Italian Prune Jam

Today I made jam for the first time.   I remember Mum making jam when I was younger, but I have never done it myself.   However, our Italian Prune tree is laden with fruit and there are only so many fresh prunes that you can eat fresh.

 

The kids picked two large containers of prunes, and then my work began.

 

First I had to pit the fruit, and then chop it into quarters.   When I was done I had 7 pints of chopped Italian prunes, with about 1/2 a container of fresh fruit left over.

 

 

 

My recipe called for 2 quarts of italian prunes, 6 cups of sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups of water.   I increased it to allow for my larger amount of prunes.    It took almost an hour for my jam to reach it's setting point (it was supposed to be 220F, but I only bought it to 215F because I was doubtful on the accuracy of my thermometer and it passed the "setting" test of putting a small amount on a cold plate).  

Elizabeth was fascinated with how the color changed from yellow to a deep red.

 

The final step was processing my jam.   I filled my warm jars with hot jam,  and then put them in a water bath for 5 minutes.    Some websites recommended completely covering the jars, while others said to only cover 1-2 inches.   I went with the second option, although I have since read that this is no longer recommended.   The purpose of a water bath is to remove the oxygen remaining in the jars and to kill any bacteria which may be in the food.    If you want further information about water baths, here is a good site:   http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/348/348-594/348-594.html

And finally, I have 12 jars of Italian prune jam.     Tomorrow will be the true test though, as that's when we get to try it.

In case you ever have a tree full of Italian prunes, or come across some at the markets - here is the recipe I used  http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_07/plum_jam.html

Photo Book

Each time we go on a vacation, I create a photo book.    I just noticed that I'm actually able to share my photo books on my blog.   So if you'd like to take a sneeky peek into my favorite holiday photos, here it is:

Click here to view this photo book larger

The new way to make a photo album: photo books by Shutterfly.

Readjusting

These days I have no problems switching between driving on the left and right side of the road,   except in one area.    I keep on turning on the windscreen wipers instead of the indicators.    I do it in Australia and then do it again when I return to America.

Super Guppy

Today, the kids and I went to The Museum of Flight to watch the arrival of the Super Guppy.   The Super Guppy is an oversized airplane, used for carrying large components which just can't fit into a regular plane.   It is owned by NASA - not surprisingly because NASA tends to have large things that are difficult to transport :)    Today's delivery was part of the Space Shuttle Trainer - the crew compartment to be precise.   

The Super Guppy was running late so we had some time to kill.

Kai played with his plane, while Isaac became engrossed in a book.

Our first view was an odd shaped airplane appoaching.

Once it was closer, we could see the odd shape much better.

It did a fly by first, and then came back for it's landing.     Any guesses why it's called The Super Guppy ;-) 

And finally, the Super Guppy landed - with Seattle born astronaut Greg Johnson, at the controls.

The plane opens in half, allowing for the cargo to be removed.     We also had a chance to explore the museum but ran out of time due to the fact that we wanted to get home in time to greet Ben - back from his trip to Amsterdam.    We will definately have to head back on another day when we have more time and there are less people there - perhaps on one of the days when Elizabeth is at Summer Camp because my two boys were definately more interested.

Race Results

Tonight, at church, the boys had their Pinewood Derby.   They have all been making cars for the past few weeks and the big race happened during our Kids Club breakup.    It was a very close match, but Isaac ended up getting second place.    As you can see in the photo below, Isaac & Joel tied for second place by only .001 of a second.   They had to have a tie breaker race for 2nd position, which he won.

He was so very excited and very proud of his achievement.   

Here is Isaac with the other finalists, in eagar anticipation for the first heat.

Unfortunately, it's out of focus but the blue car which is crossing the line first is Isaac's car!

Kai & Elizabeth also had fun.

The girls had a Derby Fashion Parade.   They all created hats, and modeled them during the races.   Elizabeth won "Most Creative Hat".

