Life Is Short, Hug Your Kids, And Parents!

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My dad had a stroke today.  As I rushed to the hospital, in a constant state of prayer, several things flashed through my mind.  Mainly how much Abi loves her "PaPa" and how crushed I would be if she didn't get to grow up with him in her life.
It made me think of loosing my Grandpa, when I was 5, and how I only have one memory of him... the sadness I feel when people tell me stories about him, things I never knew.
I do not want Abi to face this future with her PaPa. 
I was also amazed at how instantly God answers prayer.  Mom called me as I was 1/2 way there and asked me to run out to their house because Dad had been going fishing and everything was just left in the truck.  As I raced down the streets, praying for people to get out of my way, and lights to turn green, tears streaming down my cheeks, I was amazed at how precisely He answered my prayers.  I barely had time to think them, and people were signaling their turns, lights were turning green, and my heart was calmed.  So faithfully were people moved out of my way that I marveled at it.  I love that God loves me.  I know that God loves my Daddy.  In fact as I was thinking, driving, and praying, I was amazed at how MUCH God must love us.  Because I love my daughter.  I would do ANYTHING it took to protect, heal, or keep her safe.  The phrase moving heaven and earth comes to mind.  I have no doubt that I would literally do it for Abi.  And God's love for us is MORE than we could ever love someone on this earth.
This thought it was kept me calm.  That no matter how much I love my dad, or my daughter, or husband... Jesus loves them more!
Anyway, Dad is doing much better!  He had his speech back by about noon, and was able to carry on a normal conversation with me at full speed tonight at about 7:30.  The doctors are very confidant that he will be going home tomorrow.  My family is doing well.  I think we are all a little shaken, in fact, I'm still physically shaking. 
But there are some things I am very confidant about. 
#1-God was with us during this entire horrible day
#2-I want to spend more time loving on my family.  I have no idea how many day each of us has.
#3-I want YOU to spend more time loving on your family.  Lots of times, we let the daily things get in the way, arguments, disagreements, things from the past.  Really... if your loved one was dying, would ANY of that really matter?
#4-I love Jesus.  And He loves me!  And He loves you!  And wants you to spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  Do you know Him?  Do you love Him?  Have you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior?  If not, please consider it!  I want to spend eternity with you in Heaven too!

Last Minute Couponing Adventures

Jeremiah asked me to go out and pick up some sugar and cayenne pepper.  I said yes, mainly to get a since of normalcy back to today!

Transaction 1:
4 boxes Fiber One Peanut Butter Brownie Bars $3.99 each
On sale for $2.50 each
Used 4 $.75/1 Coupons from 7/17 SS (saved $3)
Doubled 3, (saved $2.25)
Final OPP: $5.22
Received 2 $2 Catalina's, and a Catalina for $4.50 off my next milk purchase.

Transaction 2:
4 boxes Fiber One Peanut Butter Brownie Bars $3.99 each
On sale for $2.50 each
Used 4 $.75/1 Coupons from 7/17 SS (saved $3)
Doubled 3, (saved $2.25)
Used 2 $2 Catalina's from T1 (saved $4)
Final OPP: $1.22
Received 2 $2 Catalina's, and a Catalina for $4.50 off my next milk purchase.

Transaction 3:
Gallon Skim Milk $2.69
Gallon Whole Milk $2.89
4 lb sugar $3.59
Cayenne Pepper $6.49
Used 2 $4.50 off next milk purchase Catalinas (saved $9)
Used 2 $2 Catalina's from T2 (saved $4)
Final OPP: $3.60

Before Sale/Coupons: $42!
OPP for all three transactions: $10.04
Savings: 76%
So, I got $.04 off the sugar and Cayenne Pepper, and EVERYTHING else was FREE!!!

Peach Freezer Jam-In Less Time Than It Takes To Do A Load Of Laundry!

I ordered a box of Peaches with my Bountiful Basket (click here to see what I'm talking about).  After letting them ripen up for about 5 days, I was ready to go!! (They come NOT ripe from Bountiful Baskets, so you have time to figure out what to do with them, separate them so they ripen at different times, etc)

 I was so excited to make Freezer Jam (Cook jam is going to happen tomorrow!).  A friend was supposed to come over, but her munchkin was sick, so alas, I'm going to have to order another case of something yummy in the future to be able to show her how to do this!

