A long, but productive, weekend

On Friday I ran up to the grocery store in Hyrum and just so happened to see that they had a flat of raspberries for $14.99/flat.  Seriously?!  Week's wanted $45/flat this summer and I just couldn't bring myself to pay that price.  Sam LOVES raspberry jam - she ate it by the spoonful when she was B's age.  Since it was a screamin' deal I couldn't pass it up.  I bought me a flat of berries (and later I went back & bought one for my sister).  The berries were HUGE and so, so tasty.

I knew if I didn't get the jam made before the kids got out of school that there wouldn't be any berries left to make jam out of!  The fact that my sister's flat was here Friday, Saturday & part of Sunday and not one berry was eaten out if it speaks volumes of the threat I made to my children!

With one flat I got two batches which resluted in 5 pt jars & 3 3 cup containers.

After jam was made & kids were picked up from school I began the project that is pears.

There has been a LOT of this:

So, so, SOOO glad I have mom's apple corer to use this year.  It has made the process a million times faster & easier.  I MUST buy one of my own for next year.

There have been many of these filled up:

An entire container of this has been used:

I've filled 21 of these:

 I've made a quadruple batch of simple syrup to add to these:

And, in between filling jars and water baths there has way too much of this:

Good thing she's so stinking cute!

 I've done 3 of these:

 I was able to haul all 21 pints downstairs & find a place for them in the storage room.

I've also run 12 trays of pears through the new dehydrator.  I did a batch of cinnamon/sugar, a batch with sea salt & a batch of plain.  I currently have an attempt at fruit leather in there.  Not sure how that's going to turn out - it's not looking too appetizing!  My mom did try one of my cinnamon/sugar pears and said they were awesome though so that's promising.

 The two week old craving for cinnamon rolls won out this weekend too.  We made a double batch actually. Put raisins in one batch just for Travis (frosted them green and the rest white to be sure I didn't get any nasty raisins in one I ate!)

 Brooke adventured out back while I worked and was pretty good to stay right where I could see her.  She has (as I have posted pictures before) discovered the dirt pile behind the fence.  And let me just say, Sister loves that spot just as much as her brothers do!  Worst mistake ever was putting grass in!  If we had just left our lot dirt I'd be able to keep a really good eye on kids!

 Notice how much dirt is on this one? 

 Here's why:

 Yes, he's WILLINGLY letting her do this to him and yes, she does it often!  Unfortunately, they hauled the dirt from behind the fence in the back yard all the way to the road out front and little sister wanted to follow! Note to self - keep the dirt behind the fence!  Sister can roll in it there much easier than by the road!

 And surprisingly, Charlotte has decided that little sister is ok to snuggle with....as long as she's sleeping!

Projects left for the next few days include: finish the dang pears!  (Seriously, I have nightmares about them the last few nights!)  Get cookies made for Travis to take on the hunt (he & Nash leave on Wednesday night).  Once baking is done I have GOT to work on Halloween costumes!  I got them cut out like three weeks ago & haven't touched them again since!