Canning

So I canned my first batch of peaches.  We haven't tried them yet, so I hope they turned out good.  I didn't have a big enough pot so since the cans had to be emerged in water I flipped them upside down.  They all sealed, so it worked.  Just hope they taste fine when we open one.  :)  I am like my mother and like to cut corners sometimes, I didn't follow a recipe either.  :)  I do however remember when I use to help my mom can when I was younger.  Oh the fond memories of peeling the peaches and then helping pour the sugar water in the can.  

I also have a thing for making freezer strawberry jam.  It's so fun!  And when I get a lot of fruit I can't help but make jam.  We got tons of peaches from our neighbors across the street.  So I made peach freezer jam. I still have some frozen peaches I could use to make more jam.  My kids favorite jam is the strawberry jam.  So next time they are on sale I want to get a ton and make more jam.  :)

My next project will be to make homemade salsa.  Now for some tomatoes and jalapenos.  My Visiting Teacher gave me some tomatoes and said she'd give me some jalapenos.  But we had to use the tomatoes so they wouldn't go bad.  I think a few of them went bad though.  :(

I need to find some kind of salsa that uses zucchini, we have some frozen zucchini in our freezer and some more growing in our garden.  :)  It's so fun to say that.  Our garden.  I hope I can have a successful garden again next year.   Speaking of our garden, I think we have a few tomatoes growing.  :)  We weren't as successful with those.  Hopefully next time as well.

My little artists

Kids love to create.  They love to make things and are curious about so many things.  Look at that little guy, trying to paint his body, and then the camera. LOL.  My sweet little children.  They bring so much joy to my life.    I need to stop trying to control things so much that I don't let them create and try new things.  I need to let them use their creative sides more.  I use to do more crafts and fun art projects.
Where did that side of me go?  I am hoping to get that person back.  Maybe once I get over this nasty cold I've had for ever.  I keep hoping I'll be over it so I can be more fun and creative.  Lets hope that that day will be today!  I'll feel better and start getting into schooling more.  Teaching and letting them teach themselves.  

Judging a book by it's cover...You NEVER know what's inside until you pick it up and read it.

  So our first (Official) week or so of school has been going pretty well.  We've only had one child, on the first day, freak out cause they didn't want to do book work.  But other than that and me being sick, the kids are doing really well.  I however, have been sick for the past 2 weeks.  It's not just one sickness, NO, it's been one thing after another.  I'm trying to stay positive and keep on swimming, but some days I feel so Uggh, that it makes everything seem dark and lonely.
  Well, so my 5 y/o has been wanting me to take him on a date.  He had a chance, about a month ago, but chose another prize, and let his other sibling go instead.  Since then I've been so sick and not up to going out, that I kept putting his date off.  He felt so bad last week, when I canceled on him, that this week I decided to take him to see a $ movie.  I felt that since I was sick, that was the safest thing to do, to avoid tons of people. And we could get McDonalds on the way there.
  Anyway, I'm not 100% certain, but while we were on our date, and while we were waiting in the foyer for the movie to start, (K was gonna pass the time playing on the game machines they have there.  Well, of course he got bored pretty fast.  But didn't want to wait in the car.  We had finished our meal in the car before going in the theater, and K didn't wanna stay in the car any longer), I of course checked my phone.  My sisters had messaged me on FB and I was reading their comments.  While reading my comments I heard the lady that worked there say, "Get off your phone, honey".  Now, if I wasn't feeling so sick, (did I mention my ears have been plugged?) and out of it, I probably would've turned around to see who she was talking to, and then told her off.  Well, if she was talking to me, I would have gave her a piece of my mind. Or told her off as well as I could have being sick. But, now that I am thinking about it, I'm pretty sure she was talking to/about me.  And now that I am realizing it, I have a whole bunch I wish I could say to her.
  Yes, I could go back and see if she is working, and show her my 5 kids and me dealing with them all by myself.  And maybe, explain my whole life situation so she won't be so judgmental towards me.  But I'll just rant on here, and then I'm sure I'll feel much better.  :)

  Anyways, I'll write a few examples of things I would like that lady to know.  

