Throw Pillows, South America, and a Little Tom Cruise for Good Measure

Now that COVID isn't as much of a threat, Scotty has resumed traveling for work. A few months ago, he went to Mexico. Right now he's in South America. Normally, I don't write anything on my blog about him being out of town until he comes back, but I'm making an exception this time. He'll be happy to know that I haven't purchased any animals while he's been gone. I settled for throw pillows, some pricey hair products, and two new shirts... for now. There's still time...

(Or is there? I'm not going to tell you, Internet!)

People are often curious about why Scotty travels, so let me fill you in. He works for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (our church). For a few years, he worked with temples, and he traveled quite a bit for that. Then, last year he took a new position working with religious clothing. Part of his responsibilities include finding vendors and manufacturers to produce temple garments. This has been a bit of a challenge and adventure due to the supply shortages of the past few years. Latin America produces a lot of textiles, so Scotty has been going to trade shows and visiting manufacturing facilities in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. 

Whenever Scotty is out of town, I have to deal with things. I don't want to use any adjectives to describe the things that happen while he's gone because I don't want the universe to try and prove anything to me along the lines of "it could be worse." So I just try to optimistically deal with whatever comes my way. This time, our swamp cooler died, Zoe started having chronic nosebleeds, my laptop began shooting sparks, and our garage got overtaken by mice. Thank heavens for Nicky (my Mini Scotty). He climbed up on the roof about a dozen times and went with me to Lowe's three times to buy parts for the swamp cooler. We got it fixed to the point where it can run on low. If we turn it on high, it shuts down, but low will suffice for now. Nicky has also taken care of all the mice. I think we've caught five so far - one wasn't dead, and he made it dead, and I told him not to tell me about it, but he hasn't stopped telling me about it. 

It dawned on me a few days ago that my kids have gone back to school without their dad around. Scotty hasn't been here while we've developed and gotten used to a back to school routine. He's going to come home to a completely different life than he left (assuming he makes it home - I'm being positive but realistic here). He and I have already discussed the fact that I'll be mad at him for about a week when he gets home (I always am - I rock at life while he's gone because I have to, and then when he comes home, I unleash all my emotions), and I'll repeatedly say things to him like, "That's not how we do things!" Somehow, we're going to have to find his place in our routine. I just hope he's okay with my new tradition of putting the kids to bed and staying up til midnight watching Tom Cruise movies. 

A Life With No Elvis

Recently I saw the movie Elvis, and the other day I listened to Elvis and Me, a memoir by Priscilla Presley. Since Elvis passed away before I was born, I grew up with him as a revered icon of the past. Perhaps, if he had lived, I would have seen him on TV and heard his new releases on the radio throughout my childhood, but that was not to be. Elvis and me? We never shared this earth. 

I've always found Elvis to be an interesting historical figure. I wrote a research paper and gave a presentation on him in high school. I wore a faux white leather jacket and a red scarf and held a fried chicken leg in my hand. I totally fat-shamed Elvis! And now I'm heavier than Elvis ever was, so don't worry, Elvis. I got what was coming to me.

From a psychological and behavioral standpoint, I have always found fame to be very intriguing. I'm incredibly fascinated by the way fame shapes people (and by the way people acquire and shape their fame). I can be a bit celebrity-obsessed at times, but it's not a form of worship or idolization. I don't romanticize stardom - in fact, I find it exceedingly destructive in most cases. I don't envy celebrities' lives. Instead, I believe that they should envy mine. There's a part of me that wants to gather all the struggling celebrities in my home and nurture the crap out of them. Come, all you childhood Disney stars! Let me feed you chicken nuggets, read you The Boxcar Children, and tuck you in with a bedtime song. 

I've always assumed that Elvis Presley was probably a bit of a dirtbag, but I secretly hoped he wasn't. Based on Priscilla's book, my assumptions are likely correct. He was demanding and a bit misogynistic, and the boy did Priscilla wrong in so many ways - he was truly a victim of fame while she was a victim of naivete. Elvis groomed Priscilla from the age of 14 to be what he wanted her to be. He dictated how she should walk, how she should dress, and even how she should care for her teeth. He wouldn't let her have a job or pursue education. He would pump her full of drugs but wouldn't allow her to take birth control because he thought it was too dangerous. Many of his mentalities were common for the time, but it's still infuriating to hear about. I think Priscilla reveres him more than he deserves, simply because he died young. It would be interesting to see how her memoir would differ had he lived longer. Likewise, it would be interesting to see what would have become of him across 40 more years. 

I, personally, harbor hope that the conspiracy theories are true, and that Elvis is still alive. It would be the greatest feat of all time to have faked his own death and gotten away from his fame. I would, with much sincerity, love that. But so many people would have had to be "in" on it, and I'm not sure one organizes one's artificial death on a toilet. And despite how easily it happens on TV, I'm not sure the body could have been faked, but you can never underestimate the power of fame and money.

I've always wondered how I would have felt about Elvis had I grown up in the late 50's to early 70's. What would I have thought of that iconic pompadour and those rubber legs? Would I have saved up to buy his records and positioned myself mere inches from the TV to swoon over him? Would I have fallen captive to his icy blue eyes and his gyrating hips? 

I'll never know. 

And I have nothing from my own life to compare it to. There was no star of Elvis caliber in my formative years. I'm too young for The King and too old for Bieber Fever. I made it through the boy band era with some pretty sweet dance moves but no major crushes. Despite what some believe, I never even crushed on Justin Timberlake. My one and only crush to the point of unhealthy obsession was Jonathan Taylor Thomas, but he was not the same kind of icon as Elvis. 

I have truly lived a life with nothing even close to Elvis. 

Things the Kids Say: Episode 17

Eva: I don't want to wear a helmet.

Scotty: What if you crash and hit your head and die?

Eva: I could live with that!

-------------------

Grandma: I have the book Guitar for Dummies.

Eva: Oh good! I'm a dummy!

--------------------

"I keep forgetting that Wednesday is a day."

-Daisy

--------------------

"You should have named Nicky Adrian. He looks like an Adrian."

-Zoe

---------------------

Me: I want to go to an art exhibit that I saw on Facebook.

Zoe: You know you can't trust anything you see on Facebook!

----------------------

Eva: Mom, can I have a pet fish?

Me: Nope. Remember we're going on vacation in three weeks. We can't get any new pets.

Eva: That's okay. My fish will be dead by then.

----------------------

"That was almost as good as Planes: Fire & Rescue."

-Nicky after watching Top Gun: Maverick

----------------------

"I have an associate's degree in therapist-ing."

-Nicky

Books and Related Tangents

About once a year, I ask for book recommendations on Facebook, and someone always asks, "What kind of books do you like?" I never answer... because honestly, offer me any book! Any book from any genre, and I will look into it and decide if it's something I'm interested in. I have a list of genres I don't often care for (romance, chick-lit, fantasy, sci-fi, mythology), but I dabble a few times a year just for good measure. I don't entirely shun the genres, I just don't typically enjoy them. I also don't care much for series - I prefer to be wow-ed by one book. BUT, like I said, that doesn't mean I won't read them ever, I just won't read them often. My taste has definitely changed over time (I used to love fantasy and series and dislike historical fiction), so I figure I need to try out different things from time to time to see if my interests have evolved. 

It's always been easier for me to tell people what kind of books I don't like rather than what kind of books I do. Probably because I'm a naturally negative person, so I'm very in tune with what I don't like and can tell you all about it! In recent years, though, I've become more aware of the genres I enjoy. I can start the list off with gothic literature, family drama, true crime, thrillers, and historical fiction. 

I'm always a little wary of applying any genre to a book because I've observed some very nitpicky internet discussions about book genres that have given me Genre Anxiety (example: "That isn't a 'suspense' book; it's really more of a 'thriller.' ")

(Thanks for ruining me, you online book weirdos! Do you know how much fear I experience when I tag my book reviews? DO YOU???)

Today I finished an audiobook I really enjoyed, Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman, and I thought, "This is my kind of book!"

What kind of book is it? Well, that's where I get a little nervous because, according to its popular tags on Goodreads, it's chick-lit! 

I would say it's a multi-generational family drama with a gothic element. It was very similar to a Kate Morton novel but a bit shorter and a bit lighter. It even had the same audiobook narrator as Kate Morton's books (Caroline Lee). The story is woven between past and present with an old house to be inherited and family secrets to be unwound. A little Jane Eyre flair, if you will, minus the creepy old dude. 

Speaking of Jane Eyre, I have a complicated relationship with classic literature. I love the stories but don’t like reading them. When it comes to classic literature, I will always opt for the BBC miniseries. Some of my favorites are:

And I might as well throw in a shameless plug for North & South, which is kind of boring, but leads up to one of the best kissing scenes of all time (and that's coming from a non-romance kind of gal). 

Plus, Richard Armitage... amiright? He looks like Hugh Jackman's long lost brother. He narrates audiobooks, and he's the most attractive of the dwarves. 

Speaking of Thorin Oakenshield (oh, I love a well-planned segue), let me tell you about two things I struggle with in movies and books: journeys and creatures. 

I hold a special place in my heart for Lord of the Rings, I really do... but journeys kill me. Travel then have a problem. Travel then have a problem. Travel then have a problem. Arrive then have a problem. Resolve final problem. Conclusion. 

I have a special place in my heart for Toy Story as well, but it's the same old thing. 

My friends Chad and Carlie can attest that I'm not a fan of creatures. Chad loves creatures - he's all about X-Files and aliens and Stranger Things, and whenever they talk about shows, I always ask, "Does it have creatures in it? Cuz ya'll know how I feel about creatures!" They talked me into watching Stranger Things when it first started, and I was like, "You all tricked me!"

One exception I've found to my creatures preferences, though, is A Quiet Place. People kept recommending it to me and trying to get me to go see it with them (Chad and Carlie included), and I was like, "I can’t because I’m anti-creatures." Then I watched it when it came on video, and I was so surprised! It was so good! Even with creatures!

I also really love Bird Box - the book (I’ve never watched the show). Let me tell you why... but I'm going to explain it to you in between a series of asterisks because this could be considered spoilers (but very light spoilers), so if you don't want to know... skip the section between the asterisks.

****************************************

In Bird Box, the creatures are never confirmed indefinitely. You don't get a physical description of them because the characters can never look at them. You don't know what they are or whether they are truly deadly. You sometimes wonder if they even really exist or if everyone has just been completely deceived into eliminating their sense of sight. It's a psychological trip! 

Chad hated that aspect of it. He wanted something like, "Slimy alien with eight pea pod heads and four rows of venomous fangs with breath that could kill a yak from two miles away!" 

But me? I loved that we never really knew.

But then the author wrote a sequel...  

****************************************

Bird Box is one of my favorite books, but I would never recommend it to you. It has so much language and gore. I would protect my grandma from it at all costs!

I originally listened to the audiobook, and one night while Scotty was out of town, I was laying in the dark listening with my earbuds in after I'd put the kids to bed. I had my eyes closed. I was at a really suspenseful part in the story when I opened my eyes, and Nicky was standing next to my bed. My heart jolted so bad, I took my pulse fifteen minutes later because I wasn't sure I was going to be okay. 

In conclusion (I can manipulate a good segue, but I still never know how to wrap up a blog post), I'm forever gaining a better idea of what I truly like, but sometimes I'm still surprised! For that reason, recommend any book in any genre. One day, it might be exactly what I’m looking for!

Kid Updates

It's officially been one week since school started. I'm kind of in the "honeymoon phase" of back to school. I have all sorts of energy and motivation. I've been super productive and on the ball in most areas of life. I've been on time for everything, I'm nailing the breakfast/packed lunch/dinner on the table every night thing,  I've been reading my girls Harry Potter and keeping up with a bedtime routine. I'm following through with household rules and discipline, I'm spending quality time with each child each day (it helps that I have two times everyday with Nicky and Daisy that I’m alone in the car with each of them), and I'm keeping up on housework…

I have about 1-2 weeks like this every year when school starts, and I begin to think, "Wow! I'm pretty good at life!” I would even venture to say I’m “thriving.” Then I crash and burn and suddenly I'm getting nothing done during the day, I'm exhausted and permanently annoyed, I yell at everyone all the time, I need a constant stream of Coke going into my body, I feed my kids Doritos and marshmallows for breakfast, and TV becomes our third parent. 

I think it will hit around September 7th. That’s when all the extracurricular activities will be in full swing, and my time in the car will double. We haven’t had any YW activities for three weeks, and I’ve gotten completely comfortable with having my Wednesday nights back. Our evenings have all been open and chill. In fact, last night, I took my kids to an art exhibit (they hated it), and as they whined and complained, I told them, “Enjoy this because in about a week, we won’t be able to do stuff like this anymore.” 

But until then, I’ll try to live it up and enjoy the surge of energy I’m having (if only it would let me sleep past 4:00 a.m. That’s one little issue I’m having). 

I thought that with the start of a new school year, I would document what’s going on with each of my kids right now.

