Homemade Strawberry Jam~

The other night I stayed up late and made homemade jam. I have only made jam a few times before and was thrilled when BOTH batches turned out! yipee!

I was inspired to make my own jam after reading and watching a DVD about how bad high fructose corn syrup is for our bodies.
(Dr. Andrew something or other I'm to lazy to go look.)
I'm not all for feeding my kids a bunch of sugar but I would rather use sugar though than any thing else.

I would love to make a few batches of raspberry jam some time soon!
Not sure when raspberry season is here?

My morning routine consists of getting up about 7:30 am making my Chia tea with Organic Vanilla Soy Silk, 2 pieces of nutty whole grain toast(or homemade bread) with jam and sitting down to the computer to see if anyone said "Hi"! Then I read my favorite blogs in google reader and will pop over and say hi if I have time! Every few days I try to blog about something fun we have been doing around the house!
( I have been really busy the past few days to follow my nornal routine!)

~Peace and Love~

Georgiann

Strawberry Farm and Cutest Lil' Gift Shoppe!

Yesterday while out driving my oldest son over to a friends house with the girls in tow, I decided to stop in at a local farm and pick up a few flats of strawberries to make some jam! Last night I burned the midnight oil and made two batches of strawberry jam!  (I will post about that tomorrow!)

The farm were I purchased my berries has the sweetest gift shoppe!

I just love a good gift shop! Don't you?
My heart goes pitter patter as my eyes feast on all the clever displays!
I was a good girl and left my money in my orange swade purse!

Well on a different note......yesterday was the hottest and dryest day we have had ALL spring or summer!  After a quick stroll through my lil' ole garden I discovered, my poor garden is not as grown as it should be. I think my String beans and Cranberry beans stopped growning after just sprouting because of lack of sun and way to much rain! :( So I will go out today and poke a few more seeds in the ground! My zucchini plant is the same size as it was when I put it in the ground  5 weeks ago! (about 8 inches long) I had to buy zucchini at the store yesterday! How sad is that?
My broccoli on the other hand was harvested  for a second time yesterday! An awesome yield!

Today the Self Reliant club is coming over to my place to make mini-green house frames (4x5).
I will be making 2.....in the hopes of a small winter garden! So I'm off to mop my kitchen floor and clear off my dining table......its a real mess from last nights Jam making session!

Did I mention yesterday was one of the hottest days we have had this season?
So as you can imagine the house got a bit warm.....a normal thing to have happen right?
The upstairs of my house can stay really warm making it hard to sleep. I look forward to coming down stairs in the morning to a house that has cooled to 63 degrees or less. Then I close every thing up and it stays fairly cool in the house for most of the day!

I was shocked last night to awake at 2:20 am to the sound of the heater going! Upstairs I was sweating like a pig at Luau!
All my kids slept down stairs were it is always cooler! The windows were wide open and the heater was cranked. The thermostat read 70 degrees! eeekkkk! My kids WILL be plumed up on leaving the heater alone!

Well I'm off to make my morning tea and toast with
 Homemade Strawberry Jam!

I pray everyone is having a beautiful day!

~Peace and Love~
Georgiann

Fetching Eggs For Fathers Day Breakfast

As a momma of many, I just love to watch my girls cookin' in the kitchen! Its always a pleasure to see Jackie and Olivia work so well together. I stand back and direct them as to what to do! Sadly many times I see parents not wanting/willing to let the kids in the kitchen. Cooking with Little's can be a bit messy but sssooo worth it!
I can't wait to see how my girls blossom in the kitchen over the next 10 years!
My 5 year old has already much experience under her belt!

If you ask any of my kiddos "What does a good cook always do?" they will say
"WASH THEIR HANDS!!!!"

~Peace and Love~
Georgiann

Tis The Season~

for the over priced ice-cream truck to come down our block......all summer long!

Buying from the ice-cream guy can be fun and a treat every once in a while......but not 5 days a week!
The cheapest frozen pop is $1.00 add that x 6 kids each for 5 days (which will never happen) = $30.00 a week! eekkk!
Sometimes we get a few ice-cream vendors down our street! As many a 3 in a day!
The music sends my kids into a trance like state! They all run to fetch their money.....or ask to borrow money before the truck drives off playing his music!

Its like me on garbage day!.......I hear the truck behind the house and go running out there to see if the can got put out! I get anixious about it! Most days when I look and the can is out......hubby remembered on his way out to work! (I am OCD about having to look that the can is out when I hear the truck that one time I decided NOT to look to see if the can was out!) I was soooo proud of myself! But guess what???
The can had not been put out by hubby so we had to wait another week for a pick up!!!!!

Peace and Love~
Georgiann

Pondering Thoughts~

I had an awesome weekend! The new Self Reliant Club I just joined had a wonderful
 "tour of gardens" the group leader organized! What was ssssoooo cool about the tour was it was a progressive tour of 7 gardens, all from members of the club that live right in my back yard!.......I hope to post soon of my days adventure.

So this Monday I have pondering thoughts..........

Will God bless our family with another child?
If so how long do I have to wait?

Today is the last day of school for my teenagers......what do I want my summer with them to look like?
Meal planning,chores,TV,computer and video game time allowance for them.
The rhythm the house will change after today!

Will my garden have a chance with ALL the rain we have had?
I can't wait to make the mini-green houses (2). They will be helpful in starting my winter garden!

Will I have my house clean before the group comes at the end of the week to make the green houses?
Its a make and take workshop the Self Reliant Group leader is holding at my house!

Well, I go to the lab for my blood test today.
The farm supply store just called to let me know my 2 little Indian Runner ducks are in!
(I got 2 females ducks a few months ago......it was supposed to be a male and female.......the male finally has arrived...so I had to get a fourth duck so he's not lonely while in the house for about 6 weeks!)

Peace and Love,
Georgiann