A couple of great fruit recipes

I am really loving all the summer produce. I am enjoying eating it fresh as well as preserving it for later. Again this week I did some more tomato juice and another 1/2 bushel of apples for applesauce. We should be good with applesauce now! I also picked up some peaches. Perhaps preserving is my way of avoiding the other housework that needs to be done! Who wants to do laundry and clean anyways??? Here are two recipes we always enjoy each summer. I also have 6 apples waiting on our counter to be made into apple dumplings!

Apple Crisp

4 c. peeled, sliced apples
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. water
3/4 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter
cinnamon

Place apples in buttered 10x6x2-inch pan. (I used a 9x9) Sprinkle with the salt and water. In a bowl, rub together flour, sugar and butter; drop mixture over apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

I usually just fill the pan really full of apples, they tend to bake down. While eating this apple crisp Andrew said very sweetly without any prompting "This cake is good, Mom. Thanks for making this cake for us."


That's Good Peaches

4 cups peeled, sliced peaches (I use more like 5 0r 6 cups)
1/3 cup Bisquick
2/3 cup oatmeal
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

Spray crockery with non-stick spray. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. Stir in peaches and pour in crockery.
Cook on Low for 4-6 hours.

Yesterday when I made this, I didn't have any Bisquick. I used flour and it still seemed to turn out pretty good.

Bald Boy

So I know I have posted pictures of Carson pre & post haircut before, perhaps even multiple times but I just can't help it!! We, again, had let his hair grow out. He has an amazing blond hair color with these sweet little curls. Each time we let his hair grow out, at times it looks so cute ~ especially when it is wet and curly but then there are other moments when I just think "He really needs a hair cut!"

I was trying to crop this picture so you could see his curls close up (and get Tric out of the picture, just kidding!) but I just managed to put this square around him. If you click on the picture, you can see his curls close up. This picture was taken a few weeks ago, so his hair was a tad longer...until yesterday. I tried taking him to the barber that Chad and Andrew go to a couple of times, but each time I tried, there were so many men waiting for haircuts. Didn't think waiting forever with two boys around a bunch of men was what I really wanted to do! So we went to a cheap chain haircut, can't remember the name. They didn't do as good a job and Carson was a little non-compliant. But he still looks cute! I think this might be the shortest his hair has been. Since his hair is so light and he is fair skinned, he almost looks bald! I'm always amazed how different the boys each look after getting a hair cut. They look so much older. He wasn't in the mood for pictures yesterday either so here is what I got, wild boys!!

All out tantrum!

Like Mother Like Daughter(s), Like Father Like Son(s)

This week we received an e mail from my brother Tim. It informed us that he has accepted a job in Baltimore. This was the response I sent him...

Congratulations Tim! That is exciting. Maybe we will make it out to Baltimore to see you since we never made it to NH. Take care. Kristi

Later that day, my mom sent out a response to all of us. This was the beginning of her message....

Congratulations, Tim! That's so exciting for you. I new challenge and a serious job. Now we'll get to see Baltimore :)

I was struck with how similar the responses were! Maybe that is how many people would respond but I still think it has something to do with us being a like in many ways.

Though, my sister Tricia and I may not look that much a like, we are often told that we sound a lot a like. I remember this in college most of all. Friends of either myself or Tricia would meet the other one of us and comment how much we sounded a like. I think it is that our voices are similar as well as the way we say things that makes us sound so much a like. I remember one specific time, I left Tricia a message on her answering machine. Her roommate Rachel at first thought Tricia had called and left herself a message because I sounded so much like Tric! Mom has also said that she has to talk to us a little while on the phone before she figures out which one of us it is. She needs more than just the "Hi Mom" we both say.

Both Chad & Justin (Tricia's husband) have made remarks that we sound like our Mom as well. After we say or do something (often something goofy or sing-songy) we hear their response... "OK Jo!"

