Some things are better.....Store Bought!

So, I got this CRAZY idea to put all of our tomatoes from the garden to good use and make some of my own Spahetti Sauce and can it. It sounded pretty easy, and of course, I found a lovely recipe online that made it sound SUPER easy. I picked 30lbs of tomatoes with Jareds help, and this morning, I set to work. After I went to the store and bought plenty of bulk oregano and parsley. I boiled water and dug in to skinning all of those lovely red jewels. Yah.
After an hour and a half, I was STILL peeling, with a bucket of tomatoes that had yet to be touched. I was running out of time, since I had to pick up Travis, and I started to get stressed. Then, irritated. Then, disgusted. I finally decided that I would make half a batch, and see how it turned out.
When we got home, I put the pot on the stove and brought it to a boil. And an hour later, it was STILL boiling. After another hour, it was STILL boiling. And I had yet to see anything that looked like Spaghetti sauce. It looked like a red, stringy, gloppy mess, even though my kitchen smelled like Olive Garden at dinnertime. I pondered, let it simmer some more, then pondered again. Didn't look like anything I would want on my Spaghetti :(
At that point, I made the executive decision that Spaghetti Sauce was harder than it looks, and this blech was going in the disposal.
I am OK with it, really, since I at least TRIED it. I have wanted to try it for years, and now I have. Ok, that is off of the list. And, I most certainly won't be trying it again, Thank You. I will stick with maybe just chopping them up and throwing them in a jar to use in soups or things like that. I mean really, one can only be so much of a domestic goddess.
I think after it all, I have just two words for you my friends: BUY RAGU.

First Day of School...again.

How can school be in already? This summer flew by...I don't remember that happening when I was a kid! Summer lasted FOREVER. Not so much anymore.

Anyhoo, now I am officially old...I have a 7th grader. Holy Cow. Movin' on up...way to fast. AND, my baby is in Kindergarten. They seem to be settling in well and enjoying be back..except for those early morning wake up calls. Now those can be ugly, but I won't go into that, cause I would like you to keep thinking my kids are sweet and cute.

Here they are...ready to go. I love how Trav's backpack is as big as he is!

My little man, all growed up:

Justin is in 3rd grade already! He has a man for a teacher this year, and seems to really like him.

Then, my 7th grader. I think my heart is going to stop. I can't talk about it. Just observe how grown up HE is.
So, here we go again. Hopefully this year will be filled with success and not to much homework. Good luck boys!

Check this out!

So in my moment of wasting time this morning, I found this new blog. Oh. My. Word. It has to be the funniest thing I have read in a long time. You all think I say funny things...this lady is freakin' hilarious! I spent a little time reading the new posts and even a few of the older ones and I was totally belly laughing! Mostly 'cause I can relate to just about everything she says! Especially her blog title...which of us hasn't been called the "Meanest Mom"? And for those of you whose kids don't speak yet...just wait.
If you get a chance, check it out. I guarantee it will make you laugh, and who doesn't need that?

Oh...I guess I better tell you that it is the link on the bottom left here by my blog section called The Meanest Mom...sorry, Jeremiah crawled into bed @ 3 am this morning after finally making it home from Chicago, and I never really went back to sleep...things are a LITTLE foggy today!

Here is my little man in his wedding getup! Isn't he SO cute! He is the last of the boys to be in a wedding...I am 3 for 3 now...
Jeremiah's cousin Vanessa got married last weekend, and Travis was Mr. Ringbearer. I was thinking that I was going to have to tell her to find someone else, because everytime we talked about it, he would burst into tears! Not good. But, eventually, (with a LITTLE bribing from me, a.k.a. Legos)he consented and ended up being really excited about it! He actually did really well, and we were very proud of him.

He looks so little!
Vanessa looked so pretty too...

We TOTALLY enjoyed seeing Desiree again, since she has moved to New Mexico now...she stayed the weekend with us, and the boys were stoked to see her and catch up! She and Jessalyn looked lovely as bridesmaids...

I also
made sure to catch one of her and ALL the guys too...so cute!
I know Jeremiah misses seeing her everyday at work, so I will make sure to get him one of these to put in his office...

Even though it was a bit soggy, the wedding was beautiful and we wish them the best!

Mommy heartache

Oh, the joys of motherhood....especially when they make you hurt inside. This has been a rough day for this mommy. I HATE seeing my kids hurt from lifes unfairness. I just want to snap my fingers and make it all go away, but, I can't. And, like today, sometimes you just need to sit and cry with them. I think most of the time I just try and change the subject so they don't dwell on it, or try to convince them that it really can't be THAT bad, but ya know, sometimes it is just OK to let them know that we hurt just like they do and that's OK too. I am finding that having boys makes this emotional thing a little harder for me, because they don't always want to "share" things with me...God designed them to hold it all in, unlike us girls, who just wail and let it all out! But, I still know that they are hurting and I want to make it better.

I want to make sure that everything is rosy for them all the time...lots of friends, lots of fun activity etc., and I really need to remember that I am not doing them any favors really if I make their lives that way...because LIFE isn't always rosy and it is my job to prepare them for the things they will face when they leave my nest. But, I can't help the mother bear that comes out in me when someone hurts one of them...I want to protect them and keep them safe from the hurt.

The one thing that comforts me is knowing that God will ALWAYS be there for them, no matter what. That is my JOB...to make sure that they leave my nest knowing that life and people WILL let them down (it's a fact), but that God will always be there to pick them up, love them and comfort them. It is hard to convince a 3rd grader of that, but I know he will learn eventually. And, today, that is especially important to me....knowing that he will comfort me when I am hurting for my boy.

Wow. This mothering thing is TOUGH, and I feel wimpy today!

We enjoyed a super day at the beach last week, to end summer the right way!
We could have played on the beach ALL day, it was so gorgeous! We had lunch at Mo's of course, first, and then headed down with our toys and beach towels to relax for awhile. I wish I could get more of my pictures to come up, but this stupid blog stuff is not working right today.
I feel like I have finally arrived in that spot where we can take a little break and I don't have to watch the kids ALL the time...I laid on my beach towel and soaked up the sun while they played in the sand...AHHHH. Nice. They were not happy when I said it was time to go...they were really enjoying themselves! And it didn't help that I made them pack up just so we could hit the outlet mall on the way out of town before they closed! Boys & Mall = Mad BOYS. But, we had a mission and we accomplished it without too much dismay...except for the fact that there is NO LONGER a toy store at the outlet mall...OOPS! That was my one crutch, and it flopped! Oh well.