Homegrown goodness

Enough said..


Oh, and here is Cameron who decided he would finish off my bowl of salad (and then complain until he had seconds) What other one year old do you know will eat Lettuce, radishes and carrots! (and then go back to his pizza!)

Happy Fathers Day

To the Dad, who is all by himself this weekend, who undoubtedly would have liked to keep Mom to himself but loved us anyway ;) To the Dad who always knows what to say, even when we don't want to hear it. Who has become a pro at bailing me and Ken out even when we don't ask or thank him enough. The the man who taught me that it is possible to LIKE one kid over the other just not ok to LOVE one kid over the other. (See Ken, he likes me more!) To the Dad who unselfishly lets me bring the Grandkids around even though he knows they will break the silence of emptynestedness, Thanks for all you do DAD! Love you!

To the husband that gives me everything I want and more, who gladly takes over when my sanity is ready to go. The the husband who takes responsibility even though one doesn't look just like him (just kiddin- check out their eyes). To the man who gave up his dream job, to be a "Daddy". To the the man who doesn't mind getting up with the kids on Saturday morning or changing wet pants, or dirty diapers. To the husband who is just fun to watch, and gives up his weekend to camp with his kids.

HAPPY FATHERS DAY. WE LOVE YOU!

Camping trip!

So we just got back from a great camping trip.. the kids were great! We first hit Willard bBay with Tyler's brother (Mark) and fam for sea-dooin fun! lunch on the beach, sun, sun and more sun. It was so much fun! Then off to the KOA to set up the tent, start dinner (hotdogs over the fire) followed by smores, dutchoven apple crisp and then headed of to bed! Great company, being outdoors (the kids loved it) and lots of fun! we got up the next moring had scrambled eggs with ham and packed up to visit the "campers" at the hotel (she's 8 months pregnant- give the woman a break! :) Then we headed home and only then did we run into rain.. it was really fast but really fun! Someday I will get the pictures off the camera. Our 4 man tent is a little tight with 2 boys who would rather sleep on top of you then next to you, plus I like to camp with a blow up mattress which takes up lots of room...lol. but we had perfect weather, and I only got one mesquito bite! My kind of camping (with a shower, flushing toilet, and blow up mattress, I never realized how girly I am) Now let the Loads of lundry begin!

Adventures is couponing... & 72 hour packs.

So we are under a flash flood watch starting tomorrow morning and going through Monday. So the first thing I did was go get my 72 hours kits... small problem.. most of our food had expired, last month I went through and changed out the boys clothes so they would fit but I didn't touch the food. So we headed to Twin to find some dehydrated food packets, We hit Winco, which is the cheapest price I have found so far for Mountain House packets. Still expensive but light weight and filling. Plus I found a fold flat stove, light weight that we can boil our water for our packets. We tried to find a poncho for Kevin, he outgrew his old one so it became Camerons, no one had them, stilll looking.

While I was stocking up on the kit stuff I also found some good deals and used my first coupons (our ward is teaching people how to use coupons to supplement our food storage) So I got $2.00 off a bottle of A-1 steak sauce that was origianlly $2.49, plus I got a $.55 coupon off my next bottle of A-1. Plus I bought one got one free of Easy Mac.. (wonderful stuff, but I refuse to pay full price).

Also on the good news front, we are going camping next week! We are so excited to take the boys out, use our tent, sleep on the ground, All that jazz, one slight problem, we realized we only have three sleeping bags, so now we are on the lookout for a 4th, I think the best deal we could find was a 30* for $30 bucks at Costco, but we are on the lookout.. Sure seems like we have been shopping a lot lately (a lot for us atleast) but it's all good.

Summer school started this week and lets be honest it has been nice to have Tyler go to work everyday (or the ARTECH confrence) and come home at a relativly early time. The boys have noticed him gone a lot more and Cameron is currently a daddy's boy so it has been a little tuff on him. (Kevin is too independant to care who is watching him)

Other than that you can find me in my garden staring at the plants (no joke) I am so excited to see stuff growing, and hope to see it growing a lot more soon. (maybe if the weather would start cooperating)

Funny stuff and a cool website

THE FAMILY PREPAREDNESS SONG
Tune: Did You Think to Pray? Click to listen to Hymn #140

Ere you spent your family’s paycheck,
Did you think to save?
Just a little for the storage,
Just a little for the porridge
When the Times are grave,
Oh, how storage helps the faithful
When the Prophet’s words we heed,
So, if you would not be Fearful,
Plan what you will need.