Andrew is starting to do things that remind Chad of himself. Usually it is something ornery that Chad kind of smiles and says "That is something I would do." The ornery things, (not all of these are things that Chad would have done) he is starting to do are....place snack wrappers behind the couch cushions or other cupboards instead of the trash, tell little sly fibs, you ask him not to do something and he finds a new slightly different way of doing the same thing or goes behind a chair to continue doing whatever it is we asked him not to and saying "you won't see me", running from us when we ask him to do something and also telling Carson to "Run! Run for your life!" when we ask Carson to come. And as I type this, he sticks both of his hands in his mouth, pulls them out and wipes his saliva all over my knee and laughs uncontrollably! I could go on and on about his orneriness which tends to drive me crazy but at the same time one of the many things I love about this little guy!


(I enjoy adding pictures to my posts....can you believe that I could not find one of only Tric, my mom and myself!! That is just horrible.)

Tell it like it is.

Today while driving in the car, this is the conversation Andrew & I had....

"When we are in the store you need to stay with Mommy, be good and listen to Mommy."

"Why?"

"Because that is what good little boys do."

"No. Good little boys listen to their Daddy but not their Mommy."

Tomato Juice

Today the boys and I went to the farmer's market while Chad was seeing a few patients. We picked up a 10# box of seconds tomatoes (which made 4 qt + 1 pint). I wanted to try and make tomato juice using my mother-in-law's recipe. I would have liked to get more tomatoes but I had a hard enough time carrying Carson and this 10# box, plus making sure Andrew stayed with me while walking to the car. We came back and picked up a few other items; onions, potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, blackberries and some buckeyes.

Barb has given us several quarts of tomato juice in the past. I really like having it for chili, goulash and just about anything you would use tomato juice for. Andrew once again enjoyed helping us make the juice. I think this is the first time we used the Victorian Strainer for anything other than applesauce. This was so slick! Now I would like to get some of the other attachments for it, like the salsa screen.

John Deere Gator

So the last reward we offered Andrew for pooping on the toilet was a Gator or Jeep. We had been thinking about getting him one and knew he really wanted one. I sure thought offering this reward would make him do it, but it was first offered a few months ago!! His response was "I don't think my animals will like to ride in it." (What??)

It has been nearly two weeks since he has been going on the toilet (Mon. July 14) He has been pretty patient, especially for Andrew, concerning getting a jeep. Every day he has asked "When am I going to get that jeep?" And one day this question was followed with "I'm NEVER going to get a jeep!" Chad & I were debating what kind we should get for him. We were looking at some used ones on Ebay and Craigslist but were concerned about some safety recalls we had read about and most said they needed a new battery.

Thursday Chad picked up this Gator. After the boys were in bed, Chad put it together and we hid it under our deck, so that we could charge the battery before Andrew knew we had it. We did tell him that we would get one on Friday evening. After supper last night, we walked around back to our deck and there it was! Andrew was pretty excited. They took it for many spins around the house. He tends to drive a little close to things but overall is doing really well. He also likes to drive in the same path/tracks, around the very edge of our property. Today he helped me carry several buckets full of mulch to the back yard.

The boys waiting for the battery to be installed.

On a very serious mission.

All smiles!

Look out for the tree! Hold on tight Carson!

Andrew at the Museum

Modern Art Museum by dumpr.net

I got this from my cousin Jackie's blog. Fun huh??

Carson at the Museum

Art Museum by dumpr.net

Good-Bye Trees

A few weeks ago we learned that they would soon start building a house on the lot next to ours. We have lived in our house a year now. Our house is at the end of the road on a cul-de-sac and our house is the only one there. Our house is surrounded by woods....or it was until now. We have enjoyed a some what "country" feel while still living in town.

This past Friday they took down some of the trees and then came back Wed.-through today to finish the job. Wednesday, I was outside with the boys while they were taking down the trees. They have a chain saw for the larger trees (which I just learned they then use for the trim and doors for the houses) and a bob-cat to knock down the small trees. The small trees they send through a chipper, which is rather loud. The boys were playing and watching the trees come down. I was pulling weeds and keeping an eye on the boys.

The chipper didn't have any trees to chip up at the time but was still running and I could faintly hear Andrew talking, but where was he? He wasn't near Carson. I walked to the side of the house where they were working and wasn't surprised to see Andrew there talking to two of the men. He was telling them that they couldn't take down our trees and that it wasn't very nice! No fear! (well except apparently at night, since he still ends up in our room at some point during the night!) I apologized and told Andrew once again that they aren't our trees, though we have really enjoyed them and the wonderful late afternoon/evening shade they provide.

