Homemade Strawberry Jam

There isn't anything better than homemade strawberry jam, EXCEPT homemade strawberry jam made from strawberries that were picked out of your own garden!!! 

Step 1: de-stem your strawberries and cut them in half

Step 2: Mash them

 Step 3: Once mashed measure out 3 1/4 cups

 Step 4: Add lemon juice and Fruit Pectin

 Step 5: While waiting for pectin to dissolve, wash the insane amount of dishes lying in your sink

 Step 6: Stir in the sugar and heat on low until sugar completely dissolves

 Step 7: Pour into containers and wait 24 hours, then freeze away

We have already made delicious PB and J sandwiches with our jam. I love this time of year and being able to cook with things grown from our own garden! There isn't anything better.

Father's Day

We had a great Father's Day. We enjoyed breakfast as a family, then a nice church meeting, lunch at the Leavitt's and dinner at the Mortensen's.

I am so grateful for my kids' father, Jon! He is amazing with them. It warms my heart to know that he is their example. He loves Andrew and KB more than words can express and it shows, especially at bedtime when no amount of mom love compensates for dad and all I hear is "I want Daddy," over and over again. 

I just want to say thank you to Jon for being the kind of man our kids will aspire to become. Thank you for being so loving, caring, patient, honest, and showing our kids that a little hard work (or a lot) pays off in the end. We love you babe.

Breakfast consisted of German apple pancakes, an omlette and some OJ, delicious!

Father's Day gifts

 And a quick shout out to both our dad's who are amazing men and have helped shaped us into who we are. We love you both!

Shelves

Jon made me these beautiful shelves! I had been asking him for them for a while and he finally finished and put them up Sunday night! I love them so much and am grateful for my handy husband!

 Admiring his job well done

 Shelves are Finished

 All up and Decorated

In Shape

I have always had the idea that being in shape meant I would look the way I wanted to look. That I would be a size 4/6, weigh roughly 123-127lbs, and that my clothes would fit perfectly and that I would look like a knockout in them.

Today I came to the realization that as much as I want to believe that being in shape means the above and as much as I want the above paragraph to be a reality it is not. I have tried for a year to make the above statement true (because I thought that if it were true, I would be happier with the way I look), but today I learned a valuable lesson....

After arriving at the gym today for my usual monday morning spin class, I was totally bummed out when I saw that the class was full. I texted Jon trying to decide if I just wanted to come home. While trying to figure out if I would stay, I saw the treadmill. I haven't run on a treadmill in nearly a year (I do spin class 4 times a week and bike outside on the other days), and when I did run, I could hardly make it a mile without stopping, but since I am training for another Triathlon come September, I decided I would run.

My mind was racing trying to figure out a goal to set. I really wanted to run for the full length on the spin class next to me, but was unsure if I could do that (45min. class). I then tried to set a goal of running a 5K, I had tried many times before (after having KB) and never quite made it without stopping. I knew today that in order to complete that goal I would need to run at a slower pace, one I could continue doing for a longer amount of time.

I made a quick playlist and started my run as the spin class began. While running I focused on myself. I watched myself run in the reflection of the tv in front of me. I just stared at myself, thinking about my goal. I completed the first mile with ease and started the second, this is normally where it gets too hard and I tend to walk, but today I felt good. I felt strong. I tried to push the negative thoughts (thoughts that I couldn't do it) out of my mind, and focus on my mind. I kept telling myself that I could do it, mind over matter. My mind controls my body and so long as I tell my mind that I am capable, that my body is capable I knew I could keep going.

Mile 2 ended and I was on to the last 1.10 mile in order to finish a 5K. I was feeling great. I kept going, one foot after the other. I stared at my reflection, watched the air flow through the collar of my shirt, lifting it up and down as I ran. I found myself surprised at how well I was doing and how strong I felt. It was the last leg of the 5K (2.9mi), and I upped my speed to a near sprint. I figured if I ran faster (although harder) I would finish sooner, which is always a plus in my book. I watched as the number reached 3.10 miles! I was proud.

 I slowed my speed back down a run and decided I would keep going. The spin class wasn't over yet and my original goal was to run until the end of the class, so I kept going. My new goal was 4mi. I haven't ran 4 miles since Andrew was 5 months old. As I ran, my legs started to feel a little like jello and I could tell I was getting tired, but I couldn't stop. I wanted to be able to come home and tell Jon I ran 4miles. I figured he would be proud. Mile 4 was coming up fast and I again upped my speed until I saw the numbers change to 4mi. I slowed my pace back down and saw that the spin class had about 4 minutes left, I decided I would keep running.

