Cracker Jack...

 Here we are playing a game I had when I was a little girl.  I can't remember where and why I got it.  It is called Cracker Jack.  It is a cute little game.

 There are "prizes" hidden under each box like the actual cracker jacks had a toy surprise in each box.

 You spin to get a card or a surprise.

 If you have the card and pick up a box and your surprise matches your card you get to keep it.

 Here Lena is matching her surprise to her card.

Everyone wanted a turn when they saw the game.  I have to be careful playing with the kids.  They are so rough with it and I have had it 30 some years and it is in mint condition.  It's only a game but I can't get over how there isn't any reason to be so obnoxious when you play a game.  I think it comes partly from being the only girl in a family of two kids.  I was able to keep my things neat and tidy.  My brother wasn't interested in my stuff usually.  I have many games that still have all the cards and pieces to them. 

Izzy boy...

 Caleb had a "cool" hairdo and thought he looked "cooler" with his eyes this way!  He just informed me he was a mad scientist and these are his glasses.

 My 14 year old boy, Isaac.

 Isaac picked Pizza Ranch for his meal out with mom and dad.

 Isaac stuffing his face with pizza.  This is his favorite food.

 Dad decided to have a friendly arm wrestle with Isaac.

 Isaac proved to have some muscle.

  We came home to another of Jordan's creations, a lego creation this time! 

 

Isaac took his own money and bought the game Risk tonight.  He played it with Caleb and another boy at our recent camp weekend and loved it and has wanted it ever since.  I'd rather they played a board game any day over being in front of a TV or computer!

Really Easy French Bread...

 Today, I made some bread and decided to try a french bread recipe I got offline.  It was so easy and it suggested making these 6 in. loaves which were great for the kids to eat with some soup today.  They were so excited when they saw they got their own loaf.  I'm also making some Maple Oat bread there in the background.

 Home canned tomato soup and parmesan cheese topped french bread.

The Recipe is:  Add 1 1/2 TBSP of yeast to 1 1/4 Cups warm water.  Let sit for 15 minutes.  Put 3 cups flour in mixer (I used half whole wheat) with 1 TBSP honey and 1 1/2 tsp salt.  Use bread hook and mix.  After yeast sits 15 minutes add to flour and use bread hook and mix until blended well.  Let rise until doubled.  Form into 6 in. loaves (makes 6 of them) .  I cut slits at this time and brushed with oil and parmesan cheese (you can do what you want)(I would have used egg and added sesame seeds but had no eggs)  Bake 375 degrees for about 15 minutes and they are done.  It was fast, easy and they tasted great with butter and garlic powder.

New products...

We made something new for the next farmer's market; marmalade and jelly.  Here I was cutting up the oranges for the orange marmalade.  It was a three day process of soaking the oranges and their rinds.

 Today, I canned up the marmalade.  It is wonderful.  The comments on the recipe said they loved it too and it is tasty and so pretty. 

 Rebekah made up some apple preserves that had lemon slices in it and nutmeg.  Again, it is pretty looking.

 Here are the jars Rebekah is filling.

 I had a lot of lemons to use up from a juice cleanse I decided to abandon so made lemon marmalade with ginger and it was also a very pretty and smelled and tasted wonderful. There are chunks of fresh ginger in it and it gives it a bit of a bite but with all the sugar it is still quite sweet.

Apple preserves, lemon/ginger marmalade and lemon jelly (the lemon jelly did not set yet so I am setting it my basement and hoping it will in a few days).  It has pectin in it so I sure hope it does something.  The lemon jelly was the most costly to make so I was hoping to sell it.  If it doesn't sell I bet it will taste great on plain yogurt or on ice cream.

We are getting soft...

We've been letting Dakota in the house at night.  Only one incident that sent him to his kennel.  One of the kids brought a bowl of compost stuff and put it on the laundry room counter top.  A few moments later we heard a crash.  Dakota had gotten up and pulled it down off the counter.  It was only avocado peels and pits so I doubt it was worth getting kicked out of the house!  One night he stayed the whole night and did great and was still laying there when Kevin came out in the morning.  There is hope for him!!!!  

Babies...

 So Big Lane!

 The D man is so smiley.

 He never stops!

 Open wide!

 Lane discovered the piano yesterday and really likes it!

I couldn't resist taking a picture of my counter this morning. Kitchen Stewardship had a "try a new cultured food on Monday" and it was so funny to read that email because I had just started sourdough starter the day before.  I haven't done sourdough before.  Monday I also got my kombucha mothers working again (far left) and today I got two jars of water kefir going (with limes added).  Water kefir is still the favorite of everyone here but Kevin drinks up the kombucha for us.  I know it is chock full of good things!!!  Here is what I found on one website:
Kombucha contains multiple species of yeast and bacteria along with the organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids, and polyphenols produced by these microbes. The precise quantities of a sample can only be determined by laboratory analysis. Finished kombucha may contain any of the following components:

• Acetic acid, which is mildly antibacterial
• Butyric acid
• B-vitamins^[4]
• Alcohol
• Gluconic acid
• Lactic acid
• Malic acid
• Oxalic acid
• Usnic acid

Normally kombucha contains less than 0.5% alcohol, which classifies kombucha as a non-alcoholic beverage.Older, more acidic, kombucha might contain 1.0% or 1.5% alcohol, depending on more anaerobic brewing time and higher proportions of sugar and yeast

I don't actually do as many fermented foods as I should, as I know how to do.  It seems so time consuming.

Family Camp...

 We love Family Camp!!!!  Here is the chapel filled to the brim with most who came this year.  Kevin Swanson from Generation with Vision was the speaker.  He came to the Home School Convention a couple years ago.  He is a great speaker with a lot of wisdom and great insight. 

 Activities for the kids and some moms and dads filled the weekend with fun!

 Rollerskating is my girls' favorite activity!

 There was rock climbing this year! Way to go Moriah!

 Some fun with the older boys/men with a bit of arm wrestling!

 Kevin posing again!

 Lots of great visiting and deep conversations all weekend!

 Food!  It's the best ever and so much of it always!  This was a snack but the meals were great!

 Courtship!  Two new couples this year are courting!

 Babies are so wonderful at these things!

 Hot cocoa is an absolute favorite of all!

See her little heart shaped head with the piggy tails.  Love her!

Visiting happened everywhere!

 Friends!

 Dads and daughters spending time together!

 Micah!

 Tired out!  Late nights are a given at camp.  Kevin is usually the one saying he's going to bed early but I went to bed the first night by midnight or 12:30 and he ended up coming in at 2 a.m. (great conversations with some of the men).   One night a kid came in at 4 a.m.  It's the only place I know you don't have to wonder what kids are doing at that time of the night.  Adults were up at that time too so it wasn't just kids talking and getting into potential foolishness.  Although, I'm not saying there wasn't ANY foolishness! :)   (but not the normal kind of foolishness teenagers engage in).

Fun on the ice.  It was beautiful weather.  Sun shining and the kids had fun skating and being outside!