return to the old ways

I can remember as a child watching my Mom slave away in the hot kitchen, "putting up" enough tomatoes for a small army. I often wondered by she did this. I was usually in charge of grabbing the tomatoes out of the ice water, peeling, and placing the tomatoes in jars. I got excited when my Mom got out the Squeezo-Strainer machine. I knew we would be making tomato juice that day. That machine was so cool, separating the tomato pulp, from the juice. I personally never touched the stuff, but my Dad often enjoyed a glass with his morning breakfast.

I can remember the first time I canned without my Mom. I was living in Conway, and Holly Bell and I, both had newborns. Somehow we got it into our heads, that we wanted to make Peach jam. Not sure where we got the notion. I think maybe we had made a trip to Collins Round Mountain Orchard to pick peaches and nectarines. Anyhow, we had no idea what to do, so we got online, researched, and headed off to Kroger to buy jars and a water bath. It was quite comical. We made a huge mess, but at the end of the day, were really happy to see those little jars lined up on the counter. It was such a feeling of accomplishment. It made me think back to a time when you could not go to the store, and just pick something off the shelf. Gardening and canning, was vital to your livelihood. You could not survive the winters if you had not "put up" during the summer months.

I know church leaders behave encouraged us to self-sufficient. I think canning is one of these areas I could improve in. Derek and the kids were able to head to Genola this week and pick some produce from the Ewells Family garden. I was so surprised when they came back with a 5 gallon bucket of tomatoes, a huge bag of fresh green beans, Yukon gold potatoes, and onions, from the garden. This is the first year we haven't had some sort of garden, so I was grateful. I spent a couple of days making a game plan for canning, locating jars, and a water bath. I was able to put up 12 quarts of tomatoes. I already used a quart last night to make Spanish rice. Yum! I'm proud to report, the potatoes have already been eaten(gosh they were good!) and the onions are drying on the back porch. Hopefully next Spring we will get our garden beds cleaned out, and have our own little garden haven :)

getting to know you..

Since the bigs have gone back to school, I have a shadow. It seems Jacob does not like to be alone. I can't walk out out of the room, without him asking me where I am going. He is always asking what I am doing, and wanting to help. I have discovered that he likes to help put the silverware away, and loves having Mommy reading him a story(the girls normally do) So, Jake and I are getting know each other better, and really enjoying it.

more changes

Well, here it is September 1st. Where did the time go? Was it just 9 months ago we arrived with all our belongings, stuffed to the gills, in our Uhaul truck? What a move that was. Of course it wasn't our only move of the year(you know how we are)
We bought a house, and have been busy making it our own. Derek has been a huge help in finishing one of the bedrooms downstairs. He amazes me at how he just learns how to do these things. I wouldn't know the first thing about hanging closet doors, or putting up trim moulding!

Well, with all the changes in our life the past 9 months, it also makes me reflect on the years we spent in Arkansas, doing the same thing...living our lives. How I miss Arkansas. The past 2 weeks in a new Ward have been unbearable. I feel like such an outsider, looking in. Now, I must remind myself that about 5 months ago, I felt the same way in Cambridge Ward. Time wore on, and I started to feel more comfortable, and then of course, we move. I still see people from the old Ward, friends, my cello teacher, book club buddies, but it's just not the same.

Here in Utah, people live in their own little cocoons. I really believe that they don't feel the need to make friends, because they have grown up here, and already have friends, and their families, to occupy their time. Don't even get me started on how rude they can be- professed Christ-like Mormons. People cutting you off in traffic, giving you snide looks because they disapprove of something you are doing, going to yard sales, and having people ripping stuff out of your hands, or cutting in front of you, or taking something you already have your hand on. What are there Barbarians here? I miss my Southern hospitality. I know I sound a bit jaded, but these are just my observations.

Derek already has a calling-poor guy-Assistant Scout Master-never mind he is the
2nd assistant, and the Deacon's Quorum Adviser. It's good for him, keeps him young.

I'm very fortunate to live near Derek's family, don't get me wrong. His parents will be returning from their mission in Poland, at the end of next month, so that will be nice for the kids to get re-acquainted with them again.

Just like the 80's sitcom says: You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both, and there you have, The Facts of Life. Hmm... feeling the need to watch Nick at Night..lol