Ready for the Playoffs!

I realize this is a bit "geeky" to have a giant white board in your main hallway, and a little more geeky that it is covered with baseball stats. But I have learned so much about the game this year, and this white board has really helped. It was fun to keep track of all the stats all year for both leagues. So it was really fun to change the stats to the playoff bracket! Last night the Tigers sadly lost to the Twins in the 12th inning (it was a great game, though). I have so many favorite teams going into the playoffs, that I am not sure who to root for. Of course, my heart is with the Red Sox but I am not sure they can pull it off this year. I am just crossing my fingers that it isn't the Yankees!!! Go Red Sox, Dodgers, Angels and Rockies!!!

Canning Tomatoes

Since we ended up staying in town this weekend for UEA, I decided to get some stuff done that I was avoiding. I love home-canned food. When I was younger, we grew a huge garden and my mom and dad put us to work in the garden all summer. For family night we would work in the yard and then go to Dan's grocery store for ice cream cones for a dime. I also remember the kids getting put to work on canning. We were always on duty--peeling, mashing and preparing the fruit or vegetables my mom was putting up for the winter. I loved how we could go out to the "cold room" and grab a can of peaches or dried apples as an after school snack. I know this is something people don't do anymore. I don't think it is any cheaper than buying canned tomatoes at the store. But nothing beats the flavor of canned tomatoes in a sauce or soup. It is home-grown flavor all year long. So I rolled up my sleeves and prepared to can all day on friday. I also made a couple of batches of raspberry freezer jam--which is the best jam ever! We go through it pretty quickly, so I have to make tons throughout the summer. Luckily, Costco has figured out how to supply me with raspberries all summer, so I can make a few batches here and there.

Here they are, boiling away for 45 minutes... I love my old fashioned canning pot that Cody's grandmother gave me. It is just like the one we used while I was growing up.

I also love all the old jars I inherited from my mom and my grandma Fielding. I made tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.

Whew! After a full day of slaving away, here is the finished product. I was so excited that they all sealed! Doesn't the jam look yummy?