I canned another 20 quarts of cherries today. We have a few more out there. If it is raining tomorrow, we might let the birds have the rest.
I also canned 7 pints of rhubarb jam. I used a different recipe this yr, which does not contain strawberry jello. My jam looks like honey. I am eager to bake some bread and slather it with some homemade jam! Mmm Mm! Rhubarb jam does take a lot of sugar. But at least it does not contain high fructose corn syrup, like most commercial jams and jellies.
I also thought I would try bulk Dutch gel, instead of the little packets of Sure Jell. So far, it looks like it will set up the same. It is so much cheaper to buy it in bulk. Those little packets almost make homemade jam not cost effective.
I will try to post some pics of my finished products tomorrow.
I still have sick little boys. My 5 yo may be going to the doctor tomorrow. We are having a hard time getting him to drink enough to comensate for his fever and the hot weather.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
What a Weekend
Yesterday was such a pleasant day. The girls and I went to the annual Large Family Picnic. My boys were still under the weather, so they stayed home. It was rather nice to not have to chase all the little boys. I could actually have a conversation without running off after someone and having no idea what I had been talking about. I would have rather had them healthy though.
I got to connect with another mom I had not seen in years. The last time I saw her, she only had 3 children and I "only" had six. I still think of her as a young mom, barely past the newlywed season:) Yet, in reality, she is an experienced mom with a lot of wisdom to offer new moms.
I got to meet some of the moms I am friends with on an online support site called momys. Momys is an acronym for Mothers Of Many Young Siblings.
What a blessing it was to spend time with like-minded women. It is great "talking" to these women online, but to spend an afternoon of fellowship was wonderful!
While I was fellowshipping, and then shopping with my girls, Gene was home with the boys. After the nappers went off to bed, he spent the afternoon picking cherries from our lone cherry tree behind our garage.
Today, after church, I started on pitting and canning cherries. So far, I have 14 quarts! I still have at least that many in the laundryroom refridgerator, and that many still on the tree. Cherry cobbler and pie will taste so good this winter!
After I got done canning, and the jars were lined up on my counter, I enjoyed the pinging sound they make as the lids seal. I remember canning with my mom and she would always get so excited about the sound. Funny how it seemed silly back then, now I know it is a special kind of music. When I shared this with my 18yo daughter, she thought I was being silly. Some day, she will understand. She assures me she will not be canning, seems pointless to her.
After canning, we ate cake and icecream, to celebrate one of my son's birthday. He was 7 yesterday. He was not up to eating cake yesterday. We gave him a parachute man, a pirate ship kit, and a geode. When he opened his gifts, he thought we gave him a rock. He is eager to see if his geode is filled with crystals, like the ones his brothers broke open for science class.
I got to connect with another mom I had not seen in years. The last time I saw her, she only had 3 children and I "only" had six. I still think of her as a young mom, barely past the newlywed season:) Yet, in reality, she is an experienced mom with a lot of wisdom to offer new moms.
I got to meet some of the moms I am friends with on an online support site called momys. Momys is an acronym for Mothers Of Many Young Siblings.
What a blessing it was to spend time with like-minded women. It is great "talking" to these women online, but to spend an afternoon of fellowship was wonderful!
While I was fellowshipping, and then shopping with my girls, Gene was home with the boys. After the nappers went off to bed, he spent the afternoon picking cherries from our lone cherry tree behind our garage.
Today, after church, I started on pitting and canning cherries. So far, I have 14 quarts! I still have at least that many in the laundryroom refridgerator, and that many still on the tree. Cherry cobbler and pie will taste so good this winter!
After I got done canning, and the jars were lined up on my counter, I enjoyed the pinging sound they make as the lids seal. I remember canning with my mom and she would always get so excited about the sound. Funny how it seemed silly back then, now I know it is a special kind of music. When I shared this with my 18yo daughter, she thought I was being silly. Some day, she will understand. She assures me she will not be canning, seems pointless to her.
After canning, we ate cake and icecream, to celebrate one of my son's birthday. He was 7 yesterday. He was not up to eating cake yesterday. We gave him a parachute man, a pirate ship kit, and a geode. When he opened his gifts, he thought we gave him a rock. He is eager to see if his geode is filled with crystals, like the ones his brothers broke open for science class.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Sickness continues
I took my almost 7yo to the doctor yesterday. He has bronchitis and is now on abx and an inhaler. What made me decide was his temp was 103.5 1st thing in the morning.
