Content

I don't know why or when it happened, but I have lost my compulsive desire to blog. What is wrong with me? Do I need to see a doctor? This is bad. I haven't even downloaded my pictures from our trip to California we took a week ago.

................................

Alex is in the other room, practicing the piano. Not the keyboard, the piano. We bought her a piano off of Craigslist yesterday. Almost broke my husband and father in law's back, I really really, really appreciate the sacrifice guys. Alex's practices are so much more affective on a piano and she enjoys it more too! We would go over to the church on occasion just so she could use a real piano. Now we have one in our home.

................................

Johnny is kind of a kiss up at school, a goody tooshoes (how do you spell that non-word anyway?). He brings home green happy faces every day, follows the rules, runs pacers at recess for fun, focuses on his tasks and listens to the teacher. He is a new kid, who knew?

................................

We have eliminated tv during the week. No more watching cartoons in the morning before school. There are tasks that need to happen in the morning and prying them away from the tv is always a struggle. In the afternoon they can't watch it until they have finished all of their homework and chores. It hasn't gone on in the afternoons though, they seem to have forgotten all about the tv. It's been so nice, I already feel a better spirit in our home. It might have something to do with more time to read the Friend and to remember family prayers in the morning.

................................

My house is organized. I didn't say it was picked up, but it is organized and somehow organization makes my world a happy place, I have quality time with my kids and time to help them with their homework. We are going, going, going, every day but at the end of the day I feel good about what we've accomplished and I don't feel bad that I haven't blogged. So please forgive me if I'm not popping up as often. I'm still reading everyone else's blogs and enjoying them. I'm just feeling content to refrain from writing for now.

Well Pleased...

I don't know if it can really be considered as pride because they are just so happy inside at what they have done. They aren't putting themselves above others "less talented" than them. When they learned to walk and their face lit up with a sense of accomplishment and wonder, they weren't thinking "look at me, I can walk on two feet and that baby over there is still on all fours!" So if it isn't pride, I don't know how else to explain it other than they are well pleased? As I am well pleased with my two beautiful children?

My heart swells when I see that my kids are well pleased with themselves and their accomplishments. Whether it's riding a bike or buttoning up a shirt, reading a book or fixing their own hair. You want them to have confidence in their abilities and to see themselves as the extraordinary beings you know they are. The other day we were rearranging furniture to get ready for when Sariah and Hunter move out and I had to go grab the camera and take a picture of Alex's masterpiece she made last March. It's been hanging over her bed since she brought it home from school and you can see her light up whenever she looks at it. I'm so glad she sees herself as an artist and I love watching her be pleased with her work.

Then yesterday Johnny just had to have me come out and see what he could do on the skateboard! He was all decked out in his protective gear and a grin that stretched from ear to ear. He was pretty well pleased with his accomplishments and I could see it in his eyes.


Then, Tuesday I decided it was time to do something with all of the tomatoes, onions and peppers I had harvested from my garden. I took my Mom's and a friend's salsa recipes and married them to come up with a big batch of my own yummy homemade salsa. My only problem was that I have never canned anything before, nor do I own any of the tools needed to do this. So with my Mom on the phone and my sister in law's water bath canner and stove at hand I sealed it up for future enjoyment. I have to say, I was quite well pleased with these little jars of garden salsa. Next year I will have to invest in a food processor and make multiple batches to last us throughout the year.

I don't measure much when I'm cooking but this is pretty close to what I ended up with.

8 c. roma tomatoes, diced and drained
1 1/2 c. chopped green onions (because that's what I had in my garden)
1/2 c. chopped red onions (because I had some in the fridge)
1/2 c. bell pepper (I used bell and aneheim w/o seeds)
2 chopped jalapeno peppers (not much heat, add more if you like)
4 cloves garlic, minced
handfull of parsley, minced
1 t. cumin
1 t. pepper
juice of 2 limes
1/8 c. canning salt (I used sea salt, just stay away from iodine)
1/4 c. sugar
1/8 c. vinegar
1 can tomato paste

I simmered all of the ingredients as I was adding them, then boiled it for about 10 mins.