The only windows on that side of the house are our bathroom window - which is that opaque like window that you can't see through and then in the back part of the house, our sun/playroom. And now we have much more natural light coming into our bathroom & bedroom with the trees down. Perhaps we will have some great neighbors, with playmates for Andrew & Carson or maybe a teenager that would like to babysit. The boys will enjoy watching the building process I am sure. Now, if I can just keep them contained to our lot!

Carson & Andrew watching from the sun/playroom as the trees fall.

Front view of our house a few weeks ago...

Side view from the back yard a few weeks ago

Current side view from back yard

Current front views

I was enjoying the slightly cooler weather, with the AC off and the windows up but with the work over there it was very loud and dirty! The chipper sent really tiny particles flying through the air as well as dirt and dust when the trees fell, which we don't need in the house. So windows are shut, AC back on. They were able to leave a few trees between the lots, which we were grateful for but a lot of the trees weren't very nice by themselves. They were small or leaned a lot. Perhaps these pictures don't truly demonstrate how much they actually took down, trust me, it was a lot!



Stay tuned....Gator pictures to follow! Andrew doesn't know we have it yet, we wanted the battery charged up before he knew we got one. It is currently tucked under our deck.

Happy Anninversary to Us!!

This is our 9th Wedding Anniversary! Hard to believe. Chad came home at lunch with this nice bouquet of flowers for me. Fresh flowers always make me smile. I got him a card and this large bag of Skittles ~ which also make Chad smile.

What a great 9 years it has been. As I think back....we have lived in 5 different cities, 6 different homes, with 7 total moves! We spent 2 (or was it 3) weeks in Erie, PA after getting married. Chad began orientation and classes for medical school and I started orientation for my first nursing job. We received a call that Chad had been accepted at Ohio University, his first choice where he had been on the waiting list. So we packed up and headed to Athens, OH.

We rented a home in the country there, actually had some time off before Chad was to start med-school orientation and classes (again). I had to wait to receive my Ohio nursing license and didn't start working for a while, not sure how long. When I start working, I worked full time evening shift (3-11:30) on a large med-surg floor. Those were rough years, moving away from all our family and friends, Chad was in classes during the day, I went to work in the evening and we didn't see much of each other. Towards the end of our two years there, I started working night shift ~ which allowed us to see more of each other but not fun hours, and then about a month before we moved I accepted a day shift position.

Then we moved to Cuyahoga Falls, OH for Chad's 3rd & 4th years of med-school. I worked full time, 3 - 12 hour shifts on a surgical floor. That was probably my favorite job. We mainly had GYN (women's surgeries) Urology and Plastic surgery patients. Most of our patients were pretty well, stayed for a few days and then were sent home ~ for the most part. We went to church in Hartville, OH at Maple Grove Mennonite. We met some great friends there and enjoyed attending a Mennonite Church once again. Two years later, we moved again to....

Dayton, OH. Chad started a traditional internship year. We rented an apartment because we weren't sure where Chad would be doing his Residency. I worked on another surgical floor, the Bariatric floor but we also took care of many other surgical as well as medical patients. I again worked 3 - 12 hour shifts. In the middle of Chad's internship year we found out that he would be completing his three year Residency in Dayton as well. We decided to build a home. In Dayton, we welcomed two wonderful little boys into our family. After Andrew came along I cut back my hours and worked one or two shifts a week, sometimes 8 hours (if Chad was on call) or 12 hours. We met some wonderful friends there! Chad graduated from the Residency program and his schooling was now complete! It was time to move on to....

Mount Vernon, OH. Our tour of the state of Ohio as now ended, at least for now. We bought a new home last July, that had been completed in Jan. 2007 as a spec home. Chad started working in a practice here last August. We began a somewhat more normal life here last year. Chad now has more "normal" work hours, his call weeks are lighter than during his Residency. I am staying home with Andrew & Carson full time. I really don't miss working as a nurse all that much! I do miss feeling like I have accomplished something with measurable outcomes. Sometimes in being a mother, you don't always see the things you have accomplished.

We are enjoying life here, meeting new people, watching the boys grow, and trying to squeeze in some time for just the two of us. We really need to find a babysitter! I look forward to many more happy years together. I love you Chad!!

