Live chicken or canned poultry

Well the chickens are gone. After much deliberation and waying their worth and work we were more than happy to give them to friends of ours in the ward who were looking to start up a flock. Holman alone was sad, he said he liked everything about them except for when he stepped in their poop. I don't think he remembers all the times I asked him to collect the eggs followed by growning. I talked to the girls about how they felt about not having anymore chickens, Bella said, "frankly I feel like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders." I think that is how every parent feels when a family pet finds a new home, they may miss them but the weight of having yet another responsibility is lifted.

So in another effort to become self reliant and be more prepared Benjamin and I have started pressure canning. We have canned a ton of chicken for way less than you can buy it even at Costco. We have canned chicken, steak, beans and potatoes. Canning is great because if the power goes out the food in the freezer won't last years like the canned products do. With canned products you don't have to reconstitute anything. The steak is particularly very yummy with very little prep the family can be eating stroganoff in less than 20 mins. Now that's my kind of meal prep!




This was the fruits of our productive Saturday, we are awesome.

I've got spirit, yes I do, I've got spirit, how bout you!

I have always had mixed emotions about spirit week at school, when lots of kids participate and you have a great look it can be lots of fun. But...... when there is nobody dressed up it is like wearing a Halloween costume to school on the 30th. I remember in the first grade it was cowboy day for spirit week and my mother who is the queen of costumes had "the perfect outfit." I had a vest, bandanna, pigtails, jeans and knowing my mother probably even chaps. But that was not enough, my mother also drew in freckles on my face. I remember thinking I already have a boat load of freckles why is she drawing on more? That was a long day at school.

Then there was the time in middle school when Lindsey and I dressed up for Halloween in the seventh grade, I guess it wasn't cool to do so because when my sister Hillary pulled up to the middle school parking lot and we saw no one dressed up we begged her to take us home. Why would she do that, when she could tell us to get out of the car, it would be alright and while giving us this uplifting speech lay on the horn so everybody would stop and stare? Priceless. To make matters worse Hillary and her friend were dressed up as Hari Krishna's (yeah look it up) complete with bald wigs. What did they care they were seniors in high school. Seventh grade, we all remember middle school!

Yesterday Bella announced that starting Monday it would spirit week at school, and that tomorrow would be mismatched day, she started planning her outfit. But when she awoke this morning "she couldn't remember" if it was actually spirit week so she opted not to dress up. Olivia on the other hand was very excited about being mismatched. She chose a neon colored long sleeved cowgirl shirt with camouflage shorts and mismatched shoes. She was feeling good. When we were leaving the house to catch the bus she mentioned that her teacher never announced spirit week, I began to feel nervous for her. When we got to the school bus stop I noticed that no one else was dressed up. Yes it would have been smart to have her pack other clothes or at least have a spare shoe, so her shoes could be matching. When she was leaving the car I told her she could call me for anything that she may need at school today....I didn't tell her directly to call if she was the only one dressed up, because at this point she didn't notice she was looking odd. Hopefully I planted a rescue seed. After I drove away I called Suzie (yes I should have called her first) to see if it was spirit week she said it was for the middle school but not sure if it was for the primary school. If it wasn't for the primary school then Livvey has joined the ranks of "Spirit Week" victims. Have you been a spirit week victim? If so, do share :)

Update: I asked Liv how her day went she said it was great. I asked how many kids in her class dressed up, she said none. Lets hear it for independence.