First Time Canning

Do you see this?  That is a lot of jars, isn't it?  If you are an avid canner then it probably isn't to you but to me it is.

Over the weekend our niece and her family came to visit.  With them they brought two full cases of tomatoes they had just picked from their garden.  I love tomatoes but my first question was "What am I supposed to do with that many tomatoes?  They'll ruin before we have a chance to eat them."  Well their answer to me was "Just put them up."

What?  Put them up?  What do you mean?  I am becoming Suzie Homemaker but I haven't ventured into the canning arena yet.  Mostly because I don't have a garden.  I don't see the point in buying vegetables to can unless you just find a really great deal.  My niece's husband started telling me how easy it was to can tomatoes, and assured me that I could do it.  I already had jars and lids.  So, why not?

Today I found all of my jars and sterilized them.  You are probably asking "Why do you have so many jars if you don't can?"  The answer is simple.  My mother-in-law, Lethia, was a gardener and canner.  She canned everything, and I mean everything.  I have catered weddings in the past and we always have food left over.  Many times the family doesn't want the left overs.  One wedding we had a lot of fruit left and Charlie took it to his Mother.  It was an entire pan of various fruits; cantaloupe, watermelon, star fruit, grapes, pineapple, strawberries, etc.  She took that fruit and made all-fruit jam.  It was the best I've ever had!  Before Lethia passed away in 2009 I would give her the jars back after we ate the food.  These are all the jars that we've emptied since she died.  I've never been able to bring myself to give them away so they've been in various places in my house.  Charlie even went to the storage building and brought back a couple of boxes I had stored there.  


Back to my story...Today I scoured the internet, looked through cookbooks and called different friends that have canned tomatoes.  I am a perfectionist and I didn't want to get it wrong.  As I was peeling the tomatoes my mind seemed to be flooded with memories.  As a little girl I helped my grandmother can fruits & vegetables.  Then as a young married lady I helped Lethia can too.  I've just never done it by myself.  


It was actually fun to me.  I couldn't wait to complete the process and hear the 'ping' of the lids.  I canned 4 quarts and 7 pints of tomatoes.  I still have about 1/2 case of tomatoes left and tomorrow I am going to attempt to make tomato juice.  I didn't think I'd be able to make tomato juice but tonight I borrowed a Food Mill/Strainer from a friend.  Tomato Juice was one of my husband's favorite things that his Mother made so I am determined to try my best!  I know this is a lot of empty jars but maybe just maybe another gardener will see fit to share their bounty and I can fill them up!  


I wish I had the things Lethia used to can; her pressure cooker, her food mill, her funnel, everything!  I am a very sentimental person and even the simplest of things are worth millions to me!  I don't know who ended up with Lethia's kitchen stuff but I know if it was me I'd be using them today.  Charlie came in the kitchen tonight and saw all the jars lined up on the counter and he said "My Mama & Daddy would be proud of you." They always wanted to make me a country girl.  I wonder if they know how much they taught me?  I hope so!


~Blessings
Krista

Win a Jo Totes Camera Bag

Check out Tater Tots & Jello for a give away!  The Jo Totes Camera Bags are beautiful and functional.  I tried to post pics here but for some reason Blogger won't let me.  You'll have to visit the link to see all the awesome pics!

~Blessings
Krista

The Story of a Father & His Daughter

A baby girl is born. Simultaneously, from amid the ranks of ordinary men, there emerges a mighty, courageous, gallant man who is quaking in his shoes. As they grow together, the girl comes to know that her father is no ordinary man.

He can hear the sound of the sun pushing the clouds out of her world, and he helps her to hear it, too. He can taste the worst cookies that she will make and then eat three or four more from the same batch. He can touch the stars and pull them closer to her. He can see the fire of youthful puppy love burning in her heart. No, this father is no ordinary man.

He has a body to shield his daughter from strangers, big dogs, and noisy things; a broad expanse of chest to nestle against; and an arm to pillow her head while watching television. He has two strong arms to hold her up to touch the sky, to see inside a bird's nest, or to fly like an airplane.

