Wow! It's been far too long since I posted anything on this blog...anyone still out there? I look back on the pictures from my last entry and it feels like a lifetime ago! SO much has changed in our family since July 2012. Here we are, the second week of September, 2014. In those two years we've seen two of our kids graduate high school (one with her associates degree), one become a father for the first time, one move on to new adventures and I spent a time working outside of the home....something that was short lived and was packed full of lessons for this mama. We also had to say goodbye to my husbands father, something that is still difficult even after 7 months of trying to adjust to life without this amazing man.

Crazy how quickly life can change, and how different our lives look now compared to then. We are now in a huge transition phase of life, seeing kids grow and move on, welcoming a cherished grand-baby and figuring out how to adjust all of what we've always done to fit the new reality that is our life. Even our pantry looks different...why is that something that I struggle so much to adjust to? I still want to cook and can enough to feed half of the free world. I'll adjust, it just may take a while.

So, my hope is that I can get back into the habit of blogging again. I've missed it, missed the friendships, the sharing, the creativity and the ideas shared by my fellow bloggers. Hopefully there are still a few of my blogging friends out there...and new ones to be found. :)

Thankful for Friday!

This past week has been a long, busy one around Tanglewood Hills. Days seem to just run together lately and all of the activity kind of blurs together. Ever feel that way? Trying to list all that has been done the past week is not easy when the activities are a blur. :) We've been busy with school activities, my work for Gling (working on recipes that highlight fall flavors), deep cleaning areas of our home and preparing for another hunting season for my boys!

So, what am I thankful for this week? So many things...we are continually blessed beyond measure, even during busy or difficult seasons. God is SO good to us!

* My dear husband is still working, and things are looking like they are picking up again. YAY!
* Hunting season starts this weekend here for modern firearm. My boys will be heading out to hopefully add to our freezer. Praying for much success for them, safety and a lot of fun too!
* Finding a bit more room in my busy schedule to devote more time to my work for Gling. It's been tough between canning and homeschooling. I've found that this past week I've had a bit more time to be in my kitchen working on tasty recipes...something I LOVE doing.
* Starting on my sewing for Christmas....this weekend while the guys are busy hunting. :) I've been wanting to get started on some sewing projects for the coming Christmas season, this weekend I'll get my chance.
* Our kids, they continually amaze me!
* The relationship that my husband and I have. Being married to my best friend is such an amazingly wonderful gift!
* A good night sleep!! Lately I've struggled with not being able to stay asleep, or some nights, even fall asleep. I tried something that I read in an article that a friend of mine sent me, though I'll admit to being VERY skeptical at it actually helping, a cup of warm milk. Yes, the old wives tale that grandma used to speak of. :) A warm cup of milk, a spoon full of honey and a bit of vanilla. Not only did it taste AMAZING, I fell asleep last night and didn't wake up until my dear hubby got up to go to work. UNHEARD OF these days! :) I'll be testing it again to see if it was the milk or shear exhaustion, but I'm expecting good things. :)
* Good friends that just "get" me, and love me anyway. :)

Have an amazing weekend with your families!

School schedules and canning...trying to fit it all in.

School is in full swing here this week and it has been a crazy, busy week. In a perfect world our lives would be busy with only school at this point, save a box or two of pears or apples to can. Not so much this year....all of the summer crops were late here this year, so I'm still in the process of canning tomatoes.

This week has been a busy canning week with Monday and Tuesday being filled with peaches and pears. Thankfully, I am officially done with peaches for the year. YAY!! :) Pears are another story. I have about a half box left to go here and a friend of mine is giving me more pears next week. We'll see how many we get out of those and decide from there if we need more. My hope is that we don't. :)

I'll be starting on my next 100 pounds of tomatoes today and tomorrow. Some of them will be canned and some will be made into tomato soup. The recipe was posted on a friend's blog this week and I have GOT to try it! My family LOVES tomato soup and I refuse to buy canned soups. Having some on hand that is just as quick and easy to prepare as the store bought variety will be nice on those busy fall and winter days. :) My kids are excited too.

Beyond that, choir started for my daughter last night and the kids returned to youth group at the church. We shall see how long we are able to keep going between busy schedules and weather, I'm praying about our involvement there. For now, the kids are enjoying the time there. Dylan also had his first co-op classes yesterday too. They went well and he had a good time making new friends and connecting with old ones. :) Yes, school has officially started!

Life is busy right now, and I am looking forward to the slower days of winter. At least the end of a crazy canning season. I've been trying to update my canning totals on my kitchen page, I know I've missed a few jars in my counting, but it's a general list. I also have apples to sauce this weekend and I'm hoping to have a couple of boxes of apples to work on next week. There is also a bunch of chicken parts in the freezer to make stock with and a few beef soup bones as well. Those will all need to be processed before our chickens are ready to butcher and we add any other meat to our freezer. Yes, it's never ending at the moment. Not complaining really, just busy. :)

We have been so blessed and even in this busy season it's good to be able to recognize that fact. My hard working man is still working, we have a pantry that is filling up by the day and will soon have chickens that are ready to find their way to the freezer. Hunting season starts in less than a month and we are praying for a couple of deer in the freezer as well. :) Maybe even an elk or two. We will be eating well this winter. :)

It's time to resume my crazy routine...I just wanted to check in and say hello! I miss being able to post about life and all more often. Thankfully, I know you all are in the same boat that I am in...trying to adjust to a new fall routine and care for your families in the mean time. :)