Canning Chicken Tutorial

For those of you that missed my enrichment class here is a step by step look at Pressure Canning Chicken

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Step 1: Clean jars and place lids in a small pot with water to boil

Step 2: Prepare your chicken by cutting into smaller pieces so you can "squish" it in the jar easier
Step 3: Using a wide mouth funnel put raw chicken into jar and add either 1 tsp real salt or 1 tbsp chicken broth powder.

Then add up to 1/2 cup water using a spatula to help it go all the way down and release all the air bubbles. Leave 1 inch head space.

Step 4: Clean rim of jar and place lid on and tighten.


Step 5: Place jars into pressure cooker with water about 2 inches deep.

Step 6: Close lid and watch the pressure rise.

Step 7: Once the pressure reaches 15, regulate your heat and set timer for 75 minutes for pint jars or 90 minutes for quart jars.

After the timer rings turn off heat and leave it alone! Let the pressure fall on it's own, do not do anything to speed up the process. Once it's safe to open the lid, open it away from you so you don't burn yourself with the steam. Remove jars from pressure cooker and place on a towel to cool. As they cool you will hear the blissful sound of popping and this is how you know you have succeeded!

Happy Canning Everyone!!!

So fun 4th!

We got to spend the 4th of July in Sierra Vista with Spencer & Marlee. It was a fun filled weekend with lots of activities!!!

Decorating {eating} cookies

Celebrating birthdays
(Caitlyn, Katie, Steph, Amy, Spencer)

Spending time with family

Playing sports

Handstand contests

Family Pictures

Lots of fun people to hang out with

Good Food

and of course

FIREWORKS!

Mason was nervous at first (who would've guessed) and then he decided he was ok with it so he kept saying "Daddy, that's cool" over and over again. Then he apparently got bothered by the smell and the noise because I looked over and he had his ear and nose plugged. Then soon after that he was fast asleep.

Mallory loved it for about 5 minutes and then she fell fast asleep as well

And this little girl was amazed by it all! She kept saying "this is awesome!" No falling asleep for her!

Thanks Spencer and Marlee for a wonderful weekend and letting us crash your house!

Father's Day

We spent Father's Day at the cabin with Keith & Steph because of our race the day before. Spencer and Reeslyn spent all day Saturday "planning" for Father's Day very secretively. They had signs on doors that said Dad's Keep Out and this is what they were brewing...
A Treasure Hunt for only the smartest of Pirates!

They had "magic" markers that would reveal the message

It was so cute to see how much fun they had planning it all and how much fun we all had following the Dads from one spot to the next!

Pictures that make me smile - May

Reeslyn has really enjoyed "reading" books in bed at night to fall asleep

Mason was taking mental notes

Mason was having a hard time falling asleep without his crib while we were in St. George and Daddy is always willing to fall asleep while holding his kids!

Mason and Lia will get married someday

Reeslyn thought Uncle Aaron was so cool and loved watching him climb like a monkey on all the rocks

hmmm...

Aunt Katie wanted to see just how long Kanyon's hair was

Oh how peaceful

This kid LOVES water!!!

and she is a little fish

These two were having a hard time falling asleep one night so I brought them in my bed with me and Mason wanted to cuddle with Reeslyn the whole time and she loved it!

Reeslyn is on the bottom left, she loves gymnastics!

Gaspin in the Aspen...

This was another hard trail run that I did with my sil Stephanie and our friend Jessica this past weekend in Flagstaff. It was a 15K with lots of hills but a great workout!

Time: 1:28:59

Happy Father's Day

A few years ago Russ asked [jokingly I'm sure] if we could buy a boat for him for Father's Day so I [jokingly] answered back sure and then I bought him this instead... Well he's been working on filling it up for some time now and this Father's Day we bought him this...

He told me this Father's Day compares right up there with his first Father's Day after Reeslyn was born, he feels like he has a new baby!

Boys!

As we were driving in the car today I heard Mason giggling so I turned around to see what was so funny and this is what I found. Apparently putting a straw up your nose is quite hilarious!

Also notice the cut above his eye... Mason fell off Mallory's bike and the glasses didn't survive, they broke right in 2. Luckily we have his trusty backup pair!

I would hardly call it babysitting...

It's more like "managing" a squabble here and there.

We are fortunate enough to live next door to cousins that just happen to all be the same age (within weeks). Stephanie and I trade off babysitting all the time which is just down right fantastic but what is even more fantastic is that we came up with this brilliant idea that we would switch off going to the temple each week. So this week was her week and all I can say is the blessings of her going all came to my house. The kids all played so good together, I was even able to workout for an hour. These cousins have grown up more like siblings and I love every minute of it (and I know they do too)!