Fearlessly, this father and daughter adventure into the realms of surprise.
Together they open doors and share peeks at monsters; with him, she is never afraid. He is there for her first bike ride. He has flowers picked to tickle her nose, shaving cream dabbed on her face, and a goodnight kiss in the dark when he comes home late and thinks she is asleep.

In her teenage years, he teaches her to respect herself and others. He is always proud of her for trying new things; she doesn't always have to win. He is a wealth of truth in the midst of peer group untruths, an impatient driving instructor, and a light in the window at twelve o'clock on a Friday night.

He is the firm cornerstone of the family who gives her values to believe in, a heritage she feels worthy of, and an urgency for living her life completely.

Now, in her adulthood, he could slow down a bit, but he won't. He still utilizes his many resources to teach his daughter well, and somehow his mere presence continues to trigger the potential in her. So what does a daughter say to this man of subtle sensitivities and infinite wisdom?
She says this... "I love you, Daddy"

~ Author Unknown

Have you heard?

In this picture do you see how the clouds are covering everything and making it all appear so dark but then there is a small area that is in the sunshine?  Right now I feel like I am in that dark water.  I can see the sunshine but I'm not sure how to make it to that area.

I was reading a devotional this morning and the following verses were used: Isaiah 40:28-31

"Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Sometimes on this journey it seems that I am really weak.  I feel like my way is blocked by such an insurmountable wall that there is no way that I will ever make it over.  This week I've been very discouraged.  We are waiting on a call back that will put Charlie to work.  The waiting is the hardest part...  Then I read the verses above and I realized again that in the 'waiting' is where God renews our strength.  He makes us powerful.  He allows us to be able to run.  In the 'waiting' is where he finds out what we are really made of.  Are we willing to stand or will we give up?  Do we truly depend on him or do we try to take things into our own hands?  While we are waiting do we start thinking about the 'what if's'?  or Do we trust that God is going to take care of everything?  Do we believe that God and God alone will provide our way of escape.

Several different people and at different times, some not even knowing our circumstances, have prophesied to us that God was going to send us a financial blessing.  I am trusting and believing that he will...we just have to wait on it.  God doesn't always send things on our time table or according to our schedule.  He sends them on his so we learn to trust and be faithful in all things.

The devotional I was reading from Girlfriends in God said this also:

Don't wait until you believe it all. 

Don't wait until you can see it all. 

Don't wait until you understand it all. 

Trust God and step out in faith. He will meet you there. 

Most days writing on this blog allows me to push on, and not to give up.  It is my journal and whether anyone reads or comments it allows me to renew my focus by getting my feelings out in the open. As our Pastor was preaching Sunday he quoted a verse from Philippians that we all know but before it he made another statement.  My son said it sounded like a battle cry.  So today I will sound my battle cry!

I will not bend, I will not bow, I will not break. 

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil 4:12

~Blessings

Krista

I work out....wiggle, wiggle, wiggle

Are you laughing yet?  You are if you know what I look like right now, and yes, I do 'wiggle, wiggle, wiggle' when I work out.  I have gained a ton of weight.  Well, not literally a ton, but a lot.  So much that I'm embarrassed to even tell you how much I currently weigh!  NO ONE KNOWS, not even Charlie.  I really am embarrassed by it.  I was looking at pictures from our latest vacation and I think I look like a beached walrus.  My face looks like a giant balloon.  I have squinty eyes anyway but I've gained so much weight that you can barely even see my eyeballs!  I know you are laughing now!

Healthy, that is what I need to be!  I am going to quit trying to diet and just be healthy.  I am definitely not healthy right now!  This all came to me as we were driving to Florida a couple of weeks ago.  I was walking in to this convenient store and I saw my reflection in the doors.  I thought to myself 'Wow, is that really me?'  In my mind I could hear my father-in-law talking to me.  He used to say and yes, this is when I weighed a good 50lbs less than I do today, "Sis, you need to back away from the table. You are getting to be as big as all the rest of them."  You see I was always the small one in my husband's family.  I have a sister-in-law who is well over 300lbs.  So, when I'd start packing on the weight my father-in-law would gently remind me that I needed to slow down.  Well, I don't know how gentle that statement was but it got the point across.  I guess I've not 'backed away from the table' in a while.  Probably over 3 years to be exact because that would have been the last time I could have heard my father-in-law's voice.  Man, what would he say to me today?  I'm sure he would get a kick out of it!  He'd probably laugh at me and tell me that he guessed I just decided to join the rest of them!

