I did it!!!

Well, today was a day of accomplishment for me. So, I had to share the joy!

First, I exercised on our 3-year-old, brand new NordicTrak treadmill for this first time in about...hmmmm....2 years? And it was only the second time I have used it! THAT is an accomplishment! Yes, 3 years old...we have had it that long...bought it brand new. That alone would have made this day one to remember.

Second, I actually succeeded in having enough patience to allow my boys to help me clean the yard this morning and it was fun! :) If they are going to learn the value of hard work and enjoying the fruits of your labors, they have to labor! So, they helped me rake up all the dead leaves, pick them up and put them in the garbage and then I let them try out the blower (we have to blow our yard free of all the stuff that falls on the ground because we have "LOVELY" desert landscaping - i.e. ROCKS! for our "lawn". :) I felt I made a step forward in teaching my children the way I really want to, which sometimes clashed with my desire to just get the job done!

Next, I made it through another frustrating day of "I don't want to take a nap!"

***SIGH*****

And, Shawn and I performed "minor" surgery on my thumb where I accidentally got a cactus spine stuck in it from cleaning the yard this morning. OUCH! We had to use a razor blade to cut my thumb open a bit to get deep enough to pull it out. Shawn said I was brave. :) So, I say, "I did it!"

Last the best of all - I canned butter!!!!



Isn't it beautiful? It was really easy, but required some constant attention. You melt the butter, then slow boil it, then simmer for 5 or more minutes. Then pour/ladle in to hot jars (in oven at 250 degrees for 20 minutes). Then put the lid on (after sitting in steamy hot water). Proceed to shake every so often until the jars are just barely warm. Put in the fridge, shake them well every 5 minutes until hard. Refrigerate for at least one hour and VOILA!!! You have canned butter that should last at least 3 years!

The best part was finally crossing it off my list. But, of course, it will get put back on it again because I still have more waiting to can in my freezer! Now....where it is going to be stored? THAT is the question of the century! Just for fun....here is a picture of my kitchen!




Yep! We've finally got our food storage - and that isn't all of it! YIKES! But there is definitely a peace to knowing that if for some reason food becomes extremely expensive (not so hard to believe right now) or something, we will have food for our family.

Anyway....that was a tangent...well, not really because accomplishing the acquisition of a healthy long term food storage is definitely something to say "I did it!" about. :)