Pick-a-little-talk-a-little

When we bought our house ten years ago, I was elated to have a variety of fruit trees. We had a plum, 3 peach, apple, necterine, and we planted a pomegranite bush. Two of the peach trees (including the white peach tree) was infested in bugs and only lived for a year. We ended up burning the trees out and putting the garden in that area. The necterine has been a weak tree and has refused to produce anything of worth and the pomegranite, although 5 years old, it has yet to grow any bigger. The apple tree also only produces a handful of blossoms and apples. Each year I say that I'm going to take out the necterine tree, but the blossems are so bright pink and pretty, that I just can't do it. I keep praying for the apple and pomegranite to step it up, or they are going to end up in the fire pit as well.

All of that sounds really sad!!

Thankfully the plum tree and peach tree have made up for the lack of success with the other trees.

This past weekend was picking time! Luke and James were priveliged enough to pick ALL of the fruit. My boys are so great to help me with the canning. Last month we picked 50 pounds of cherries at a local farm and my boys pitted them all!!! Now we all enjoy our fabulous cherry pie filling.


But first, another side story. When James was 3 we had lived in the house for about a year and a half. I peaked out the window one day and saw his little feet dangling off of the roof! I come out and ask him what in the world was he doing!? He replied that he was getting his toy.

So you can imagine how I *laughed* when I came outside and saw James sitting on the roof picking the plums. >sigh< He was even in the same place.

So they picked and picked and picked!! And picked me 46 pounds of plums!!! It was AWESOME! I was so delighted! James then became out official plum cutter and Luke set off to pick the peaches.--He ended up picking almost 20 luscious pounds!

The next day we were able to make 37 pints of plum jam, peach jam and peach-plum jam-plus we froze some peaches. The jam even turned out nice!! (Unlike my last batch of raspberry jam that I over cooked and is so thick that you can't even spread it...such a waste of raspberries. ) We had a great time together! We listened to The Beyonders and had some great conversations about just about everything as we cut, blanched, mashed, sanitized, bottled, and more. Great memories...at least for me anyway.

If the world ends, I will have enough jam to trade for ANYTHING! I do wish that we could bottle when it wasn't so blasting hot. Seriously! Its 108* outside and I have all of my stove burners on high! I am so thankful for fans! We did save enough plums to snack on (although, after all the plum work, none of us are really in the mood to eat any.)



Apples are next. I can't wait!! Even though I end up purchasing apples from local farmers, I love making applesauce and pie filling with my boys. Ohh and I can't wait for pomegranates!! If anyone knows of any bright red pomegranate bushes (the super sour pomegranates) that I can pick in late Sept. or so, I will happily come and pick them (I will bring my boys too) and then we will bring you some pomegranate jelly! BEST JELLY EVER!

I feel very fulfilled when I do my various bottling. It is a great feeling to do this work with my family. Hooray for work!

Camping project

July is the month designated for campouts it seems like. Both James and Luke have scout troup campouts and then Cory is taking them on a backpacking trip in Fillmore.

The boys LOVE camping and are very excited to go for a few days in the mountain with just "the guys."

To prepare for their campout they are making portable fuel cans. This way they will be able to cook their food no matter where they are. The left overs we will put in our 72 hour kids.

They are super easy to make.

You need empty tuna, clean, tuna cans (or that size anyway)
cardboard, and wax -we use old candles.

Take your cardboard and cut it into a one inch long strip, coil it up tights and place it in the can.-this is your wick Pull the center of the wick out a few inches so that you can light it easily. Then melt your old candles or you can use paraffin wax from the grocery store. Pour the wax, but not the end of the wick that is sticking out, and starting from the center spiral around until you reach the outside of the can. Let the wax completely cool and then you're set!


They work just like a sterno can but cheaper. They would be great to have on hand in case of an emergency

Happy camping boys!!
I will be doing my OWN projects while you're gone!!! bwaahaahaa!!

Luke's smile!

Luke has an amazing smile!
I love love LOVE his smile. However, it has always been a challenge for him to smile. He has had challenges with his teeth for the past 5 years.

For starters his front baby teeth never came out. When he was 10 they were pulled out so that his adult teeth could come in....which they never did. He had no two front teeth for more than 2 years. He never complained and was so positive about it.

When he was 12 he had braces put on when one front tooth was finally starting to come down.

*WARNING IF YOU'RE SQUEEMISH**

He then had his front teeth cut out of his gums and forced down. Luke was so nervous for this to happen, but he did great! I think he was just so happy to FINALLY have front teeth.

For two years I didn't even have to remind him more than twice to wear his elastics!--ok maybe it was because every time I asked him and he didn't have them on, he had to pay me $5 but I digress....

So now, after 2 years of braces, Luke has a BEAUTIFUL smile! It was worth every penny for the confidence of his smile.

