Domestic Goddess?

Not really. But listen to what I did today:

I canned peaches. Canning is one of my favorite old-fashioned things to do in the Summer. I love to buy boxes of peaches and pears, get the kitchen all sugared up, fire up the stove, sweat away and can. Don't ask me why, maybe its the sweet treat in the middle of the blah winter that makes it so worth it, I don't know. But I look forward to Peaches and Pears every year so I can buy them and can them.

This year I have to approach it a little different, its a nap-time thing instead of an all day thing. And trust me, if you plan it right, you can get a dozen cans done in 2 hours. And that's from the box to the cooker and cooling. And Ahhh, I feel like a million bucks. Thanks to the in-laws who loaned me an outdoor cooker. I have a great stove, nice glass top, sleek black thing, but its crap for heating up a canner full of cans and keeping the water boiling hot. The cooker worked really well though. And it took a ton of extra heat out of the kitchen.

So here's how I did it, more for my notes, and motivation next year than anything else.

I washed the jars, lids and rings while we were out this morning. I got all the waters (sugar water, blanching water and canning water) boiling while I got lunch ready. Then I blanched the peaches, dunked them into a sink of cold water, peeled and sliced them into a bowl, Bubba helped put them in jars for awhile. His hands fit so much better than mine. When a jar or two were done I put the sugar water in them (note to self: I need to get a ladle that works better than the flimsy plastic one I have) cleaned the mouth of the jar, put the lid and ring on them. I have found over the years it's best to get them in the jars and covered as soon as possible because they'll turn brown.

When I had 6 jars ready to go, I put them out to boil. They boiled for about 15 minutes I think. And then I set them to cool. Well sort of, I took them out of the boiler outside and set them on the table outside where it's 95 degrees. That's cooler than boiling right? Anyway, then repeat and my dozen jars were done. Not a bad way to spend nap time. Well, napping would be better, but that's okay.

MMMMM. I am going to try to do that every week until the fruit is gone. I should get about 3 more weeks of peaches and then 4 weeks of pears I think. That should get us through the winter and have some to give away.

The past few years I have taken all my canning stuff to my Dads house and his wife and I spend a day canning. Its more fun that way. Maybe I'll take stuff with me Labor Day weekend.

KIDS:
This week has been an adjustment for Bubba. Not only is he still tired from his fantastic weekend away, he acquired some bad habits. Its been a real pain in the ass to bring him around. Hopefully a nap today will improve that a whole ton.

Punkin Head is getting another tooth. Nothing worse for a little baby than getting teeth. They just don't know what to do about it except cry, cry, cry. Which makes me want to cry, cry, cry. Ah well, they only last a few days and the babies don't remember getting them.