I’m slowly catching up from the canning season. (Pictures above are from last week.) My freezer meal stores are empty as I’ve used them up on canning days, and so I’m trying to stock up on them again before harvest season on the farm begins. I have piles of laundry in every bedroom that have been needing to be put away and I’m starting to notice all of the dust and webs that have been acquired these past weeks. I can only catch up so much each day, but I’m getting there. Progress is being made.
Still, the majority of the tomato canning is still yet to be done. I plan to make them all into sauce. For now, I’m putting them all whole in the freezer like a bunch of hard cue balls, and will thaw them out some weekend soon for a big last hurrah of canning. I’ll have to do that before we get our pig. (A friend is butchering his pigs and offered us one…so time to find more space.) Oh, and the apples are ready. We’ll see how far I get there. I want to have more applesauce made every year, but I’m so burned out by the time they are ripe, that I never get as far as I want to, and most end up being given away or go bad. I hope to get at least a little done. Applesauce is actually very easy, and it’s my kids’ favorite.
Our first day of school went so well yesterday. 2 things that lead to it’s success were: I was uncharacteristically organized. That helped a lot. Also, David has been able to do his reading independently. I wasn’t sure if he would be able to, but he just jumped right in. He did so much reading this summer on his own for fun. Last year we spent so much time working through his eye tracking issues that made reading slow and painful. Now that we have spent time with some therapies training his eyes to keep their spot, which was the problem all along, he’s reading like crazy. I’m just so happy about it.
I don’t have to sit by his side and pull him through just one more page. He read a chapter from a 3rd grade reader with no pictures, all by himself, and thought it was so funny he raced over to me to tell me every detail. (The book was Frindle, by the way.) I was just so excited about that.
Elias is so different from his big brother and sister. He has his own styles and quirks, but I can tell already that he’s going to be a great student, and has a huge appetite for learning new things. He’s so eager, it’s so fun. He’s such a deep thinker, that he thinks carefully about everything I say, and often won’t respond for a long time. When he does, it’s so well thought out, it’s worth waiting for.
Mom says
September 2, 2014 at 4:01 pmPlus you used some of your freezer meals when we were there…sorry about that. They were good though! Glad for routines again.
SarahElisabeth Jones says
September 2, 2014 at 5:34 pmLovely pictures. Would you be able to share your granola recipe?
KB says
September 3, 2014 at 11:44 amI always look forward to your posts and updates. I just went to our library website and reserved “Findle,” hoping that it will encourage my 2nd grader in the wonder and joys of reading. I met you a long time ago when I attended your church’s mom group. I believe you had your 2nd oldest as a baby. Just wanted to say “Thank you” for your honesty and openness on your blog. You are truly and encouragement!
Blessings!
~Krista Bailey
KB says
September 3, 2014 at 11:45 amI mean “Frindle.”