14 pounds of pears.

It started out as a simple enough task, I wanted to make some more jam.
I mentioned to my mother in law that I needed to pick up a few more canning supplies. Last year mid process I came to the realization I was missing a few crucial tools such as a jar lifter. She also gave me a copy of the Ball blue book. I think that is when it took a turn for the bigger.

I started to make a list of all the recipes I thought I should try. I then made an accompanying grocery list of all the ingredients I needed to buy. I am now, on a awfully warm for Minnesota September, staring down a fourteen pound box of pears. They are ripe and need to be used.

I already make carrot cake jam (which is really good) and next up is ginger pear preserves, pear almond conserve,cranberry carrot conserve, and summer solstice preserves. Just guess what they all have in common. Winter found a recipe for Black Forest jam which is chocolate cherry but calls for no pears so it can wait.

blissfully domesticated

I want to support us so you can be home with our children. Quite possibly the most romantic thing that has ever been said to me.

I have worked at the same place for nearly 10 years. My eldest child was just over 1 year old when I started there and through the next three pregnancies and babies I remained there. I am nervously excited to announce that I am no longer employed there. (insert applause track)

After dealing with some health issues and school difficulties that one of my girls has had this year working just felt like more ummmm....work than it should be. I was relieved when my husband said he got a full time job and he did not think it was going to work for me to also be employed full time. I was then unceremoniously let go from my position after letting a co worker know that I intended to request a leave of abscence to work out the details of how we could make our new arrangement work. I will admit that it was a bit of a surprise.

I did not get too upset over it because my being home has always been the desired arrangement anyway. I am great at doting on the kids and even like to wait on my husband. I get a great thrill out of hanging the wash on the line and cooking. I like laying out all the clothes he will need for work and fixing him breakfast. Perhaps it is some sort of mental disorder but I actually am at my happiest just being home. I never feel that same sense of accomplishment working outside of the house. I am as Sam teasingly calls me "domesticated".