Putting Up

That's the Southern term for canning. "Putting Up" I checked this great book out from the library and it's teaching me how to transform my kitchen into a home canning fortress! I'm so excited. I'm not talking about canning pickled beets, or pickled asparagus. I want to can apple sauce, strawberry jam, berry syrup, peaches, pears, marinara sauce, and other unknown can-able yummies. This book has the 1-2-3's of canning in the first section, and a month by month guide of what to can with recipes in the second section. The author Stephen Palmer Dowdney explains one of the reasons for canning...

"The quality of commercial products has continued to escalate. However, when using the word 'quality,' I am referring to the fancy glass packaging, eye-catching labels, and those special additives put into maintain color and 'freshness.' All this might appear to be fine, but the actual taste of the products we purchase has not improved. In fact, as the complexities of industrialization and competition have increased, the taste factor, in many cases, has eroded. The pretty package and the fancy label do not matter to our palate."

He goes on to say that there are four ways manufacturers can compete: advertising, price, label, and container. Taste isn't even in competition. He also says that our ancestors would not tolerate some of the foods we are accustomed to eating. Preservatives, fresheners, and chemicals take the flavor and nutrition right out of the food.

I'm not turning into a health food crazy. But he really has a point. I'm going to get my hands on the freshest, juiciest fruits and berries available. I'm going to eat up all I can, and can what I can't. YaY!

Wish me luck, I've never done this before.

Anisten's Firsts

I would like to share than Anisten got her first hair cut, but that is unfortunately not the case. With the way things grow in her hair department, there is no need for a cut. However, I was able to pull her hair into her first piggy tails and I must say

cute, cute, cute!

She tried and successfully pulled both of them out later in the day. It must have felt funny.

Anisten went potty on the toilet today! YaY. We were doing some

spring cleaning and found our two little potty seats. Anisten knew just what to do from the start. She flopped it down and sat on it. Then after watching Lilly go on the toilet, she climbed up and went herself. Surprised the heck outta me!

First tinkle. She earned a chocolate chip reward.

Captain Hand Hygiene to the rescue

I'm remembering back when Lilly potty trained. Each time she went tinkle on the potty she got a Rolo. I didn't realize that she would potty on the toilet seven times in the first day, so she ultimately ate the whole pack of Rolo's and basically nothing else the entire day! LOL. We changed the reward to a single M&M the next day, worked much better.

Rattle Snake Lake

This is our Second photo session as the Evans family at Rattle Snake Lake. Since the first session we have had two additions to our family. We were supposed to wear blue... these dresses are the only blue items my girls have.

Cousins

Loggers

What a good looking family

Rylan's Bros Randy, Kyle, Kevin and Sissy Leah

18 Month Photos

A family friend took these pictures in Grandad Evans beautiful yard. Anisten had a perma-pout that got worse as time went on. Kids, Gotta love um. Total photo session time= 3 minutes.

Watch out Nursery, Here I come!

Anisten did great her first time in class. Didn't even cry when I left. Her teachers devide the class for snack time. Apparently Anisten eats so slow she stays for both snack sessions. Taking after Daddy.

Reverent Listening (HaH!)

Friends