Willow is walking!!!

(I've tried to post a video 4 times now, and I am officially giving up for tonight- sorry Mom! I'll try again tomorrow.)

But, yes, Willow started walking today- by herself, for more than a step or two. She walked down most of the hallway eariler today, I'm guessing about 15-20 steps, and then I got a few steps on video, which I'll try to post later. It was so adorable to see her skinny legs holding her up! I couldn't believe it!
(She's been walking for a long time, holding onto someone or something, but today was the first real day of walking! More to come...

What makes me deliriously happy...

I am ashamed to admit how many hours of my life have been spent watching this show. I literally have watched seasons 1-5 AT LEAST 10 times through, need I remind you that there are 5 disks for every season, so 25 x 10 That's 250 eposodes! That's a lot, my friends- but it brings me more happiness than I can even begin to describe. Almost all of that has been done when the kids were asleep, so I'm not neglecting them, I promise!
So, you can imagine that I've been waiting for season 6 like an insain woman, who could blame me right? I've needed new material! I knew it was going to cost a few dollars, so I started saving a little bit here & there to make it a little less painful at the check out stand. Sure enough, there I was at Wal Mart, Tuesday morning at 8:10 AM price matching Target's ad and I got it for almost $ 10.00 cheaper! Yeah! So, I'm on my 2nd round now, (yes I finished it in just a few days)and loving it! Oh, how I love bed time...

I am going to be busy...

This is just the latest batch of fruit, so needless to say, you know what I'll be doing the next few weeks! I'm not sure what it is about canning that brings out the wild, compulsive lunitic in me, but it does! I'm a crazy lady and I know it! Who takes 7 trips out to the orchard & the pear factory in a week? I'm head over heals in love is all I can say, and it doesn't even make a lot of sense. Canning kicks your butt! Talk about the longest,hottest, most exausting days of your life- with blisters, fruit flies and orange stained hands to prove it. it amazes me really. The house falls apart and you have no idea what the kids are doing, but you don't even care because you are in a fruit induced coma. You start to lose it after about 8 hours straight and you make your husband pick up pizzas because you have no intention of making dinner for your famlily. Your floor is covered with a sugary mess, you have fruit all over your clothes and stuck in your hair, but at the end of the day when you see rows of jars filled with fresh peaches that you & your family picked- it's all worth it. It's simply beautiful.

At the orchard with the cousins...

I heard that Aunt Ellen & the cousins were coming down from Idaho City to go to the orchard, so we wanted to go and hang out for awhile! We met them there and helped get a few peaches loaded for them to take back. Trav was able to get another batch for us too, and they were BEAUTIFUL!

83 quarts of peaches so far...

This week I've been canning peaches, it's been a slow week, but i've done 83 quarts so far. My goal is 100, so I'll finish up in the next few days. Then it will be pears, which works out great because they still need awhile to ripen. It's been a long week with 7 trips out to the orchard, but it's been nice to help the church, get extra for friends & family and be able to can a few for us too!

Green Beans= 30 pints
Triple berry jam= 16 pints

At the orchard with Angie...

The other day, Angie & I took the little girls out to the orchard to get apples & pears. It was impossible to keep Angie off the ladder- did I mention she's 8 months pregnant? Silly girl. We had fun and I can't wait to make applesauce soon!

*** Annikan & Lisa, I'm SO sorry I forgot to take pictures when we were there the day before!!

Picture day...

Tristin & Daisy had picture day at school on Friday, so I got aa few shots before they left.

What is it with my girls and plastic bags???

I wish I knew how to explain this, but I can't.

Look at this beauty...

Last year before canning season, I bought a triple burner from Costco, but was sadly disappointed in it. It didn't distribute the heat evenly, thus making a triple burner a double burner. Sadly, I returned it to Costco, knowing the following year I would have to buy a new one. Several months ago I began my search for a new one. Being the thrify girl that I am, I wanted a deal, so I started searching craigslist off and on, but with no luck. I ddi end up finding the best deal at Cabela's, if you can believe that! I am LOVING her amazing ability to cook my peaches to perfection and it's wonderful to have the heat and mess outside!
(That's another batch of peaches from earlier in the week.)