backyard is like a sad urban park that has been deserted.  The bases are overgrown, the pitcher's mound is covered in berries, mulberries.  Bats and balls lay around where they were dropped before the berry invasion.

When the kids do venture into the backyard they come back with stained clothes, flip flops and feet.  My kids and my house look like a berry f&#*ing crime scene.

The puppy is only allowed to go on a leash in the backyard because she is addicted to mulberries.  It's like crack.  She Joneses for the berries.  She obsesses over the berries.  When she gets a chance, she eats and eats the berries and then well, she poops nonstop and it's incredibly gross.

We tried to pick the mulberries, we tried to romanticize the mulberries, but we just hate the damn mulberries.  And the last thing I want to do is make a stupid pie out of the mulberries.

During our Fourth of July family soccer game Tim fell and his shirt got a little stained from the mulberries.

The end.  This week, I'm officially a Pinterest Failure.

**In an attempt at not being a Pinterest Poser,* every week I  detail a new Pinterest challenge whether it be a new recipe or a craft.   

*My definition of a Pinterest Poser is someone who is all pins and no substance.

So, there's none of this:

Source

Or this:

Mulberry ice cream--Source

Or this:

Source

Have you made something from Pinterest lately?  Had any great successes? Or advice?  Or warning about a project that's a total waste of time? Do you like mulberries?  Do tell.

Please share whatever you're working on in the comments here or over on Facebook.  Come on over and follow my Pinterest boards.

Here are some of the projects I've already attempted, the good and the bad:

Front Porch Kid Art Display- click here
Door turned into Table- click here

Summer Wish List Chalkboard-click here

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookie Sandwiches-click here

Painted Mason Jar Vases-click here

Cinco de Mayo Paper Flowers- click here

Earth Day Cupcakes- Click here

Nail Art-click here

Homemade Photo Booth Fun- click here

Fake Bangs- click here

DIY Subway Art- click here

Furniture Painting and Bench/Chest Makeover- click here

Thanksgiving-y Project/Gratitude/Holiday Countdown- click here
The Smoothie-click here

The Free Printable Turned Artwork in a Boring Hallway- click here

The chalk board-click here
Seven Layer Dip in Individual Cups (my favorite so far!)-click here
The pumpkin address-click here
The Kitchen Dancing Sign--click here

Come play with me on Instagram @jumpingwithmyfingerscrossed.

Oh yeah, and come follow me on Twitter @AngelaYBlood and subscribe to my MomPulse YouTube channel here.