So I decided to be domestic and make homemade freezer jam with the peaches that my Grandpa had abounding on his tree. As I was reveling in my domesticity, I had some musings on how making peach freezer jam relates to life. I grabbed my camera and went to work.
Lesson #1 - Sometimes in life we have help (thanks Laura!), but sometimes that help has to leave and we are left to conquer our tasks and obstacles all on our own. If we stick to our guns, we can accomplish our goal and have a sense of ownership and fulfillment because we did it alone.
Lesson #2 - Sometimes we make huge, sticky, disgusting messes of our lives. But we have repentance (or
clorox cleanup) to help wipe away the destruction and start anew.
Lesson #3 - Sometimes we have to learn things over and over and over again to finally make them stick. While making strawberry jam with my Aunt Sharron a few years ago, I stuck the wooden spatula into the blender (while it was blending) and ended up with strawberry jam a la wooden shards. This year, I did the SAME STUPID THING with the peach jam. Will I remember this the next time? Why can't we remember the lessons we learn the first time and avoid additional heartache time and time again?
Lesson #4 - Sometimes life gives us plump, juicy, yummy peaches to work with... and sometimes we get the small, molded, bug infested peaches. If we are willing to spend a little extra time carving out the "bad spots" of our lives, we can still have extra tasty jam in the end.
Lesson #5 - Hard work yields very satisfying and very yummy results. Sharing our results with others is yet another way we can bring happiness to ourselves and those around us. :)
(Oh and sometimes the results of our hard work tastes really awesome with butter on homemade rolls and warm toast.)
I drool on my playmat...
Eat my first ice cream (I know, I know... I have bad parents)...
Can lots of food with the stake canner...
Get dolled up in sleeveless shirts...
Buy my first pair of sandals...
Snuggle up with Daddy...
Make pretty bows for my hair...
Celebrate Grandpa Ray's Birthday...
Hang out with Grammie Lou on Thursday mornings while Mommy works...
Go swimming in Aunt Sharron's pool...
With gas prices so high, Greg and I have been evaluating our monthly budget. In a financial planning course I took at BYU, I learned that tax refunds in large chunks are NOT the best solution to utilize or invest your money. I know it is fun to get an extra lump after filing taxes, but essentially we are just giving the government an "interest free" loan. 
Lesson #1 - Sometimes in life we have help (thanks Laura!), but sometimes that help has to leave and we are left to conquer our tasks and obstacles all on our own. If we stick to our guns, we can accomplish our goal and have a sense of ownership and fulfillment because we did it alone.
Lesson #2 - Sometimes we make huge, sticky, disgusting messes of our lives. But we have repentance (or clorox cleanup) to help wipe away the destruction and start anew.
Lesson #3 - Sometimes we have to learn things over and over and over again to finally make them stick. While making strawberry jam with my Aunt Sharron a few years ago, I stuck the wooden spatula into the blender (while it was blending) and ended up with strawberry jam a la wooden shards. This year, I did the SAME STUPID THING with the peach jam. Will I remember this the next time? Why can't we remember the lessons we learn the first time and avoid additional heartache time and time again?
Lesson #4 - Sometimes life gives us plump, juicy, yummy peaches to work with... and sometimes we get the small, molded, bug infested peaches. If we are willing to spend a little extra time carving out the "bad spots" of our lives, we can still have extra tasty jam in the end.
Lesson #5 - Hard work yields very satisfying and very yummy results. Sharing our results with others is yet another way we can bring happiness to ourselves and those around us. :) 
Here she is with Aunt Laura. Laura is going to be gone for the next 2 months and we are ALL going to miss her terribly!
A lazy Memorial Day picnic at the park.
Her first swimming "experience" (translation: she screamed the MINUTE her feet touched the freezing water). Guess we will have to wait for the water to warm up a bit.
Her first hair cut. Much to the dismay of her father, I trimmed the bottom of Emma's hair to prevent a "rat tail" from forming. We don't want her to be ALL Kentucky. Come on.
Getting ready for church.
Greg calls her his "mohawk princess". This picture shows why.
