Stolen Moments: Dinosaur Hopscotch, Jam and Growing!

You know that crazy, drugged up feeling you get sometimes when you are woken up? Yeah, go that right now. Can't focus, don't have any energy. Probably because I was just woken up from a nap. So currently, Emma is playing dinosaur hopscotch, which means all the cushions and pillows are on the floor, and she is jumping from one pillow to the next. There are some chairs involved (don't worry, I did have energy to ask her to step from the pillows to the chairs, tho!) I guess it's not surprising why I'm so tired. Thursday night was late and busy, Friday was insainely busy and also very late, early morning today, and lots of errands this morning.

But on the upside: the grass is cut, the driveway is ready for sealing, the wasps only have a few short hours to live (use them well, little stingers! The foam guy is coming!), and I currently have 4 new types of jam, about 20 jars of it. DELISH! I have never made jam before - well, I helped my parents when I was younger, but soon realized that things were much safer/happier/less insane if I left for that weekend. I don't know if it's cheaper, definitely not healthier (7 cups of sugar in one batch! Ugh!), but it was immensely satisfying to make my own jam. I think I have some residual Hornsveld craziness that way. I was catching myself thinking, "Wow. this is fun. We could do another bushel!"only to realize that 20 jars of jam is probably more than enough jam for the next 5 years. But there was this crazy sense of feeling so connected to the past, to my family (and not just my sisters who helped - well, when they finally returned. Didn't think Burlington was that confusing), but my parents and grandparents. Grand Tally: 6 jars of Peach Jam, 1 jar of Peach/Pear/Apple, 2 of Peach/Miexed Berry, and about 7 of a Peach/Raspberry/Lavender freezer jam.

Nadia's Checkerboard Design

Jam, Jam, Wonderful Jam!

And I measured my kids again. Emma grew about an inch and a half the last 2 months. And Evan grew about 2 and a half! Absolutely insane. I guess this is why we go through a lot more food. And the clumsiness. Hey, I wonder if I can still claim that excuse . . .