I never thought it would happen!

So thanksgiving was super fabulous. We had it up at my mom's house and the whole gang was there. Jake and the brothers started to finish a bathroom downstairs. They worked hard, but I think they secretly had a blast doing it. We had a great time eating and playing. Friday morning was good fun. I got some good deals that were exciting. (I'm not a shopaholic but I like a good shopper's high once and a while.)

But anyway the thing that I never thought would happen is that I have longer hair than all my sisters, mom and sister-in-law. I never thought it would happen. For those who aren't amazed at this amazing feat, I haven't had long hair much in my life. I was a pretty big tomboy. I don't know how many times I have been called a boy, especially when trying to go to the bathroom. I was forced to get my ears pierced when I started 4-H so the judge wouldn't call me a boy.

I really never thought I would have the longest hair. It's really kind of fun. I hope it lasts for a few more months. Of course I forgot the camera to document it, but my sisters can attest (right?) This doesn't even come close to being the prettiest one but it's just nice to know that once I had longer hair than them. I don't know some kind of sign of womanhood or something.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Unofficially Official

So I am unofficially done canning. We have some apples in our garage that I have been wanting to disappear but they haven't. So on Saturday we made Red Hot Apples!! It's a new recipe that I hope will make plain old oatmeal delicious! It worked great to get rid of the apples, the only problem was that in order to finish the batch we needed more apples. So we got a whole other bushel of apples- what was I thinking!!! So now instead of being officially done, I now have to come up with something to do with the rest of them. The good part is they are good big red delicious and don't have worms, but bad part is, I WANTED TO BE DONE CANNING FOR

THE YEAR!! The other bad part is that we have ZERO quarts left (I even bought some new ones this year). So would anybody like some good apples for quick consumption or canning or whatever?

So here is the grand total of canning in 2009, I have to say it has been a great year of canning. I tried lots of new recipes, learned how to do pears much easier (thanks, Tayn) and didn't call my mom for questions as much.

Applesauce: 48 quarts
Beans:92 pints
Beet Greens: 4 pint bags
Corn: 50 pint bags
Dill Pickles: 20 quarts
Dilly Beans: 26 pints
Fancy Corn: 6 pints
Grape Juice: 5 quarts
Peaches: 56 quarts
Pears: 48 quarts
Peas: 8 pint bags
Pickled Red Beets: 11 pints
Red Beets: 20 pints

Red Hot Apples: 21 quarts
Salsa: 6 pints
Sweet pickle slices: 8 pints
Sweet Pickles: 11 quarts
Sweet Relish: 15 pints
Tomato juice: 28 quarts
Whole Tomatoes: 25 quarts

Grand Total of 262 quarts and 246 pints. So I used 508 flats and 40-50 batches in the hot water bath canners and pressuer cookers. We have also dehydrated tons of apples, a whole 5 gallon bucket full.

Some of my most favorite sounds and smells are the "pop" of a jar sealing, and the smell of a sharpy when I get it out to write the year on top of each jar. It makes me feel like I have done something good for my family. I couldn't have done so much without the help of Jake, he is so supportive and helpful, and I think he kind of likes it too. And my super friend Lesli we always do peaches and pears together and I know if I am out of flats I can run and borrow some from her.

I am excited to be done for the winter and start updating the scrapbooks,

that's my winter hobby.

The Late Halloween Post

I know, I'm super late. I have no excuse I just haven't been driven to post lately. Sorry folks, I will repent and do better. So Halloween isn't my favorite holiday, I don't want to spend money on costumes, so we don't really. Hence the not so great costumes. But however my kids still feel great and don't like face paint anyway. And get this, Kelli didn't want any make-up on her face when she was a pixie. Kelli was three things for Halloween. At one party she was a cotton ball which is what she wanted to be all along, but for school she got worried that she couldn't use the bathroom without help so for school she was a pixie, and by Halloween she wanted to be a witch. More like it is she wanted to wear the witch hat and broom but be able to walk as fast as she could to the next house, without difficulty. Shown here is the pixie, I guess I didn't take a cotton ball, that was the cutest.

Derek is a fabulous ninja turtle! He loved it and I love his pose!

Brady was a tiger and didn't really care, but I think he noticed the candy part.

The carving of the pumpkins, more like mom and dad care 5 pumpkins and Kelli and Derek try not go get 'slimy'. But Brady loved the slim and played in the pumpkins so great, he had fun stuffing spoons down them and getting all messy.

I forgot one thing

I forgot to post some pictures of the little squirt when he was teeny weeny. You can oooh and aaah all you want, he's just so cute!

Just born!

Coming home!

Bilirubin Lights. No fun.

Blessing day!

Brady's First Birthday!

Brady had is big birthday! I can't believe that he's already a year old. He is definitely loved by his brother and sister. Had to educate him on how to open presents.

Brady didn't have a clue what to do with the birthday candle so Grandma Ripp was helping him.

Brady didn't like his hands getting sticky from the cake and wanted us to help him. Once we turned it over he did better but he still didn't want to touch it. Are we creating an issue, or just emotional baggage?

Happiness is birthday cake!

His favorite drink!

It's common knowledge that boxes are as much fun as the toys that they come with.

This is Brady and his cousin Avery they were born two weeks apart. The hair is such a contrast.

Brady is starting to take lots of steps around the house. He looks like a zombie, it's cute. He is such a happy easy going guy. He has a knock-out smile and great blue eyes. We are glad he's in our family and hope can't wait to see what else he is going to do.

As I am posting this he and Derek are playing 'chase' around our island in the kitchen. Derek loves to play with him, and Brady loves it most of the time too.