Jammin’

Today is one of those days. It’s chilly and raining outside and all plans for putting in new fence were put on hold for a job that could be done inside.

These decisions are always ultimately left up to the hubby, because if he really wants to get something done, the weather won’t stop him.

Well, today he decided it was time to make jam, Rhubarb Jam. YUM!

But this made me feel a little sad, ya see, I work part time from home for a small business, updating their website and social media sites.

Today happened to be a day I needed to work, so I wasn’t going to get in on the yearly jam making, except for drooling over the mouthwatering sweetness that would waft down the stairs.

I had already pulled some of our rhubarb just after Mother’s Day and made a few little cobblers to deliver to my mom and some others on the way.

Kayla pulled the majority of the rest of ours last night, and Chelsey picked some of our neighbors’ this morning.

At lunch time I came up from the basement to make Fajitas. I had taken a Beef flank steak out of the freezer and settled on a Pinterest recipe from one of my favorite cooks, Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman.

I whipped up the marinade and sliced the peppers and onions last night and combined them with the flank steak to marinate overnight.

I cranked the stove to high, added the peppers and onions to the pan and in 5 minutes flat I had the house smelling like a Steakhouse! Man it smelled good!

While I was cooking, Chelsey washed and trimmed the Rhubarb. Dan set the table and shredded the cheese and we called Reed for lunch and sat down to try the new recipe.

It was pretty good and I think this recipe is a keeper.

As we put the leftovers away I dreaded leaving the kitchen. I absolutely hate days like this when I would rather be doing what the rest of my family is, especially when they’re in the kitchen!

Uhhh…  to the basement I went.

I could hear the progress upstairs as I clicked on the keyboard below.

Chelsey chopped the Rhubarb while Dan did the cooking at the stove. After it was cooked down, he added sugar, pie filling and jello, and Chelsey pureed it and poured it into the jars.

Kayla got home in the middle of the afternoon and jumped in to help.

By 5 I couldn’t wait any longer for a taste. I headed up the stairs to see what progress they had made. I noticed that the sweetness of the jam cleared up all signs of the Fajitas I had made for lunch.

Cherry, Strawberry and Blueberry flavors had been created and I couldn’t wait to try my favorite, the Strawberry Rhubarb!

There were quite a few jars on the table and they had set a few of the big jars aside for the neighbor who had shared their rhubarb.

Reed, the official taste tester, sampled some of the Blueberry and his eyes got big and he “Mmmmmm’d” how good it was.

Chelsey and Dan told me that Reed had wanted to try a chunk of rhubarb earlier. He popped it in his mouth, made quite a face, and ran to the trash to spit it out! Ha ha!

Here are some pictures of them working on one of the last batches.

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This is where, “Food, Family, Farmin’ and Fun” come together on rainy, Spring days in the kitchen… Jammin’

Just “friends”

I have a feeling I’m gonna need to ask for forgiveness at the end of this post. But don’t give up on me yet… just keep reading 🙂

It’s been a few days since I’ve shared anything about life here on the farm. And I’m trying to narrow down all the thoughts and directions this post could take.

It’s been a flurry of activity, mixed with cold and wind, just like outside today. A lot can happen in ten days around here.

Heck. A lot can happen in ONE day!

Since my last post, Valentine’s Day came and went. We had a special delivery at our house and this time the flowers weren’t for me.

See, usually it’s a toss-up between which daughter Dan can coerce to run to the nearest flower shop to pick up a beautiful bouquet for me. It’s become a bit of a family joke, and one I look forward to hearing about each year after the delivery.

However, this year proved to be a little different.

A bouquet of twelve RED roses arrived without a daughter’s assistance! In fact, it turned out to be FOR one of our daughters… and for the single one, too!

Rose Bouquet

Hmmmm…. now, what do you think ol’ dad thought about that?!?

When I got home from work and saw those beautiful roses, I had a big smile on my face! And Dan… Well, he just shook his head.

First, he had to break the news that they weren’t for me, which I imagine had him feeling a little guilty.

So, assuming they were for Kayla, our youngest daughter, I asked who were the roses FROM then?