When your neighbor tried to teach you
How to can and sew,
Did you feel in-ti-mi-da-ted
And your plans pro-cras-tin-a-ted?
Now you’re feeling low!
Oh, how empty are the cupboards,
Oh, how ragged are your clothes.
How you’ll wish that you had listened
When the “good life” goes.

Wheat and beans and salt and honey
May not sound so hot.
But if you are going hungry,
If your tummy’s cold and grumbly,
They can hit the spot.
Store some diapers for the kiddies,
Everything to see you through;
Cloth and patterns, thread and needles.
Store some long Johns, too.

If this topic’s repetitious
And you’re dull and bored,
When you’ve naught but empty dishes
And you’ve used up all your wishes,
You’ll wish you had stored…
Food that’s tasty and nutritious,
Cloths and bedding, tools and seeds,
Skills that guard your family’s future
Gather what you’ll need.
–Anonymous

I thought that song was funny, and true. I got it off this website which has sooo much info on preparedness stuff.. check it out!

http://pgward.org/ep/

growing...I think

So I have only killed two plants this year... two of my four cucumber plants, they rest of them all seem to be hanging on. I have added a few more plants, people have been nice enough to give me, I added two more jalapeño plants, and a dill plant (I am gonna try my hand at herbs this year). The corn is coming up nicely, Very exciting! My radishes are now huge and getting hot so I am glad that I planted a second crop in the house. I am getting my cherry tomatoes and second generation of green beans ready to planted outside, plus my second generation of green pepper plants, lets see if I can keep these ones alive! I am very excited... I am learning a little something new everyday it seems like... I can't wait for the plants to get big and start harvesting! woohoo! So my dreams for someday, having a water system in place, and getting grow boxes going, for one third of my garden I would love to try to do square foot gardening.. It think it would be a lot more efficient but as for the other parts (melons and pumpkins and corn) I am not so sure... well have to see!

So what do you do during a wind storm?

I know what I do... I run around my garden covering up my plants (at least the ones that can be covered up! The wind (according to the weather.com) is blowing 35 mpg with gusts up to 45... Which can take plants from living healthy to leafless stocks in no time flat (plus dry them out pretty good) So it was a good thing that I hadn't thrown away all my butter dishes/sour cream dishes/ and my milk jug hot caps.. I hope all the plants make it. There were a few plants that I couldn't cover (to tall or on a trelis) all my bean plants and three of my tomatoes.. good luck guys! So now you know what I do.. what do you do during a wind storm? lol


(oh, we planted all of the plants (minus the cherry tomatoes and peppers that aren't quiet big enough for the garden yet) in the garden yesterday.. it is amazing how adding all of our plants made our garden perk up! (and cleaned up the guest room) The corn still has come up yet but that is all we are waiting for...:)

Fruits (or Vegetables ) of my labor!

Thats right I am crunching down on my first garden harvested goodies right now!.. Radishes.. yum! I have onions and carrots growing quiet well I might add, My green bean plants have green beans on them (and they are still happily residing in their cups) My pumpkins have bright orange buds on them! Oooo I can't wait until Saturday when we get plant them in the actual garden! (I sure hope they make it through the transplaning process) I can't wait! MMMM.. back to my radishs!

Garden tips for next year...

So I will totally forget this next spring so I am writing this down so I don't forget it.

• One row (in the green house) is fine for Lima Beans(2), Green Beans(4), Lettuce(way to many), Watermelon(5), Pumpkin(6), Cucumber(4), Cantaloupe(5) and Peppers(4), it was a little much for tomatoes (gave a way a bunch). (the number you have living right now)
  

• March 30th was great for Watermelon, pumpkin, cucumbers,cantaloupe, peppers and tomatoes, it was a little early for the beans (they grow fast and are need trellis, before it is time to plant outside) Try April 15th for beans.

• The cold vegetables did great outside (onions, carrots, radishes ) when planted sometime the beginning of April (try wide rows next year) (the lettuce grew but who knows if it will bolt now that the weather is warming up- maybe better in the house?)

