Ta-Da Tuesday!

PEEK-A-BOO!

On the way to granola town- Tomato Sauce!!

A while ago, Mark and I embarked on a new adventure- Tomato Sauce. 

Neither of us had ever made tomato sauce, but we didn't let that stop us.  After reading 20 or more posts we came up with our own system.  Hope you enjoy!

The first thing we did was buy our tomatoes.  I know, buy...but the truth is we didn't plant tomatoes in the garden this year.  BIG OVERSIGHT. 

However, we were able to get tomatoes at a very reasonable price at the farmer's market.  What we bought were the ripest tomatoes that needed to be used ASAP.  Perfect for canning.

From there we washed our new tomatoes, cut any bad spots off, and cored them.  No, we didn't remove the skin or pulp.  I figure that there are probably some good things in both that we might lose by getting rid of them at this step, plus I saw a bunch of variance in this step.

 

We pureed our tomatoes and placed into our stock pot.

Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and let it cook. The foam will die down...but keep cooking.

In all it took around 2 hours, but I like my sauce a little more watery than others. I did reduce my liquid by half though. Once we were close to my desired consistency, I used my immersion blender to puree the sauce even more.  I LOVE IT.  Get one if you don't have one.  It's fantastic.  Though side note, if you don't have one you can use a blender.

Finally, I strained my final product.  This removed any seeds or leftover skin that didn't cook and puree.

You're left with a super healthy and fresh product!!  We simply froze ours in freezer bags, as we will use these within the year.

The final tally- .44 cents a "can" of sauce.  This is a good 30 cents cheaper per can from my local knock off brand tomato sauce from the grocery store. 

So not only are we cheaper than the grocery store, but we are using local products that are pesticide free, picked and used at freshness, and is HEALTHIER!!  No sodium, as my family has to watch that in particular.  If you don't have to, I would recommend adding some salt if you like during the cooking process, but even then you are likely to add less than the canned goods.

Now it is a little late to help many now, but that said, bookmark and get ready for next summer.  Watch out, Tomatoes!!

Next up on my road to granola- sourdough bread.

It's OK, Tuesday

So I stole borrowed this from another blog.  It's a way of just accepting some of life's not so pleasant, ridiculous, or crazy moments.  I really like it.  So here goes.

It's ok,

-that I once again missed the both the weight loss and confessional link up this past Friday.

We were out of town for my sister in law's graduation.  She's now a Master.  Go Karen!

It's ok,

-Evie didn't enjoy the 6 hour car drive to my in-laws.

She did well during nap time, but once awake decided she didn't want to sit in the car seat. We stopped a lot on the way down.  She was also crabby when we arrived and when we got back.  I don't see a lot a traveling for us until she gets bigger. 


It's ok,

-that I'm in cleaning mode this week.

Elizabeth's birthday party is Saturday.  Since people are coming over to the house as well as the picnic site, I have to have this place clean.

Not just everyday clean.  SUPER CLEAN!

I've already dusted most of the baseboards and sprayed down my doors.  I'm trying to work on the outside too...I'm much slower at that.


It's ok,

-to be super uptight about the red lines Firefox puts under words when you spell it incorrectly.

I have to fix, NOW.

No waiting, the red line throws me...I can't concentrate.  ARG!!

 It's ok, 

-that Elizabeth is going through a whiny stage.

She's been in timeout a lot lately.

I guess we hit the terrible two's late.  I DON'T LIKE IT.

It's ok,

-that I haven't gotten to play with my new sewing machine yet.

I've been running around in party mode, which = no, sewing time for mommy.  BOO!!!

It's ok,

-that I'm considering making my own pirate costume for Elizabeth's party.

Surely you get a pass on being silly if you're a mom??

Oh, and I totally looked up pirate music to play too.

It's ok, Tuesday.

So I stole borrowed this from another blog.  It's a way of just accepting some of life's not so pleasant, ridiculous, or crazy moments.  I really like it.  So here goes.

It's ok,

-that I was totally late with my weight loss post and that I had to skip friday confession two weeks in a row.

Things are just crazy busy...if I'm not working, I'm watching a kid.  If I'm not doing that I'm probably cleaning and if that fails I'm probably zonked out in my bed hoping for a few more hours of sleep- I think I'm averaging about 4-5 a night right now.

It's ok,

-that I've messed up these last two weeks on my diet and exercise.

NO MORE!!  I WILL lose this weight.

The gloves are off. The serious diet and exercise have started.  I wanted to be easy going, but I think I need some more rigid guidelines at least until healthier choices become second nature to me.

It's ok,

-that I've been talking non-stop about a new sewing machine.  I really want to get one for mother's day, but money wise, I don't think it's a good idea.

Plus, I mainly want it to make cute stuff for the girls and I can do that at my mom's place.  I LOVE her Bernina.

But really some part of me wants to say, screw it, and buy one.  ARG!  Being an adult is no fun!!

It's ok,

-that in my recent potty drawings for Elizabeth, I had to figure out how to draw a mad water.

I drew a mad glass of water. 

Why was he mad?  Because he wanted Coke instead of water.

Yep, great thing to teach your preschooler- mother of the year right here.

 It's ok, 

-to look at my planner and want to cry.  We have so much coming up.  Happy stuff, but get togethers = lots of work for mommy.

While I'm super excited to have a pirate party and travel to see people this week, it's a little nerve wracking with an infant and 3 year old.

Plus there's only so many hours I can listen to some of the kid's music we have and not want to shove a pencil in my ear.

Wish me luck, I think I'll need it for the car ride.

It's ok,

-that I had to think twice when someone called for Dr. Smith.

I honestly didn't know who they were talking about.

Then I remembered, I did have another name besides mommy.

It's OK Tuesday.

So I stole borrowed this from another blog.  It's a way of just accepting some of life's not so pleasant, ridiculous, or crazy moments.  I really like it.  So here goes.

It's ok,

-I had to make a mad dash to collect our drying clothes and diapers off the line because of a sudden storm.  It stunk because I had to rehang them on my drying rack inside.  I see that as twice the work...

It's ok,

-I missed Brandy's Friday link up.  We were all over the place on friday, I never sat down at the computer and left my phone in the diaper bag.  But I did weigh myself and I was the same weight as last week...BOO!!

It's ok,

-that I still haven't sent our Evie's birth announcements and a few thank you cards.  I'm trying...I swear I am trying. 

One day they will get out...just hopefully before I send out her one year birthday party invitations.

It's ok,

-that I'm turning into a hippie.  It's a whole post to itself, but suffice to say I think I deserve a shirt that says Earth Mama on it. 

It's ok,

-that my husband melted the cup we bought at the amusement park in the dishwasher.  He didn't read the hand wash only sign...or didn't take it seriously. 

It's one of those cups you pay a fortune for, but keep bringing it back for cheap refills.  I'm going to bring it and hand it to a cashier.  If they ask what happened, I think I'll tell them my husband can't read. 

Then maybe they'll take pity on me and give me a new one.

 It's ok, 

-my cat thinks he is a baby.  He sleeps in everything the baby sleeps in...it's pitiful as he is a hefty cat and well, he barely fits on this stuff. 

Right before Mark chased him off, he got the stink eye for waking him up.

 Plus it doesn't make me happy, as I have to wash whatever he is laying on...double boo.

It's ok,

-Elizabeth wants a pirate party for her birthday, rather than a princess or veggie tale party. 

She did princess last year.  It was adorable.

She's a pretty cute pirate too, but even funnier is her talking like a pirate.  I don't think I can make it through a whole party without laughing at her pirate voice. 

Plus seeing my family in pirate hats- double fun!!

It's ok, Tuesday.

So I stole borrowed this from another blog.  It's a way of just accepting some of life's not so pleasant, ridiculous, or crazy moments.  I really like it.  So here goes.

It's ok,

-that after taking three days to mow last week, the grass is already for another go.  I wish it would stop raining, grass shouldn't grow this fast...

It's ok,

-I'm working like crazy.  A week ago all of my jobs were in limbo, and I was a deadbeat and jobless.  It was nice too.  Now I have all three jobs coming at me at once.  Yes, I said three.  When it rains it pours, especially on my lawn.

It's ok,

-when I was coming home that I had to stop to allow a chicken cross the road.  Yes, just like the old joke.  He was taking his sweet time too.  If he had gone any slower, we would have had chicken for dinner.

Here he is already across.  I wasn't fast enough to get him in the road.

It's ok,

-that I walk into rooms and forget why I'm in there.  I'm not old, it's mommy brain and lack of sleep.  At least that is what I'm telling myself, especially since I'm turning a special age this year...though I've been thinking about not aging from now on.

It's ok,

-that I can't take a straight, centered picture of Evie.  I already told you I take all my photos on my phone.  It seems that I suffer from muscle spasm disorder as well, since all the photos I take she is off to the side.  I think it's the lack of caffeine.  I NEED something to help me focus...

Shaky hand, much?

 It's ok, 

-that I've been fighting with my iPhone to remove some old photos.  I miss the old Itunes.  You know when you could drag and drop things, rather than this silly sync stuff.  I know they don't want us to steal music, but really I'm too old sleep deprived to figure this stuff out.  Steve Jobs needs to take pity on tired, mommy brained, soon to be thirty women who just want to take off old photos, so they can take more non-centered photos of their kids.

It's ok,

-that I ramble...a lot.  I like to think I'm an interesting rambler, so it doesn't matter if I ramble.  Please let me continue under this assumption, as I'm perfectly happy being delusional. 

It's ok,

-that I constantly crave cheeseburgers.  I could eat one any time, any day.  Of course this also applies to tacos, cookies, and scrambled eggs.  I think nursing is increasing my appetite, or I've never notice what a human garbage disposal I am. 

