Saturday, September 14, 2013

Homemade Jam!

I have been in jam-making mode for the last few days. I made 7 pints of blackberry jam, 5 pints of raspberry-peach, and 5 pints of strawberry-raspberry since Thursday. Time to restock the freezer! I actually ran out of freezer jam last month and had to buy (gasp!) store jam. So sad! At least now I won't be running out anytime soon! =) On Wednesday, I also made 4 gallon-sized ziplocs of peach pie filling and threw them in the freezer. And Thursday, along with the blackberry jam, I did 2 ziplocs of blackberry pie filling. Next month is apple season and I want to make some apple butter and apple pie filling. Yummy!
Jade was my helper this morning with the strawberry-raspberry jam. She smashed the raspberries like a pro, chopped up the strawberries, stirred the pot of sugar/pectin/water, mixed the fruit and liquid together, then helped with the jars. Such a good girl! She was excited to learn how to do it so she can teach her children someday. Jade will be an excellent little mother!




Tuesday, September 10, 2013

My Budding Artist

If there's one thing Shyla is very good at, it's coloring - on all the WRONG surfaces! This little carrot-top is driving me bonkers with all the things she WILL color on. Paper not being one of them...
In the hallway - the entire length 

On my wall and bedroom door 

Even the floor isn't safe!

*Also not pictured but equally colored on: my shower, the velvet in a drawer of my fancy shmancy Monopoly table, the couch, the fridge, various toys and books, a shoe, my hope chest, my sheets, and the trash can. Grrrrr!!

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

My Little Ballerina

This will come to most of you as no surprise - Paisley is the very girliest girl in this home. Even more than Jade ever was. Most of the time she insists we call her Princess Paisley. She is constantly dancing and singing and LOVES wearing her princess dresses every single day. All of them. Every day. Anyways, I got her into a ballet class taught by a lady in our ward and in our neighborhood. Her first class was yesterday and she hasn't stopped talking about it since! She even wears her ballet shoes to bed!

All the students have a card with their name on it. And when they have good class behavior, they get a sticker! Paisley was so excited to show me hers! =)


Monday, September 2, 2013

Labor Day Weekend Campout

We just got back from such a FUN weekend! Our friends - the Overtons and the Snows - invited us to camp with them in Canyon Creek. The weather was beautiful! Not too warm and random sprinkling throughout the weekend. The creek was freezing but the kids didn't seem to mind. And David even took a creek bath Sunday morning! Brrr! Shyla did an awesome job sleeping and keeping her pants dry. And there was enough food for everyone. No one was injured or bit by anything (though the Snows DID find a ginormous spider hiding in their tent when they were packing up!) and everyone went home happy. Success! =)