• Start collecting butter dishes, sour cream dishes, and the like in January, the 16 oz cups did well, but the plants you put into bigger dishes did much better... and can stay longer
  

• The milk jugs you kept for heat caps can also be used for containers for bigger plants.

• We put them out on the front porch starting may 13th and plan on planting them on the 23rd(weather permitting). -they have stayed outside over night a few times and done fine!
  

• We are planting the corn outside tonight (try starting corn inside next year- last year it didn't work)

• The branches you cut off of the tree when pruning in the spring work great to help stabilize the beans and tomatoes!

• Buy (2) 40 lb bags of walmart potting soil next year... for all the transplanting.
  

3 months

Yep. I flew out of Boise Sunday afternoon, by myself, no car seat, no strollers, no children to loose. I have to say flying is much less stressful without children (still not my favorite way to travel, but much better!) had a small layover in Portland and then flew on to San Jose, the flights weren't bad, just loud small planes. Got into San Jose and got to hang out with some family (and family of family) got to stay up late reading my book, didn't have to change any diapers or feed any body but myself (very weird... and on mothers day!) Then I made my way to Stanford Cancer Center (the smell still bugs me) I went to the blood draw (I was fasting, made it hard to get a vein) so I was stuck twice, then I went the CT scan, ok.. probably the weirdest test I have ever had (and that is saying something) they injected this iodine based stuff into the IV and it gave you a hot flash and then made you feel like you peed your pants (not a good feeling when you are laying on a table and you can't move.. oh and don't swallow!) they had to do it twice, one to get a picture of my chest the next one was of my neck, then I could finally eat! I was able to go visit some of the nurses who gave me my Chemo (the one's that REALLY take care of you) Then I meet with Dr. Hoppe my radiologist and they couldn't find any "lumps or bumps" and they read the scan it came back clear! So at this point I only need scans once a year, but I still go back every three months, nest time is a chest x-ray(no big deal) and then I will probably meet with Dr Advani (my oncologist)... Then I flew back! So, here is to another clean three months!

Happy Mothers Day!

To MY MOM who held my hand through, tests, blood draws, chemo, radiation, frustrations, tears, moving, recuperating, nauseousness, weight gain, weight loss, boredom, and smiles! (and that was just this year!) Thanks for all that you have done, Mom! You are one heck of an example to me! (now we can hope and pray that my kids turn out half as good as your did)

And so it begins...

So you all told me to read the book, so I did, borrowed it from a friend and lets just say I called her less than 24 hours later to see if she had the next book (I think it is cruel and unusual punishment to put the first chapter of the next book at the end of the old book.. just rude!) after a couple more phone calls I found the second book and I finished it this morning. I usually don't read much any more, specifically for this reason, I tend to shut out the world until I am sufficiently satisfied I know what is going to happen in the book, this is bad for my children who still need assistance in everything that they do. Have to stop reading long enough to feed and change children (gasp!) is the pits, so I usually stick with books I know by heart (harry potter) so that we all can be happy. I can't remember the last time I started a new book, and now I remember why. I actually haven't gone over to get book number three so that I can do my dishes and spend time with my kids... I seriously am the best mom in the world!...lol (or the worst, depending on how you look at it!)

Ok so I did it...

I actually watched Twilight the other day... I haven't read any of the books, hadn't seen the movie and not even the trailer for the movie.. yep I had kept it out of my life. Well me and Ty sat down and watched the movie the other night and all I have to say is "what the crap?" Please tell me the book is better and has something the movie doesn't, that I fell asleep and missed the whole thing or something... I don't understand... Girl meets vampire, he wants to stay away and can't, they quickly and yes I mean quickly come together, and his family is willing to fight for her?.. huh?.. hospital scene.. the end.. wow.. I still can' figure it out... I might have to read the book just to figure out what I missed.... Did I miss something?.. does someone else have the code to understand this?.. help!

