Joy in the Kitchen!

This blog is usually my place to share my favorite recipes, to share food memories of my childhood, share my food experiments!  I've been a bit rattled by this COVID-19 emergency as I know many of  you have.  It has brought clarity to what is most important in my life.    Once, years ago, I had a personal crisis.  I was heartbroken and wondered why it had happened.  I read this scripture and in my mind I heard God say to me "Joy, settle down.  I've got this."  I felt peace.    I love going to the mountains.  In them, I see God's strength and power.  I feel close to Him there.  Combining a favorite place with a favorite scripture was a therapeutic exercise for me today. God bless you as you turn to Him and find therapeutic activities that bring you peace! 

The other day I went grocery shopping after my kids went to school.  It goes pretty quick now that my children are all in school and I just hop in my car, all by myself, and head to town.  That particular morning as I shopped, I noticed many cute, young, Mom's pushing carts adorned with preschoolers and babies.  Some of them looked exhausted, others were full of energy!  A few sounded frustrated and impatient with misbehaving kids, a few seemed to ignore their kids (though you never know - I used that tactic some myself when one "no" didn't suffice), and one sweet mom was singing to her baby as she walked down the aisles. Nostalgia hit for a moment as I missed my young mama days!  I have 8 children with 23 years between the oldest and youngest.  I've spent a LOT of time the past 30 years being a mom to preschoolers!   I finished my shopping and got in line at the checkout right behind a frazzled mom with 2 kids, maybe 2 and 4 years old, begging ...

One of our families favorite activities in the fall is pressing apple cider!  We have several apple trees, all different varieties.  This year our two heaviest bearing trees were our Gala and Honey Crisp trees.  Honey Crisp is one of my favorite apples!  So sweet!   Cider seems to taste best if it comes from a mixed variety of apples so in this small batch we used from the Gala, Honey Crisp, and a few Jonathan's.  It was perfect!    We only took time to press 7 1/2 gallons on this particular day but we plan to have at least one more cider pressing day this fall.  I usually just fill plastic jugs and freeze them to use later, though once in a while I'll water bath can some of it in quarts. Here are a few pictures from our little family day! Here are our amazing apple washers!  They washed a few bushel of apples. They did end up pretty wet themselves. Once the apples are washed we cut them into 1/4th or 8th's dependi...

Last week we let the children (who still live here at home) suggest their ideas for family goals for the year.  I was pretty impressed with the ideas they came up with!  In fact, there were so many good ones, we decided to have 3 goals.   The goal connected with the picture posted above is last (but not least).... but I'm going to list all of our goals and be accountable to more than my family at home. 1.   Get up 10 minutes earlier so we can read scriptures in the morning.  (evenings are sometimes hectic and we were struggling to be together to read) .... This would not have been my choice for a goal!  I have a hard time getting up in time to wake the kids for school as it is!  However, the past week the kids have popped right out of bed and gathered in the living room to read.  AWESOME!  2.   Have a Family Home Evening Chart.  We're pretty good at having FHE, but I tend to give the lessons & choose the treat and onl...

This post is not in the kitchen, nor is it about food.  T he only way it is food related is that these are some of my family that I feed on a regular basis!  Summer time is outdoor time.  Our temperatures this past week have been in the high 80's.  Today was a little cooler and there was a nice breeze.  We spent much of the day outside.  My husband Dave, hung a  rope swing in our trees.  He had to hang a second one, lower, for our little guy to swing on too. The grandkids should have fun if our little guy will share. There are plans to build a tree house in those same trees.  (Hopefully the children will not be all grown by the time we get it built! :) ) So.....  here's what we do when Joy's NOT in the Kitchen! We often find her here contentedly reading. Big brother on the little swing. Trees, swings and big sisters are so much fun! Standing in the "moat". Dave spent the day making swings and repairing things...