Sweet Sunday and bit of everything.

So far so good on the banishment of all sweets. Just to clarify: I have not completely removed sugar from my life. That would be insane, a big pain in the rear end, and annoying! I still eat fruit. I still eat normal bread. I still have a bit of honey on a piece of toast.
I'm not completely crazy.

Along with the success of the sweets strike, I have become a bit more domesticated and it feels lovely! For the first time, I used a pressure canner all by myself. Kind of. I did call my sweet mother (love you Mom!) 12 times (I counted) within about 2 hours. I should have paid more attention when she tried to teach me before. But now I have 8 pints and 5 quarts of chicken on my storage shelves and yesterday I canned 10 quarts of pinto beans! It was so fun in a strange slave-yourself-away sort of way! Really it's not that bad, I'm just paranoid that the thing is going to explode so I feel like I get hardly anything done while I'm watching the pressure for 1 1/2 hours. But it is worth it! And I'm sure I'll get better. I joke about becoming a "domestic diva" but it really is satisfying to do things that contribute so positively to our home! I love it!

**chicken does not look very appetizing when canned. sorry**

Next came a little relaxation and education. Last night, Parley volunteered to watch the kids plus the kids of my friend so that we could go to a performance of The Screwtape Letters. We had such a great time and I was reminded of how much I love the book! The performers (only 2) were amazing and incredibly talented and my friend and I both had a great time, but I think we both agree that the book is the best, by far! If you haven't read it, please do: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis.

And this post will feature Parker. He is into eating the peels of oranges and grapefruits. Weird. But he is so cute doing it, we had to catch a couple shots!

She's two!

These pictures capture Paige perfectly. She is as sweet as can be. She is sensitive. She's a tease. She's loving. And she can be a little spunky sometimes! We love her!













10 things I love about Paige:
1. She is very independent. "I do it!" is her favorite thing to say.
2. She is very determined. Once she has stated that she will do it, there is no helping her.
3. She is potty trained. She potty-trained herself. I was not ready for that. See #1 and #2 for explanation.
4. She will let me do her hair, but it only lasts about 5 minutes. I've given up for now.
5. She can be so stinkin' sweet.
6. She can be so stinkin' ornery (obviously a Jones trait :)). But I love it!
7. She loves to do push ups.
8. She will lay in bed--not even sit up--until someone comes to get her.
9. She loves to do "me hugs" which are air hugs.
10. She is so loving as long as you give her a chance to warm up!

What would we do with out our little Paigey!

Want another recipe?

I know I am always looking for great recipes, so I thought I'd share one that I found (can't remember where).
It is simple. It is super nutritious. Super easy! And super delicious! Plus, I love meatless meals, so that makes it superlicious!


Sweet Potato Burritos

2-3 medium sized sweet potatoes (the ones I used this last time in the picture above are a light variety)
4 cups of refried beans (about 2 cans I think)
taco seasoning to taste
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
10-12 medium tortillas

Peel, cube and boil the sweet potatoes and then mash them. Heat up beans and add taco seasoning to taste. Put a layer of mashed potatoes on a tortilla, then a layer of beans. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll into a burrito and then brown on a skillet.

We love to top these with any kind of salsa, but Pico de Gallo is my favorite. Parley loves them with sour cream on top too. The kids have even dipped them in ketchup! These freeze so great and then you can heat them up for 2-3 minutes in the microwave. Dare I say it...the freezing option makes them super duper!

Try them out. I think you'll like them!

There's some caramel syrup in the fridge.

And it is calling my name. This isn't just any caramel...it is buttermilk caramel syrup. Yum! Yummy with ice cream. Yummy on a spoon. Probably yummy on anything!

But I'm not touching it! I am swearing off all sweets for the next 10 months and 6 1/2 days (here's where I admit that I just had some about an hour ago because I knew I was getting ready to write this). This might sound extreme to some, but this is the plan. Some people can open up a package of M&Ms and eat just a few, but I open up a package and the package is gone within 24 hrs. Serious. Needless to say, I try not to buy big packages of anything. I digress. The point is, I have a big sweet tooth and it needs to stop. Plus, it will be great to say, "I haven't eaten sweets in 10 months and 6 1/2 days!"

So, why do I tell you? Because now I have to do it. Each week on Sunday, I'll report in. I'll call it: Sweet Sunday. Oh so clever, I know!

I actually really don't care if you comment about it, but I know you'll read it. So if I fail, you will know. That's a good motivator for me.

so....here I go! Feel free to join me! I love company. But whatever you do, don't send me any Junior Mints!

David After Dentist--Good laugh

This is so hilarious! Go to the bathroom before you watch it! Poor kid.

If you can't view this, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs