Since my camera broke, I feel like I've had nothting to blog about. But I'm going to sit down and bring you up to speed. Without pictures. My camera is in being fixed so I guess that's reason enough to post.

Ashton and his team has done so well with football. Up until this last saturday they had only lost one game. The game on saturday was a battle for the number one team to beat with playoffs. But they lost. Barely! 1:30 left to make a goal. 8 yards from the endzone....but the other team held them back. They boys played really well that day. They now have to continue winning until they face this team for the championships.

My big giant pumpkin is still connected to the vine. I'm not sure that it's growing anymore. But we're going to wait a little longer. Maybe at least until the vine dies. It weighs in at 71lbs. and measure 59in. around. Not huge, but not small either. The second largest pumpkin weighed in at 34lbs. That one is still definitely growing!

With canning and harvesting this year. I bottled: Tomatoes, Dilly beans, Salsa, and Pears. I still am waiting on my grapes to sweeten up to make jelly with. We have dried potatoes and apples. My next canning attempt will be applesauce.

In the last 3 months, Jared has lost 30 lbs. His method was exercise and smaller porportions. When Ash has his football practices (3times a week) Jared would just walk and run around the field for the 2 hours Ash would practice. I'm really proud of him. He also goes out on some nights with the kids and runs. It's fantastic for me, because he wears them out right before bed and makes nighttime routines that much smoother.

The road construction in front of my house is even worse than it was before. (I didn't think that possible) But the road has been since torn up and there's a lot of dirt ALL the time. And cars are now coming (after construction crews go home) and peel out in the dirt. Really bugs me! They are also leveling the lane where they want to extend the freeway lane and it's like THISCLOSE! It's less than 100 meters from my doorstep! With winter months coming up quick, I know that crews will work less, therefore prolonging it all. OR...if i'm lucky. Take 3 months off while a beautiful blanket of white covers up all the ugly.

Kid update: Mykael, I believe, has settled into junior high nicely. Parent teacher conferences showed that as well. Jaden is living up his last year of elementary and "ruling the school". Ashton incorporates football into EVERYTHING. School work, recess, cleaning the house, running with dad, and constantly tries to talk his little brothers into "playing" with him. Eli LOVES preschool. He got into the program they have at the school and his teacher adores him. I have to say his paintings are really cool! Dylan had a hard time adjusting to loosing Eli to school, but quickly got over it when he realized it was just him and I.

I feel like I need to say, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year now! So I'll just end it before I get any more cheesy.

Oh! and my Last Supper cross-stitch...I'm still working on the table cloth! (Once every few months!) So it doesn't look any different from the last picture I posted of it....forever ago. I was hoping to have it done by the same time I started it...November. Not going to happen. I'll just be more realistic and shoot for finishing it within 2 years!

My little mini pumpkin patch

So, You know how Jared planted all those "melons" in the spring? Well, we really didn't get very many melons, BUT got PLENTY of gourds, pumpkins, squash, and whatever else is in 'that family'.

This was ever AFTER I had given a bunch away.

Following Suit

Time for grape harvest. I've had to wait for the "first frost" before I could pick these. (I guess the frost sweetens them up)

I was able to get a fair amount for myself before I started giving some away just because I had so many!



I steamed one batch last night and was surprised with how much juice concentrate I got. I have intentions of making jelly and with the juice I got, it's going to be a really "pretty" jelly. Nice and clear and a good color. (too bad I'm not a wine connoisseur, you'd hear me making funny noises too!)
What's left over of the grapes.

...reap what you harvest.

Well, I did it! I've stepped into the canning thing and actually succeeded. With the help of Jared and Mykael we got two batches of 7 bottles done last night. I had noticed the day before that our pears had fallen off the tree and decided that we needed to can them before they were unsalvageable. This is the first time doing it without my mom and it's been years since that happened so Jared and I were quite pleased with ourselves to have such an awesome turn-out. (Although, my mom did get phone calls up until 11pm with questions I had during the process. Thanks for letting me keep you up!) One bottle didn't seal so we had it for breakfast this morning. For some reason, Eli thought they tasted better dipping his hand in and pulling one out, as opposed to me dishing it out in a bowl for him. Big surprise, huh?

Happy Harvest

I felt like I needed to go check on my garden today because it's been awhile. It's a good thing that I did!

Cherry tomatoes, Yellow tomatoes, and squash.... LOTS of it! I'm thinking the tomatoes are going to be coming for quite a while. The amount of blossoms I STILL have, only means more maters.

Mandatory Harvesting...

After getting home from the camping trip, we encountered a storm that lasted until about 3pm. today (monday). During which, a lot of my corn, and sunflowers were blown over in the high winds.

It's ok because we needed to harvest them and this was just a slight shove in that direction. I'm happy with the outcome.

Our happy little farmers.

The corn was delici-ous!

Dylan thought so too. He chomped on this little piece until I pried it out of his hands and gave him another to work on.





For those of you who remember all the way back when we planted our garden, that I mentioned how Jared planted 49 melon plants? Well....Here's the one melon we got!!! If the odds are 1/50. Then next year we're going to have to quadruple our plants to get enough for one meal! It was sure a little one, but really sweet.






I'm excited for the sunflower seeds. We'll definitely get a lot. Also...you can only harvest the giant sized sunflowers.



Luckily we had plenty of those too and we'll get a bunch of seeds from them.

We've been robbed!!!

So when I woke up this morning, I did my "rounds" around the property and found that we had had a theif visit our humble home in the night. I was shocked at first, thinking, 'who could've done this!?' And 'why'? I immediately started racking my brain on who or what could've done something like this. I came to one conclusion and it was comfirmed after speaking with the authorities. He/she was even wearing a black mask, no less!

Here's the clues I've got!

Exhibit A: Shows us the scene of the crime.

Exhibit B: Shows us the evidence left behind. Nothice the thin shredding of the husk? THAT was the tip-off.

Perpetrator at large: The Raccoon (Procyon lotor), also known as Common Raccoon, North American Raccoon, Northern Raccoon, Washing Bear or informal Coon.

After talking to animal control this morning, they just happened to park across the street after my discovery, I asked them if Raccoon were common in the area. He said that they were quite plentiful and that I'd be surprised on actually how many there are. After presenting my evidence to him he definitely thought it was this cute, cuddly, and RABID animal as the culprit. They had a trap already set up elsewhere in town and that they would bring it after that. (My thought, "they've only got ONE trap!?) Thankfully, the kids were with me while I was speaking to him because he turned to them and told them to stay away from them if they see one, that they are mean and rabid. (Tom, I may need your help with this one if a trap doesn't work! That filthy little varmit ate 7 of my corn!!! I have to admit that I take that as a compliment though, it wouldn't eat that many if it wasn't good corn. Can't wait to eat some for myself actually... if there's any left after this whole ordeal is over and done with!)

Oh! And don't forget to view the pictures below and vote for you favorite!

Before and During...

I have always loved before and after pictures. Whether it was a nerd in high school that was now a hot buff man, or a make-over that resulted in a beautiful confidant woman. BUT today...my before and after shots are from the blood, sweat, and tears, i have shed during the "growing season" (My husband's too!). The cool thing is that the 'after' isn't quite here yet. There will be more after shots to come. That's why we call this the "before and during."

All the way back in April...

Pole beans
sweet pea

Corn (I've got 11 ears growing!)

watermelon, pumpkin, or squash...not sure yet.

Sunflower and Zinnia with a mix of wild flower.

I'm SO excited how everything is turning out!

And now for the flowers....