Scott, Tonya, and the 4 greatest kids!

Yay, I accomplished my first water bath canning project!! It was super duper easy, but definitely more time consuming than canning meat (I can't wait to can more meat!) I really enjoyed it. All my jars sealed, they didn't all look lovely, but I'm really not a perfectionist, as long as they taste good I'll be happy. I did have one major catastrophe--I had bought 2 boxes of peaches from the grocery store and they were nice and cold when I bought them. So, a few days later when they were ripened and ready to can, I just opened the top box and got busy. I thought about the bottom box maybe being too warm especially since my kitchen was about 180 degrees while I was canning the first batch, but I didn't open the box. Well, when I opened the box the next day, they were all moldy--soooo sad! Live and learn, I guess. I can't wait to can something else, it is so fun. If only my sister had been here for some great conversation. Maybe next year we'll can fruit together! So, if you've never canned, don't be afraid just follow the directions to the T and it's a piece of cake!

I had 3 books on canning, I know 1 would have been sufficient! But the best tip I got from one of the books was to sterilize your jars in your canner and just take them out one at a time when you need them. Then as soon as you finish a jar just put it back in the canner. That way you don't have to worry about fruit fresh to keep your fruit from browning. It's definitely something that you figure out what works best for you as you go. I changed a few things as I went until I got into a good rhythm.

Happy Canning!!!

We are the bike riding family!! T. finally and I mean FINALLY decided it was time to learn to ride his bike. He's always been a bit of a late bloomer (let's hope that keeps up into the "dating years"). The thing about T. is that he will not do anything until he is good and ready (also applies to chores which just means a tremendous amount of reminding him that the dishes are not to be left until he is good and ready which could be in several hours, weeks, months etc.!!!) So, he decided it was time to ride that brand new bike that had been sitting in the garage for over a year. He just set his mind to it and did it--I'm not sure if me telling him that it could be a little embarrassing if his missionary companion had to teach him to ride a bike or maybe it was his cousins story about his comp. who wasn't super proficient at bike riding and crashed into some grocery carts, fell off his bike into traffic and caused a car wreck (thankfully he was not injured). Anywho, he decided it was time, and now he wants to ride his bike EVERYDAY, even though it's 110 degrees. He is a little like his lizard, the heat really doesn't bother him--he's a desert rat! S. is a maniac on her little bike (there's a shocker) and O. is about ready to lose the training wheels those two girls will try anything.

I've about had it with the heat, you'd think that after all these years I'd quit complaining about the heat, but seriously, do you ever get used to walking into a convection oven when you open the door. REALLY when 95 degrees at 8AM feels pleasant, it's too dang hot! I'm still trying to accomplish something this summer. I'm going to try canning peaches this week, I'll let you know how that goes!

Have a great week!