Carrots

Remember when I showed you the clump of carrots that the girls helped plant in this post.  We decided to dig up a clump and check it out.  We have several more clumps we're going to leave in the ground until the first frost.

Check out the twisted mess, er mass, of carrots.  It was like taking apart a jigsaw puzzle when we separated them.  And totally unrelated, but requested, a pic of Leah in her birthday shirt from great-Grandma.

Applesauce

One of the offerings in one of the recent Bountiful Baskets was a box of Gala apples.  I decided to make it all into applesauce.  My pot wasn't big enough so I made several batches.  It took me a bit (and a little help from Jeremy) to figure out my apple peeler, corer, slicer.  The first batches had some peel, or a lot of peel, so I used my ricer do-hicky to get the peel out.  Of course this made it rather smooth.  The last few batches I ensured there was very little peel and made chunky applesauce.  Then I mixed them together and put it in quart jars.  Being lazy, I decided to freeze instead of can it.

chunky in the pot

all the applesauce mixed together

jarred up

It made 6 quarts and a pint.  Darn tasty, if I do say so myself.

Chores

I’ll admit, I’ve lowered my cleanliness standards since having kids.  Once each one arrived, they dipped a bit lower.  I know my house is cluttered and anything but immaculate.  I cannot recall the last time I mopped the kitchen floor except in small pieces where something has been spilled and you stick to it as you walk by.  But I’ve hit bottom.  I’m tired of tripping over toys and wondering why 2 girls need to use so many washcloths and let them pile up by the sink.  Grace and Anna are getting big enough they can be held accountable.  So I have instilled a chore chart.  Grace and Anna each have things that need done in the morning and after school.  And they each do things each day of the week; they do get some days off.  Here are the lists.

So far, they are excited to do their chores. I have a feeling that will change. L