If I were Eve.....

Ok, If I were Eve and I was asked to take a bite of an apple I would have said, " Are you crazy? I just canned 34 pints of these things!!! Plus more in the food drier! I never want to see another apple as long as I live!!!" And that would be a long, long time!! If I was to be temped by anything......maybe a chocolate covered strawberry.

I THOUGHT it would be fun to can a bunch of apples for future pies, apple crisps, etc. Nathan picked 4 bags for me and I got started. By looking at the apple trees though you can't even tell that Nathan picked a single apple. So I get started and find out I don't have enough lids. So off to Walmart. While processing my 4th batch Emily comes home and wants a pizza. So she sticks one in the microwave and sets the timer. I was using the timer for the water bath as well. The timer goes off and she pulls out her pizza and I pull out the jars. I'm thinking....wow that went by fast. Then realized what happened. They were only in there for about 10 mins. Some of them did seal but the rest I had to reprocess.

Will we really go through 34 pints of apples?......I don't know. But I can tell you that I will NOT be canning anymore apples this year. I didn't even get through all the apples Nathan picked for me. Maybe next year when I have forgotten all about this.

BTW....if anyone needs any apples...I have tons....still on the tree :)

OMG.....What is that noise???

It's late at night and I'm surfing the Internet......in the dark. There is no noise but the sound of the ceiling fan when I hear this slosh, slosh , slosh sound. What is that noise and where is it coming from? And there is Doc hanging over the toilet drinking. I don't think (at least I never caught her before) doing this. She has a food and water dish. What makes the toilet so special? Anyway......I thought it was a funny picture and a very weird thing for Doc to do. Steve said from now on all seats are DOWN!!!

BTW.......just in case you needed to know....it was clean water :)

Overconsumption of salsa

This is what I've been doing for the last couple of days........making salsa and lots of it. I keep thinking this year will be the year that I'll be able to make at least 6 months worth. But I don't know if it's physically possible for one human being to accomplish such an impossible task.... Especially with this household. So I am trying but I seem to be as guilty as other family members and all their billions of friends. I eat way too much of it and I felt it at the gym today. I swear it was as if it was coming out of my pores.

So I continue to make the addicting stuff. Steve calls and asks how the salsa making is going. I say fine and he asks, " are you eating too much of it?" Nope :) Ha ha!!!!

The birthday slave done good!!!

I have to say that the "birthday slave" gave me a wonderful birthday!!! After I opened up my gifts Steve went to Walkers and bought me a HUGE diet coke and a maple bar. Breakfasts just don't get much better than that!!! Then we went shopping.......clothes shopping. Yep.....I have some new clothes!!! It is so, so nice!! And it was so fun. We had a yummy (that word is for Maureen) lunch at Red Lobster and ate till we couldn't move. Went to Costco to get steaks to bar-b-q that night. Steve also made my cake. He was determined to make 2 round ones and stack them on top of each other. He did a great job. I did help him though in turning on the oven and setting the timer :)

I also got a cool homemade card from Jaron that I will treasure for a long time. He is now district leader in his area. He will do great!!!

So we ended the day with a bar-b-q and Christopher, Lesa and Maddox came over and ate with us. It was a fun day and now the "birthday slave" is free for another year!!!!

Happy Birthday to me.

You have to see this. Steve sent this to me on my facebook page. I know the Peck side of the family would really appreciate this. Enjoy!!!

Lazy, rainy sunday

Today the whole family is doing absolutely nothing. There's no church (cuz of the Temple dedication), it's pouring down rain and everyone is still in their pajamas. I think it's heaven!!!

I also wanted to post the latest picture we got this week from Jaron. He's still on Oahu and he's in a banyan tree. Cool huh? I want my picture in that tree......in that tree with Jaron :)

Also Emily made it through her first (partial) week of junior high and absolutely loved it!! That's a big relief to me and she's all signed up for dance. She'll be dancing around 10 hours a week but she loves it!! And Nathan is still looking for a job. He's put out around 40 resumes and nothing yet. I do feel bad for him but maybe something will come soon.....hope..hope...hope.

I am off to watch a movie, eat chips and salsa and maybe some zucchini bread....enjoy :)

Here is the recipe of my mom's salsa. I have made 6 batches so far and don't have much to show for it. Last year I made around 18 batches and it only lasted through December so I have my work cut out for me. Jaron made me promise that there would be some in the house when he got off his mission in December so there will be some serious hiding going on here. But I will be constantly making the stuff through the middle of September. So wish me luck!!!

MOM'S FAMOUS AND ADDICTING SALSA

12 Cups peeled, seeded tomatoes cut in pieces

3 Large onions, diced

1/2 Cup diced Jalapeno peppers or1/2 Jar Mrs Renfros Jalapeno peppers, dice

5 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Cups Chopped Green Peppers

1 - 4 oz can green chili's

1 - 12 oz can Tomato Paste

1 Tblsp salt

1/4 Cup sugar

3/4 Cup vinegar

2 Tblsp dried cilantro

1 Tblsp Mexican Mix (optional)

Pack in sterilized pint jars, and process according to canning directions for tomatoes.

Makes 9 pints.

MEXICAN MIX

1/2 Tblsp Coriander

1 Tblsp Cumin

2 Tblsp dried Parsley

1 Tblsp dried Oregano

1 Tblsp Onion flakes

1 Bay leaf

1 Tblsp Whole red peppers

1/4 Teasp Garlic Powder

2 Tblsp dried Cilantro

1 Teasp Celery Seed

Mix in blender until well blended. Store in dry place.

