Forty

Happy Birthday my dearest Eric.

He's 40. Once again, didn't take a picture but for the one below. It captures Trudi, getting choked up, watching LindyJean give us her first round of smiles that I was able to capture on camera. She was very emotional thinking that forty years ago, she held Eric, a tiny infant, and here on his birthday she holds his little baby. We had a wonderful weekend with his parents. We ate like kings, played with the kids, and Trudi dug out the projector and slide carousels so we could have a stroll down Stagg Memory Lane.

I hope you enjoyed your day dear. I love you. You are given me such a lovely family and I can't wait to spend the next forty at your side. It's just the beginning ya'll...

APRICOTS

There is a serious lack of decent photographic evidence of the three days worth of Apricot preservation. I apologize profusely, but it was difficult enough to complete the task at hand, let alone, snap pictures at every move!

The raw material... with Bitty trying to poke holes or manhandle them.

Trudi tossing in jars for processing.

A quart jar, jam packed with apricots, still needs syrup...

We also made a lot of very delicious jam.

I am quite annoyed that I don't have a single decent picture. My mom came down to help, Trudi was our hostess, and there's nary a photo of my children, mom, or ma-in-law (except the one above). We had lots of fun and some really cute moments and I wish had energy/opportunity/forethought to take photos, but as I stated in the last post - Berserkers Bitty was making things a tad rough.

I won't give details, because really who gives a rat's you know what if my kid pees & poops in the toilet - additionally, the details are probably TMI & gross anyway - HOWEVER, this toilet training business has me at wit's end. :)

Long story short. We canned & jammed, it's delicious and I am grateful to Trudi for being such a sport. Can't wait for fall and winter, when it's time to reap the fruits of my labor, that must be where that saying comes from, eh?

Beets & the ButterBean

After our Saturday night campout, we packed up and headed to Gammy's to pickled beets. Let me tell you that canning with a newborn & Berserkers Bitty running about wreaking havoc and pretending she needs to pee every 5 minutes makes hard work of it!

Just before we left the house, Eric snapped this photo of the girlies. I always dress them up a bit to go to Eric's parents... I run around like a dirtball, but my kids look good!

A pile of onions, beets, vinegar, jars, Trudi washing... in preparation for yummy pickled goodness.

The necessary spice mix for the perfect beet brine: bay leaves, salt, cinnamon, clove, allspice, mustard seed, and fennel.

Just because this photo looks nifty and don't you adore this personalized crock - I want one for my kitchen utensils. By the way, a special (and BIG HUGE) thanks to Trudi for being my local canning partner, she is most fabulous and always up for any of my hair brained canning schemes. (pending post on the apricot preservation spree we just completed)

Beets, onions, brine. Ready to be packed and processed. I have no pictures of the final product in jars. LindyJean woke up and was hungry and then I forgot before we left.

Papa & LindyJean

Sorry for the unbecoming photo, my love... but, I just had to. Your "put down the G$% D@*n camera" look gives me the giggles. Plus, the ButterBean is so very cute there on Daddy's lap!

I LOVE this baby. I think that your second child is so much easier to fall in love with, you've lost all that new parent anxiety and the kiddo doesn't make you nervous. I won't lie either, the ButterBean is a Godsend of a baby. She nurses well, has an easy-going temperament, has been sleeping at least 5 hour stretches through the night since she was 2 weeks old, she handles Bitty's regular mauling like a champ, snuggles when you hold her, she's roly-poly, and she's real darn cute. I put away most of the 0-3 month clothing, as she grew out of it a week and a half ago. LindyJean starting smile at us regularly and has even begun to coo a bit.

camp out

Eric's birthday is coming up and he decided he wants to go on a 5 day family camping trip. In preparation, he came to the conclusion that we needed a "dry run." Setting up the giant tent in our little backyard and deciding that the entire family would sleep there...

Atila & LindyJean assisting Daddy.

Bitty insisted that she hold "my baby."

... Pretending to sleep. Her bedtime is 7:30 and she buzzed around the tent, hollering, jumping on & off her cot, making sure everyone else was covered with a blankie, squealing about bugs in the tent and how I needed to squish them, and generally acting berserkers. She did not fall asleep until 10:30 and did so curled up on the tent floor in the crook of my leg. It was pretty fun, however I slept like crap and was kinda grumpy on Sunday.

Friday

Nana, Grandad, & Uncle Russ came for a visit. Below is what LindyJean did for the majority of their stay.

Still no shortage of rolls on this lovely little ButterBean.

Nana & Uncle Russ & Bitty played with side walk chalk and even had the dog lay down and chalk his outline like it was a homicide scene. Bitty was thoroughly amused.

She's not wearing pants because she has decided she's no longer going to wear diapers and we're working on being officially toilet trained... wouldn't it be nice to have just one in diapers?

We went on a walk with Nana after dinner. Addy Lou Hoo refused to sit in the stroller and insisted that she walk Atila.