  To the Lady at the Dollar Theater...
Yes, to you, it probably looks like my son and I don't speak much.  To you it probably looks like I'm always checking my phone.  But do you know what has really gone on?  Did you see me struggling with my 5 kids these past couple of weeks, teaching them in our home, getting them to do their work and not fight with each other?   Feeding them, and dressing them.  Making sure they are all well. All while I'm feeling so sick, and emotionally and physically tired.   Every day having my children say, "Can we go to the park?", "When are you gonna take me on a date?", "Can we go to the dollar store?".  Each time I have to respond, "I'm too sick", "I don't feel well", and "Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow and I'll take you".  Among many other responses.  But today, I felt really bad, and I really did want to spend 1 on 1 time with my 5 year old.  So I told him I'll take him to a movie.  While my body felt like staying in, staying warm, and getting rest, so I can get better.  So you see, I forced myself out the door, took him to McDonald's, bought him that happy meal he's been wanting.  Got to the theater earlier than expected so we finished our dinner in the car.  Only checking my phone to see if it was time to go in.  Of course with the attention span of a 5 y/o he was ready and excited to go in.  I told him we had tons of time, but he insisted.  So we went inside.  He looked at the games, got bored of them quickly, while I used the restroom, had a coughing fit and waited. And here we are, waiting for the movie.  I check my phone.  My son and I with minimal conversations.  (What is there to talk about with a 5 year old?  Especially in public.)  So you see, we have many times, in closed doors, and a few in public where we talk. All electronics aside.  I am with him and his siblings 24 hours a day.  7 days a week.  The only time I get completely alone is if I'm on a Girls night for a couple of hours, or when I send my kids to Church for 2 hours.  Now, can I ask you, do you think I'm always checking my phone?

  Ok, that is my long, only in my head response.  :)  That is what I would love to say to anyone who looks at me and even thinks, she should get off her phone and spend time with that kid.

  So for a more condensed version.

  Lady, I am a mother of 5, I do home school.  This is my few seconds and rare mins I have to check my messages/phone.  I've been sick, but felt bad that my 5 y/o didn't get his date with me last week.  So knowing I could avoid crowds, and to have less contact with people, we came here, to see a movie together and spend some time, alone. I'd rather be at home, warm and getting better.  But my son is very important to me and I want him to know I love him.

  That's still probably more than what I would have said.  I probably would have just stared blankly, not knowing what to say, and then would have said something like, "Huh?", then stammered something like, "Oh ya, I try not to look at my phone, especially while out with my kids." "I've got 5 kids, so it's kinda hard to check my phone while I'm out and about".

  Oh well, who knows exactly what I would have said.  But just realizing that she might have been talking to me gets me really bugged.  Please, when you are in public and see a mother on her phone.  Don't be to quick to judge.  You don't know her story.  She probably has been through hell.  You can't be the judge.  Just love her, offer her help, especially if she's shopping with 3+ kids.  Love her before you judge her.  Or him. :)  Being a parent is tough, even before cell phones etc.  :)  Or should I say especially before. LOL  I am truly grateful for our modern world.  I can only imagine how hard it was being a parent/mother before we had pinterest, email, cell phones.  Even before microwaves, vehicles, running water, heaters!!! CHORE MONSTER, etc., etc., etc!!  I LOVE my kids and I am truly blessed to be able to stay home with them, to teach them and spend all my time with them.  They are my life.  I am so grateful to my husband, who works his butt off, so I can be home with my 5 munchkins.  Thanks Hubby!

  Thanks for letting me rant... or at least reading my rant.  It's definitely a 1st world problem.  But like all people, and all countries, we need to stop judging, and just love!

That is all.  Good night!