Life is PEACHY!

We got family pictures taken here in Springville-I won a free photo shoot with the same awesome photographer that did Ty's newborn pics.  So here's a sneak peak, and we'll get the rest of the pictures in 3 weeks!  Ty was a total cheese ball, and Libby wasn't handing out smiles for free...but we can't wait to see the other pics.

It's peach season!  So I've done three things with peaches so far.  I'm posting it now so that I can remember what I did in future years.  So if you're not interested, feel free to skip ahead!

1.  Froze them for smoothies.  What I did was slip the skins, pit, and cut them up and then added some frozen orange juice concentrate. The citric acid kept the peaches from browning and keeps them tasty peachy-fresh!  I LOVE them in smoothies!

2.  We (My momma and I) bottled some peaches (like we normally do) on labor day and made some peach syrup (it was supposed to be jam but it didn't thicken enough.)  Since my mom didn't have any applejuice on hand, she just added honey to some water and then added the pectin and cooked it up and then added it to the sliced peaches...oh so tasty!  We also tried some with some thick gel and some chia seeds.  I learned you will need A LOT of chia seeds to really thicken it up, so I don't think I'll try that again in the future.  I have had this stuff on pancakes and it is divine!!!!

3.  I made peach freezer jam one night after the kiddos were down.  I made plain peach with sugar, peach-pineapple-raspberry with honey, and peach-raspberry with honey.  The best tasting one was the peach-pineapple-raspberry, but I did like the really sweet plain peach because sugar just does so well at making things super sweet. Making jams with honey requires A TON of honey!!!  I really enjoyed learning all of this!  

And lastly can I just give a shout out to my momma?  She made ALL of this possible by providing me with delicious peaches from her orchard.  I feel SO BLESSED to have this fruit! 

With pectin and honey.

With thickgel, honey, and chia seeds.

Peach freezer jams waiting for their chance to get in the freezer!

So this week had one hot day...I was dying!  So we met Terie and kiddos in the front yard and I turned on the sprinkler and ran through it with the kids so I could cool off.  The kids got soaking wet! 

They would lay on the cement to get warm. (Yes, I know, Ty is on the grass, but he was on the cement earlier.)  It was a great afternoon.  I LOVE my time with Terie and her kids.  Totally keeps me sane!

Ty wrapped up in a towel to warm up and I just thought it was cute!

Libby after a bath-she still has crazy hair! Honestly the helmet really helps it lay down nicely.

Chris went shotgun shooting with Morgan and a couple of other guys in the ward.  He left the ear protection and Ty has been wearing them all around the house and cracking me up!  

We went up spanish fork canyon today for a picnic and my little boy was in HEAVEN!  There were rocks to throw in water, grasshoppers to chase, and exploring to do!  We had a wonderful time. 

There was a cool train close by honking its horn, and Ty loved it!