His teeth worries aren't done yet since it was discovered when the braces were put on, that he has a third set of front teeth and his adult molars are growing in sideways and are jammed into his other teeth. But those worries are for another day because today Luke is to SMILE!

Me? A guest blogger?

Recently I was asked to be a guest blogger at one of my favorite homeschooling sites. To say I was SHOCKED! is an understatement. I had the thoughts going through my head of "What in the world could I say about teaching science that would be beneficial to anyone!...Isn't everyone doing this already?" It was a lot of fun to rack my brain and to figure out how I had taught science to my boys, especially since I did very poorly in my science classes when I was young. I figured out that I was using the same process that I use with reading.

And holy cow, guest blogging is STRESSFUL!! At least it was my first time! Yikes! I tend to over-analyze..well..just about everything, and this wasn't any different. I even drempt about this stinking paper! Ha! But like everything else, the first time was the hardest and I think I might write another one for her. :-D

Thank you for this experience Mary Ann!
Happy day!!

Go check me out over at:
The Home-School Coach!!!

Little Britches Simulation

Full moon over the Teton Mountains with storm clouds. I love Idaho!

"If (a man) tells lies to be able to do the things he shouldn't do but wants to, his character will soon become a ruin. A man with a ruined character is a shame on the face of the earth."

If you have ever read the book Little Britches:Father and I were Ranchers by Ralph Moody, then you will be familiar with the character house. My favorite part of the book! If you haven't read the book I highly recommend it.

It isn't a book that will leave you riveted like a lot of popular books. No vampires or zombies, no corrupt politicians, no drugs, no scandals and YES it is a great book! It is a simple story about a boy, Ralph, and him coming of age with his Father. They live during hard times on a farm in Colorado. In short, they work hard, work together, and find lots of life's lessons everyday. Little Britches is similar to "Little House on the Prairie" but for boys.

I am blessed with some fabulous parents that live on some acreage in Idaho. It is beautiful farm land that I would LOVE to live at. My Dad asked if he could have my boys for a week to do some "farm work." I almost jumped out of my skin with excitement!! Their own Little Britches simulation!

I have great memories of my childhood digging fence posts, branding cows, birthing (well helping) cows, feeding cows and riding in the tractor. I remember staying outside until the stars came out, helping in the garden, and more cow care. At the time I wasn't a fan. I drempt of living in the city with lots of people and a large variety of things to do. However, now I dream of living that kind of life again.

Feeding the calves when I was about 7. I can still smell the milk. And don't feed the calves with your good shoes!! Lessons that I understand now.

When the opportunity for my boys to have a slice of that experience I was ecstatic! My dad is so much like Charles Moody. He is gentle, patient, and knows how to teach boys. Granted, after a while with the kids he is ready for a break....just like me. I couldn't ask for a better Grandpa for my kids.

James giving me a ride on the four wheeler to see "their fence."

So off Luke and James go to Grandpa's house to work on the farm. And I missed them so much!
When we arrived in Idaho a week later, there was a noticeable change in my boys. They were so excited to take me to the fence that they had worked so hard to make. Both boys talked about what a great feeling of accomplishment they felt. They showed me their blisters, their working gloves (that they still use!) and their newly acquired farmers' tan. Their visual representation of their sweat was PRICELESS!!

I have learned a few lessons about my boys with this experience. First, the importance of hard work for my boys. Hard, physical work. Next, they really love the feeling of accomplishment and being able to SEE what they have done. And finally, they love the creating process that is found in a farm setting.

Once I figured out those 3 lessons I have really tried to incorporate them more into our family and the experience has been very powerful. But I'll write about that next time.




Did I mention that they have the best places to play hide and seek? Just ask Mark.

Who's that?!?!

While we were driving to Salt Lake City we noticed a billboard with someone familiar on it...


You can click on the picture for a closer look, but we thought it was an uncannily resemblance to our Ben!!

Time for camping!

We recently took our first camping adventure as a family. The boys go so much more with their scout group, so it was nice to have the family all together in nature.


Luke is in that be tree right next to Cory's head....somewhere. I could see him when I took the picture, but I don't see him now. The arrow is pointing to him, you may need a magnifying glass to actually see him.






Yes its a picture of me..Ben was on camera duty. I love camping! Being in nature rejuvenates me and I love it! Next time that we go camping I want to be further away from everyone else. We had to be much to friendly with everyone.


Mark was OBSESSED with getting into the van. He wanted to open the doors and climb inside his own little playpen. It drove Cory NUTS!



The boys got some good time on their blow dart guns. No worries, the squirrels were quite safe.


Luke was sawing wood...a lot...it was good for him. Even if we ended up leaving a lot of the wood there for the next camper.


James was STOKED about carving up some wood. We started a nice large stick to make into a large spoon for our 5 gallon cooler.


We tried to make cookies in a solar oven but it wasn't sunny enough. We ended up cooking them over the fire..they were....ashy.


And James is awesome.

Love being with my family.