It's Peach Season Ya'll!!

Well. .we are on our second full week of school.

Everyone survived the two a day football practices, getting back into homework routines, and attempts to be in bed at decent hours!! And by the time I got through 3 clinics, a 2 hour each-way trip to Cami's pediatric dentist for another filling with pulpotomy, and a 1 hour each-way trip to the eye doctor spending the rest of the day in the DMV office there getting Grant's license. .We were ALL ready for the weekend!

BUT. .

while getting fuel Friday morning before the eye appointments. .

we noticed the big Colorado peach truck parked across from the fuel station!

YES!! Two big boxes of peaches from our favorite grower!

They were as good as they looked. .and we are filling up on our favorite peach recipes! Like

grandma's peach dumplings,

peach crisp, butterscotch peach pie courtesy of  my friend Bonnie at What about Pie?. .

and pretty peach freezer jam!

The rest of the weekend news is as follows. .

Cami was SO excited to have a little homework for her preschool class!! They are studying the letter M this week, and had a poster to complete "All About ME." We covered the carpet with scrapbook papers and stickers, pens, scissors, and photos too!!

And she was SOO proud of it all fancy and stickered and glittered up! She had a HARD time deciding what her favorite color is. .but opted for Pink!! Her favorite book is Pinkalicious. .thanks Aunt Tina! and her favorite food is Hot Gogs (dogs) and mac and cheese!!

While we were working on that, the boys were playing cops and robbers with the gun collection!

Kelsey brought his little metal targets, coupled with the targets our guys have. .

They kept score and had a little friendly competition!!

I will NEVER understand the love that boys have for these kind of toys. .

But. .if they aren't careful. .

this little girl will be right there with them!! She was loving every second of that! Who would have thought. .a dress, feathers in her hair and a pellet gun!

The boys are all becoming excellent marksmen like their dad!! And it is a de-stressing hobby for them.

I never see this view of my house as seen from across the pasture to the east. .I was tickled with the appearance of the red door, and how my memory garden and cedar fence (barely visible behind the white pipe fence of the cattle pens) has changed the view! I am anxiously hoping and waiting to change that bedroom window on the far right. .to a double door leading to a small, private sunroom, which will square up the house a little. I have recently visualized a small patio coming off of the sunroom with a cedar arbor/pergola for some vining plants to climb, framing in the new room. .creating a little courtyard if you will, where I can sit and gaze into the memory garden. .and hopefully have a smaller garden within the courtyard that the afternoon heat won't burn up and the wind won't destroy!! I've contemplated the idea for years. .but after Kelsey came and assessed the project thoughts a while back. .I have been planning the details in my mind and on pinterest for over 6 months now. I am amazed at how slowly the details come. .but with each revelation of what it could be, I get a little more excited! I don't look for any construction to begin for a long while yet, but I'm not in a hurry. .because the longer I have to plan it. .the more satisfied I will probably be in the end!

So. .back to the work week realities. .

I thought I would share this super easy freezer jam recipe with ya'll. .

since peaches are seemingly abundant everywhere right now. .

No special equipment needed here. .

and it will take you an hour at the max to fix up some luscious jam for your families. .

you won't regret your decision to do so next February when you are slathering it on those homemade biscuits you made to go with your steaming bowl of soup!!

Have a great week!

Pretty Peach Jam

8 medium peaches, cut into wedges

1 small orange, cut into wedges (leave the peel on)

16-20 oz crushed pineapple, undrained

12 maraschino cherries

3 tbsp maraschino cherry juice

2 pkgs powdered fruit pectin

10 cups sugar

In a blender, cover and process fruits and cherry juice in batches until smooth.  Transfer to large kettle, stir in pectin.  Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.  Add sugar, boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour into jars or freezer containers.  Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.  Cover and let stand overnight or until set (no longer than 24 hours) Refrigerate or freeze.