just before bed

 

 

 

 

I can’t sleep.  It’s almost midnight, the kids have been out for quite some time, but I’m wide awake. 

I made the mistake earlier of falling asleep on the couch with Chloe during her nap…for three hours!  I enjoyed it immensely at the time, but I’m paying for it now. 

Also, Ben has been very generous with his germs, leaving me with a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat.  Not enough to make me really feel sick (yet!), but just enough to make getting to sleep a hassle and a headache.  I took a 1/4 dose of NyQuil to alleviate the stuffiness; hopefully it kicks in soon. 

Speaking of Ben, my little man is crawling now!  I really didn’t think he would, because he’d been so adamant about NOT getting on his tummy, but he’s taken off the past few days.  Especially in Mom’s house, where the floor is wide open and always uncluttered.  He just goes and goes!

Mom and I took the kids and went grocery shopping this morning, which is always an adventure.  It wasn’t too horrible.  Chloe kept digging into the produce, though, and eating grapes and strawberries before they were paid for.  lol.  I had to move all of the fruit to the other end of the cart. 

I also bought myself a water bath canner while we were shopping.  I’m excited to use it for the first time.  I’d love to make up a few batches of jellies and preserves to give as gifts this year.  Plus, spaghetti sauce and salsa!  We go through SO much spaghetti sauce, and I hate buying the jarred stuff.  I recently started buying Newman’s Own brand, which tastes great and I know it’s all natural, but I would still prefer knowing I made my own.  All of the canning will hopefully lead to growing a fairly good sized garden, which will lead to less grocery shopping. 

Aaron and I have discussed it, and we both would like to get to a point where our family is self-sufficient for most of our food needs.  After we purchase land, we like to have a large garden, some chickens, and maybe even a dairy cow for raw milk.  We both also agree that this kind of agricultural "living from the land" lifestyle will be good for the kids and teach them so much about how to treat the earth and about a good hard work ethic.  It still remains to be seen how expansive we’d like to get with our ideas, but I would love it if I only had to grocery shop for things like flour and rice and produce that can’t be grown in this area.  A lot won’t be possible until the kids are older and able to help out more, but it’s nice to think about in the meantime. 

So, sometime next week I’m going to choose one of the simpler canning recipes I have, get together everything I need, and pick a day to try it out for the first time.  Is it weird that I’m so super excited about it? 

If it is, I don’t care. 😛