Hurry Up and Wait

The slogan of the military, most don't know unless you have been in it. Honestly no one can understand that grueling task unless you've experienced it. As a spouse it was frustrating, even more so when you are dealing with it.

Recently I've noticed myself pushing Bradley. "Hurry up." "Get your shoes." "Let's go." The list can go on and on. Tonight I listened to my husband, "Bradley, hurry up let's brush your teeth." "Bradley, hurry up clean your room." "Bradley hurry up and finish reading the page, we have an entire book."

I have recognized myself hurrying my son along a few times here and there but it didn't hit me until I listened to my husband talk to Bradley. He's only three and will be out on his own in what will seem like a short time, according to seasoned parents. It seems like yesterday he was born. Three years have gone by so quickly and I don't want to hurry up. I want to enjoy my kids, now if I could just get them to age a little slower.

To Can or Not to Can...

That is the question.

Labor Day I learned how to can from a good friend of mine, Ginny. I told her I wanted to can salsa and sure enough she needed to can some. She had fresh cut tomatoes in a large bowl, I cut up peppers and her daughter diced onion. She told me the ins and outs of canning and what we needed to do. The particulars of cleaning the rims and when things aren't done properly how the jars will break in your water bath. She taught me how to listen for the water to boil a room away. Then when it was all said and done, it was to wait...until you heard the "pop." It is the most wonderful noise to anyone who cans. It means you sealed your product and it will be good to store for months.

Ginny's salsa is to die for and five hours after arriving I was leaving with my very own jar, I helped make. In fact as I am typing I am eating it now. It's delicious.

After much discussion with my husband we decided I should try it on my own. Today was my first adventure. I LOVE it and I made my secret salsa recipe. I was sweating it out, wondering if I got out the air bubbles, if my jars would break, if they would seal....sure enough it happened. Pop, pop, pop. They sealed! I now have six large jars of salsa! I am ecstatic. Imagine the amount of money we are going to save, how much money we have already saved! By canning my own salsa today I saved about $30 in the long run. My husband wants me to can jellies and jams next. I want to try apples for baking and apple sauce. I can't wait. I want to go apple picking tomorrow and pick pounds upon pounds of apples. I want to make gifts for friends and show them my new talent.

Most importantly the person I'd first give anything to would be Ginny, the beautiful, sweet friend who taught me.

Put Your Toys Away

In Rome we live by railroad tracks. Oftentimes at night we hear them blow their horn or toot their whistle. Chris and I have come quite aware of a steamy vs a diesel based off Bradley's favorite television shows (Thomas, Chuggington and some new movie we found on demand).

Recently one night Chris heard the toot of a whistle. The next morning he informed me we had a steamy chug by. Sometimes the blows from diesels wake Bradley up on tears. We just tell him it's Thomas saying hi (even though he was a Steam Engine).

Near Chris's office there is a small number of trains parked. My favorite is a dark green and black one, written in yellow is the word "Adirondack." I'm sure there is something else written on there too but Adirondack is the only prominent thing I can remember. She is very shiny and clean, unlike the others. I told Bradley we needed to name this engine so we did, "Addy." I didn't think he would remember but yesterday we drove by her and he said, "Look, Mommy, it's Addy." Oh I love the childhood memories we are building.

As a fan of trains we have the Thomas and Friends Wooden Railway for Bradley. We find the engines all over the place, no matter how hard we try to contain them. Constantly we are telling him to put his trains away or doing so when he's not paying attention. Bradley can literally play with these trains for hours. He loves books about trains, playing with them, he recently got a train that blows bubbles for his birthday. It's a fantastic gift for a fascinated child, a rather annoying one for a parent because you are unable to turn off the sound, at least that we know of. Regardless he loves it and the baby does too. The wonder in their eyes and imagination that projects is amazing.

Today I was driving in Utica and saw railroad tracks along the way. There were baggage cars sitting on the side. They've been there for an awfully long time. I notice I see these cars lying around and all I can think is put your toys away, shouldn't they be somewhere else? I'm not sure why cars are out in random places but they look out of place where they rest other then to amuse the eyes and imagination of my precious three year old.