Nicky:

After his golf tournament yesterday

• Is a sophomore at the same high school Scotty and I went to
• Tried to be more "fashionable" in his back to school shopping this year, but neither he nor I know what's "fashionable," so we both just kind of laughed about it as we went from store to store and found nothing
• Is on the high school golf team for the second year. 
• Has had his Learner’s Permit since January and is taking Driver’s Ed at school
• Is a decent driver most of the time but has had a few scary moments
• Does push-ups everyday and often challenges Scotty and me to push-up competitions, which we indulge him in to make him feel mighty
• Used to twerk all the time and then one day, a few weeks ago, he told me he wasn't going to twerk anymore, and he hasn't!
• Watches himself in the living room mirror a lot, and I find it hilarious and secretly video him doing it 
• Is on schedule to get his braces off at the end of the year. At the dentist earlier this week, the hygienist told me that his braces are the cleanest and best kept she has ever seen (proud mom moment) 

Daisy:

Rocking the parole officer look for school

• Is in 7th grade and attending her first year of middle school (she could have gone in 6th grade, but we had the option to keep her in elementary for 6th grade, and that's what she chose to do, so she's new to the school while all the other 7th graders are in their 2nd year)
• Has to wear uniforms to school
• Is taking gifted and honors classes (we'll see how it goes, there are a couple of teachers I don't care for, and frankly, they need to retire)
• Is on Dance Company
• Usually practices her dance moves in the living room every day after school
• Was recently asked to serve as class president in her Young Women class
• Has all the insecurities and struggles of a thirteen year old girl but it navigating them pretty well for now
• (Will be officially 13 on September 14)
• Is really close to being as tall as me - any minute now
• Wears a little bit of make-up, and I keep thinking I should really teach her some make-up skills, but then I remember I don't have any

Zoe:

Working on her novel (we have to split laptop time)

• Is in 4th grade
• Is having a really hard time in school so far this year and has been telling me she doesn't want to go to her school anymore (this is the first time I've had a child say they want to change schools)
• Is writing a novel
• Wants a grappling hook for her birthday (note to grandparents and aunts: no!)
• Memorized all the Articles of Faith 
• Isn't very patient with little kids and gets very riled up if they (even the cutest toddlers on the planet) want to touch her stuff or play with her things
• Loves playing Zelda and Minecraft
• Has some issues with honesty
• Thinks she owns my bed and is constantly camped out there with various art projects and snacks (even though she's not allowed to have food out of the kitchen)
• Really wants her own room, and I really wish I could provide her with one
• Talked me into buying her way too many shoes for school
• Loves oatmeal and popcorn
• Continues to need speech therapy, and I'm starting to worry she's never going to be able to speak correctly
• Always surprises me with things she says and things she knows. Yesterday she asked me if she could "dead head" the flowers in the garden, and I don't even know how she knows what that is! (I took her up on the offer - who am I to refuse free garden labor?)

Eva:

Living it up the last day of summer break

• Is in 2nd grade
• Won't ever pull her teeth out when they're loose and won't let us anywhere near them to "help" them along, so she often has loose teeth dangling in her mouth for months at a time (she had a loose tooth at her six month check-up, and the same tooth was still in there at her next six month check-up, much to the dismay of the dentist, but even he was too scared of Eva to give it a yank)
• Wears fake glasses to school that she found at Claire's for $1
• Is super motivated by YouTube and Roblox time, which she gets on Fridays, so she gets up nice and early and makes sure her room is clean (I'll have to try this with her loose teeth in the future)
• Is surprisingly good at folding laundry
• Asks for food constantly but never eats it. Her lunchbox comes home full everyday.
• Is continuing with speech therapy, though her speech needs aren't as high as Zoe's
• Doesn't get along with other kids very well, and this concerns me greatly
• Is my best chicken herder and always helps me get the chickens back in their coops
• Asks to go to McDonald's everyday and takes a stand against every meal that is not McDonald's (and doesn't eat the food when we actually do go to McDonald's)
• Always loses her money

September Writing Challenge 2022

Since 2018, I've done a September writing challenge each year. I make a list of 35 writing prompts (one or two words) and use them as my writing inspiration for my blog for the whole month. Ideally, I would write and post something every day for the entire month, but I don't put quite that much pressure on myself. Instead, I draw from the prompts and do as many as I am able to. 

This is one of my favorite blog traditions. As always, feel free to use this list and join me (or make a list of your own)! I don’t follow them in order because that’s too hard (numerical order ain’t the bossa me!) Also, there are more prompts than days of the month because some just don’t work out. 