“Cody”, he answered, “her…. ‘friend‘.”

Hmm… I could just imagine how the thoughts had rolled through his head when those roses had arrived…

  1. Roses?
  2. RED roses?!?!?
  3. AND a box of chocolates!!!
  4. AND A TEDDY BEAR?!?!?
  5. WHO IS THIS GUY?????????
  6. CODY????????
  7. CODY WHO?!?!?!

Kayla’s voice rose up when she said over and over… “Dad!!! We’re just friends!!!” to which dad replied, “Well, I can’t remember the last time I got RED roses from a ‘FRIEND!'”

Ha ha. I just laughed and shook my head, all the while smiling. And I imagine Kayla had turned just a shade redder than those roses!

She had escaped to work that day and later left for a trip with one of her best buddies.

While she was gone that weekend, I enjoyed the treat of fresh flowers in the house, even if they weren’t mine!

When she got home later that weekend, we all teased her pretty good. Dan wanted to know a little more about this “friend” and Kayla got the message that maybe it was time we meet this “friend” of hers.

A few days went by and we were talking during chores about the upcoming rodeo in Waterloo. Usually we all get to go, alternating chores with the girls so that some of us go on Friday night, and some go on Saturday.

Kayla nonchalantly mentioned that Cody would be coming over Friday night. She tried not to smile while she looked at the ground.

We looked at each other and all busted out laughing!

Ohhhh, Kayla. She was trying so hard not to smile but her face just couldn’t contain it!

She laughed too and looked at us all and said “Stop. Just stop. We’re just friends!” And we just laughed some more!

Dan and Chelsey tried winning tickets on the radio over and over that week for the rodeo, but with no luck. One morning, they heard the winner’s name come over the radio… “KEVIN FROM FAYETTE!”

Later that morning, our neighbor Kevin called to tell Dan the news. Last year we won tickets so we figured it was his turn.

The week went on, and Thursday night Kevin stopped over at Chelsey’s. He offered them the tickets to the rodeo, which she happily accepted.

However, by morning she had decided that meeting Kayla’s new “friend” would be more fun than the rodeo, so she passed them on to Cozie and Chase, who took Reed with them that night.

Chase, Reed and Cozie at the rodeo!
Must’ve been dark at the rodeo! Chase, Reed and Cozie

After chores, I worked on frying catfish while the girls helped me get the homemade garlic fries made. The brownies were fresh out of the oven and the sweet corn went in.

You would have thought that Chelsey had a new suitor arriving, as much as she checked out the window for Kayla’s new “friend” to drive in!

The dogs barking sent Chelsey to the window once more as she announced in an excited voice that Cody was finally here!

To be continued…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking One for the Team

Family is pretty important to us, and we’ve always tried to support our girls in whatever they are a part of.

Whether it was 4-H, church, sports, FFA… You name it and we were there. (Maybe a little late, but we were there, ha ha)

Last Fall, Chelsey joined the Fair Board. We have been hearing how they are working hard to get everything planned and booked for the upcoming fair in August. Sounds like she’s been attending lots of meetings and doing her part to help where she can.

She mentioned to her dad during milking the other morning that she was working at BINGO this Sunday and that we should come.

So yesterday he told me about their conversation and he said he was like “Yeah, right. BINGO isn’t my thing.” (I can just see him shaking his head like “No. Way.”)

Besides, I’m sure he already had made his own plans… a Sunday afternoon nap!

And knowing that’s not the kind of thing he would get excited about, I asked him if we were going… and he says “I guess so!”

I couldn’t help but laugh!

And so he asks me if I was going too? And I said “I guess I’ll have to take one for the team too.” 🙂

We rounded up the troops… Cozie, Reed, Kayla (and a friend), Chelsey’s husband Jason, Dan and I… and we headed to the fairgrounds to play BINGO!

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Well, we didn’t win. But we did support Chelsey and the Fayette County Fair!

And we know that THEY win when all of us do our part!

She said “Yes” to the dress!!!

