Deseret Book

A friend emailed me a link and I thought someone might be interested in this. I LOVE to read and this gives me a great opportunity to read some books that i don't have. Hope you enjoy it too. Deseret Book

time to myself

I have been lucky these past 2 days and have been sick, so i have stayed hidden in my room and spent some time surfing and reading LOTS of blogs. They included many different subjects, crafting, decorating, sewing, friends pages, heath, exercise and the list goes on. I was able to take some notes about things i want to do and be reminded of projects waiting in the wings. But most of all i was able to reflect on the things that have happened in my life. I come from a line of strong women, a few that have lost their husbands and been a lone for a long time, some that have struggled with health problems for the majority of their lives, but all of them taught me many valuable lessons both by example and stories told me by their children. I feel as though i have a treasure chest of information about who i am and what i come from. I have very few tangible things to remind me of the values and substance of who these woman were, but i have many objects that i inherited at their passing and those things stand for many lessons i have learned at their hands.

First off is my grandma Yvonne. Such an amazing lady. Her house was always immaculate, wish i could be more like her that way. She was the first one, I remember, to put her arms around me and truly listen to my heart and understand my struggles, then tell me that having kids as close as i have was difficult and she knew i could do it. Then proceeded to tell me about her children, which includes my mom. At one point i was given 4 green ducks that i have cherished. She likened the ducks to being a mother and how each of our children have their own agency and personality. Her pep talks were so loving.

She was also very creative, i don't know if i realized how much until i was much older and realized that there were many people that are not creative. She taught me that nothing was impossible, you just do it, and so we did. She taught me how to crochet, knit, quilt/piece by hand, create things out of nothing, like lampshades, pillows, and how to decorate and set tables, wrap presents perfectly. She also oil painted, read, played the piano and organ and loved to hear me play, braided rugs from old clothing, cross stitched, redid furniture, and anything else she thought might be enjoyable, nothing stood in her way. She taught my mom these skills, who taught me, and i am now teaching my daughter. I am so grateful for her creative spirit, it drives me. It makes me be alive. As i was searching through blogs i saw MANY projects that she has already done at some time in her life. Bookcases with fabric/decorative paper/wood at the back, repurposing furniture, shopping her own home, keys in frames, large frames as shadow boxes, fancy decorative mirrors in the bathroom. Im sure i could go on but my brain has stopped. I am very blessed.

soccer

Another one of our pastimes is watching soccer, basketball or whatever Nate chooses to play. Last year he started playing for a comp soccer team and loves it. This year our team changed clubs, thus a uniform change as well. He wasn't too sure about the red at first but the socks sucked him in. If you look at them they have an X across the back and he thought that was great. He plays left wing and center mid or forward. He is happy just being on the field. He is getting more confident every game, which also means more aggressive. Sometimes its justified but sometimes he looks like he is playing football with T.

He has had a hard time trying contacts, so we got him some sports goggles that have transition lenses so for outdoor they are sunglasses, he loves that, but hates to wear them cause he sweats. After many disagreements with mom, and a few balls kicked in his face, and his glasses nearly falling off when running and i'm sure there are others, he finally puts them on faithfully. It's nice to be appreciated for something, even if it is pointing out the obvious (some of us don't see the obvious as soon as others).

Nate has learned so much with this team. I am so proud of him for his efforts in getting better. He is constantly asking someone to go practice with him. He has really learned to LOVE soccer.

T's team won the Regional Championship game Saturday at Davis High. They are the first Syracuse Bantum team to ever win this title. He is just a bit excited :) It was a close game and one dad and I had to leave early to get to Nate's game late. As we were leaving, the last 30 seconds of the game, our team scored 2 points on a safety, they tackled Kaysville's QB in the endzone while he had possession of the ball, right? Did i get all my football terms correct? Im still learning that too. We won, 14-12 and will be playing as the top team in the mini bowl. Lots of excitement at our house.

Thomas in football

So i am new to this and learning. I spent a few hours creating a post with pics and stories and published it and now its gone GGRRR, so im starting over finally and hope to get lots done.

This is Thomas' first year playing football. When the boys were younger i was so worried about them playing, they were so tiny, but once they turned 12 i said fine, but no one took me up on it until this year. He was so excited to play, and had a few muscles to boot. I am so proud of him for trying something new, he likes to stick with the tried and true favorites, but this year he got out there and is trying hard. We are way impressed.

Because it was his first year, the city decided to play him down a league/age group. He was within the weight limits so they recommended we do it, and we did. After many weeks of grueling practices the first game comes. He is already to tackle and smash his opponents, game day approaches and all players must weigh in. He is 4 lbs over weight. Everyone, coaches, city officials and parents are all dumb founded. This kid is not that big, but the scale doesn't lie, so T is not allowed to play the first game of the season. The only hope he has is to loose 4 lbs, that is ALL he see's. He was in near tears. The mommma bear comes out in me and i was on a mission to get him moved up because I was having none of this weight issue for a 14 year old growing boy, did i mention he is 5'9" and shorter than many of the boys on the team? Because he was older, he had to remain in the weight limit. Long story short, we get him to move teams and he got to play, but we had to get a new shirt and name put on it, thus the different number this year as well as a no name shirt.

Summer canning

I am one of those crazy people that still cans in this world. I don't really do it for the cost as much as the taste. One night my daughter had been playing with friends and she came home with fresh green beans picked from her friends garden, with the instructions on how to cook them for dinner. We had long since run out of home canned/grown green beans, but i had some store bought ones, so i added them to our dinner. The store bought ones looked brown compared to the lovely fresh green ones. I was so disappointed. I am a canner purely because of the taste.

Last year summer was not as kind to me as i would have liked, thus i did not do any canning or gardening, weeding etc. In all appearances you could say i was on strike for all outdoors activities. It started out really well. I planted 9 tomato plants, because i LOVE home grown tomatoes, but when my health crashed, so did the garden. I had my kids helping with the weeding and one of my beloved boys used round up on the weeds on the borders and didn't know about overspray or the consequences of spraying that close. Needless to say, i think i might have had 1 plant survive, i don't remember, but his efforts made me smile.

This year i planned to double my efforts from last year. So far this summer, i have canned many quarts of applesauce, 37 quarts of spaghetti sauce, and now 19 quarts of green beans. I had quite a few peaches and pears left over, so i didnt make any this year. I also did some strawberry jam back in April I think. YUUMMMMM these are my all time favorite things to eat when canned at home, not by the store, and the foods i will continue to process as long as my body can handle it. I also like to do salsa, but not sure it will get done this year. We have been making a lot of fresh salsa and the 2 just don't compare and i am becoming a salsa snob. I also have frozen some peppers and plan to do more, and hopefully some green beans again, soon. WOW, it looks so much more impressive when you write it all down. Pics will come when i am more awake.

I have also decided it is not worth keeping my own garden for the quantity of canning. I will plant a few of my favorites, but that will be all. I just don't have a ton of space right now. There is a local farm here that lets you pick your own veggies and charges by the box. Their tomatoes were HUGE and took much less time to peel, core, skin and squeeze than my own.

5 more minutes until green beans are done ...im going to bed...