Fast forward 2 weeks....Charlie & I have started going back to Workout Anytime.  I am literally working my butt off or today it feels like my 'bat wings'!  You know what those are, right?  Those wings you get on the back of your arms when you gain weight!  This week I've been doing 20 minutes on the elliptical machine and then doing the weight machines.  My arms are getting the biggest workout or at least I think they are because that is where I hurt!  They burn!  I hope that is a good thing.  Doesn't it mean when it still hurts after the workout that it is actually doing some good?  I don't really know about all this but I figure that if it hurts a little then it must be good for me because I've always hated exercise!  I have felt better this week.  I have more energy even though my muscles or lack thereof do burn...I'm thinking that those muscles have been buried under fat for so long that they are very mad at me about being used again!

We've also turned a corner this week on our eating habits and we've been eating better.  I'm no longer making meals that are covered in cheese!  Our breakfasts have consisted of oatmeal, smoothies, boiled eggs, etc.  Lunches have been turkey wraps or homemade chicken salad.  Last night we had a low country shrimp boil which consisted of red potatoes, turkey polish sausage, corn on the cob, onions, and shrimp!  It was yummy!  I'm not sure what I'll be making tonight but I'm leaning towards grilled chicken or fish and a salad.

I have a lot to do to get into shape and the reality is that I need to lose more than 50lbs probably closer to 60 and so does Charlie!  I'll try to keep you in the loop along this journey.  Hopefully Charlie and I will both be a lot smaller and healthier by this time next year!

~Blessings
Krista

Creating...

If you are interested in painting furniture she sells an e-book with great instructions!

I love to create things, and I love to learn how to do something new.  It's really hard to keep my attention on something so I often start new projects and have new ideas.  In the last few years, I've learned to sew; specifically quilt, make hair bows for little girls, to machine embroider, make memo boards, make my own laundry detergent and cleaning supplies, the list goes on and on.

To my family the fact that I've started researching how to do something else is not new.   I always research for days and even weeks before I start something.  There are things that I'd like to do that are way beyond my ability, but then there are somethings that I see and think "Hey, I can do that!" Of course my family just wonders how long it will keep my attention.

Anyway I've been researching how to redo furniture and I've found some really cool blogs that I'd like to share.  Hopefully over the next few weeks I'll have a few pieces of my own to share.  I may never sell anything but I have a few pieces in my house that are older than dirt that need a fresh look.

http://altard.com/
http://betterafter.blogspot.com/
http://www.thenester.com/
http://www.younghouselove.com/

~Blessings
Krista

A Greater Yes

Good Morning!  I very rarely post on Sunday mornings because I'm super busy getting ready for church but this morning I wanted to take just a minute to post a song I heard this weekend.  You see I am at our annual church convention and we are blessed to have many talented musicians & singers in our organization.  Yesterday one of the sisters sang this song and it seemed like the words spoke to my heart.  I hope you enjoy it too!

Here are the lyrics.....

Verse 1:

It starts with a desire, planted deep within your heart

You pray in faith, and wait for God to move

Time passes and you wonder

Did He hear me when I called?

Should I even have prayed that prayer at all

Chorus:

You never pray a prayer, your Father will not answer

He can't ignore His child's earnest request

While you're waiting and believing

For what you thought was best

Trust God if He says no….. You're still Blessed

There must be a greater yes

Verse 2:

There comes a time when child-like faith

Must graduate to trust

Trials come and you're convinced you're on your own

But the teacher's often silent

During the hardest test

But He'll answer when It's time with what is best

Bridge:

Sometimes God will answer - just like we prayed

Then other times what's on His mind

Is a better plan, a another way, a greater yes