My mind was racing, I couldn't believe what my body was doing! It was more that I'd ever been able to do before. Mile 4 was by far the toughest. My playlist (which I quickly made before I started running) was playing the same songs over and over again and I was tired. I watched as the numbers snailed from 4.24mi, to 4.33mi. Every inch was more difficult than the last. Finally I saw the spin class end, but I decided that I had started mile 4.0 and I wasn't stopping until I hit mile 5. At 4.50mi I knew I didn't have much left. I upped the speed as fast as I could stand. I sprinted for the last .25mi, while telling myself I was going to finish, and I did! It was no world record (55min.), but the feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming. I know for some people 5miles isn't a big deal, but for me it was huge.

I learned today that even though I don't weigh what I want, and I'm not the size I want to be, that I am in shape. I don't think an out of shape person can do what I did today. I am so proud of myself and am grateful for the body I have and knowing that I am capable and that I can do it.

I look forward to the training I have ahead of me and seeing how far I can really push my body.

Ready to POP

Last weekend I, and my two sister-in-laws were lucky enough to be able to host a baby shower for my sister-in-law Janell, who is due in exactly one week from today! Thanks to pinterest we found  a cute shower idea theme - Ready To Pop and since Janell was due in exactly two weeks, it was suiting. We decorated in dark blue and lime green. 90% of the food was "pop" related, and one of the games was too. It was a blast and I am  so glad we were able to throw it for her! Now we are just waiting for her little bundle of joy to arrive! 

The Mother of honor, Janell with her daughter Cailyn

The beautiful spread.

 Popcorn Bar included: popcorn brittle, S'mores popcorn, white cheddar, cheddar cheese, regular, and kettle corn

 Veggie tray 

 Popcorn chicken (not pictured, it wasn't quite out of the oven yet), Jalapeno Poppers, Deviled Eggs, and as part of the table decoration we had party poppers, pop rocks, pop-its, and the vases in the back were filled with blow pops and tootsie pops.

 Cake pops, Cheesecake strawberries, a fruit tray, cucumber water and soda Pop

Decorations - balloons (cause they pop) and tissue poms

 The ribbon behind the girls held cards that were wishes for baby. The cards each stated a different phrase (I hope you live...I hope you love...I hope you become..etc) and everyone filled one out and pinned it back up.

 Playing a game - Trying to pop the balloon in between your bellies by hugging.

 Playing Mad-Libs (so funny)

 The beautiful mommy to be (again)!

Never-Ending Battle

It seems like no matter what I do, I can never keep my house as clean as I want it. This morning is a perfect example: Kenneth is eating yogurt in his high chair, I pour Andrew a bowl of cereal, turn around to finish cooking my eggs, only to find Andrew trying to take his bowl of cereal upstairs....really? I immediately tell him he may not eat his cereal upstairs and needs to come sit down at the table. He throws a gigantic tantrum and spills some of his cereal on the floor while walking back towards the kitchen, only to stop at his booster seat (he never sits in it) next to the wall and puts his cereal down again. I again tell him he must eat at the table. This time I grab the cereal and place it on the table, he throws another tantrum and sends himself to his room to whine/cry it out. I know, I'm such a mean mom. Meals are always a cleanliness battle, most of the time I end up with a table filthy and the floor covered in food the kids didn't want. And although meals are a challenge, nothing compares to their toys. I have recently moved the kids' toy box near the stairs because it fits perfectly in the little nook there, but it seems like it was a big mistake. Why you ask, well let me show you. 

This is a daily occurrence at our home, toys making their way down the stairs and into the living room at the bottom, not to mention the upstairs covered. I always feel so bad, because there have been plenty of occassions where people show up at our house unannounced usually while it looks like this. So, for those of you lucky ones who tend to show up when it does look like this, forgive me, I swear I do try to keep my house in somewhat of an order. And until my kids figure out that it's really not that funny to dump all their toys out of the toy box (and make mom pick them up later while asking over and over again to help), it appears this will continue to be my reality.

Dozer Day 2012

A couple weeks ago, my best friend Kasey sent me a link to Dozer Day in Vancouver. I had never heard of it before and found out it is a day where you can take your kids to an actual quarry and the sponsors bring in all sorts of heavy equipment and they allow the kids to operate the buckets on the machines. They also have booths and games, and tons of dirt for the kids to play in. We both decided we wanted to take the kids.

Yesterday we headed out around 9:30am and drove to Vancouver where we met up with Bryan, Kasey and their two kids Jaxxon and Sophie and headed out to the quarry. It was a much bigger event than I had anticipated. By the time we got there (1/2 hour after it opened), there was probably over 5000 people there. While there, we let the kids play in the dirt and sand, toured the booths, played games, got lots of free stuff, ate popcorn, and watched both Andrew and Jaxxon (Kenneth ended up getting too scared) get a chance to control the heavy equipment. Unfortunately we only allowed them to get a chance controlling one of the machines, because the lines were really bad, it took us an hour just to get the one ride in. Despite the lines, it was a very good day and overall the kids had a blast and were completely wiped out by the time we left. 

 Bracelets and tattoo's 

 Watch Out - Andrew's in Control!

 Popcorn break

 Coloring the wall

(sorry it took so long to post, I lost my camera cord)