Jam

It seems to be the running theme in my neighborhood lately to make jam.

Thanks to Kammi (Thanks Kammi!!) I learned how a few months ago.  I figured I'd put my new skill to use and teach the kids something new as well, so a few weeks ago we made more strawberry jam.  

I found myself fascinated by the richness of the color.

The kids were not quite so fascinated at my calls of "keep stirring", 

"No, you're not done yet", 

and "are you still stirring?" 

"Please keep stirring!"

But after all that wonderful stirring, into the jars it goes.  

Then you clean up all the jam that you spilled on the counter because you were paying more attention to not dropping the camera than to aiming as you poured and you actually poured the jam in front of the jar.  

Then you actually pour it INTO the jar.  Much better.  

Look how pretty!  

(I know.  That would be prettier if I'd cleaned up the rim of the jar.  Stop being picky.)

Apparently every once in a while you get a defective jar that upon turning upside down explodes all over your counter.  Loverly.  

This is where a herd comes in handy.  Just yell "every body grab a spoon!"  and though they all come out of it on a sugar high, they are happy.  

Then you send them outside to run laps around the yard.  

And yes, I use giant jars.  Have you seen how many kidlets run loose through this house?  I'm lucky if the big jars last a full week!

Now I have a hankering to go bake bread.  

Which at four loaves at a time will still only survive roughly 48hrs in this place.  

geesh.