Kai had fun watching the cars race for a time, but when that became boring he went visiting his friends or playing with Ben or I.

Grade 2 Spelling

I love our schools grade 2 spelling program.   During the year, a group of volunteer parents come into the classroom and work through spelling lists with the children.    Any words they get wrong go onto their weekly spelling lists - so it's personalised spelling for each child.

Elizabeth's class are amazing spellers.   There are some children who are lagging behind but a large number of them are into the harder spelling lists, our girl included.

This week Elizabeth's words are:
eventually
flies
foreign
formerly
fortunately
guarantee
almost
hilarious
imagination
impatient
inference

I've got to admit that I'm impressed with her spelling ability.

I've had the joy of marking the spelling tests weekly this year.   It's been a volunteer job that I have loved doing.    I get so excited when I see a student who was previously stuggling, find their way.   And I get all concerned when a student suddenly goes from getting perfect marks and then only just passing, then suddenly doing well again.    What just happened in their life, to go through such a dramatic dip?

I think I'm going to miss spelling next year.

My Organized Boy

Isaac is my organized child.    He works especially well with lists - and if there is a list of tasks to complete you can guarantee that he has done them.   I am not a morning person, so I really appreciate this every school day.    Quite often, by the time I've dragged myself out of bed and had a shower, he is dressed and has already made his lunch and is eating his breakfast.    I know it only seems like a small thing, but him having made his own lunch really makes my morning :)

A Different Child

It often amazes me how three children from the same parents can be so different.    Kai is definately our most social child.    Maybe it's because he has two older siblings and from his first breathe he had to deal with much older siblings.    Maybe it's just his personality.

Today I was struck with how different Kai was from Isaac & Elizabeth.    While I am at the gym, he goes to their child care room.    When I picked him up, he turned to the other little boy in the room and said "Bye Shaun" and started walking towards me.   Suddenly he stopped with an "Oh!"   He then ran back to Shaun, gave him a hug and said "It was good to see you today".   

It's been 3 years!

I know it's a cliche but the past 3 years have really flown by.   We really can't call Kai our baby anymore.    We had a birthday filled weekend - starting yesterday when we went on a train ride on an old restored train in Snoqualmie.    I'm pushing my memory here, but I think this was Kai's first real train ride.   Let's just say he was a little excited.

And today, we had presents and a little family party.    Monster Trucks was the chosen theme - although there was a moment of doubt when he declared yesterday that he wanted a Blue Shark party.    This was conveniently dealt with when we wandered into a candy shop and found blue shark candies.   He was indulged and satisfied.    He doesn't know it yet - but for preschool celebration I'm going to make sharks in a cup (ie candy sharks in jello translated into shark lollies in jelly).

We also decorated ginger bread men (aka monster truck drivers). The decorating was fun but not much eating was done by the kids. Ben & I liked them though.

And the remote control monster truck was a hit.   Later in the evening, he set up ramps and caused the truck to jump of the end.   We're not sure how long it will last, but it will definitely get it's moneys worth of play.

This was Kai's face when he realised how it worked!

And the other hit was the truck which came with a car on the flatbed.   We love this brand of trucks - they are USA made, from recycled plastic.   They're very sturdy and well constructed.   Plus Kai plays with them alot!     The car which goes with this truck had the unfortunate fate of acting as something for the remote control truck to crash into.    It really is a good thing that they are so well constructed!

Piano Lessons

Elizabeth learnt a new song today, and wanted her grandparents to listen. So sit back, relax and pretend she's giving her concert.

Adjectives

Kai loves his adjectives. He'll often say things like "Can I have a juicy apple or can I have cheesey eggs?". However the new one tonight was one that we could do without. "Mummy - I have to do a brown poo!"

Ahh - what a delight he is!

Articulated Buses

I had to look up the word for an "articulated" bus today. I've always called a bus with a pivoting joint a banana bus. We used to catch a banana bus to school, and that name has stuck with me.

