This Week...
...Claire received an award for cooperation at school. If you know Claire, you know that this award fits her perfectly! Not only did I forget about the assembly, but I got her lunch time wrong when Jason and I tried to surprise her with McDonald's. So we got to see Paul and Lainey in the lunchroom and had them call Benjamin and Claire in from recess. They were excited to see us and it was fun for them to have us there during lunchtime. Jason was in uniform because he was working that day. All of the kids were waving and saying hello to him. Claire ate her cheeseburger even though she had eaten her lunch already (bottomless pit, I tell ya) and Benjamin shared my fries. We walked them to their class and talked with their teacher. Mrs. Lamb is amazing! Claire was acting so silly; she was so happy.
...I purchased a pressure canner. There, I said it. I own a pressure canner. Let me tell you, I'm excited. A little nervous that my house might blow up when I try to use it, but excited nonetheless. I was able to go out to my mom and dad's to get buckets of small potatoes. They are the perfect size for canning. My mom used to can potatoes growing up and I loved to eat them. I've always wanted to can my own, but it never worked out. This year, the field across from my parent's house was planted in potatoes. When they were digging, they would dump the bad potatoes and the ones that were too small just down from my parent's house. It made it so easy to pick through the piles and fill up my buckets. (I will not mention how I went too far off the road and got stuck. No, I will not.)
It took me a little bit of purchasing and returning to get the right canner, but price matching at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and getting advice from the WSU extension office got me on the right road. So I have been successfully canning me some potatoes. Yay! They taste just like I remembered and almost make me feel like a kid again. I have even done some for my mom and dad to put in their storage. Another plus is that my kids and Jason like them too.
...Benjamin and Claire did a fun activity at school relating our city to another larger city. It was cute to see what large city they chose.
...our friend's retaliated to our Easter egging with a skittles attack. Oh my word! I've never seen so many skittles in all of my life. They were scattered all over my house. They said they used seven pounds of skittles. They were everywhere! As I packed things up to prep for listing and showing our house in the days following their attack, I had Skittles flinging and flying everywhere. They hit me on the head and rained down all around me. I would grab something not realizing there were skittles waiting inside. Ryan and Amie and their kids had such a great time hiding them all around the house. The kids sure loved finding them!
...we found a bird's nest in one of our trees. It blew out with the wind one night. It's so fun to look at and inspect the nest making capabilities of birds.
...I found a face in the potatoes. Faces are everywhere! Once you start looking, you can never turn it off. Faces jump out at you from everywhere you look.
...Emma and Grandma Zirker had an apply pie baking marathon. We have a lot of apples still from when I went picking at the beginning of the month. Emma wanted to learn how to make apple pie and my mom was willing to help her. (Since I wasn't too thrilled about it.)
...Lainey went to the dentist! It's always so fun to see Amber at the office. I have to remember not to talk too much so that she can do her job. Haha!
...they're getting ready to pave Madison. We can't wait! It'll be so nice not to have to wind our way through the neighborhood streets. This will be a straight shot down to where we are building.
...we went to Riverdance! We went with my mom and dad and my two sisters. It was such an amazing performance. I would definitely go again. We were sitting on the very front row! It was so crazy watching them clog across the stage. Their feet were moving so fast! The only part we didn't necessarily like was having to breathe the fog when they turned it on for effect. It was so hard to breathe through. (We made friends with the man next to my mom. Wish I could remember his name. Very nice!)
...the leaves are changing. I love the changing of the leaves. Fall colors are one of my faves.
This is the view at my moms.
...we went pumpkin picking at Yoke's. Sadly, I did not get pumpkins planted this year. Jason got into the pumpkin area and so they ALL got into the pumpkin area. Luckily, it didn't take long for them to pick out what they wanted. Can't wait for Jason to get carving! Haha!
...I was part of a photo opportunity with the law enforcement wives of our area. Wives from all the different local agencies came together for a photo at Columbia Park to show our support of our husbands and the work they do here in Tri-Cities and surrounding cities. I'm pictured below with the Benton County wives that were in attendance. (me, ?, Kristen Clarke, Sandra Coughy, Bree Benitez, Karen Corten, ?, Andrea Hansen, ?)