Without further ado, here is my list for 2022:

1. Go
2. Appliances
3. Uncomfortable
4. Advice
5. Preserve
6. Creatures
7. Beginning
8. Leader
9. Adjectives
10. Nerd Alert
11. Landmark
12. Emotion
13. Marriage
14. Vocabulary
15. Backstory
16. Preference
17. Hobby
18. Letter
19. He Said/She Said
20. Learning
21. Currently
22. Alteration
23. Outside
24. Depression 
25. Artsy Fartsy
26. Characteristic
27. Recipe
28. Cliche
29. Skill
30. Color
31. Highlight
32. Don't Wanna
33. Product
34. Accessory
35. Repost

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Here are my lists from years past:

2018 (this year I used someone else's list)

2019

2020

2021

August Reads

Only a few more days until the "ber" months begin! I am so excited. I have fall scented hand soaps and candles at the ready, and the corn stalks in my garden are browning nicely. They're in a little better shape this year than last year, but they still weren't big corn producers. Oh well! We got a few ears. Maybe next year will be better. Until then, I'll just enjoy the fact that I grew some fall decor! (Not much luck with pumpkins this year, though). 

This year, I'll be doing another September Writing Challenge. I have my list of writing prompts ready to go, so that'll be posted sometime in the next few days. 

With this being the last week(ish) of August, here's a look at what I've read this month:

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

(historical fiction)

Source: Audiobook

Summary: This is a story (loosely based real people) of three women who worked at Bletchley Park in WWII.

Content: I honestly don't remember, but Kate Quinn's books usually contain sex and language. 

Review: ****

Final statement: I enjoy a good Bletchley story - it's such a fascinating part of history, and because of the secrecy of the projects that took place there, so much is still unknown. This is well-done historical fiction, and I loved the author's note at the end. This book also included interesting historical tie-ins to Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth that might appeal to fans of The Crown. 

96 Miles by J.L. Esplin

(survival, middle grade)

Source: Audiobook

Summary: Two brothers must travel 96 miles through the Nevada desert to get help after a long-term power outage. 

Content: I would let my kids and my grandma read this (other than it might give my kids anxiety about emergencies).

Review: ****

Final statement: Nicky found this book and said he was going to read it before the end of summer. Guess who didn't read it? (Eyeroll). But I listened to it in anticipation of sharing a book experience with my son. I enjoyed it, and it reminded me a little of Hatchet - mostly because it's a survival story. It also made me remember to be prepared for disasters (time to check our water and food storage etc). I also have to laugh because this book is very clearly written by a member of my Church. You just know. You know? I googled stuff to find out for sure, and the only evidence I could find that she is a member of the Church is that she was nominated for a Whitney Award. 

The Law of Love by Steve Young

(Christian, non-fiction)

Source: Audiobook

Summary: Former SF 49ers quarterback, Steve Young, teaches us about loving without transaction. 

Content: Squeaky clean.

Review: ****

Final statement: Steve Young is great! So how is it that his book has the worst cover ever?

Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand

(contemporary, women's fiction)

Source: E-book

Summary: Two sisters and their friend retreat to Nantucket for the summer, and 700 pages happen.

Content: Sex and language

Review: 3.5 stars

Final statement: I've never read a book by Elin Hilderbrand, so this is my first taste of her writing. I thought she wrote Seabiscuit and Unbroken, but that was Laura Hillenbrand. Not the same person. Oops! Anyway, I thought this book was okay. It was a bit long, though. 

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder by Wendy Webb

(paranormal, gothic, clean reads)

 

Source: Audiobook

Summary: Brynn retreats to a small town at Lake Superior to get away from life, and she meets some new friends and sees dead people and stuff.

Content: Quite clean. Grandma stamp of approval. 

Review: ****

Final statement: The word "haunting" in the title is a bit deceiving. This is like a Hallmark ghost story. Normally I wouldn't care for this sort of book, but I liked this one. 

Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher

(young adult)

Source: Audiobook

Summary: Shortly after graduation, Amelia's best friend dies, and Amelia is left to face her future alone. Amelia finds healing when she meets the author of her favorite book series. 

Content: One "hell" and a short instance of 18 year olds drinking wine. Mild innuendo with one use of the term "wet dream" and a sentence about boobs. 

Review: ****

Final statement: I don't have too much to say about this one other than I liked it. 