This all came about when I pointed out the banana bus to Kai yesterday.

His response was to giggle and say "No Mummy, it's a people bus".

Of course! Silly Me. That bus doesn't carry banana's. It carries people.

Two is such a fun age.

Line of the Night

The best line said during dinner tonight.

Ben: "Kai - you're such a character"
Kai: "No! I'm not a carrot"

Which then, of course, led to all sorts of silliness.

Al Naturale

When someone has a minor ailment in our household, I tend to explore natural options before I look for strong chemical/medical options.

Hence, when Elizabeth told me that her head was itching and I discovered large clumps of dry skin through her hair - I looked for a natural remedy as our first step.

Last night, we tried a honey & banana scalp mask. It certainly smelt good when we put it on, and she wore it for 30 minutes.

What I did not realise was how hard it would be to get banana out of her hair! We rinsed, and rinsed and then rinsed some more. Then we brushed and rinsed even more. Finally, I decided to try drying her hair - hoping that banana wasn't going to get cooked onto her hair. Luckily, that seemed to do the trick. Once the banana and hair was dry, it was much easier to brush out.

The good news - her scalp is definately looking better today. Although, if we do a natural remedy for dry scalp again, I think we might try the yogurt instead.

Mimic

Kai is our little mimic. If you say a new word, it's often repeated back very quickly.

Tonight our conversation went like this:
"Mummy, get out bath. Go see Daddy".
"OK, you can go see Daddy?"
"Yeah! Go play Daddy."
"You're such a little chatterbox."
"Datterbox?"
"Yes - a Chatterbox"
"Ooooh" (as if that explained everything).

Most of the time it's cute. It's not so good when you suddenly say "Darn it!" and it's repeated by a little voice.

Weekend Away

We went camping this weekend to South Whidbey Island. It was a great weekend, spent with some friends.

We played on the beach



went to the Loganberry Festival...

and on Sunday went to a Jazz concert at the Rhododendrum Gardens, where Lizzy found evidence of fairies.

In all, it was a great weekend and one we'd like to repeat this summer.

Alarm Clock

I have a great alarm clock. Every morning, without fail, it says "Hello Mommy! Out! Come on Mommy! Out!"

And I stagger out of bed, make breakfast, put on Dora the Explorer and fall asleep on the couch again. But like all good alarm clocks, 20 minutes pass and I'm woken by my alarm clock again when he says "Mommy, Dora all done. TV again?".

Family Resemblence

I got a wonderful photo in the mail the other day, which is now up on my fridge so the kids can see their cousin every day. However, the photo reminded so strongly of another photo I have in my collection that I couldn't help digging through my old photos.

Home Made

I recently decided to pull out my sewing machine again. As soon as Elizabeth saw this, she put in a request for a dress. She chose the material and the pattern. This is the end result...

And from the side...



And just to throw in a smile for you..

New Rose

The other day I bought a new rose for my garden. It's called Enchanted Evening and it's a lovely lavender rose with a beautiful scent.

As planting flowers involves digging, Kai wanted to be involved in the process. And of course, Lizzy just wanted to be outside.



I love this time of year!

Boasting

We are growing strawberries. I planted them last year, and this year they have returned with no effort on my behalf. I told Elizabeth that I'd have to call Granddad and boast to him about my bumper crop of strawberries. She very seriously told me "It's not good to boast Mum". To which I replied that sometimes it was appropriate.

So Dad, I just need to let you know that I have the most awesome crop of strawberries, and I think you'd be jealous :)

To Bring A Smile To Your Face

Today Kai & I went to the farm, and I took these videos. I can't help but smile when I see them.

Our Artist

Lizzy is our creator in the family. If she's not making a craft, she's writing something. This was her "creation" from the weekend.

Maybe it's them and not me...

Maybe I'm not as blind as I thought. I decided to take a photo of me getting the right or wrong answer on my logic game and look what decided to show up under the light of the flash.




