Endings and Beginnings

Canning season is beginning to come to an end.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Preserving and canning and dehydrating and pressure cooking and burning food and myself is almost complete.  Just a few last things to can/preserve...

1.  Canning potatoes (something I have never done but am ever willing to try)

2.  Finishing the beets---pressure cooking some, freezing a few quarts, and trying to keep a few in the fridge---we will see how it goes

3.  Carrots--- Freezing some and keeping the rest fresh (or attempting to--- according to Aaron's grandma keeping carrots fresh in the fridge all winter is easy.)

4.  Squash--- Most of mine are moldy and icky from all of the rain.  The few that are left I am sure will get eaten quickly.

My to do list for wrapping up our garden has shortened quite a bit.  Now that our garden had a second heavy frost, it is time to let go of the tomatoes and peppers and anything else that was holding on by a thread.

The boys were warned that all of our tomato based canning this year would be yellow because of a vicious fungus our tomato plants encountered.  Our yellow Roma tomatoes were not affected.  But, a kind coworker of Aaron's gave us quite a few red tomatoes which helped us out alot.

Four lugs of pears was my last canning project and they turned our delicious and beautiful.

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Because summer has officially ended and fall has made its presence, our farming community has come out in full force.  Which makes for long hours for Aaron to work.

So, several weeks ago I reinstituted family night.  And the boys love it!  I have found that some of Noah's friends have even mentioned to their parents that they would like to start a family night. 

We have gone biking and eaten ice cream and of course had our signature candle lit dinners.

 I was attempting to ride on my bike and take photos of the boys...while in motion.  I can barely walk without hurting myself.  The expectation of being able to multitask while in motion was craziness.  I totally ate dirt.  Got back on my bike.  And continued on without any of my boys noticing!  Now that is pure talent.

I am always about a half a mile behind my boys.

At the end of every family night...the boys always exchange a simple but meaningful sentence, "Happy Family Night!"
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My blogging girls and I are beginning an exciting new project that has to do with photography--- more to come on that later!

Another Family Night

I should be doing a million and one tasks right now...I have a never ending list stuck in my head.  But instead, I am curled up in my comfy chair clicking like a mad woman on the computer.  The only thing that would make this moment closer to perfection is if I had a hot cup of creamy coffee (and if my dishwasher was not beeping at me that it is done...sigh.)

Meanwhile the children are snuggled in bed---still sleeping together in a twin bed, again their choice, the husband is doing forty minutes on the elliptical (keeping his heart rate between 140-160 beats per minute----he is a mad man,) and the sound of a tractor planting this years crop sings loudly behind our home. 

The last few days have been beautiful!  We are so blessed. 

Because it is farm season again, I have reinstated the Wednesday night Family Night.  Tonight we had a picnic and then ventured on to a small park.  We were the only people there.  It was perfect weather.  Seventy degrees with a slight breeze...just enough to keep us from being eaten alive by all of the gnats.

The boys had so much fun...and so did mom and dad.  All of the boys had to dig in the dirt...

And then all of the boys had to swing...

Abram was squealing with delight when his dad was pushing him on the swing (you can't really tell if he is laughing or crying in the photo below---but trust me, it is laughter.)

Noah has always been quite the monkey...

Climbing to the highest point...

Then, when we were all packed up, Aaron and I heard, "Mom mom!  Can we take your picture with your camera?" 

Well, it is Family Night---how could I say no?

Happy spring!

Family Night

With my husband working long hours much of the time, several months ago (under the guidance of a friend) we instituted Family Night.  Oh, how the boys LOVE family night. 

On Wednesdays, everyone must be home by 1800 to enjoy supper together.  We reminisce about the days events at school and at home.  Everyone must say something good and something bad about their day.  During supper, we have The Luthi Family Jar.  This jar contains many questions that everyone has to answer.  They range from, "if you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go" (Noah responded, "to Tokyo," and Abram said, "to work on the farm") to "if you had a million dollars, what would you do with it."  It is very interesting to hear what the boys, including dad, have to say to these prodding questions.  The way their minds work is so fascinating.

This has become a sacred night to the boys.  They look fore ward to this night all week.  When I pick them up from school on Wednesdays, the first thing out of their mouths is, "Tonight is family night!"  They chit-chat the whole way home in the back of the car about what we should have for supper and what we should do.  Should we have steak or grilled cheese or cheesy potatoes?  "Abram, would you like to watch a dragon movie?"  Noah asks, gently persuading his little brother.  When we arrive home, they hurry to get their homework done while I begin to make supper.  It is an exhausting night, but completely worth it. 

 

This is a night that the boys will remember for the rest of their lives. And maybe, just maybe, if they have their own families, they will institute a Family Night for their children.

 

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind,"  Dr. Seuss.