Persistance and Peace

Ok.  Lets be honest.  If anyone's still reading out there its probably my mom.  Hi MOM!   Yes I brushed my teeth this morning!   Now that that's out of the way, lets delve into a few things that have been happening in my life, and a few things I'd like to write about here. 

We've all been sick.  Ranging from mild illnesses to more serious ones, over the past winter ever member of this household has been sick AT LEAST TWICE.  Including B, who never gets sick, and never gets sick to the extent he was this winter.  It's been challenging to keep up with that.  Sick people explode outwards with laundry for a radius of five miles it seems.  B does an amazing job helping out, even when sick, but man I feel like we've been fighting an uphill battle this winter.  I will be glad to let the windows open, and the spring in the door.  I hope we've seen our last of illnesses, at least for awhile.

Next, I've been cooking more at home.  Sadly with the sickies, bread baking has taken a backseat, and sourdough? HA!  My poor starter hasn't seen the light of day in months!  But thank goodness for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  Using that method I still get to make bread occasionally, and I've been baking more quick breads and a spate of cakes and cupcakes for various birthdays.  I still am getting my bake on, just in different ways.  I want the kids to eat more healthy foods.  I know that we eat pretty good really, considering, but I'd like to get the girls back to the point where I'm not fighting them to eat mixed up foods, casseroles, soups.   I've started canning as a hobby.  Jams and Jellies mostly.  It has been an education.  Some batches are wonderful, some are less so.  But I am persisting. 

Persistence and Patience are a theme for me right now.  I am trying to be patience with Maus.  She's definitely getting her use out of two already.  And she's a more stubborn child than Boo was, so it takes more repetitions for her to learn that no, actually, throwing a fit, or food, or a toy, or a book, will not get you what you want.  In fact, it generally earns you a time out, or a quick trip back out to the car to cool off.  And she needs that.  She needs my persistence.  I will continue to expect age appropriate behavior and correct those behaviors that are unacceptable.  I refuse to raise brats.  This is meaning a lot of work right now.  I need to remember this, and remember that it was this way with Boo too, and be more patient with myself while in this challenging stage.  But with Persistence and Patience we will make it.  

In the coming weeks I hope to blog a little more regularly.  It helps me to get things out in the cloud.  I think I'm going to aim for once a week.  It fits nicely with my goal, which is to in some manner preserve food for future use once a week.  It can be as simple as freezing some extra from dinner, or a complex as making and par baking pizza crusts or canning some jam or pickles.  Once a week.  I can do that.  This week was the epic orange jelly that set every which way but that which I intended for it.  I had a complete range of sets from orange syrup (yummy martini though!) to orange - well, it was as hard as a rock.  I managed four pints of usable jelly after re boiling it, and one jar of syrup, and one jar of, well, I guess I might melt it and make orange chicken, or orange beef.  We'll see.  

Is it spring yet?  I can't wait to get out in my garden.  I want to plant veggies.  The girls want to play.  I'm so ready for Spring.  Here's where the Patience part comes in I guess.