Sick wisdom

My wisdom was sick for 3 days last week. It was so hard. Here I was able to distract her with cherries. Mmm. She is better now. And it is my turn....

   But yeah! We now have pictures again!

In the news!

Joplin Globe on Father's Day. Exciting to see him honored there. Fun to hear about friends finding the paper and seeing him. He has several people wanting to come out to see his shop. A retired lineman he knows is coming Wednesday morning. 

   And he is now wanted for a radio interview.  Feels a little odd. But I'm very proud of my hard working man. He is the greatest. 

    My Grandpa loved him. He has been gone 5 years later this week. I wish he could have known. Same for Patrick's daddy. Hard not sharing great things with them.

Painting

Trying to help set up a fun thing. My goal is each day this week. Ultimate goal forever.... But hopefully at least for summer. Tomorrow I'm thinking play dough. 

    They had fun. We are nearly out of paint though. I hope to buy some nice watercolors soon.

The beast...

My canner is a dream. I love it. Named it The Beast. It is so nice. It really fits 20 quarts. One shy of what would have tAken me 3 loads to do before. I don't have time for that.  So I avoided it. But now I can do a load a day and see huge progress! Dreamy. 

   Canning up all our dry beans. If left too long they get too hard to ever cook up soft. And last summer friends went to Colorado and got lots and lots of dried beans. We bought 75 lbs. but I never used any. Mainly the canner issue. But also cause I don't plan ahead well for meals. 

  My goal is to be jar less but Friday. That is less than a canner a day now todo that. I love buying new jars. And have had to every year for 5 years. We break some. Gift others. And have to can more and more each year. 

   Any locals with excess jars? I'll buy. 

  Canning up a load right now. Yeah!

 

Still have yet to empty the iPad... So no pictures yet....

I have garbanzos, 8 bean mix and pintos...

Canned bean food ideas...

Refried beans

Beans and salsa

Hummus

Bean salad

Casserole stretchers

Tacos

Burritos

Cowboy beans

Have anymore ideas? I like fast food. So canned meat and beans is heaven!

I'm also canning chicken. Our pastured chicken. Perfectly yummy! Fast for chicken salad and chicken burritos.

I need a bigger pantry...

Current favorite book!

 

You can find it at mycakies.com I really love it! So not baby-ish! I love the projects! And I forget how I love having things in book form! She does things like I used too... I try but it is harder now to play with the children. I could give excuses (like lots of children in school, farm chores, house chores, etc...) truth is I just put it too low on the priority list...

    My children now at 9:30 at night are making a piñata. As a photo in this book had one in the background. They couldn't wait to start. And I trying to help them have more fun said YES!!!! 

    I like saying yes. I need to say yes. My children need it too. 

  This book is a must have if you want to be creative and want your children to be also!

My little sister is married!

My sweet (and highly spunky) little sister is married! Happened this Saturday. Are they night adorable! And my children are excited about a new uncle! ( we have known him about 7 years. Love him! He is our neighbor and mechanic.) 

    They are on their honeymoon. Beautiful Arkansas in the background. 

   We are so happy for our auntie car-key!

A super fast timeline of me...

I think some things I post may be confusing. So a fast run down of me. 

1: born to a single mother

2: adopted by my 'step' dad. (One of the 3 greatest men in the world) I never thought he wasn't my daddy

3: 17 I was moved out and over a pile of silly or crazy events basically parent less. 

4: My suspicion of being adopted (knew but was afraid to ask since I was at least 12) was confirmed. I was a couple days from marrying Patrick. My 18th birthday.

5: a couple short times over the years my parents were part of my life. But briefly. 

6: we fell in love with a great family. They have since become my second and super close family. They have been around for so much. Deaths, marriage, hard times etc. 

7: I also met my biological sister. She is so great. Love her and her family. 

    We have a mutual sister that she grew up with. But I haven't met her yet. 

8: my parents are both part of my life again. Separately. But it is good. I am thankful for my children. Grandparents are something to be treasured. 

So when I say sister or mom or or or... You have a better understanding. I have so much family. And I like it that way. Family is the very greatest thing! The more the merrier. Generally speaking. ;)

Life is interesting.