Can vs. Jar

Do you can pickles (vegetables) or do you jar pickles (vegetables)?

That is the debatable question.

When I was younger, I would spend a few weeks every summer with my Great Grandmother Zuehlke on her farm in Clifton, TX. MaMaw Ella, as I called her was quite the garden & cooking extraordinaire. I remember she planted just about every kind of vegetable I can think of in her garden. Now, there are two distinct vegetables that I remember helping her harvest. The first being potatoes in which we always stored under the old farm house, which as a child younger than ten years old, I just thought was the craziest thing ever. The second vegetable I distinctly remember helping her harvest was cucumbers which we made into pickles. Now, all my young life I always remembered all my family members talking how they were "Canning" vegetables. Well, when I arrived back home from my grandmother's house, my mom asked me if we "Canned" any pickles, and I blatantly told her "no" we didn't put ours in cans, we put them in jars so we "jarred" them.

"The Secret Family Recipe"

Anyway, my grandmother's pickles were the best I ever ate in my entire life. Now that my great grandmother has passed, none of our family has had her homemade pickles in years. Well, when Justin & I got married, my Aunt Sue made me a family cookbook that just so happened to have the beloved dill pickle recipe in it, so a few weeks ago, I decided to give my hand a try at making some homemade pickles. After doing a little further research to find out exactly what acidity of vinegar I needed, I gathered all of my supplies and gave it a shot.

We just opened our first jar last week to taste test them, and well I won't say that I failed because they do in fact taste *similar* to hers, but somewhere between my great grandmother making them, my Aunt Delores passing along the recipe for my book, and my making them, they turned out too salty. I had a feeling when I made them that the 2tablespoons of salt looked like a bit too much, but I followed her recipe. I do think it had something to do with the fact that I used pint jars and I can only ever remember her using quart size jars, so this is something I will change when I give it another try.

However, the pondering question of do you "Can" vegetables or do you "jar" vegetables can be answered with one simple picture that I've put below.

The Greatest Show on Earth!

Last Thursday, we rounded up the whole family (all the grandparents, two aunts, and an uncle) and headed to "The Greatest Show on Earth" – The Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus at the HOT Coliseum! Some of us were super excited and some of us were along for the ride! I was super excited because not only was it Kade's 1^st circus, it was the same circus I took Kynadi too when she was 10 months old.

We arrived early not to get great seats (we already purchased those), but to enjoy the all access pre-show party down on the floor. Now let me just say, I don't think Kade enjoyed the circus quite as much as I envisioned that he would. He didn't like the people dressed in the weird costumes, he didn't like the said people putting tattoos on him, and he sure didn't want his picture taken with them!

Now, there were a few parts of the circus that he thoroughly enjoyed! Let's see those would be the elephants that he of course thought should say "Moo", the dogs which he thought were named "O" (oreo) and "Dix" (Dixie), the music to dance too, making silly faces with Momma, and of course the sno-cone he shared with his Pop!

My most favorite and treasured picture from the circus will be the two I have below from two different trips to the circus.

Needless to say, I don't think I have to worry about either of my kids taking up the life of a circus clown!

Rice Reunion 2012

Several weeks ago my grandpa's family decided to bring back an old tradition that we did for many years when I was a little girl, but that has faded as we've gotten older and the family has grown and moved apart: the camping Rice Reunion! When I was younger, I can remember us camping at Meridian State Park in Meridian, TX. My grandpa would take his camper and park it in the circle of our family camp and everyone else would rent the screened shelters down the little paths behind the group awning. Now, there are several memories that distinctly stick out in my mind from my childhood reunions and set them apart from the reunion that we had this year: the time my cousin Shana & I posed on the rock in front of my grandpa's camper in our "Mexican" dresses for a photo op, we had showers, restrooms, & running water, and the time my two great-grandparents mounted up my dad's mopeds and took them for a spin around the park!

Now back to this year's reunion. Instead of being at the state park as it always had been before, we decided to head down to the banks of the Bosque River in Clifton, TX where my Uncle Rodney owns some property on the river. I can use one word to describe this year's reunion: primitive. There was no running water, no showers, there were no screened shelters, & only a port-o-john for all your bathroom needs, not to mention that I do not think the July summers were as hot 20 years ago as they are now! This year, several of the families pitched tents, while a couple of them brought their campers. We however, just went for the day and drove back home that evening since we live so close.