Before She Knew Him by Peter Swanson

(psychological thriller, murder mystery)

Source: Audiobook

Summary: Hen and her husband are invited to dinner by their new neighbors, and afterward, Hen suspects her neighbor is a murderer. Creepy stuff unfolds.

Content: Kind of disturbing and pervy in the way that most thrillers are. Language. 

Review: ****

Final statement: This is the kind of book that I sometimes feel embarrassed to enjoy. But fine. I liked it.  

The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

(historical fiction, India)

Source: Audiobook

Summary: Lakshmi is a henna artist in 1950’s India, shortly after India has become an independent country. Lakshmi discovers she has a teenage sister she did not previously know about. Both women try to navigate their own independence.

Content: abortion, discussion of the pleasure district and prostitution, one sex scene

Review: ****

Final statement: My interest in this book was touch and go. I went back and forth between being bored (talk of tinctures and oils) and intrigued (moral predicaments, oh my!) Overall, it was good, but some parts lulled a bit for me. 

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

(young adult, mental health)

Source: e-book

Summary: Caden is a teenager with schizophrenia. This non-linear storyline alternates between his real world where he is struggling with feelings of paranoia and ends up hospitalized and his world of mental illness where he is on a ship headed for Challenger Deep. 

Content: suicidality

Review: ***

Final statement: I thought this books was brilliant, but I didn't enjoy reading it. The "ship" chapters were a struggle for me. The backstory of his novel is very interesting, and I respect what Shusterman has done. His close friend had schizophrenia and died by suicide. His son also has schizophrenia, and Shusterman incorporated his son's artwork in the book. If I hadn't known the backstory, I probably wouldn't have finished this book, but I really wanted to experience the whole book. I'm glad I read it, but I had to fight through it a bit. 

----------------------------------------------------

Books I read in August but didn't review here:

How I Peel Peaches (and Tomatoes)

I spent most of the day today canning peaches and tomatoes. It's a messy, sticky, and time consuming process, but it's also fun in some sick, twisted kind of way, and it gives me such a sense of accomplishment. "Food prep high," as I've recently come to call it. 

I did 13 quarts and one pint of peaches, and I have three quarts of roma tomatoes processing as I type this. So far, I know at least one jar of peaches didn't seal, so I'll be adding those to my kids' lunches for tomorrow. I'm still waiting patiently to check the rest of them (I'm always so tempted to mess with them before they've sat for the appropriate amount of time). 

Anyway, since I'm on a food prep high, I thought I'd share a little tutorial with you today about how I peel peaches and tomatoes. 

If you've ever canned peaches or tomatoes, you're probably familiar with blanching. I have my mother-in-law to thank for teaching me The Ways. I remember when she first showed me how to blanch tomatoes to get the skins off - it blew my mind! I had no idea you could do that! Twenty(ish) years later, I still think it's pretty miraculous. 

My mother-in-law passed on some pretty cool tips for blanching in large batches, so that's what I'm going to show you today. She taught me to blanch peaches and tomatoes in the sink. Here's how I do it:

First, I make sure the sink is nice and clean. Then I get a nice big pot of water boiling. 

After washing the produce, I plug my sink and put the fruit in it. I have found that filling my sink the amount shown in this picture is usually enough to get a full batch (7 quarts) in the canner with just a few pieces left over (which I usually freeze - but I like to have a bit extra just in case).

When the water has come to a full boil, I pour it over the fruit and let it sit for a few minutes. I gently stir the fruit with a wooden spoon to make sure it all gets immersed in the water. It's important to make sure the sink is properly plugged and that you have enough water to cover the fruit! They float up a bit, and I just press them back down in the water with the spoon. 

If you've never seen this before, here's what happens - the hot water softens the skins and allows them to easily slip off the fruit. You don't have to use a knife or a peeler! It just slides off (with a few exceptions - like, if you have pieces of fruit that aren't as ripe, in which case, you might have to cut off a bit of skin, but for the most part, it's easy peasy, and they slip off like nothing). 

After the skins start to lift off the fruit (with peaches you can see it happening, but with tomatoes, you might have to test one with your fingers), I wait about one more minute (for the stragglers) and then use my wooden spoon to lift the plug out of place to drain the water (common sense tip: don't stick your hand in the boiling water).

After the water drains, I run cold water over the fruit to stop the cooking process (also known as "shocking" the fruit). 

From that point, the skins slide off easily, and I can continue the prepping process for canning.