Below it is what I'm seeing on my screen. If you play the medium difficulty, you get two logic rules to follow, like you see in the first image. I think it's them! I've been trying to get this game out for days so it's quite a relief.

Are you any good with Logic games?

Obviously I am not because I cannot work this one out for the life of me. This game is called Magic Rule. You are supposed to look for the pattern and select the correct piece from the 3 options down the bottom. I cannot work out the magic rule for this set.

These are some examples of the ones I get correct. I have put a box around the correct answer. The first one, the column on the right is blue and the column on the left is red, so I choose the red number one. The second example, the numbers have been twisted on their sides.

In these examples, it's all about the peg placement.

And these ones are all about the color.


If you can work out the answer - please tell me how you worked it out!

A Tissue

Kai has a cold and is feeling a little miserable. He comes up to me in his sad voice and says "A did-doo, a did-doo". I think he's practicing for having a man cold in years to come, as you would think that the need for a tissue was heartbreaking.

My Helper

After my shower this morning, I grabbed some clothes from my basket of clean clothes. I was about to start getting dressed when Kai walked over with a handful of folded clothes. "Away", he says and hands me the clothes. I put them away and go to get my undies out of the draw when Kai reappears. "Away".

Let's just say I got all my folded laundry away, while wearing only a towel. Isn't he so helpful.

Just a Spoonful of Sugar

Kai has been on antibiotics for the past week. He is not happy about this fact, however we have come to a compromise. After taking his medicine he gets a small chocolate easter egg. So now, twice a day, I say "Kai, it's time for your medicine" and he says "Treat?". And then he starts crying as he walks over to me, crys even more as he takes his medicine and then smiles and says "treat" again.

Ben has accused me of trying to give Kai an aversion to chocolate because he associates it with medicine. I can live with that.

A Collection of Poems

Lizzy just recently finished a segment on poetry at school. For giggles, here are some of her works.

Dad will always be cool

I was talking with the kid yesterday and the topic of being teenagers came up. I said "Perhaps when you are 14, you won't want to come with Mum because teenagers quite often don't think parents are cool."

Isaac responded "I think Dad will always be cool because he plays computer games."

So I now record this statement for posterity's sake.

Messages

Last night I found a message on my toothbrush. Lizzy had stuck a sticker on my toothbrush which read "I love you Mom". She had also left her sticker book in the bathroom, so I wrote on one of her stickers "I love you Elizabeth".

Tonight, as I was cleaning my teeth, I noticed two new messages had appeared, this time on my makeup bottles. My sticker I had written to her was now on her toothbrush.

So naturally I had to write another couple of messages tonight. I wonder which odd spot I'll find a message tomorrow.

My helper

Kai loves to help around the house. He's actually quite an organized little fellow, and will say "Way" when he wants to put his toys away. I've got to admit that it's rather nice to have a child who likes to tidy up.

On a number of occassions lately, I've gone to take out something of the kid's cup/plate cupboard, only to find that Kai has unloaded the dishwasher for me. While that is terribly sweet of him, there is a problem. They haven't been washed yet! Ah well - it is the thought that counts, isn't it?

Why Math Homework Frustrates Me

Some afternoons I feel like ripping my hair out. The reason is simple - Isaac is doing his math homework. I would say that 99% of the time Isaac knows the answer. The problem is that he is required to explain how he got that answer and that is where the problems start.

This is todays homework.

As you can probably see, he knew the answer was 24. In his head he worked out that there were 6 blocks of 10 minutes in a hour and therefore over 4 hours, there would be 24, 10 minute blocks. (6x4=24).

So when he writes down the explanation, there is one shell picked up every 10 minutes (1) and this is done 24 times. His explanation is therefore 1x24=24.

So another day passes where I tell him that he needs to write down all the steps, to show his teacher how he worked out the sum. This gets him all frustrated.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Maths is going to be easier the harder it gets.