Sunday, July 31, 2011

For every hectic work day there is a quiet rest...

For every painful experience there is a healing touch...

For every negative feeling there is an abiding joy...

For every disappointment there is a certain hope...

For every turbulent storm there is a sure foundation...

For every doubting thought there is a calm assurance...

For every hurtful action there is a forgiving love.

In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37

-Roy Lessin, DaySpring co-founder and writer

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

What a day.....

Today I was up in the boy's room and happened to glance out the window just in time to see a snake slithering on the road. It made it's way under the truck and then stayed there a bit. I really could not believe my eye's and on top of it I am terrified of them. It was not baby either but probably a good 45" long. The snake then made it's way up on our lawn and after an hour the boys spotted it by our garden. I am sure hoping it does not make a home there. I tried to get the hubby to go out and do a good check through the garden, but he wouldn't. He just laughed because he thinks it's funny that I am so scared of them. I believe it will be a few days before I can venture out into the garden and I may even have to put on a pair of boots, just in case.

The kids did end up having a great day playing with some friends who came over for a visit. I was a bit surprise that Anna ventured out, but hopefully the loud kids scared the snake a way. Later in the day the boys kept saying, "There's a snake in my boot." I wish I had taken a picture, the boys had put on the their boots, capes, and super hero masks. They then heading out in search of the snake. What a day!

P.S. To top it all off the truck battery is completely dead and there is no way to revive it. I took Noah with me to the grocery store and then after we got back and I was carrying the groceries in he turned the lights on. It's daytime, so I could not see them. Unfortunately they were on until the battery was dead. The worst part about this is Brandon just put a new battery in the truck a couple of months ago. We tried charging it, but it just will not work. Money wasted, which I really hate.

Friday, July 22, 2011


Pomegranate Jelly Recipe

I had some organic pomegranate juice that my husband had bought and I decided to use a jar to make some jelly. It was really easy to do and turned out great. This is the recipe that I used.

The process of canning jelly is specific to what fruit you are canning, the type of pectin you are using - whether natural, liquid, powder - and the ratio of juice to sugar to pectin. If you plan to store your jelly on a shelf, and not in the refrigerator, you need special canning equipment to ensure against spoilage.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 package powdered pectin
  • 5 cups white sugar

You'll also need:

  • 4 pint jars

Method

1 Make the Juice. There are two basic ways to make pomegranate juice from fresh pomegranates. The first is to cut open a pomegranate and submerge it in a large bowl filled with water. Remove the seeds underwater; they will sink to the bottom while the white membrane holding them together will float. Discard the peel and membranes. Strain the seeds and put them in a blender. Pulse the blender only a few times so that the seeds are broken up. Place a mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the seed mixture through the strainer. Use a rubber spatula to help press the pulp against the strainer as to extract as much juice as possible.

The second way to juice a pomegranate is to use a juice press. I have an old fashioned press that I use. I wash the pomegranate and cut it into quarters or halves, depending on how big the pomegranate is. I then crush the sections with a press and strain the juice through a mesh strainer. I have found that this method takes half the time or less of the first method, but the flavor can be a little more bitter because you are squeezing the peel as well.

2 Prepare canning jars. Seep the clean, empty canning jars in boiling water for several minutes. Boil a few cups of water in a separate kettle and pour over the lids in a small bowl to sterilize.

3 Measure pomegranate juice and lemon juice in a 6-quart pan. Add pectin, stir and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Reach a full rolling boil, that cannot be stirred down, and add sugar. Boil hard for exactly 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand for a minute and skim off foam.

4 Fill jars to 1/2" of the top. Wipe rims clean. Screw on 2-piece lids.

5 Finish canning. This step you need to take if you plan to keep the jelly unrefrigerated. Place the jelly jars, not touching, on a rack in a tall pot of boiling water. The water should cover the top of the jars by at least an inch. Boil for 10 minutes and then remove from the water. Let the jars cool. Check seals, the lids should be sucked down (you'll hear a popping noise as the jelly cools).

Yield - 4 pints

Tuesday, July 19, 2011


Summer Squash.....
We have had a couple of suppers with some simple fried summer squash. Pretty soon I am going to have more squash then I am going to know what to do with. I am planning on trying this Cheesy Summer Squash Casserole recipe when I get enough to make up a dish. I will also be looking for other creative dishes. I'll be checking out some recipes from here and here. Does anyone have a favorite they would like to pass on to me??

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Swimming in the River......
My parents property is right by the Yellow River and this past weekend was the first time the kids got to enjoy walking up and down the rapids. They had a lot of fun and even Anna floated down the rapids for a bit. This brought back so many memories of when I was young. I told grandpa that we are going to have to get some inner-tubes.



Fish for Supper...... .
This past weekend we went fishing in Grandpa Lanny's river and we caught 4 trout. The kids were really excited and I was pretty excited myself. This was the first time we actually caught fish. We all had a great time and are looking forward to doing it again.




Friday, July 08, 2011

Pool Fun...
The last week has been so hot and humid that I decided to try and put the big pool up . It was a challenge because I kept finding holes. I managed to fix them all and even found the hole that we had in the top ring, which we have had since last summer. So not the kids have been having a lot of fun and we have been inviting friends and neighbors over to play.

We have also been having a lot of other water fun like going to the splash park and the Lodi swimming pool, because both of those are free. I even jumped in the pool one afternoon after I had was done mowing the lawn. The kids found it great fun spraying me with their water guns while I was mowing. If only they knew they were doing me a favor by keeping me cool.

Thursday, July 07, 2011

Homemade Pizza.....
One evening this past week I let the kids make there own pizza. They just like sauce, meat and cheese. Yummy.....


Can you tell it was hot, since all the kids had no shirts on:)