Summertime

This summer has flown by. I can't believe that we are already starting school again with the kids. Our crazy schedule started the week Timo was in Sweden. The following week, I came down with a week-long stomach bug. Our first round of company arrived the first day I felt decent after being sick.
We had a wonderful time with them. He was Timo's childhood best friend, and it had been five years since our families had seen one another. That means that AJ was just a baby when we saw them last. K was only two.

Two days after they left, we were on our way to Chicago to visit my family. We all gathered at a hotel there, and we struggled to catch up with everyone in our multitude during the all-too-short 5-day vacation.

Our next round of visitors was set to arrive two days after we returned from Chicago, but flight delays translated into an arrival the following day. These were two of my wonderful friends visiting all the way from Sweden. What a wonderful time we had. I shared many cultural experiences with them as well as taking them out into the hot, dry climate around here -- so much different than Sweden!

I was sad to see them leave, but the following weekend, my parents arrived for a short visit. They brought my grandmother's hope chest and two of my grandfather's paintings, all precious possesions more because of the sentimental value than the intrinsic value. It was great to see them again, even though we had just visited in Chicago. Since there were fewer people around, I felt we had more time together during their short stay than we had during the 5 days in the Windy City.

After my parents left, I settled down to try to get into a routine and prepare for the upcoming schoolyear. I love having company, but it is nice to be just our family again.

Peach Preserves



My first batch of peach jam

My in-laws recently visited and brought us about 20 lbs of peaches. I love fresh peaches, and I was drooling over these. However, our family can only eat so many before they start to go bad. I have always wanted to try my hand at making preserves, but I was always intimidated by the process. With so many peaches, I decided it was now or never.

I knew I needed jars, pectin, and some basic tools, so I took advantage of a rare solo trip to WallyWorld to peruse their selection of canning supplies. Fortunately, a nice older lady shopped nearby and willingly answered some of my questions. She was so sweet, and I came home with everything I needed to get started.







My second batch of jam included vanilla,
organic agave nectar, cinnamon, and cloves

My first batch of peach jam tasted so good that my jam-detesting daughter devoured almost a whole jar with the help of her brothers right off the bat. I had doubled the recipe but forgot to double the pectin, so it was thin. That didn't stop my kids from indulging. They finished all four jars within the week. My next batch was proportioned correctly, and they helped polish off a jar of that as well.


Processing the jam



My third batch included some frozen organic strawberries I had purchased at half-price with good intentions, but no concrete plans. Given my children's history in jam-eating, I didn't even fully process two of the jars since I knew I could put them in the fridge and finish them before the three-week devour-by date arrived. I was right. I made it today, and the first jar is almost gone.

Strawberry Peach Jam

If I had known how easy the process really is, I would have tried this a long time ago. For now, my family is enjoying Mom's new hobby. Now excuse me, I need to go buy more peaches.