Listen to that voice...

I am really the most blessed mother on the planet. I have the best sleepers known to man and when girlfriends start talking about their nights up at all hours, I just lower my head and back my way into a corner because I really have no clue what they are talking about ( I do, but maybe only 6 nights total with all 3 kids when they were babies and then only a handful of times when they were up sick during the night) Anyway, last night when I heard Grace fussing, I ignored her. I thought it was just her teeth coming in, she's just whining, no big deal. Then I had a feeling to check on her, and guess what? I ignored that too, so guess what I woke up to?
VOMIT! Yup. All over the crib, wall, sheets, blankets, everything! That's what I get right? Not that it mattered that Daisy threw up all over the carpet the night before or that Grace had pooped on the carpet the week before! Just thought I'd remind all the Mommy's out there... listen to that voice!

My first batch of applesauce!

Here's the applesauce Jen & I finished Thursday night! We had a lot of fun for 2 days and our kids were amazing for all we put them through! We were definatly tired (poor, pregnant Jen) and our feet ached, but it was great going to the orchard together and spending a few days in my kitchen talking and sweating and making yummy applesauce. I got 29 quarts which was great, but I think I'll be going back to the orchard to pick more apples. Is it selfish of me to want more? With over 50 quarts each of pears/peaches, 29 just doesn't seem like enough! Plus, it's addictive! I just can't stop! Actually, it tastes like Heaven, so yummy!

My first batch of pears!

So, more evidence of what I've been doing the past few weeks ( and the reason why I'm WAY behind on laundry!) They turned out so pretty. I went with my girlfriends to pick them weeks ago and then canned them all by myself! It is so simple ladies! If I can do it, ANYONE can do it!

A very sad, tired Grace...

So, after our morning in the corn field (picking corn), Grace had finally reached her limit! It no longer mattered that I had not taken any pictures the entire weekend, and this was going to be one of two, she was done! So, with no cute hair bows, and seriously wild bangs, this was one of my only pictures of the kids! What a horrible Mom!

Picking corn...

So, I was late getting my camera and this was the only shot I got... heads chopped off , crying babies, & kids looking off into weird directions. Oh well...

My first batch of freezer corn!

Yes, I have fallen off the planet again, canning season has kept me busy! Two weeks ago we went to Trav's brother's house for 3 nights for a family reunion/come pick some corn if you want it weekend. It was a lot of fun and the kids had a blast running around for 3 days chasing each other. It was fun hanging out with my sister in laws/mother in law doing corn. Like everything else, it was my first time, so I learned once again, how easy it really is. Cammy was so sweet to teach me/us how it's done. We did about 90 bags together and then we got to pick as much corn as we wanted to bring home. We were busy for 2 days when we got home, but it was well worth it (everything goes much slower on your own! Although, Trav helped a lot, thanks babe!) And thanks Cammy for a great weekend!!

My first canning experience...

My WONDERFUL friends, Tammy & Michelle let me hop aboard this year for the canning season! I had no clue how to do it, so for 2 days, we canned like wild women and canned over 100 jars! We were tired afterwards (Michelle still has 2 bushels to can on Monday!), but it was a lot of fun to learn! I called Mom the first day and said, "I can do this, Mom" and she said, "Of course you can!" (her response to anything food/baking related). I was thrilled to walk away with my 28 beautiful jars and now am so excited for pears and applesause in the near future! I think I might have turned into a peach snob though, because I don't want to buy those awful store bought ones ever again! Although it is a lot of fun to do with friends, I could TOTALLY do this on my own! One day....

The dreaded Sex talk...

When we were driving home from my Dad's house a few weeks ago, we were listening to the radio when all of a sudden a little voice from the back asked, "What's sex?" (Tristin thought he heard it in the song, but it was actually the word accept.) Anyway, I sat there in shock wondering how to explain it to a 6 year old boy, of all people, that that dreaded word meant! In that moment I said a lightening fast prayer and asked God to help me. I started to explain it was something Heavenly Father designed for Mommy's and Daddy's, when Travis took over the conversation! How I was so thankful!! He gave the age apprioate discussion with no details and just talked about how it's what married people and animals do to make babies. blah, blah, blah. And that was that! Conversation done! I just sat there thinking, "What just happened?"
Anyway, this morning, a few minutes before 7:00 am, I was in making my bed when Tristin walked in with his airplane lego in hand. He causally stood and watched me and then started talking about Shrek, the movie. Out of the blue he started talking about the donkey and the "s" word he had said. I instantly thought he was referring to the a** word referring to a donkey, so I was about to talk about how sometimes a word has 2 meanings, and all that, when I figured out that wasn't the word he was talking about. At that point I was confused so I asked, "Buddy, you are allowed to repeat the word to me, you will not get in trouble, I just want to understand what you're talking about so I can explain it to you." He embaressedly lowered his head and said, "its what Mommy's and Daddy's do to make a baby." Well, great, I thought. How in the world did we go from talking about a donkey/ass to sex all in about 10 seconds!? So on went the conversation... the word he was talking about was "sexy", not the other 2 like I thought, so I eplained how sexy is a grown up way of saying a woman looks very beautiful, and it isn't the meaning of sex. He blurted out, "I know Mommy, I know. Daddy already told me A LOT about it." Well, because I was there for the conversation, I knew his A LOT was VERY minimal, so I just quickly explained that Heavenly Father designed it for parents and animals to make babies, and that it is very private, and something we don't talk about with our friends on the playground, ect... I did, however, tell him, if he ever hears a word and he's confused about it or doesn't know what it means, to come to me/Daddy and talk to us about it. He confirmed that he would, and then we started on our next morning task, but HOLY COW! I handeled it great, and he didn't sence my frantic whirlwind of thoughts, but inside I was screaming, I"M NOT READY FOR THIS!!!
Just thought I'd share how my morning got off to a start...

My first batch of rolls...

After all of my trying to "enjoy" the cooking & baking thing, I've discovered, I still don't find much pleasure in it. I still hate the mess, the time it takes to make 1 thing and sadly, some times the end result. I am just not one of those girls who was meant to love it, so now I just accept the weeks that pass without a single thing baked, or the attempt at a new reciepe. With all that rambeling, I made my first batch of rolls, and let me tell you how hard the devil was tempting me to just buy the store bought ones. Seriously, I was standing at the store looking at the rolls and I was fighting off the urge to throw them into the basket and just be done with it, but out of no where I heard a calming Relief Society voice say, " Emily, you can do this, they are just dinner rolls!" And then I thought to myself, if I can give birth to 3 babies, dinner rolls be no problem, right? They actually turned out yummy, so I'll be making these again in the furture. So here is more proof that I was in the kitchen doing something besides cleaning it!

Saying goodbye to Tristin on his first day of 1st grade...

Here they are getting ready to say goodbye to Tristin...