I also use this method to prep peaches to freeze and even to prep smaller batches of peaches for my kids to have as a snack. 

Anyway, I really like using the sink rather than blanching in a pot. It allows me to blanch a lot more fruit at a time. Go big, or go home, amiright?

Happy peach and tomato season! However you choose to celebrate!

It’s the Second Day of School (and ten other random facts)

Fact #1: I really don’t like measuring out flour for recipes. Whenever I’m baking or cooking, I dread adding the flour. Does anyone else feel this way? I hate getting it out of the cupboard. I hate scooping it. I hate dirtying the measuring cups. Flour is the worst!

Fact #2: I recently read a book that had a lot of Adirondack chairs in it. The protagonist was constantly sitting in them or leaning on them or staring at them or just being in their presence. For a while I thought it was a book about Adirondack chairs, but it turns out, the book was actually a ghost story. Anyway, reading the book forced me to face the word Adirondack over and over again. Not only am I resentful of the term… I also can never remember how to say it. 

Caution: this book contains Adirondack chairs!

Fact #3: Another thing I can never remember how to pronounce: Enjolras, the character from Les Mis. I keep trying to tell people that Eddie Munson from Stranger Things is Enjolras in the BBC Les Mis, but all I can muster is, “That character that starts with an E, but I can’t remember how to say it!” and everyone thinks I mean Eponine. No! Eddie Munson is not Eponine!

Enjolras

Eddie

Fact #4: I just need to point out that the $10 bundle from McDonalds’s (two cheeseburgers, two fries, and 20 nuggets), which hasn’t existed for very long and post-dates COVID, is now $16.69. 

Fact #5: Today went much better than yesterday, except for all the driving around. THAT was worse. Getting in and out of the junior high was a nightmare (and I don’t go anywhere near the parking lot - cuz the parking lot is a whole other level of crazy!) And there’s construction by my house that prevents me from getting to the elementary easily. 

Fact #6: We had BLTs for dinner tonight, and while I was cooking the bacon, some grease splattered on my flip flop. Now I have a  greasy foot, and I’m liable to get licked by a dog. 

Fact #7: I went to Costco today and now need to sell a kidney. By the way, it’s officially “Grateful, Thankful, Blessed” season in all the stores with Christmas sneaking in on the side. Hurry! Get your light up lawn deer before the temperature drops below 90! 

Fact #8: I’m really struggling to make it to ten here.

Fact #9: These are the shoes Eva picked out for school:

Fact #10: Nicky opted for red Crocs because he wants to look like Lightning McQueen (that's really what he says). He wants to get some green ones for days he feels like Shrek. And on days he doesn't want to wear holey boats on his feet, he wears his great-grandpa's Adidas. 

Let Them Eat Cake

It's the night of the first day of school, and I am utterly exhausted. You know how much I looked forward to school starting, right? Well, I hate to admit it, but today was hard. Things didn't go perfectly (gasp!) In fact, this photo from breakfast is a great depiction of how the day went:

Like these breakfast burritos, the first day of school was a bit of a mess but salvageable. 

(After burning the burritos, I cut off the burned part of the tortilla and chopped them up to make breakfast burrito "bowls" and then presented them to my kids like, "Ta da!" and then, of course, they didn't even touch them).

Turds.

One harsh reality of this school year is that I have kids in three different schools. Getting them to and from those three schools is a full-time job. I will be in the car forever and for always, especially when dance and other activities start up. Daisy could take a bus that picks up a half-mile from our house, but that would require us to be up and ready about 30-40 minutes earlier each day than if I drive her to school, and I would have to drive her to the bus stop anyway, because I'm not letting my 13 year old daughter walk half a mile to a bus stop in the dark. So it just seems more feasible to drive her to school. Plus, Nicky took the bus his first year of junior high, and it was a pretty regular occurrence for the bus to run late or not show up. Carpooling could maybe be an option, but I feel like I need to have control over the arrival and departure of everyone going to three schools because if I'm left waiting five extra minutes for a driver who may or may not be showing up, it will cause a domino effect. Also, not very many people who live by us go to the same schools. Our community is very dispersed, so for most carpool scenarios, either I or the other person would have to go pretty far out of our way to make it happen. 

Today I decided that Nicky will have a car the second he can drive.

Which means I should probably get a job, but I can't because I'm too busy driving. 