He vomitted a good portion of his abx. Hopefully, we have more success today.
Last night, around bedtime, I noticed the 5yo felt warm. He had a fever of 101.4 He was very indignant about his brother "making him sick". It was sort of funny.
Then the almost 9yo wanted to check his temp and decided to wash the digital thermometer. Now it doesn't work:( We have two other thermometers, but they are hiding, probably under the sofa. I think the 9yo is fine, he is just having sympathy heeby-jeebies.
We had planned to go to a picnic on Saturday for large families. Now, I'm not certain we will be able to. I don't want to risk exposing lots of children, or preggy women to sickness. I guess we will see how all the children are on Saturday morning.
He vomitted a good portion of his abx. Hopefully, we have more success today.
Last night, around bedtime, I noticed the 5yo felt warm. He had a fever of 101.4 He was very indignant about his brother "making him sick". It was sort of funny.
Then the almost 9yo wanted to check his temp and decided to wash the digital thermometer. Now it doesn't work:( We have two other thermometers, but they are hiding, probably under the sofa. I think the 9yo is fine, he is just having sympathy heeby-jeebies.
We had planned to go to a picnic on Saturday for large families. Now, I'm not certain we will be able to. I don't want to risk exposing lots of children, or preggy women to sickness. I guess we will see how all the children are on Saturday morning.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
What is PHPV?
PHPV stands for Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous. Does that help?
PHPV is a birth defect of the eye. When the eye is developing, it has blood vessels that come from the back of the eye that supply blood to the developing lens. At a certain point, the vessel is supposed to shrivel up and die, it has done its work and is no longer needed.
With PHPV, the vessel does not shrivel up, it keeps supplying blood to the eye, causing scarring in the vitreous and the back of the lens capsule. This scarring is a cataract. PHPV often causes the eye to be smaller than normal, microphthalmia, it also makes it more prone to elevated pressure, glaucoma, as well as other complications.
Five yrs ago, I had never heard of PHPV. Since then, I have learned more about it, and eyes, than I ever wanted to know.
Why would I care to learn about congenital cataracts?? My 5yo son had PHPV in his right eye. Josh's PHPV eye is microphthalmic, and he has glaucoma.
Josh had his 1st of 6 surgeries when he was only 4 weeks old. Cataract surgery in infants is different than adults, in that they are under general anethesia and they do not implant artificial lenses into infant eyes. So, mom had to learn how to change a contact lens. The 1st time I changed it, Josh was about 2 months old. I'm not sure who cried more, him or me. Now, it is very easy. But we went through a lot of difficult times to get to this point.
Another problem with PHPV is amblyopia, lazy eye. The brain tries to ignore the eye with blurry vision in children. So, even with surgery to remove the cataract, and a contact lens to take the place of the natural lens, he would still not develope vision unless we did something to help him. This "something" is daily patching of the unaffected eye. What a challenge that has been at times. Currently, we are at a peaceful season with the patching. But we are ready to be firm if he needs us to be again. It would be cruel to have put our little son through so many surgeries, and then not enforce the patching therapy.
Our biggest concern right now is the eye pressure. Drops to lower the pressure do not always work long term in young children. Josh is seen frequently to have his pressure checked. What a brave little guy he is. Elevated eye pressure can cause a lot of problems, which could cause him to lose his vision. So we fight to keep his eye as healthy as possible and his pressure under control.
PHPV is a birth defect of the eye. When the eye is developing, it has blood vessels that come from the back of the eye that supply blood to the developing lens. At a certain point, the vessel is supposed to shrivel up and die, it has done its work and is no longer needed.
With PHPV, the vessel does not shrivel up, it keeps supplying blood to the eye, causing scarring in the vitreous and the back of the lens capsule. This scarring is a cataract. PHPV often causes the eye to be smaller than normal, microphthalmia, it also makes it more prone to elevated pressure, glaucoma, as well as other complications.
Five yrs ago, I had never heard of PHPV. Since then, I have learned more about it, and eyes, than I ever wanted to know.
Why would I care to learn about congenital cataracts?? My 5yo son had PHPV in his right eye. Josh's PHPV eye is microphthalmic, and he has glaucoma.
Josh had his 1st of 6 surgeries when he was only 4 weeks old. Cataract surgery in infants is different than adults, in that they are under general anethesia and they do not implant artificial lenses into infant eyes. So, mom had to learn how to change a contact lens. The 1st time I changed it, Josh was about 2 months old. I'm not sure who cried more, him or me. Now, it is very easy. But we went through a lot of difficult times to get to this point.
