Peach Pie

Today I made a peach pie.  I am not a baker or pie maker but occasionally the urge will hit me to make something.  I saw peaches on sale at Winco earlier this week and got some to try to remake a peach pie that my mom made when I was a kid.  I have thought of this pie often over the years and have longed to replicate it.  So today was the day to attempt this.  My peaches were ripe and we are heading out of town to go camping and I knew my peaches wouldn't wait for me.  This headache I have been nursing was at its friendliest level so I decided to go for it.  I knew my energy level wasn't up for making the crust so I used a store bought crust and bought a puff pastry for the top.

It was simple to make especially when I had Emma to help me.  The problem came when we went to eat it. The peaches had a really metallic taste to them and I couldn't even eat the peaches.  I didn't let the whip cream or crust go to waste however.

Even though it didn't turn out how I anticipated it I am glad that I got to spend some time with Emma in the kitchen.

Headaches

I haven't blogged in a bit because I have been suffering from a some headaches.  They hit in the afternoon and unless I take something I cannot function, blah!  So writing hasn't been super appealing to me or easy for that matter.  So if you think of me could you pray that these headaches cease?  I think my family would appreciate me getting back to normal too!  Thanks!!!

Family Time

Rick, my father in law,  lives in San Francisco and comes home every other weekend if he is lucky.  So every other weekend we try to have a small family get together.  Here are a few pics from our last family get together.  

Anaconda squeeze!!!

We've got some kissin' cousins!  

Elizabeth has the cutest laugh, I can almost here it when I look at this picture!

Olivia is shy and oh so sweet!!!

Our men!!!

Uncle with his guy! 

Blackberry Jelly Complete!

Steaming pot of water, Melanie, and oh...jelly!

Heather stirring up the yummy goodness!

Our jars in a warm bath waiting for jelly

This is the juice we got from the berries.  From this juice we made the jelly.  

Dad rubbing Mom's back.  It has been a loonngg day!  

A close up of all the yummy goodness!  

 

Blackberry Jelly

Today, my mom sister and I made 15 batches of blackberry jelly, which equals 56 jars.  We started working at 10am and finished at 7.  I all tuckered out but feel so blessed to have been able to do this!  I have longed for this day for more years that I can recollect.  It was a delight to do and the hard work was worth it.  I may have only gotten to keep 19 of the jars but...I am still grateful.  We won't be eating store bought jelly for a while.  I may try my hand at it one more time!  We shall see.  There isn't that much summer left and there is so much to do! ! !

Journaling

I have already mentioned here before how Jason has a special story time with the kids.  I am bringing up again tonight because I just wanted to mention that because of his story time it has helped me set a time away each evening to blog.  It is nice to have a set time when the house is quiet and my day is coming to an end before I am too tired to see straight.  I recently started another blog but this one is just for me.  It is kind of like a diary of sorts.  It is so nice to have a place to lay down my thoughts and record where God is taking us.  Unfortunately, I am not always able to mention all the details here.  So when it is a time that I need to remember the day privately I take it there.

Quilt (s)

A few months back...ok several months back I began making a quilt.  When I started it I was still very much struggling figuring things out and reading, see me if you want more details.  So needless to say I made an error or two along the way.  I made up the pattern and just picked out fabrics I liked and didn't think about the quilt as a whole until I started trying to put it together.  This works for some people but for me...not so much!

I began experiencing some panic about it because I realize the quilt wasn't really 'me' and I was investing a lot of money and time into it.  I wanted it to be 'me' especially if it was going to be on MY bed.

About 3 weeks ago I was approaching what I thought was the end when...a fatal mistake was discovered.  And no I am NOT being too dramatic.  My mom graciously had drawn out the pattern I came up with for me and told me she only drew it until it started repeating.  I didn't put this info in the part of my brain that can be accessed easily so...I didn't remember.  I made the quilt all the way up to the first repeat which is about a 1/3 of the size it needed to be.  This would have been fine if I had enough fabric to make it but I didn't, ahhhhhh.

I contemplated making into a twin size for Mel but the pattern would have run the wrong way and the fabrics I chose weren't pre-teen material.  So...I am making three baby quilts out of my 1/3 of a queen, haha.  Truth be told they are much nicer as baby quilt than it would have ever been as a queen.

Isn't that how God works.  We head in one direction thinking we are doing one thing and disaster strikes and something better is made of it than we could have ever figured out in the first place.  I have about a dozen expectant mom's in my life, no joke, and I have been trying to make a gift for each one.  These quilts are going to be a nicer gift than a pair of baby booties any day.  At least I think so.    NOW