August 2, 2014

We have been busy since we got home doing some needed maintenance around the house.  We had lots of big weeds in the garden and flower beds that needed attention right away so we got to that the day after we got back.  

We also had some blackberries to pick!  Wonderful blackberries.  I have made some seedless low sugar jam from some of them.  It's pretty good. A little tart, but flavorful.  It's sweetened with concentrated white grape juice and Splenda.  I got 4 pints from about 12 cups of whole berries.  We also froze a whole picking for smoothies.  

The most valuable thing that has happened since we got back is that the man is finishing off the laundry room!!  It has been a dark hole, one light bulb, with exposed wires and pipes and drains in the walls and ceiling for the 7 years we have lived here.  Now it is almost finished with wallboard around the whole room with a bright fluorescent light fixture, and pretty cover over it.  It still needs to be textured and painted but I simply can't tell you how much it means to me to have it walled in and bright.  As soon as I can get a picture of it I will post it!

Another thing we did was can all the apricots from our tree.  We got 28 quarts of fruit and about 28 pints of pineapple-apricot jam.  Jer picked and we both pitted and canned. 

On July 30 we had a birthday dinner for Grace Langston, brand new 16 year old!  It was good to see some of the family and have fun talking together.  Later that evening her mom took her to a special movie date where they sat in super cushy seats and got served whatever they wanted to order.  Nice evening!

We also had the privilege of attending the temple with Jared after he was made an elder.  It was a very special day.  We also plan to do some sealings with him before the month is out. He chose to go to the Draper Temple.  

Dad and I are going to teach third hour tomorrow so we have been preparing today.  I have also been doing indexing.  I find that it's very enjoyable to me.