BA-LA-OONS

Barker says Balloons BA-LA-OONS
The Balloons came back!!
The Highwood Heritage Inn sponsored a Hot Air Balloon Competition this month.

It was a shame the weather did NOT co-operate this weekend.

It has been so nice, but as soon as the Balloons showed up it was raining and windy... 

luckily Friday evening it cleared up enough to have the Balloon Glow.

It was just as fun to watch this year!

Uncle Mark and Aunt Lindsay came over for dinner before we went over. Then we parked at Aunt Laura's and walked down. Laura joined us for a bit, but couldn't stay long.

Aunt Lindsay brought glowsticks and the kids had a blast with them. Remy would slide her bracelet on to her wrist then slide it off and put it on her other wrist. She would do it over and over. She can be so happy sometimes.

 There were 15 balloons and it was beautiful.

Grandpa and Justin spent sometime talking to Hot Air Balloon Pilot- about the races and such.

3/4

Last week Grandma and I took the kids on a fall walk.

Fall walks are the BEST!

Originally I wanted to take the kids to the mountains after school, but it wasn't quite in our timeline.

So we opted for walk by the river in Okotoks. We MAY have misjudged the distance, turned out the lovely walk was a 5 km hike. The kids honestly did awesome, Barker walked most of the way, Annaliesse whined most of the way, Kalia laughed and ran ahead and Remy babbled all the way.

3/4 happy kids ant' bad.

Good thing Daddy agreed to meet us at the end. I don't think we could have made it back to the van!

Snapshots

This little baby is almost done nursing… I have mixed feelings about it

This boy found Santa in the 2013 flood book. 

This stair is a VERY popular spot in our house.

This water table is a magnet for toddlers.

This photo is from a persistent three year old.

This creepy shot is of me, bobbing to get in the photo cause my three year think its MY fault he can't get me in the shot.

Seven year old Kalia!

Happy Birthday 

my SEVEN year old!

Kalia your seven now!

We surprised you with a "American Doll" (knock off) and a

fashionista kit! 

Grandma took her shopping and got her a new outfit from tip to toe- as seen below!

She wanted a fox cake. 

Originally she was going to have her first ever friends party. With a woodland theme, a winner roast, marshmallows, music and crafting. But just as I was going to order the invitations she asked if she could just have a family party so she could play with her cousins. 

Oh bless! 

As always my friend, Tania did the cake. It was beautiful. Notice the missing H? Barker ate it. That kid is so sneaky with candy!

Mark and Lindsay brought 3 little puppies to play with for her party. They were adorable. Remy was attacked by puppy licks a couple of times, and they didn't even phase her.

She got spoiled by her aunts and uncles too, I missed getting a picture with Aunt Karla and her present- but once all the cousins come- it becomes rather chaotic!

Happy Birthday Sissy!

Snapshots

Barker sitting on the floor just rubbing his nose like crazy. So I said "Barker you have boogers in there?" And Barker says "No. Just my boogers water!"
HaHa Ha HA

Fever Buddies. Thank Heavens for Curious George and Tylenol!

Still enjoying the park with no coats!

We (as in mostly my mom, cause I'm a gimp) finished the canning!! 20 jars of pickled Beets, 6 of pickled carrots and 4 of pickled jalapeños!

Barker LOVES sissy. He said another hilarious thing.
Mom called and I was in town doing some erronds and she said to pop by her office, Sharon (her coworker) would love to see the kids. So I told Barker
Me: we are going to go see Grandma at her office
Barker: Why?
Me: Cause Sharon wants to see you and say Hi
Barker: Why?
Me: Cause you are a nice boy
Barker: No I not, sometimes I pinch people!

And TODAY Remy fell out of her crib and chipped her tooth. Seriously. She has only had them for like 5 months!

Open House

Sptizee had their Open House last week, so the girls and I headed over so they could show me their class rooms.

It looks like the girls are going to have a great year!

Rag-a-muffin

This is a little rag a muffin.

She is supper cute. But that hair is just wild. Crazy fluff.

Annaliesse had this kind of fluffy hair for years! I thought, maybe this time, with Remy I could get a head of it. And maybe, just maybe it will grow in nice and thick.

She screamed the entire time.

This last pic is my favorite pic of the month. Her face says it all!!

I guess if she is going to be bald for three years, at least its cute :)

Peaches, Salsa, Red Pepper Jelly and Beets

We have been a bit busy over here.

Turning out 63 bottles of peaches.

36 bottles of Salsa.

30 bottles of Red Pepper Jelly

Dozens of little freezer baggies of Green and Red peppers

and hopefully we will get the beets done today or tomorrow.

And when I wasn't canning I was reading about it.

But the reward for the bestest most awesomest Canner goes to my mom.

It was suppose to be ME canning with Mom helping. Not Mom canning with me helping. Stupid wrist.

The Red Pepper Jelly we did- is FANTASTIC.
Seriously yummy. I got the recipe from here

Peppered Jalapeño‎ Jelly

Author: Stacey Martin

Recipe type: Canning and Preservatives

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  10 mins

Total time:  20 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 5 whole Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
• 5 cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 package Certo Fruit Pectin (I prefer liquid)

Instructions

1. In a food processer or by hand chopper, chop the seeded and cleaned peppers (no stems) until a finely chopped consistency. *** ADDED 2019 Put your fine chopped peppers and jalapeños into cheese cloth or a clean dish towel and squeeze out all the excess liquid. This will help the jelly set***
2. In a large double boiler pot add peppers, vinegar and sugar. Stir together and bring to a rolling boil; continue boiling for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
3. Add the fruit pectin in, stirring constantly. Combine well and let stand for 2 minutes. Pour jelly into sterilized canning jars and seal jars tightly by hand.
4. Submerse sealed jars to the neck in a large pot of water and bring to a rolling boil, continue to boil for 5 minutes beginning the timer at the point of the start of a rolling boil.
5. Carefully remove jars with canning tongues and set aside to cool before storing. Recipe should make 6 - 8 oz. canning jars that can be stored up to one year.

Oven Canning Peaches

I ordered seven boxes of peaches, 4 boxes of tomatoes and a box of green peppers, red peppers and jalapeno peppers.

I ordered it, 4 weeks ago. Before I sprained my wrist.

I was sitting eating lunch Monday and a loud Knock on the front door. And there was Grandma and Grandpa came up to help bottle peaches! What a fantastic surprise.

It was time to relearn from the masters. Grandma taught my mom, and then my mom taught me, to oven canning. It has worked every time!

They flew through 40 lbs of peaches. 21 bottles in 2 hours. Even with 2 adorable messmakers helpers.

Oven canning:
Blanch Peaches in boiling water for 1 minute. Peal peaches, cut into slices. Let slices soak in fruit fresh. Then fill hot bottles with peach slices, then the bottle with boiling water. Place your sterilized lids on, put your bottles in a cake pan with half a inch of hot water. Bake in oven at 250 for a hour. Then place hot jars on counter and you will hear them sealing for the next couple hours!

Thanks for doing the peaches Mom and Grandma and Grandpa! Only 5 more boxes peaches and Salsa!