 Start by cutting the peaches in half, and removing the pits (after washing them of course!). 

 If you get a peach (or whatever) that looks like this...

 Just cut it off.  I could have been a lot more careful about what a cut, but I was in a hurry, because I was doing a "Naptime" activity, so from start to finish, it needed to take less than 2 hours!

 However, if you get something that looks like this, after cutting the bad part off, I don't use it.  Up to you... you could just cut a deeper chunk until it's totally gone, but I don't want to mess with it.

I cut up about 1/2 the case

And into the bowl they went!

 It was about 24 peaches. You could peel them if you wanted, but to me, that's to much work :) 

 The recipe says to cut them into small pieces.  Well, either I'm lazy, or I'm in a time crunch (probably both), so I just pop them into my food processor (a blender works great too!)

 Get them going by pushing down with a spatula.  Don't push to hard, or you'll cut off the tip of your spatula.

 Then, after they are mostly pureed, I mash them with my berry masher.

 Push down HARD. (this is easier to do in a pyrex type baking dish, but I didn't have the counter room)

 Then pull up.  You want the pieces to be pretty small.

 You can find the recipe for the Jam on the inside of the instant pectin jar.

 5 cups of fruit (my 24 peaches did 3 batches, I'm just not going to bore you with it)

 2 cups of sugar/splenda

 3 TBSP lemon juice (aprox 1 lemon)

 Then stir it up, and wait.

 For 10 minutes...

 Give it one good stir, then add the pectin.

 6 TBSP of it. Add it slowly and stir well, making sure there are no clumps. 

 Ladle it into the jars

 Wipe the rims.

 Center the lid

 Then adjust to finger tightness

 Wait 30 minutes.  I usually take this time to clean up :)

 Clean up is super easy!  Just use a couple of the Lysol wipes in the purple container, before it gets hard, and the scrubby side is great for picking up anything that may have dried on!

Clean and ready for my next project, BEFORE the jam is ready to freeze!

 Admire your jars.

 I always end up with what I call a "sample" jar... not full enough to do anything with except refrigerate and eat
right away.

 The jam made with the Instant Pectin is commonly referred to as freezer jam.  It's good for 1 year in the freezer, or 3 weeks in the fridge.

Bountiful Baskets: How To

Several of my friends have been asking me about Bountiful Baskets.  

Click here to go to Bountiful Baskets.  

The baskets are $15 each, plus a $1.50 handling fee. (This is the ONLY money the ladies who run this get... the $1.50!  100% of your $15 goes to buying the produce.)

The first time you order, there is a $3 fee.

Here is photo essay of what happens:

You arrive.  There is a table where you show your receipt and sign for your basket.  On that table (or I've also seen locations have them off to the side) are the "extra's" you may have ordered.

In a pile off to the side are the boxes the produce came in.  It's important everybody takes a box or two home to recycle.  It's not fair to leave it for the Site Coordinator. 

In a big long line (or sometimes in several shorter lines) are the baskets.  One basket has all the fruit, one basket has all the veggies.  You get one of each baskets (or if you order 2, 2 of each, etc)

Volunteering has some great perks!!  You get to choose one of the larger items, or two small items (like you could get a cantaloupe or 2 tomatoes) and add them to your basket!  PLUS, you get the pick of baskets (when there is extra stuff, it gets put in the baskets) and you get first choice!

 

Here is an example of a "Veggie Basket".  Remember you don't pick EITHER fruit or veggies, you get BOTH!

A wonderful volunteer splitting up the nectarines among the baskets.

Some of the yummy stuff you could get, if you had chosen to order it.

This bread is BEYOND yummy!!  It tastes like Great Harvest Bread, and is only $2 per loaf (you have to buy 5 loaves, but it freezes wonderfully!  Or, you could be like me, and split it with someone!

After you get it all home, check out what you got!  This week (7/2/11) I got grapes, tomatoes, red pears, apples, bananas, cantaloupe, carrots, broccoli, red chard, lettuce, and butternut squash!  I also go a case of peaches, and 2 loaves of bread (my mom and I split the bread).

So, for my basket, with about 30 lbs of produce, my 25 lbs of peaches, and my 2 loaves of bread, I paid $34 (this was my mom's week to cover the $1.50 charge... it's per ORDER, not per basket)

I can't wait to show you what I'm doing with all my peaches :)