Mommy Maggie & Miss LindyJean

With the arrival of LindyJean, Maggie has been most intrigued by babies in general, breastfeeding, and LindyJean herself. Below are a few shots of Maggie with 'babe in arms.' It's too cute.

Everyone seems to be doing ok...

Maggie's exhilirated to be holding LindyJean - the feeling may not be mutual...

It's not that I don't like you Maggie; I'm hungry and your arm will suffice!

AIRPLANES

We went to the Prosser Fly-In on Saturday to show the girls the airplanes on display... it was a huge hit! They were very amused by all the variety in aircraft.

This fella's plane was so very shiny we could photograph our reflections clearly!

Bitty and Maggie gleefully posing!

Bitty & Eric.

A shot from early in the morning as we head to the market in search of apricots for canning, jam, & drying.

2nd child

Aunty Staci is very concerned about Lindyjean not having any photos nor memorabilia. As a sufferer of 2nd child syndrome, so often justified by the constant reminder of no babybook, no token memorabilia, nary a photo of her as a baby & small child, Aunty Staci is regularly reminding me to properly document Lindyjean's babyhood. What would I do without 4-star General & Planning Czar Faw's direction? I would certainly be hopelessly floundering in the social networking, photography, & scrapbooking departments.

For your viewing pleasure, a close-up of Miss Lindyjean. Thanks to Aunty Lolo for this lovely little getup - hooray, it is not pink!!! Not that I don't like pink, but as anyone who has girls knows, you can become suddenly nauseated by the hideous flood of pepto bismol pink that cascades into your household with the arrival of an adorable baby girl.

Fun with Gammy

Overshare of photos, however... this blog is a demonstration of the ability of Miss Destructo and everything she can get into.

We went to Bob & Trudi's for dinner. When we got there, it was so sweet - Adelaide burst through Trudi's front door, yelling "GAMMY, Gammy, GAMMY, where are you?" She found her in the laundry room and went running down the hall, arms wide open, insisting on a hug and a kiss. Too cute!

This outfit is courtesy of Aunty Judy (Eric's Mom's brother's wife). She has great taste.

Bitty torturing Atila... who takes the abuse like a champ! Good doggy.

Bitty "helping" make whipped cream.

Look at me and my sweet clogs! If it ain't Dutch, it ain't much.

I was trying to get my announcements addressed, stamped, and stuffed with this little bugger running around stealing my stamps, throwing envelopes, and generally being a pain in the heiny. I love her, but good Lord!

neighborly fun

Here is our gang! We went to Brian, Lisa, & Maggie's last night for AllStar Baseball, Hotdogs, coleslaw, beans, and icecream. It was an all-American evening.

week in review

Thanks Aunty Lolo for the adorable dress. I promise to get a better photo of her in it. Anyone notice the 'band aid' on her leg - she stole a panty liner from the bathroom, stuck it to herself, and subsequently pronounced that her leg was "much bettah." All this while I am trying to get ready to get out of the house and go grocery shopping.

The Galbraith clan came for pizza on Friday night. I made a good 'ol pepperoni, mushroom, olive, and onion, and a spinach, chicken, artichoke heart and shallot pizzas - homemade crust and sauce... I wish I knew how to make cheese. Here's Bitty and Maggie enjoying popsicles after dinner.

My first photo ever with a touch of sun flare - this one's for you Aunty 'Taci.

We also had a lovely lunch/postpartum visit with Kristin on Wednesday. She's such a great gal.

Food

I love to eat. Here's the last few days culinary delights...

A poppyseed cake with raspberry jam & custard filling. It was prepared for Uncle Russ' birthday, but it was his 60th and he was a no show... pouting at home over becoming, officially, an old fart.

I also made cooked raspberry jam (the last post was freezer jam). Ingredients above.

Stirring the pot!

Prepared jars being placed in water bath for processing.

Yum.

This lovely treat is a homemade turkey pot pie... my friend Pamela made them for us so that when I didn't feel like cooking I could pull them from the freezer and VOILA, dinner! They were so delicious and she even decorated them with an S for Stagg. Good work Pam.

Raspberry Jam

Raspberries are ready, we picked, and decided to make freezer jam... it was a busy, busy Saturday!

boss' backhoe & pickling

Here's Boss' backhoe, Aunty Staci driving, Boss trimming Nana's tree, and Bitty supervising!

When Bitty saw this machine she said to Aunty Staci, "I WANT to drive it!"

Staci and I decided to pickle a few carrots fresh from Ma & Pa's garden. Here is Bitty washing the carrots after she and Staci dug them. Maddy is either trying to lick Bitty or steal a carrot.

Apprentice gardener Bitty assisting Nana.

Gorgeous jars of carrots packed and ready for processing. They are packed in a cider vinegar brine with dill, garlic, bayleaf, and fennel. They make lovely snacks or delicious garnish for a Bloody Mary.

Mrs. Faw & Mrs. Stagg, resident Susie Homemakers!