Judah (Sharna's son) & Kade enjoying the company - 2nd cousins

Other than those minor differences, everything about this reunion was just the same as the years past. Everyone enjoyed sitting around in lawn chairs sharing memories and tales of what is going on in everyone's lives, sharing the wonderful BBQ meal that was prepared, and just watching the new kiddos spending time with the cousins they don't see very often!

1st cousins - Courtney & Kade

a little family swimming

Somewhat - Wordless - Wednesday

We're just testing it out now, but we

will begin soon!

My baby boy is growing up!

KaDe’S FiRsT HaIrCuT

Sunday, June 10^th was a big day for our little Kade. Mommy & Daddy decided it was time for his first haircut, as much as Mommy didn't want to cut off his little curl in the back. His hair was beginning to just look un-groomed on bad hair days.

We were very unsure where we were going to get his haircut because my regular hairdresser isn't opened on Sundays and since Daddy wanted to be there, it would be very hard for us to both be gone from the store during the week in order to have it done. Therefore, we decided to check out the new kid's haircutting place, Sharkey's Cuts for Kids, in our local mall. I had heard good reviews from friends who had taken their kids there, and I thought that since the kids get to sit in fun little cars and watch movies, that Kade would be a little more still.

However, I was all wrong about the sitting still! His stylist was very patient with him as he tried to drive his Lightening McQueen car and dance to the music on the video. Finally, she decided to give him a lollipop thinking it would help him sit still, but nope not our hyperactive little Kade!

 I must say however, I was not impressed with Sharkey's Cuts for Kids. It wasn't that it was not clean, it wasn't that the staff wasn't friendly, it is because of the price. The stylist literally took four little snips of hair off of Kade's hair and we were charged $16.95. Thank God I didn't ask them for the 1^st haircut package which included a picture & certificate with the haircut for $24.95! This momma came armed with her own camera!

After the cut, our little Kade looks so much more like a little boy instead of our baby boy!

Houston…We are Here!

(I'm behind & my post won't be very informative, but I just want to document it with the pictures I have)

Several weeks ago, Kade & I made a fast trip to Katy, TX for his cousin Courtney's high school graduation and party. Being that she had so many people in her graduating class, she was only allowed so many tickets for entrance to the actual ceremony, so we only attended her party afterwards.

The party was held at a nice little restaurant called Clay's. I had never been there before, but enjoyed it very much. It was a nice little "country" feeling restaurant in the middle of the big city! They had a huge sand box for the kiddos to play in, free range chickens running around, rabbits to look at, open patios for everyone to eat under, ride-on machines, and even pony rides which our little Kadester just loved!

After the party, we headed back to our hotel and enjoyed a bit of swimming in the pool with Uncle Glenn, Aunt Michelle, & cousin Courtney before we headed to bed for a long ride back to work in Whitney on Monday!

Happy Birthday in Heaven

 

You're wondering if I'll celebrate

My birthday way up here,

I know your missing me today

I feel your essence near.

God planned a special day for me.

He told me with a wink

He ordered me a special cake,

it's Angel Food I think.

I'm getting lots of hugs from God,

He's really good at that.

And every time that I walk by

He gives my head a pat.

Balloons will fill the streets for me,

They float up through the clouds.

And we have lots of clowns up here

that make us laugh out loud.

There is a birthday carousel;

Jeweled horses ride the wind,

With music playing oh so sweet

the magic never ends.

I've made so many friends, you see

We laugh and play and sing.

We ride our bikes & play jump rope

And sleep in Angel's wings.

We'll have our cake & ice cream

And open gifts, suprise!

But we don't blow out the candles,

Instead they light the skies!

Happy Birthday!

Happy 3rd Birthday to my precious angel girl!

We miss you more today than we ever have before. It's so hard to believe another year has gone by and today you would be 3 years old! What we wouldn't give to be having your 3rd birthday party today with all of our family and friends, but instead we'll quitely remember the special angel you are in our lives! Daddy and I will never forget the day you came into our lives. In an instant, our hearts were filled with more love than ever before. You were our life from the time the sun came up to the time the sun went down at night. We talk to Kade every day about his big sissy and how special you are! We love and miss you so very much sweet girl, and we can't wait to see you in Heaven some day!

Love Forever,

Mommy, Daddy, & Kade