Fun times at the Fair

Last evening, Chad & I took the boys to the County Fair. It was such a nice evening for this; in the 70s with a nice breeze. Earlier today I asked Andrew what his favorite thing about the fair was. He said "When we rode the tractor." ~ after parking the car, we got on a wagon that was pulled by a tractor, which took us over to the fair entrance. The boys enjoyed seeing all the different animals, I believe Carson's favorites were the horses and cows. He would get soo excited, "Moooo!".

We enjoyed some fair food and of course the boys wanted to ride the rides. Andrew's first choice was a merry go round type that had motorcycles on it. But he was terribly heartbroken when he sat on the motorcycle and the women in charge of the ride said he wasn't tall enough because his feet were not flat on the pedals. He quickly recovered when we said he could try a different ride. He rode on some helicopter ride with Chad. Carson was admiring this train ride while Chad and Andrew were on the helicopter, so the four of us then rode the train.

The boys also were given balloons. You should have heard the laughter on the car ride home from these two as they batted their helium balloons. I told Chad we need to stop and pick up helium balloons before long road trips!

ps. you know you are in a small hick town when the barber shop closes for the week of fair!! Chad and Carson both need haircuts.

Treasures

I enjoy hanging the boys' clothes outside on this drying rack on our deck. This works pretty well for their clothes since we don't have a clothes line. Our larger clothing tend to fill up the rack pretty quickly. (And actually I don't like the stiff starchy feel of my clothes dried on the clothes line!) My parents got us this drying rack one year for Christmas. I like using it to dry sweaters on in the winter as well.

I'm starting to realize that I need to check Andrew's pockets prior to doing laundry. Today I found two treasures; a stone and a peanut in the washer after washing his clothes. I guess it could be much worse, like worms or toads that some little boys stick in their pockets.

Peaches

We did it! So I had my doubts. I thought it would take forever, that the jars wouldn't seal and that it would just be a big mess. Well it was a big mess, but other than that it wasn't bad at all. Chad & I canned them together while we practiced some neglectful parenting! Just kidding, the boys played pretty well together while we canned the peaches, just weren't supervised quite as closely as usual. My only regret is that we didn't have more peaches to do! (1/2 bushel) Since it went pretty well, maybe we will buy more to can. Yum!!

Summer produce

Today we made our usual Saturday stop to the local Farmer's Market. We bought some delicious blueberries, tomatoes, banana peppers, onions, and cilantro. Prior to the farmer's market, we went to an orchard where we got 1/2 bushel (+ some) apples. We made some more applesauce. We also froze the blueberries. What a nice treat those will be this winter!

Then we canned some salsa. We had made fresh salsa last year but this is our first attempt at canning it. It looks really pretty but I'm a little disappointed in it's taste, especially after all the effort of chopping the ingredients. We used a recipe that called for a lot of vinegar and now that is what the salsa tastes like. :(

We also bought 1/2 bushel of peaches with the hope of canning them as well. Fortunately (?) they are a little under ripe, so we will can them another day. A lot of work, but soo worth it!

Four fun boys

Yesterday we had a visit from Sarah, Jonah & Isaac. We met them at a park in town where Andrew & Carson really enjoy playing. They had lots of fun running around, playing on the play equipment, collecting pine cones, chasing birds, throwing different items into the fountain. They came back to our house for some play time and lunch. Then we all headed to the mall for a little shopping, playing at the mall play area and enjoying some pretzels. It is so fun to see these boys play together.

For lunch I made Ham Rolls. This is a recipe that our friend Tracy shared with us during Chad's Residency. It had been a while since I made these and we all really liked them. Sarah thought I should put the recipe on the blog, so here it is.....

Ham Rolls
12 Hawaiian Rolls - cut in half, remove tops in one piece
Virginia Ham 1/2-3/4 pound
Swiss Cheese
place Ham and cheese on top of bottom half of rolls, place top back on and cut into separate sandwichs

Marinade
1 1/2 stick butter, melted (I used 1 stick and it was still plenty!)
2 T. worchestire sauce
1 t. mustard
1 T. onion flakes
whisk together. Pour over rolls as whisking. Cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight. Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes.