Apples, Apples, Apples

My father in law gave me a bunch of apples.

They don't look great but they are wonderful for what I am using them for.  I was so excited to receive them. 

I have a Pampered Chef apple peeler and corer. It makes the job so much easier.  My hubby did the peeler while I did everything else.  That helped so much and saved me some time. Bless his heart.

Now for what I did with those apples.

7 bags diced apples to make apple cinnamon muffins.

3 bags chunky frozen apple sauce.  We like it when it is still a little frozen.

5 bags apple pie/cobbler filling

4 bags chunky red hot apple sauce. 

3 jars of apple butter.  Oh I love this stuff.

I saved a few apples to try to make apple turnovers and I made the most delicious apple cake.  I need a few more to make some candied apples so I have asked my father in law for just a few more.  I am always causing work for my self.  So worth it though in the winter time.

My house smelled like fall.  It was wonderful.

Blessings

Crystal

Bloggers over 40

This week I decided to try something new.  I am linking up to Bloggers over 40.  I am excited to meet new friends.


Blessings

Crystal

Not so nice girls

It is only the 2nd week of school for my youngest.  She is in 8th grade.  I picked her up from volleyball practice and asked her the normal questions.  How was your day?  Do you have any homework?  How was volleyball practice?  At first it was the normal answers.  My day was good.  I kinda have homework but it is not due until after Labor Day so I just thought I would get started on it.  Volleyball was good.  Then it was I just hate lunch.  This is how our conversation went. And she is crying through this.

Why do you hate lunch?

 I get so tired of being pushed around. 

What do you mean pushed around?

Well I will go to sit down at the table I sit at and some one will say you can't sit there.  So I will go some where else at the same table and sit and they will say this is saved.  So I just go down on the end where no one talks to me.

Why is no body talking to you?

Because all the conversation is the middle of the table.

Oh I see.  So can you just sit at another table?

No it is full every where.  That is what I do when I am on the end I look around and see if there is any where else I can sit and there is not.  And anyway everyone gets mad if you switch tables.   And I just think about things like what homework I have and what things I need to do.

Why do they get mad?

I don't know they just do.

Well how can you fix the situation and what can I do to help?

I just don't know mom.     

I am so sorry this is going on.  One thing we can do is to pray about it every morning before we get you to school.  We will pray that you have the wisdom to handle the situation.  We will pray for a good friend.  We will just pray for a good day together. 

Ok she says.

This just breaks my heart in two.  We have taught all our children to be considerate of peoples feelings, do not leave anyone out, be polite.  We are finding that girls can be the meanest of all.  Why is that?  Are parents not teaching their girls how to treat others?  Are parents treating their kids rudely at home and the kids in turn think they can treat others the same way.  Part of me wants to teach her to be mean and tougher but the other half of me knows that is not the Godly way. 

So how would you handle the situation?  Am I handling it right?  My heart is breaking and I just need a little advice. 

Blessings

Crystal

First Day of Preschool for me

A friend gave me a piece of Dove Dark Chocolate the other day.  One of my favorite chocolates. This is the quote that was in it:  Silence might be golden but laughter is priceless.  I am off to preschool where laughter is abundant. 
 
Hope you have a day filled with laughter.

Blessings

Crystal

crocheting

A while back Danielle sent me crotchet items in our sister swap.  I taught myself with some instructions she sent.  I just love it.  This is my first one.  It is suppose to be a dish cloth.  Pretty funny huh.

This is my second one.  Better but still trying to figure it all out.

This blue one I just finished.  I think I am getting pretty good. 

I am making more, I love it.  Then I am going to try to make myself a scarf with this beautiful yarn my sweet oldest daughter bought me.  She gave it to me with a note one day. In short she thanked me for everything and for being a great mom.  Of course I cried and cried.  It is such a blessing when your children get to that place in their life where the appreciate things you have done.  

What crafts do you love doing?  Are you already working on Christmas gifts?

Blessings

Crystal

First Day of School

I am having a very hard time this morning.  It is public schools first day.  I already sent my two college kids off and now it is Courts turn.  I do not start pre-school until Monday.  I am off to a moms breakfast so we can all Boo Hoo together.

My 8th grade girl.

Have a wonderful day.

Crystal

Spreading Their Wings

Two of my babies are at college now.  Alyssa is a Junior and Ryan is a freshman.  Our hearts are a little heavy, the house is way to quite and we are just not sure what to do with ourselves.  Courtney is really having a hard time. She tells her daddy she does not want to be an only child here.  She misses them both so much already.  We have done a lot of crying.  It is so hard to let them spread their wings when you have had them to care for and protect for 18 years.  They are wonderful children and we know they will make good decisions.  Here are a few pictures I took in Ryans dorm room.  He is lucky he does not have a room mate.  I still have to get pictures of Alyssa's house.  Her room mates were there and I did not want to bother anyone. 

View from his window

Another view from his window

No room mate so he has two closets.  Yea

Sink and extra desk.  Bathroom is right across the hall.

Our wonderful girls.  He is planning to bunk his bed and put his desk underneath but has to wait his turn.

Alyssa and Ryan.  My two college kids.

Courtney and Ryan.  Everyone thought she was a college girl.  She is in 8th grade.  Don't rush it.

Ryan and his girl friend Emily

Well that is it.  Maybe I will have pictures later of his completed room.  I sure miss Alyssa and Ryan.  Enjoy your little ones and all the noise and mess that comes with them.  They will soon be finding their own way in the world.

Blessings

Crystal

Mother In Law

Six years ago I received a phone call from my husband while I was attending an In-Service for school.  It was one of those calls you never forget.  I remember the sound of his voice just like it happened yesterday.  He told me my mother-in-law had been life flighted to a hospital.  She was having chest pains.  I told him I was on my way home and would be there soon.  The friend I was with tried to comfort me and drove as fast as she could.  When I got home we had things to figure out.  My husband was on the phone trying to figure out all that was going on.  He said he had talked to mom as she was getting on the helicopter and she said I am fine.  Don't worry.  The hospital she was at was 3 1/2 hours from our house so we packed up and left.  When we got there the doctor said there was nothing he could do.  She was on life support already.  I had to call my oldest who was 14 at the time and was on vacation with a friend  in Florida. That was the hardest thing in the world not be able to hold her and comfort her as she lay sobbing on the floor.  The friends mom she was with did her best but you know it is not the same.  They got her on the first flight they could back home but by the time she got there Grandma was gone.  She was so beside her self.  Her and Grandma had a deep and close relationship.   I think to this day Alyssa still gets mad at herself for being on that trip.  Even when you explain no one could have ever known this would happen.  I miss my mother-in-law so much. Words can not even explain.  She is the one who taught me a lot about cooking, taking care of my babies and just about having fun with family.  I miss her with all my heart and still think of her almost every day.  I think about how proud she would be of her grandchildren and just about all the great family moments.  I struggle with why God took such a wonderful person from our lives.  But I pray about it everyday and ask for wisdom even after 6 years.  I also thank God for the time I had with her and all that I learned from her. I need her and miss her more than ever.  I know I was so lucky to have a great mother-in-law.  A lot of women do not have that.  I hope you can have a good relationships with your mother-in-law.  There is a lot you can learn from them.

Miss you so much mom.

Blessings

Crystal

New Room

Remember the garage sale we had and I said I would have a little surprise for Court.  Well while she was gone to Grandpas my husband and I decided to redo her room.  She has been asking for a while.  No her room does not usually look like this.  I forgot to take pictures before hand.

Kind of embarrassing

This is her room now.  It is not quite finished but this is what the budget allowed with college tuitions due.  I still need to do curtains and I am thinking maybe the drop cloth kind.  And I want to get her name done and put it on the wall behind her bed.  It will just take time. 

This is a wipe off board I made.  I think it turned out pretty cute.

Her brother bought her the giraffe.  Pretty great.

She was beyond surprised.  Her face was priceless.  One of her dreams is to visit Africa one day.  She says she loves it so much.  Yea!! 

Blessings

Crystal

More Canning

This is what my In-laws brought me when they came to pick up my youngest.  She was staying a week with Grandpa.

With all they gave me and things from my garden this is what I ended up with.

Canned jalopenos, salsa, diced tomatos, peaches in jars and in the freezer and peach jam.  We still have a few peaches to eat fresh.  I have a few more jalopens and tomatos to can but the garden is starting to winde down with this terrible hot weather we are having. 

We are so blessed to have all this food for winter.  I love it.

Blessings

Crystal

Quote

My schedule is so crazy right now.  I have been taking in-service classes these last few days for preschool.  I am working on Courts surprise. I have had tons of food to can I will show you pictures later and Alyssa is home so I am trying to spend as much time with her as I can.  But I love this quote so I thought I would leave you with it. 

              Pray everyday that ends in Y.

Don't you just love that.  Have a wonderful Thursday. 


Blessings

Crystal

Garage Sale

Have you ever had a garage sale?  It is hard work.  I have been preparing for mine for a couple of weeks.  We had about 12 big black trash bags full of clothes.  I did not want to do it.  I wanted to take the clothes to the local charity but my youngest daughter was insistent we have one.  So for her I started in.  We priced things together, went to church to borrow tables and got everything ready to go.  We made signs to hang up all over town.  We went around and hung them up Thursday evening and then made it down to the fair grounds for our once a year wonderful, greasy dinner.  It was great.   Any way this last Friday we had our garage sale.  Court got up early with me helped me lug everything out of the garage.  And we sat and waited for people to come.  We talked, we read, we ate, we crotchet, moved things around.  We had a few people but not many. I called my husband later that afternoon when Court had gone in the house for a few minutes telling him I will never do this again here it is afternoon and I have only made $20.00 for all this hard work.  But we talked and said this is mainly for Courtney.  So Court and I sat some more.  That part I did not mind spending the whole day just with her.  My husband came home and said some of the signs were missing and some were curled up so you could not even see the address.  Oh this darn humidity.  We made some new signs and got back in the car to fix and hang up new signs.  He was right, no wonder I hardly had anyone stop by.  Ok that was done so we had dinner and guess what we did?  We went back to the fair grounds for a funnel cake.  Oh I was in heaven and now my arteries are all clogged from my food choices this week. But it was wonderful. Saturday morning we all got up and set it all up again.  This time we had a lot of people, yea.  It is so fun to meet people and talk to them.  You just learn so much about people in town who stop by.  I did like that part of the garage sale also.  Well in the end we got rid of a lot of stuff and the rest I donated.  It is a great feeling to get the stuff out of the garage.  We made enough money to buy school supplies and a little surprise for Court I will show you later.  I am working on it now as she went to spend a week with her Grandpa.  I don't want to have a garage sale for a very long time but that time with Court was priceless. 

Blessings

Crystal