It's ok, Tuesday.

So I stole borrowed this from another blog.  It's a way of just accepting some of life's not so pleasant moments.  I really like it.  So here goes.

It's ok,

-That I'm super excited and sad for this week's episode of the office.  It's the last episode with Michael, hence the sadness, but Will Ferrell will be on it, so there's the excitement.

It's ok,

-That I'm two days into mowing the lawn and I'm still not done.  Yes, we have that much lawn and no, I'm not mowing it all.  The fields we're leaving alone and getting it cut for hay later.  Oh and the reason it's taking so long- push mower.  This is the first place we've lived that we've needed a riding mower.  Guess what we're shopping for at the moment.

It's ok,

-In 6 years of marriage (almost 7), that this is the first time I've ever mowed our lawn.  I always thought it was a "male" chore and was happy not to be out in the sun.  But now, there is something very satisfying about mowing.  I like looking back and seeing progress, plus kids can't bother you. ;) lol

It's ok,

-I didn't get to buy chickens this weekend.  The baby chicks were so cute.  But because they carry salmonella they aren't recommended to be around small children.  So we have to wait five years before I can get my baby chicks (though I may talk to the girls' dr about this).  Boo!!

It's ok,

-That Megamind and Tangled are all my daughter talks about.  She told me probably a hundred times today that we needed to find Titan's house (bad guy from Megamind) so that we could "get" him.  She thinks she's a super hero.  Maybe I should make her a cape...

Rapunzel and Elizabeth swinging, before they went hunting for bad guys.

It's ok, 

-That I do a little walk dance when I finish a day of couch25k.  I look ridiculous, but I feel great.  This is mainly because I hate running and I know I'm done.  Extra points for not dying or puking on the side of the road.

It's ok,

-Most of the pictures I take now of the kids is on my phone.  I don't carry my camera around, I do carry my phone.  Plus I get pretty good pictures.  My only fear is that Evie (my youngest) will only have phone pictures.  That doesn't seem right or fair.  Like because I was the youngest of three there are fewer photos of me and almost none of me by myself.

Today's phone pic.

It's ok,

-That my husband now asks after events in our life "is this going to be on the blog?".  He told me it should be mostly about how awesome he is...after I stopped laughing, I told him of course he was awesome.  Awesomesauce!  Oh and check out the urban defition of that- awesomesauce - #2 had me rolling in the floor. ;)

It's OK Tuesday

So I stole borrowed this from another blog.  It's a way of just accepting some of life's not so pleasant moments.  I really like it.  So here goes.

It's ok,

-To be posting this a day late.  I wasn't having the best day yesterday and any post would have sounded depressing.  I don't like depressing, and I'm guessing you all don't want to read depressing either. So I didn't do it...does that count as good mental health??

It's ok,

-That I let Elizabeth skip her nap Monday to play outside.  Yes, she was grumpy and whiny later, but the next day it snowed, rained, hailed, and froze all in twenty-four hours.  I thought it only fair she got to play.

It's ok,

-That on the day in question, both Elizabeth and I got too much sun because I forgot sunscreen.  No one said I was parent of the year, anyway.

It's ok,

-That I have become so cheap frugal that getting a nicer brand of bread is considered "splurging" for me.  No, we aren't poor, but we are trying to conserve money, since my work is currently messed up.  I'm technically still on maternity leave.  This was unexpected, but will be fixed once they finish my paperwork. 

It's ok,

-That my daughter doesn't mind mud, snakes, or spiders...but show her an earthworm and she turns into Miss Dainty.

It's ok, 

-That my beloved basketball team lost in the final four.  I still LOVE my wildcats and my blood still runs blue.

It's ok,

-That I'm turning into a farmer.  On Monday, I tilled part of our garden.  Today I'm going to do some more, with sunscreen of course.  I might even find a few earthworms... ;)

It's ok, Tuesday.

So I totally stole this idea.  I saw it on two other blogs, which encouraged me to take it and I completely succumbed to the peer pressure. ;)  Anyway, it's about just stepping back and accepting certain things, which I really think is great.

It's ok...

-that my daughter is so ok with breastfeeding that she lifts up her own shirt to feed her baby sister.

-that instead of cleaning my house that I write a blog post instead and look up silly things online that amuse me.

-that my idea of a great weekend includes a trip to Lowe's to get a clothesline.  I'm so not getting old at all.

-that every time I put my daughter's hair in pigtails she pulls them out, which makes me ask why do I keep making her hair bows?!?

-that Elizabeth will talk to random people about the robot bunny, Gary, in her latest Veggie tale movie, but won't tell them her age.

-that my cat thinks he is one of my children too, and therefore, deserving of a space on my lap when I already have two kids on it.

No seriously, I love this idea.  So I had participate.  You all should too!