Coolest thing since sliced bread!

ok so I was checking out and old friends blog the other day and came across her favorite new website, and it is now one of my favorites!

readthescriptures.com

This website is not for people who read their scriptures daily.. it is or those of us who would love to but just aren't very good at it... you go online and sign up for free! and they will send your daily reading right to your email (I know you all check your email daily) You can use one of their schedules or make up one of your own, for example I told them I wanted to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year, so now it sends me what I need to read everyday to get it done. I can read it strait out of the email or I can go on to the webside add notes in the margins, write in my journal or highlight text!.. very cool! Then I went and signed up for the Joseph Smith lesson we are supposedto be on, so it sends it to me every week too!..Its wonderful!..

Check it out and then let me know what you think!

Garden pics...

..
Here is the little green house, where it all started, this was about 5 days after we planted the seeds...I had already had to transplant the pumpkins and the lettuce at this point. ( green house= $6 at Wal-mart= 72 starts)


Here it is about a week ago, I had transplanted all those plants out of the the green house and started more in the green house (bottom right corner of the picture) you can see the tall green beans, then the pumpkins, over on the left tray are the tomatoes and the lima beans, and watermelon. My strawberry plants already have strawberries! (nope they aren't in the picture)

Here is Cameron next to our apple tree.
.
Here is Kevin next to the apple tree.

It's garden time!

For those of you who don't know.. I completely enjoy gardening and food storage. Spring and Summer is spent gardening, the fall is spent canning and winter is full of getting dry goods and planning for the next spring.. yes I learn a little more each year and enjoy every minute of it. (I kill less plants every year too!) My first canning experience was in 2007 when I canned peaches and pears, the pears are now all gone and I love to stair at my peaches, they are the perfect color, and when you pop them open, ohh, the smell is amazing. My first experience was a good one. Then in 2008 I tried out my hand at apples and apple pie filling. I canned them and they really aren't that pretty but they taste fine. This year I am going to try to can tomatoes.. yep that is right my sister-in-law has talked about her homemade tomato soup so much I figured it would be a good thing to do, that and we go through a lot of spaghetti sauce so it will be worth it. Now you have to understand that while I learn not only to can something every year I also learn how to use the canned stuff every year. If I won't use it, I won't can it... Ok so on to the point of my rambling...

I am in, the garden groove. I have plants coming out of my ears, (I can't wait to plant them in the actual garden) and I noticed something, I have three years of old seeds, thats right half empty packets that fine, while woudn't all germinate and grow, some wood and they definitely would have had a better chance had they been used the first year (the year they were supposed to be used) So my brilliant (ok good) idea was we would have a seed/seedling swap in our ward, as the cannery specialist, I come up with random ideas all the time and see if they will fly, so here we go. What ever seeds I am not gonna use this year, and a few of my seedlings that I am not gonna use this year are all up for grabs, first come first serve. Others have already contributed there left over seeds and if you need something let us know. If you are willing to contribute, let us know... Now we are not talking, giving you 6 of the same plant, I am talking about 2 or 3 seeds of a kind or one or two seedlings, I figured, more seeds would get used, more people would have larger variety in their gardens, and may even learn to grow and eat different foods. So what do ya think are you willing to try something new?

Here are the seedlings up for grabs:
Iceberg lettuce
Roma Tomato (good canning tomatoes)
Big boy tomato (good slicers)
Cantaloupe
Cucumber

Here are the seeds up for grabs:
Cherry tomotoes (super sweet 100 or Sun gold)
Eight ball zucinni
Delicata Squash
Beets
Bush champion cucumbers
Roma tomatoes
Big boy tomatoes
Lima beans
Green beans (bush burpless)
Pumpkins
Green peppers
Onions
Radishs
Carrots

Remember it is first come first searve thing, so if they are gone they are gone. I have a few people who are going to let me know what extras they will have this weekend.

Things people are looking for:
Bananna squash
Herbs

If you have something that is being looked for let us know either where you got it, or how many seeds (or seedlings) you would like to donate to the cause. Remember we all need to step out of our comfort zones once in a while and try something new!

Oh and we have a few people who have said they hand out different kinds of squash at harvest time to anyone who wants it, so let us know if you are interested!

Also, for those plants that can not be planted before the last frost, it is a good time to start your garden indoors, it will lenthen the growing season for you!

Oh and we just planted an apple tree in our back yard!... we just need to find it a companion for pollination purposes! Yeah! (seriously excited!)

I would totally post pictures of my (indoor) garden but i can't find the cord right now.. so pics will have to come later)

Answer to the request....

Strawberry freezer jam recipe...

Go to Wal-Mart and buy a box of fruit pectin (found on the canning isle this time of year or on the jello isle normally) Read box.. follow directions.
No, I am just kidding it really is that easy if you have done it before, but for those of us who are a little behind the times (this is my first time) here is some extra info: There are a couple of different brands, I use the "Ball" brand, but I know a lot of other people who use the "sure jel" brand. I have tried the "no sugar added fruit pectin" box and followed the freezer jam directions, you can use the same box to cook jam, or cook jelly, but I am a freezer jam girl myself. Then there is the actual "no cook freezer jam" packet. Each box/packet will tell you how many pounds or cups of smashed fruit you will need. somewhere between 3 or 4 cups is the norm. I personally am too lazy to crush them with a potato smasher as the directions say so I get out my trusty blender and blend them up.. just enough to make they "crushed" or if you don't actually like strawberry chunks in your jam go ahead and puree, it doesn't matter, then you mix with the pectin (in the no cook version) or in the cook version you cook the pectin with some juice and add the fruit. I have to say it was a blast! I made a batch yesterday and one today. One was the no cook method and one was the cook, The both taste great. The cook method had less sugar because it had juice to sweetin it naturally.. then you put it in your freezer containers and freeze! Easy pezy!
My sister in law says she makes one batch and then she purees the rest of her fruit and puts it in a freezer bag so that it takes up less room until she gets low and then all she has to do it take out one bag and a box of pectin, instead of having all these jars of already made jam taking up extra room in her freezer. Anyways I may have made it sound a lot harder than it is... but really it was easy and fun!

Wal-mart finds, frezzer jam, and an apple tree

So I got a call yesterday, Wal-mart has strawberries on sale for 50 cents a tub.. So I went down, bought a bunch, found the gamma lids I've been wanting to buy for my 5 gallon buckets and got some pectin. Then came home and made some yummy frezzer jam! Of course my kids ate a whole pond of strawberries between them and I need to make some more jam but I love getting a great deal!...
Then the other day we went to costco for diapers, then we walked out with two blueberry plants and an apple tree!.. What?! We were looking for bluebery plants because Ty got a blueberry a couple of weeks ago (and they pollinate better with two) so we were looking for a second one, well costco only sells them in twos... so now we have three blue berry bushs! Oh and the apple tree, that was us being crazy! our kids eat apples like crazy so we figured it would pay off... even with the spraying every year, it is a semi-dwarf tree so it won't get too big, problem is, you really need a second one to get it pollinated, so now we are one a hunt for another apple tree, preferably green, (the one we got is red) semi-dwarf or dwarf... Other than that our seedlings aren't really seedlings anymore, and it doesn't look like we wilL be able to plant them any time soon, it snowed last nght, and is still snowing! like 2.5 inches!... I sure hope the plants can hold up inside for a while, I heard that some peopLe wait until June to plant outside... yikes!
Oh and I got a calling on Sunday, I am the cannery specialist! :)

Cameron's teeth

Cameron got three teeth in before we left Washington (march 20th) (I know I am a little behind..) and just last week got the 4 one in.. the ones just outside of the 4 front teeth on top and bottom... so know he has a mouth full! I think that make sit 16 teeth total.

The garden is growing!

ok.. so really our little seedlings are doing great inside the house.. but whatever... i actually had to transplant all of the pumpkins, and some of the cucumbers and lettuce into their own containers because they were to tall for our little green house! The strawberries are doing good, and all of the seeds have sprouted minus a couple of the watermelon which i am sure will happen in the next few days! I just planted some peppers (wal-mart finally got some seeds in) so we will see how those do in the next few weeks! I am soooo excited. This year I will do much better "hardening off" the plants before we actually transplant them into the garden. Usually I get too impatient and just put em out there and hope they live.. it doesn't work so well...lol. I am really good at killing plants.. but this year I will do better! my next assignement is to go out and clear the left 1/3 of the garden so we can plant our onions, radishs and carrots, which supposedly can already be planted outside right now... we are still trying to figure out what we are going to do for a trealis for the beans, but i am sure we can figure something out with some string...