After over two hours of getting kids ready and off to school (it took from 6:30-8:45 to complete the morning process), I was so overwhelmed, I didn't know how to function. I came home and plopped on the couch and let out a really ugly moan and waited to see if it restored my energy. 

It didn't. 

Eventually, I dragged my butt off the sofa and tried to be productive. I did a load of dishes and a load of laundry. Then I went to my in-laws' and picked a quart of raspberries. I got chicken marinating for dinner, picked through our garden, and picked up a prescription. I cleaned half our fridge, and then it was already time to pick up kids. In between it all, I snuck to Jimmy Johns for a Pepe and to Maverik for a Vanilla Coke (I'm experimenting with "occasional" soda drinking - confirming, once more, that I can not restrict my soda intake. I want it all the time or never. There is no middle). 

At the end of the school day, I picked up Eva and Zoe, who had a bizarre short day. Then I picked up Nicky and took him to golf practice. Then I picked up Daisy. Then because I'm losing my marbles, I started driving back to the elementary school to pick up Eva and Zoe and then remembered that I'd already picked them up. 

(Other evidence that I am losing my marbles: I have left groceries at the self checkout at Smith's twice in two weeks. TWICE. Yesterday I almost ran the van into a gas pump. And I keep dropping things. Heaven help me).

Tonight after dinner, I felt like I really needed to destress with some chocolate cake. I had a zucchini I'd picked from the garden earlier, so I decided to make a chocolate zucchini cake. The problem with craving cake is that you can't have a hankering for cake and then just have cake - unless you own a bakery or live next door to one or have a kind neighbor who happens to show up at your door with chocolate cake right as your craving sets in (which did not happen to me tonight). You also can't put your faith a store bought cake at random. If you're craving cake, you need to know that the one at the store is the one you need. I couldn't take my chances on a store bought cake that isn't tried and true, so I had to bake one myself. And that, my friends, takes hours. 

Like I said, you can't crave cake and simply have cake. 

Cake takes patience!

So here I sit at 10:30 pm on the first day of school, waiting for the cake to finish cooling so I can put the frosting on and eat a piece. And then guess who's serving cake for breakfast tomorrow? 

I thought I could make it at least a week into school before I started having cake for breakfast, but alas, I only made it a day! 

Things will settle and get better. The first day (or week) is always tricky. In the meantime... cake. 

Twas the Night Before School

School starts tomorrow, and I'm not sad about it. 

The backpacks and lunches are packed. The outfits have been chosen. The alarm clocks are set. Breakfast burritos are waiting in the fridge. Everyone has been given melatonin and sent to bed (we try to limit our melatonin use to special occasions - like first nights on vacations, Christmas eve, and the night before school starts). 

(Scotty was not given melatonin but was snoring by 8:57 anyway).

Since today was our last day of summer break, I wanted to make sure we did something a little fun... so I took Nicky to the orthodontist. 

But after that, he and I drove around to various food places to acquire free food through rewards points and gift cards. I got two free happy meals from McDonald's (I had to go to two different locations, and it was funny to add the Thor happy meal box from the second location to the Pokemon happy meal box from the first location while giving the employee a look that said, "Don't ask questions!") and two free kid's meals from Chick-Fil-A (I was only supposed to get one, but they gave me an extra - it makes up for the four times they've shorted me hash browns in a breakfast combo in the past three months. Things haven't been good at Chick-Fil-A lately). 

With lunch in tow, we headed to the lake for a few hours. 

My kids' favorite thing to do at this particular lake is "make poop." They dig in the sand until they find clay, and then they form poops and put them all over their kayaks (and sometimes on the slide at the playground, which I occasionally discourage but sometimes allow to see how it plays out). 

Everyone is going to school with a sunburn tomorrow. 

We have a tradition of doing a Back to School dinner as a family the night before school starts, so after we got home from the lake, Scotty and I served up cafeteria delicacies of chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and fruit cups. 

I made a goal to not spend any money on this event other than food (which I have to provide for my family anyway), so I used up a bunch of stuff I had on-hand and was quite pleased with what I was able to come up with. I thought it would be fun to have some Back to School plates for my plate rack, but again, I didn't want to spend any money, so I decided to try drawing on plates with dry erase markers. It worked like a charm!

Now I'm just hanging out, sweating to death in my billion-degree house, waiting for someone to come tell me they have a stomach ache. If tradition holds, they will wait until I'm sound asleep and then the anxiety will roll in. 

Ten hours til the last school drop off.

But who's counting?

(Wink).