Mason Man

Frank's Song

Russ' Dad just got released as Stake President and they had a reception for him and his counselors the other night. A very talented man in the stake wrote this song about him and my mother-in-law asked me if I would post it on my blog since hers is private. How would it be to have a song written about you!

Did you know...

That today is my birthday, well not really but in Reeslyn's imaginary world it is and she spared no expense to make it the best day ever!!! She started planning early and made sure the decorations were just right.

The Party Hats were my favorite!

She made sure that I looked my best by glittering my eyes and glossing my lips.

Then she pampered me by painting my nails and massaging my arms with lotion.

We played limbo and she even gave me presents! Wow what did I do to deserve all this? Thanks Reese for making my "birthday" extra special!!!

Gymnastic's Performance 2009

Mallory didn't like the spotlight!!!

Reeslyn learned the routine a few days before

and Mason ate all the donuts!

then we celebrated with a good swim!

Pre-School Graduation

Reeslyn is so excited to start kindergarten and I am so grateful to Miss Linda and Miss Amber for preparing her so well for it! She is my child who loves school and can never get enough of it, which is why I am so glad that we have all day kindergarten. Congratulations Reeslyn we love you!!!

Need some inspiration???

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Go HERE and click CREATE

Hurricane 1/2 Marathon

Do you see the sign that says "spa" in the upper left corner? Now that is some well placed advertising right there!

Time 1:48:44

4th in my age group

34th overall

I was tagged....

So usually when I am tagged I try to oblige and do what I'm asked but sorry Jess I'm not playing along this time. You see in this particular tag my lovely sis-in-law wants me to share with all of you a picture of me right at this very moment. No make-up touch-ups allowed! Well I'm a mom 7 days a week, I teach gymnastics 3 days a week, and let's not forget I run & work-out 5 days a week, oh those poor ladies who come to my house 3 days a week to workout with me, I would hate to hear their thoughts when they see me in "work-out" mode (let alone smell me)! Ok here is my point... I rarely look done up and beautiful, I get by on looking "ok" quite often so for those of you who read my blog from other parts of the country that don't get to see my "cuteness" everyday, I want you to take a good look at that picture right up there at the top (you know, the one with the sexy husband and 3 adorable kids) and just believe that I look like that 24 hours a day. And for those of you that see me everyday, you don't need a picture of what I look like right now because it's exactly what I looked like when you saw me last... hair in a ponytail, barely any make-up left on and gymnastics clothes still on from teaching today :-D Now wish me luck in my race on Saturday!!!

Today has been amazing...

Sundays can sometimes be stressful but today was not! I even had to go to church by myself (Russ was working) and I survived it with flying colors! When we got home I got to take a nap, oh that was nice! After Russ left for work again we went outside to water the flowers that we planted yesterday. Now I can honestly say I hate yard work, that's why Russ and I are perfect for each other because he loves it. But for some reason every spring and every fall when new flowers need to be planted in the front yard it's all me! I love them! I always pick 1 color to do everywhere, I like simple. And because of my husband's lovely passion of yard work, our grass is ALWAYS so very green so in the winter I pick Red so when Christmas rolls around we are all set! In the summer I pick either pink or yellow because it's just so fun and summery! Oh how I love my flowers!

Now back to today being amazing! Well it just has been, for some reason I have felt the spirit so strong and been so filled with joy! It's just been a good day!!! And to end a good day I'm going to eat these, thanks Steph for sharing!

Mason Man

He looks so cute and innocent sitting up there,

But turn your head for a second and this happens....

And for your viewing pleasure, his newest trick...

His little fit at the end is my favorite part :)

Pet "Watching"

We are pet-sitting while our cousins are at Disneyland and the kids couldn't be more excited! First on the agenda was finding a spot to put the bearded dragon that Mason couldn't climb up to so he is bunking with Russ and I in our room. Next was to feed him his worms [yuck]! Luckily Reeslyn loves touching creepy crawlies and this is her favorite part!

Thanks Keith & Steph for going out of town so we could take care of Rocky, he is being well watched!

Just a little shout-out

I love my RUG DOCTOR!

This was my Christmas present from my Mom and Step-Dad (who works for Rug Doctor) and I have cleaned my carpets many times with it but today it saved me once again from a dog with diarrhea, GROSS!

Does anybody want a chihuahua?