BIG BOY!!

Do you think it might be time to put the swing away? I have never liked using the buckles so this is what I found. Luckily I came in when I did. I don't think that tile would have felt very good.

He is just getting so big. He had a doctors appointment last friday and being 5 months old weighed in at 20lbs 2oz. and is 29 inches long.

BIG BOY!

Katie and I had the following conversation the other day.

Katie: Mom, you have been using your noodles.

Me: Huh? What do you mean?

Katie: I mean your brain.

It really made me laugh.

Cute!

I went into the boys room the other night and found Marshall like this.

Sweet. I think they are the cutest when they are sleeping.

Why? Because.

Lately I have been making my own laundry detergent. I have been using it for over a month and I have to say that I much prefer this to anything I have ever bought. I like it because I like my clothes to smell like nothing. This combination achieves just that. It costing next to nothing is a nice bonus. All it is 1/2 a cup of the borax, washing soda, and baking soda, then 5 oz. of either the fels-naptha or the ZOTE soap grated. Just combine it in a container and shake it. YOu only have to use 1 table spoon. Walmart had everything except washing soda, I found that at Bashas.

Things I love

I really love fresh eggs

beautiful produce, Jake just doesn't understand this

new fabric, and old fabric

dishes

gardens, and yard work

fruit trees

the desert, I know it's weird

salsa

good salt, regular table salt is no good

my sewing machine

going out to eat

A good purse

finishing a project

canning

Your probably wondering why I haven't mentioned family. Well I think that goes with out saying and I am listing things, not people.

Time with some of the cousins

This last weekend Jake and I went to the Gila Valley to see some family. My family is rarely ever all together at once and since living in Tucson I don't get to see my sisters that still live in the Gilbert area very often. Well Liz was there with 3 of her boys and my sister Kim lives in Pima. It was fun to see them and I know Katie and Zach had fun with their cousins.

This is not the first time this has happened to one of my parents trampolines. In fact I think they are more fun when they have obstacles.

This is Katie with two of her cousins, Aubrie and Ashlie. I think Katie is only 3 weeks older. Katie can't tell them part until they tell her who is who. It is funny to hear her say, "which one are you?" They are nice about it but sometimes they get tired of reminding her.
I think Zach was really glad that Liz and her boys were there because usually he is the only boy in his age group. Hyrum and Harley are so fun to have around and Zach loved it. Usually it is his cousins on the Lee side that he plays with but they were not there this last time. So I'm glad the Kelly boys were around.

The tall one is Jessica and she is so good at keeping the little one entertained. They absolutely love her.

This is just a few of my parents grandkids. They currently have 30 grandkids and at the end of October they will have 31. Hurray!!! I think a new family picture will be in order.

Prickly Pears

I really love putting food in jars and then putting it on my shelf and using through the year. It is very satisfying.

A few weeks ago I finally made prickly pear jelly. Ever since we moved to Tucson I have wanted to make it and last week I finally did. It was not easy. Those things are covered in small fur like stickers that you can't really see. I did already know this so I picked them with metal tongs and then dropped them into a small plastic bucket. I'm glad that I didn't use one of Katie's baskets because my bucket was lined with stickers and thorns when I dumped them into my pot. The bucket just washed right out, but I think I would have had to throw away a basket.

I thought that if I soaked them for a bit in some warmish water then they might peel a little easier. I don't know if it worked because with all the stickers they were not easy to peel at all. I had to hold them firmly with the tongs, slice down with a small knife then cut the whole thing off. I had my pot full of pears, a bowl for skins and then a bowl for fruit. I think I had 40 to 50 of those nasty things.
Apparently if you cut them in half you can scoop out the seeds and throw them away. I didn't know this until I had mashed them all up and realized there were too many seeds to let them just stay in the jam. They are not like a strawberry seed. Wish I took a picture of all the seeds. Oh well. I ended up having to put all of it through a fine wire strainer and I was left with this beautiful juice. The color was so lovely.
It did take a few days to set and then it didn't totally set until I stuck a jar of it in the fridge. It is a very different tasting fruit. It does not taste like a berry at all or anything that I am familiar with. I read that some people think they taste like kiwi but I didn't think so. I doubt I'll make it again. Glad I did it, but it was too much work for something that I don't think anyone else will really eat. I have to give it away.