It has been quite the year for weddings! From June to November, we had 8 weddings to attend! Now that’s a lot of weddings in 6 month’s time!

New Year’s Day of last year, our oldest daughter, Chelsey got engaged to Jason! We had a great time planning and getting ready for their Labor Day weekend wedding!

This year is stacking up to be another year of frequent weddings!

Just before Christmas, our middle daughter, Nichole, aka Cozie, got engaged to her long-time boyfriend, Chase! Another wedding in our family this year!

They have set a date for a 10-10-15 wedding (easy to remember, eh?) so the planning has begun!

Nichole & Chase
Nichole & Chase

Twice now I have been invited to go with her and her bridesmaids dress shopping. It’s been lots of fun as she decides what appeals to her and what doesn’t.

The first time we went shopping, she fell in love with the first dress she tried on. And fell in love with the second dress! And the third one she loved more than the first and second!

I thought for sure whichever dress she tried on last was destined to be the one!

Rumor Dress
One of the dresses she loved. Well, she loved them all! Ha!

She had vowed not to “Say YES to the dress” this round of shopping so we switched gears and the bridesmaids got to try on some of her picks for their dresses.

This one was a favorite among the ones that she saw. (In a different color of course)
This one was a favorite among the ones that she saw. (In a different color of course)

Then one night last week we traveled to another nearby dress shop to see what else was available. Road trip! We had all the ladies in the wedding party along and had a great time!

Cozie went down the whole wall of dresses and pulled out several she thought she would try on. Then into the dressing room she went!

The first dress she came out in… well, you could tell she just didn’t love it. The next dress had her so twisted up we thought she’d never come out of the dressing room! She was laughing so hard that she could hardly stand up straight on the pedestal to get a picture!

Another dress she tried on, she couldn’t stop holding onto the top of it! Oh did we laugh!!!!

She was almost to the end of the ones she picked out, when Holly the owner, brought one more in.

And this time when Cozie walked out of the dressing room, we knew it was “the one.” Her eyes welled up and she was biting her lip and she said “This is it! This is the one!”

🙂

She lit up with pride as she turned in the mirror to admire all sides of it. It fit almost perfectly and was a beautiful choice!

Of course, I can’t show you what her dress looks like. But take my word for it, she will be one beautiful bride as she walks down the aisle in that dress!

After Cozie had made her final decision, the girls had a great time trying on all of the bridesmaid dress styles that were available… and ohhhhhhhhh did we laugh!

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Throughout the night I just couldn’t get over how much the dress shop owner and Cozie looked alike! It was like they were mother and daughter!

Cozie's long, lost mother?!?
Cozie’s long, lost mother?!?

She did a great job for us and it was a great experience.

We ended the night sharing a meal at Johnson’s.

girls at supper

What a great time we had picking out dresses! And now… on to decorations 🙂

A Honeymoon!

Ooooooohhhhhh! It’s so exciting! Well, not for ME. For THEM!

Chelsey and Jason, that is. They left this morning for their honeymoon! Thank goodness the snow was finished and they could get on their way.

Their wedding took place Labor Day Weekend and was quite the shin-dig! We had a great time celebrating with family and friends from all over. Here are a few pictures of the newlyweds…

Chelsey and Jason were excited to get their picture taken with our 4230 on their wedding day!
Chelsey and Jason were excited to get their picture taken with our 4230 on their wedding day!
Here they are at the reception. Don't they look happy? I love this picture!
Here they are at the reception. Don’t they look happy? I love this picture!

In true farmer fashion they plan on visiting some farms on their trip, haha. I thought that was pretty cool.

And we’ll be missing them while they’re gone. Chelsey helps us with milking most everyday and we like having Jason stop by. He tends to make brownie points with his father-in-law most everytime he comes. See, he likes to fix things. Which is a bonus for us. There’s always something that needs fixing around the farm.

Anyways, I hope they have a great honeymoon! They sure deserve a break. Now, I know what you’re thinking, but I can’t tell you which direction they were heading. I wouldn’t want them to be disturbed 🙂

Do any of you want to share with me where you spent your honeymoon?