Another problem with PHPV is amblyopia, lazy eye. The brain tries to ignore the eye with blurry vision in children. So, even with surgery to remove the cataract, and a contact lens to take the place of the natural lens, he would still not develope vision unless we did something to help him. This "something" is daily patching of the unaffected eye. What a challenge that has been at times. Currently, we are at a peaceful season with the patching. But we are ready to be firm if he needs us to be again. It would be cruel to have put our little son through so many surgeries, and then not enforce the patching therapy.
Our biggest concern right now is the eye pressure. Drops to lower the pressure do not always work long term in young children. Josh is seen frequently to have his pressure checked. What a brave little guy he is. Elevated eye pressure can cause a lot of problems, which could cause him to lose his vision. So we fight to keep his eye as healthy as possible and his pressure under control.
Illness visits the shoe
I was awakened at 2am by my husband and our almost 7yo son. He had a fever before he went to bed. Now he was having some trouble breathing. My husband said one of the other boys woke him up and said we needed a doctor.
When I got out my stethoscope, I could tell right away his lungs were clear. The noises I heard were all in his throat, which was a bit swollen. After a couple of good coughs, all was well again. He needed treated again for his fever, and I kept him near me the rest of the night. His fever has been up and down today, but no more breathing problems.
When people imply that I am wasting my nursing education by being a SAHM, I disagree with them. With several kids with asthma, one with PHPV and one with Trisomy 21, I use my nursing skills a lot. I am so grateful the Lord made it possible for me to become a nurse, as the knowledge I aquired has been such a blessing in caring for my children.
When I got out my stethoscope, I could tell right away his lungs were clear. The noises I heard were all in his throat, which was a bit swollen. After a couple of good coughs, all was well again. He needed treated again for his fever, and I kept him near me the rest of the night. His fever has been up and down today, but no more breathing problems.
When people imply that I am wasting my nursing education by being a SAHM, I disagree with them. With several kids with asthma, one with PHPV and one with Trisomy 21, I use my nursing skills a lot. I am so grateful the Lord made it possible for me to become a nurse, as the knowledge I aquired has been such a blessing in caring for my children.
Distractions
I went out to my back yard today to check to see if the cherries are ready to be picked. We have one lonely cherry tree that gives us a bumper crop on the yrs my husband remembers to spray them;) This year looks good. The cherries are not quite ripe.
But while I was there, I noticed the grass was getting tall. So, I decided to mow the edges, as I had promised my 13yo daughter I would do the summer. Next thing I knew, I had mowed the entire lawn and had ran out of gas.
The only trouble with this is that it was not what I was supposed to be doing.
I ended up causing my 18yo daughter to be late for orientation at beauty school. She does not drive yet, so I needed to be ready to take her.
She will be taking her driving test in 2 weeks. I hope she passes. I really need another driver in the shoe. But teen drivers are so scarey. I think there should be roads designated for them alone.
But while I was there, I noticed the grass was getting tall. So, I decided to mow the edges, as I had promised my 13yo daughter I would do the summer. Next thing I knew, I had mowed the entire lawn and had ran out of gas.
The only trouble with this is that it was not what I was supposed to be doing.
I ended up causing my 18yo daughter to be late for orientation at beauty school. She does not drive yet, so I needed to be ready to take her.
She will be taking her driving test in 2 weeks. I hope she passes. I really need another driver in the shoe. But teen drivers are so scarey. I think there should be roads designated for them alone.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Introduction to the Shoe Dwellers
I am the "little old woman" who lives in this shoe. Well, I don't really think of myself as being an old woman, at 43yo. (yes, I am not afraid to post my real age.) But, in reality, I am not a very young woman anymore.
My husband and I have been married for soon to be 23yrs. We have 10 beautiful children. Our oldest is 21 and has left the shoe. Our youngest is 5 1/2 months. We have 5 girls and 5 boys! We had 4 girls in a row, then came the 5 boys. We were delighted to again have a darling daughter!
I use to be a nurse, and have worked in the nursing field off and on throughout my yrs of marriage and motherhood. Currently, I am a SAHM.
I have been homeschooling since 1994! and have graduated 2 of my children, so far. My oldest is now a nurse. My next one is enrolled in beauty school. (Yay, free haircuts!)
We are wrapping up the current school year, and planning for the new one. In our state, this is a lot of paperwork, a lot of planning and expense. I look forward to a break.
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