First Day of Jr. High

Today is Emily's first day of school and first day of junior high and I'm a nervous wreck. I remember junior high and it's not the best of memories so I hope (and pray) that they are great days and years for her. She is nervous too but I know she'll do great!! I will keep everyone update on how it goes but she is a tough and smart girl and I think she will breeze through this. As for me......not so tough.

We're back

After 10 hours of driving in the car we are home. My head is still vibrating and feeling kinda fuzzy. We had so much fun and it was a blast seeing little Kingston. Jerry and Maureen made us feel so welcome at their house and Timothy and Jessica are awesome parents!!! Here are some fun and funny pictures that I didn't put on the blog yet.

Look at the size of these forks. These guys are really hungry for cake!!!!

Timothy and Nathan did a lot of rough housing and water fights in the pool.

It was so fun seeing Crystal. She is so fun to be around......Cassie too. All my pics of her are on the other computer. I really need to learn how to get everything on one computer.

Yes....I am in a swim suit. It's been over 5 years but I'm in the pool. Picture to prove it!!!

I love Alexie's face in this pic. She cracks me up!!

It was so fun seeing Timothy and Jess and Kingston!!! We had a great time hanging out with family and just having fun!!!

Sorry if this blog sounds a little off. My brain is still feeling very fuzzy!

Kingston's blessing

Today was Kingston's big day. He received his baby blessing and Timothy did an awesome job. Kingston did so good and didn't make a peep. He is such a good and adorable little guy and I couldn't hold him enough. We all got our turns holding him and tons of pictures were taken. We are ALL so happy that we were able to come and see them. So here are some of the pictures we took.

University Falls and the loss of the glasses

Yesterday a bunch of the family hiked to University Falls.  I didn't go but I think I've got the whole story of the days adventure.  It was over a 2 mile hike round trip.  But from what I hear they all had a blast.  The water was ice cold coming out of the mountains.  They all took turns going down the falls.  Even Emily.  They pictures are out of order but you get the idea.  Steve lost his glasses not once but twice.  The first time Nathan borrowed some ones goggles  and found them.  Nathan was praised up and down for finding them.  So Steve put them in his pocket so they would be safe.   And they were for a while till they decided they were ready to hike back.  Steve put his glasses back on and Emily decided to go down the falls one more time.  She went down and needed help out of the water so Steve jumped in........with his glasses on.  That's when they disappeared for good.  Nathan tried to look for them again but they were gone for good.  So today we are going to Walmart to have an eye exam and getting some contacts.   But for now.....Steve is bumping into walls and is as blind as a bat.

California!!! We're here!!!

I am doing this blog on Steve's laptop and I have no idea how to arrange the pictures or use half the keys on it. I could ask Steve how to work his computer but since he lost his glasses at the waterfalls today......he's as blind as a bat (that will be tomorrows blog). So I'm going to leave the pictures in the order they are in and just type. After a 10 hour drive (9 hours of it through road construction) we arrived at Jerry and Maureen's house. Their home is so welcoming and relaxing that we just made ourselves at home. We had a "yummy" dinner and the kids went swimming in their pool.



Timothy and Jess also came over with Kingston. I can't believe how much he's grown since the last time we saw him. He's such a cute little guy.
So till tomorrow and the full story of the waterfalls trip and the lost glasses........good night :)

Fun Reunion

Today I was blessed to have lunch with one of my high school friends. It's been 26 years. We went to girls camp together and she was also in my wedding line. We did a lot of hanging out in our teenage years. We lost contact with each other and then when we were living in Hawaii we connected through Christmas cards and then lost contact again. Then through facebook.......we reunited. You gotta love facebook!!! Shelli was in town so we met for lunch. We sat and talked for 3 hours and talked about our lives for the last 26 years. I know I could have talked for longer. Shelli is an incredible woman and mother and hopefully it won't take us another 26 years to reunite again. It better not!!!

Run Lori Run!!!

I just want to first say is that I am NOT a runner by nature. I don't enjoy it and in fact, I find it quite boring. But I have been trying to get "in shape" since last March. When I first went on the elliptic (?) climber I did a mile in 20 min. I just about gave up right there cuz I was so totally worn out and couldn't move. I started going to the gym every day and working out and I was feeling exhausted the whole rest of the day and wouldn't get much done. It was discouraging! So then I changed it to 3 mornings a week. I set a goal to run a 5k in June. My body rebelled and I had to distract myself with loud, fast moving music in my ipod. If my head was being pounded with loud music it distracted from the pain in my legs from running. I succeeded in my goal and now I'm setting a bigger one........10k. It will take me months and months to get ready for that but I figure....what's the rush. The most I've ran so far is 5 miles and it was really boring but I kept playing my fast pace music. Hopefully by next spring I will be ready. If you know how to be entertained while you run....let me know.

Changes in Life

This may be a totally boring post but I have been thinking..... Wednesday we went and saw Jess and Kingston. Christopher, Lesa and Maddox were there too. I love holding my grandsons but I looked into their eyes and I realize.....this is the next generation!!! My life has (and still is) been so involved with my kids that I didn't really see beyond that much. And now here is Maddox and Kingston...the beginning of the next generation. I see a great hope for the future because of them and the love their parents have for them.

Changing into different stages in your life makes you think a lot. I don't think I like the growing old stuff but I love the benefits of getting "old".

Meeting Kingston!

This is going to be mainly a picture blog. But let me just say.......I am in love again with another man. Kingston is so full of personality. I love his facial expressions!!..he makes me smile. And he is such a beautiful little guy. Jess is such a great mom!! So here is the picture show.....

We had such a fun visit and it was fun getting Kingston and Maddox together. I know they will never remember this but we took tons of pictures for the two of them to look at when they get older. We all love you Kingston!!!