Focused on Preparedness-Weekend Goings On

We spent this last weekend at home and had Keaton with us for the first time in quite a while. Taron stayed in Pocatello so he could go to his football team's end of season party. We're looking forward to having them both for a long weekend this next one. On Saturday morning, Stephen worked on filling up our water storage barrels while the boys played around the yard and I finished the pears I had been canning...

Along this line, I've decided yet again that when I grow up I want to be my Mom. She came over last week for a day to help me with the pears and I ended up having to leave before we got very far. She did nine quarts in an hour and a half. I then spent the following two evenings and did only 13 quarts! Everything she does, she does well. Someday I hope I'm like that, or at least a little closer to it than I am now! I sure appreciate you Mom. :)

I've been really nervous about needing to be prepared for tough times- it's getting pretty clear that the need for home storage is imminent. I think it would be the worst feeling in the world to have the shelves at the stores be empty and look in my own pantry and know that I'm not prepared, or to look out across our property and not have planted a garden (that's our next big project to plan for), all when we had the time, the resources and the warning. So, at any rate, it felt good to get our water barrels ready and such.

Coop has been loving this little play mower lately- he pushes and pulls it all over the place. I love him in cute winter hats and it was just cool enough to need it during the morning. Also gotta laugh at the hat hair afterwards!

For the rest of the day Saturday, Stephen and Keaton went into the South Hills to do some sage grouse hunting, while Cooper and I stayed home and napped/ attempted to scrapbook/ made dinner. I love the feeling of days like that- I love being home. Hope all of our friends and family had a good weekend too!

Stephen at Castle Rocks State Park

This last weekend Stephen was asked to do a faclonry presentation as part of the Castle Rocks State Park anniversary celebration. He really enjoys stuff like this and is great at it. He said he teased a few people that would hold the bird by yelping just as they got thier hand in the glove- what a tease! A fellow falconer that was also there sent him these pics and I thought they turned out nice- I'm married to a pretty cool dude. :)

Little Moments that Make Me Smile

Just some pics of a few times this last week that I grabbed the camera because I thought "I want to capture this." Little moments that make me smile...

Pear Crumble

Made this yummy pear crumble last night and thought I would share the recipe this morning. I love baking stuff like this because it smells so good! Our awesome neighbors had given us a bowl full of pears that needed to be eaten, so I used those to whip this up quick. Then we took it to some friends that have been sick. (I tripled it and baked two 1.5 quart pans at once.)

INGREDIENTS
3 pears - peeled, cored and sliced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 dash ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon cold butter
2 tablespoons chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS
Place pear slices in a greased 1-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice. In a bowl, combine the sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Cut in butter until crumbly; add nuts. Sprinkle over pears. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

P.S. I didn't have any ginger, so I left it out and it was fine. I also did warm up the butter- it wasn't very workable cold. :)

Bittersweet...

Took these pics of Cooper playing in the yard last night, trying to wring out the last of summer. It struck me how he looks so big! I have to think that it's kinda bittersweet to watch your kids grow up. Each new growth is welcome and endearing, but also heartwrenching. Remember when he fit on my chest and we slept like that on the couch? Remember when I set him up in the crook of the rocking chair or in the bouncy on the table and didn't worry about him falling off? Hardly a day goes by that I don't miss the Baby Bjorn and being able to carry him next to me like that while we were out and about. He is so much happier being able to be more independent and it is nice to have him be able to follow me from place to place, or just send him across the yard to meet up with Dad. It just makes me melt to watch him toddle around, exploring and coming to show me his finds. I hope he always does that. I suppose each new month and year will be bittersweet for the rest of our lives- looking back on how he was and treasuring how he is. Gosh we love this little guy...