A Tribute to my Ytown Girls!!

and my parncie, Amy on her birthday!!  :0)

 Growing up in a Saskatchewan town,  

I was secure and happy within my circle of girlz.

You guys were all that mattered really.

 

we were pretty crazy teenagers! 

I sure hope my kids are nothing like I was...  :0)

or at LEAST that they are SMart about it!!

We'd  do anything to get one of our parents cars to go see a punk rawk show in Regina! 

Our bond was strong.  We were learning to be adults - or trying to avoid it at all costs!!

(Just ENjoying ourselves!!  I love this pic. )

We were having a blast (or two) anyways.

HAAhaha.  

This card game - Popeye - was a huge passtime.  

We each had our own signature deck o' cards.

 BFF's

 aaaaaaw yeah! 

 Just givin' er.

Representing the Stoop?

 Saying good bye to Ame when it was time to go exploring...

A bunch a parncies  in my basement suite

Some new years pardy...

Cranked up enough that this one thought she could fit in the drawer!!

Our lives have changed gears a bit now, 

possibly!!

But what a good time we had! 

wahooooo!

Baby born

Ava Lee Francis Nordin

born August 16th

7lbs, 7oz

 

A

Atlin meeting Ava for the first time - she was enthralled!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big sister all of a sudden seems SO big!!

Daddy in love

All is well in our house.

:0)

Quick "How to Can" tips and borscht!

Its crunch time to prepare for baby. 

 I am due in 2 Days!!

whoa.

So made a big pot of borscht and canned it up.

cuz I don't want to be eating kraft dinner every day if I end up with a cesarian to heal from... 

that's another story. 

here is a link to my borsht recipe 

- this is beet borscht.

I enjoy canning things now that I get how it all works!

If you're scared of canning (like I was) and want some encouragement so you can finally try it, Here's a couple tips ( for pickles, jams and soups):

- Prep the thing to be canned and have it hot for the canning process

- wash the jars/lids, then put em in boiling water bath to sterilize for at least 10 minutes.

(Don't have to bring out the massive canner every time...  can just use your largest cooking pot)

- Having these three items will make the job more enjoyable and your fingers less burnt!!

                     funnel                                        hot jar lifter                                   magnetic lid lifter

- you can buy them in a kit

- so then, use your jar/lid  lifter to get the sterilized jars out of the boiling water bath

- empty jar of water, put the funnel on top and scoop the special sauce into the jar

- with a clean rag, wipe the rim and place the lid on top

- to be sure you will hear all those lids pop, "process" the full, lidded jars in the boiling water for 10 minutes 

*certain items must be processed for longer like canned tomatoes which you basically cook inside the jar.  Look at a canning recipe for your project, these are just basics.

Here's an easy tutorial on canning tomatoes 

 

This is my Gramma Dorothy with her new baby.


My Gramma Margaret talks about canning.
" I used to can Everything. Meat, Rhubarb, fruit, everything from the garden...
After we got married and then we could afford jars...  "

Imagine not being able to afford jars. 

I am grateful!

Happy canning! 

any tips/stories to share?