Scenes From Tomato Day

Last Saturday was Tomato Day! It was the first time that our Tomato Day was held in September but given the events of August there really was not  another time that made sense to do so. Dave swung by the farm down the street to pick up about 40 pounds of seconds and we set to work a week ago turning them into sauce. 
The girls have helped us each year (from the very first year we ever canned) but this year they were their most independent yet. We set them each up with a specific job and before we knew it the sauce was simmering away on the stove. These girls of ours have always been such incredible helpers. From their youngest days they were always there, pitching in and helping in any way their little hands would let them. It is such a blessing to have their help with all the chores and tasks and projects we do. They are there with us through it all, never complaining and always impressing us with how hard they work!

From the 40 pounds of tomatoes we ended up with thirteen quarts of sauce (with a little extra left over that we've already used). This recipe is definitely our favorite and it sure will be divine to have a bit of summer throughout the winter months! xo

Mission Accomplished!

Last November we bought the girls Moonjars as a way to start laying the foundation for good money management skills. Initially we decided to give each girl $3.00 (one dollar for each section) a week. Recently, however, we decided to increase it to $5.00 a week so that they could still put $3.00 into their jars but have $2.00 to spend. There is nothing that they need to "do" to earn this money. We'd rather that they do things around the house because they are part of our family (as they always have done) and not for what they will get.

Often we would be out and about and they would see all sorts of wonderful things that they would like to own. To link their dreams with their Moonjars we decided to have each girl choose one thing she wanted to save up for. Goals were set, charts were created, money was given and spaces colored in. Before long they had reached their first goal and so we headed out to purchase the desired items.

While we were out on that first trip it became clear that the item that Grace had been working toward was nowhere to be found. It was during our search that she came across another item that quickly found its way into her heart. As we went to a couple more stores to see if we could find what she had originally been hoping for (the Littlest Pet Shop whale) she and I chatted about how she could "save the money she has now for the bigger item she just discovered". She thought about it for a bit and then decided that's exactly what she'd like to do. And so it was that she saved her money for a wee bit longer so that she could make her new dream a reality.

When we got home we made a new chart with more spaces for her new goal. Emma made a new one as well (the one pictured above) and they put them back on the fridge. Traditionally, they are given their money on Fridays but with tomorrow being the holiday we figured we'd give them their money a day early. Jars, charts and coin purses were brought to the table today. Money was counted and placed in sections and purses and spaces were colored in. Emma had her shoes on (before I could take a picture of her) and was ready to head out as Grace was coloring in her spaces. Based on the money given today she would be $2.00 short. But no worries, she had plenty of money in the spend and save sections of her jar. $2.00 was withdrawn from the jar and out the door we went!

And with new objects in hand two very proud girls went home where they spent the next several hours playing with Grace's new toy (oh, the stories that were created this afternoon)! They have yet to decide what they will next save up for, but whatever it is I know they will be thrilled when they have reached that next goal too! Well done, girls! xo

Planting Potatoes

Thanks to our dear friend Sarah, the kindness of some local coffee roasters and this video we planted potatoes today! This is our first time planting potatoes, and we're super excited to see how this all goes. Our potatoes should be ready in the late summer or early fall but we'll surely keep ya'll posted along the way! xo

Inch By Inch, Row By Row

What an amazing day! Today our yard was the site of a raised bed garden workshop run by our friend Nikki. She is a wealth of knowledge and it was such an honor to have been asked by her if we'd be up for hosting a workshop this spring! While we gathered the necessary supplies, she gathered the people and we set a date. Originally, the workshop was to take place last weekend but due to the weather we decided to postpone it until today. I am so glad we did as the weather really was perfect for this project!

The girls were as excited for today's event as if it was one of their birthdays! "It's garden day!" was a constant refrain this morning, and that's even how they greeted Nikki when she arrived. These girls of ours sure can work! We've always known this about them, of course, though it never gets old witnessing it each time we take on a large project. Their focus and determination and hard work at their young ages really is outstanding (case in point: the fence painting project. A project that we clearly need to finish this spring). They were there every step of the way today; driving, shoveling, drilling, hammering, moving, fertilizing, raking, and stringing. Once again I found myself thinking that they really do belong living on a farm! They stopped on occasion for a drink of water or a blueberry muffin (made by Grace this morning while Dave and Em were out getting a few more items for the raised beds) or to change outfits but other than that they were there 'till the very end (and beyond). Once everyone left they even spent a good amount of time digging for worms to add to the garden. I have a feeling they are going to sleep exceptionally well tonight!

We have yet to install the gate (and there's an archway still to come as well) but the beds are done, the grids are strung and the fence is pretty much up. It looks fabulous, and has me thinking that we really do need to make the chicken request a reality sooner rather than later. We have yet to figure out what we'll plant, though we do know that tomatoes, peas, lettuce and carrots will be part of our first raised garden bed garden. And we're toying with some fruit trees on the property too. Soon enough our little homestead is going to feel like it must have went it was first built in the late 1800s!

Thank you to everyone who came to help! Thank you Emily for the gate and the promise of the archway, and Nikki for sharing your knowledge with us and spending the day getting our garden all set up! You are truly amazing and we are truly thankful for this oppertunity! This is a day that we will look back on for years to come! And thank you Pete Seeger for the Garden Song (and John Denver for the Muppet version)! It was running through my head all day today as we worked.