Tomatoes anyone?

Two days. 10 cases of tomatoes. Lots of onions, peppers, garlic & chopping. 66 quart jars. 66 "popped" tops. That equals enough salsa, spaghetti sauce and canned tomatoes to last us all year, hopefully. Not to mention that our tomato plants are still producing. What else can we make??

Canning not only provides for our family for minimal costs, but also brings about good conversation, lots of dishes, the aroma of cooking, and makes for a good way to "break in" a newly painted kitchen. It was fulfilling to do something that I grew up doing & being able to share that experience with Jason & the kids (although we did most of it when they were gone.) We'll make sure they get in on it as they get older & don't want to help. Keeps them out of trouble...at least it did for me for a little while.

Where's Waldo?

Well, this is our version of it, but we'll call it, "Where's AJ?" One of his favorite things he learned to do this summer is climb the tree in our front yard. I personally think it's to scare the crap out of me. I really don't enjoy seeing my 7 year-old way up in a tree, nor do I enjoy envisioning him falling out of it. But he was pretty proud of himself, to say the least.

We're busy canning tomatoes, salsa & spaghetti sauce so the blogs have been thin. Our house smells like a salsa factory & I smell like I work in a mexican restaurant. But it's great bonding time for Jason & I and we love consuming it all in the days ahead. Just can't eat salsa from the store anymore since we've made our own...it just doesn't taste as good!

"Rolley polley"

That's what the kids call it.

I call it "The wheels on the bus".

Maybe it's the move that we learned to a Vacation Bible School song.

Whatever it's called, it's the latest thing Ian is showing us he can do,

and it's just so darn cute!

Oh, happy birthday (yesterday) to our little Faithy girl, who is now 4, and to my "Uncle Rita" who lives out in San Diego, and shares the same birthday. This one's for you...

Am I the older brother?

I am reading a book that has challenged me mentally & spiritually with every chapter I read & I love it! I am actually only on the 4th chapter, but I have received so much healing & grace with what it has brought to my attention. It's called "Unbound" by Neal Lazano & helps guide us through things that keep us from being fully happy in life with ourselves, others, and most importantly, with God.

So, anyhoo, there's a part in the last chapter I read where he refers to the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32). To make a long story short, he questions what would have happened if the younger son, upon repenting & returning home, would have encountered the angry & spiteful older brother before his father? Would he have continued on, knowing how his brother felt after he remained behind, doing the right things in his father's eyes, and then how he went off & squandered his inheritance on "bad stuff"? Would he question his father's mercy based on his brother's emotions?

It got me thinking about my growing relationship with my faith & how I've tried to introduce it to my family & friends. Have I stood in the way of them running home to the Father's merciful arms or have I been doing what Jesus asked of us by spreading the Good News as the apostles and early church fathers did? Believe you me, I am certainly no where near what those saints did and my question is not if I'm doing that well enough yet, but if I'm hindering their path to the Father & His infinite mercy by not feeling completely merciful myself and somewhat irritated?

It's all part of the healing process, I guess, and it will be something that I continue to look forward to and somewhat loathe until I get my answer, if I so deserve. Oh, if I have gotten in your way, I truly apologize & I pray that I will have the grace & wisdom to trust in the Lord from now on & get out of the way when He asks of me. So keep running home to Him!

Tater tots equals a lesson in physics...

Laney was explaining something fun she did yesterday. She said, "Mommy, we got to go on the tater tots yesterday!" Tater tots? I thought to myself. "You know, you sit on them and go up and down! Those are so fun!"

"Oh, the teeter totters?" I questioned. "What did you call them again, Laney?" I asked, knowing what she called them, but I just wanted to hear her say it again.

"Tater tots!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I love those! Did you have those when you were a kid, Mommy?"

"Yes, I did! But I was kind of small when I was little, so I always got stuck at the top." Then the conversation turned into a lesson of physics to help her understand how that happened. I thought this would be a great one to blog...I'll never think of the words the same again. : )

Father, fisherman, or ROCK STAR!?

This one has been entitled "Chomping at the bit"
(that's his new favorite chew thing, Father's collar)

New daily grind

In less than a week, we will begin the process of sending our kids off to school. I think they will transition well, since they have been still getting up EARLY, which means they go to bed early.

This year, we will have 2 in school full-time & one in preschool 2 mornings a week. So for a few hours a couple days a week, I will have gone from 4 kids to 1 little baby. I AM EXCITED! I know, I know...I need to cherish these times when they are little, but with them all fairly close together, it's been a lot to do the last 6 years & I am looking forward to a little "break" & to actually have some time to miss them & appreciate them a little more.

Although I will be down a few, I still have not become overzealous on my to-do list simply for the fact that baby is now rolling all over & getting upset when he gets stuck somewhere. Soon enough he will be crawling & into many things & I will have to tackle the job of baby-proofing the new house & all the smaller toys that have accumulated as the kids got older. It's just too hard to expect them to keep those things away from him & he's also learning about tantrums & frustration when something gets removed from his possession, so we are going to try to cut down on those situations.

The kids are excited about going to games & getting back to school to see their friends. It will be fun to see how this year goes living in town & we are all looking forward to it!