My daughter went to her Dr. appointment this morning, and she is dilating. We took bets on when the baby will be born (she's due on the 16th) and I guessed the 13th, but I'll bet we have a baby sooner than that. I'll be sleeping with my cell phone from now until birth day! I wish it were three weeks away, 'cause I have so much to do before we leave for AZ!

Reba, it sounds like you don't know if you're having a boy or a girl...that's the way I'd want it, the element of surprise. My daughter wanted to know so she could pick out the proper clothes/furniture/ etc. I always just opted for unisex everything.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

i did LOTS of walking. and then all of a sudden i was hugely dilated and i didnt' know, it went great. thanks granny for the recipe!! gonna try this today, well, and tomarrow. LOL ~Medo

I am SO excited for you Granny! LOL, I think all us moms can't wait to be grandparents. All the love and cuddling with zero diapers! Woot!!
Medo, we left our home in Marin County at 7:30am, went over the golden gate bridge, and baby was born at 8:15am, rofl. We keep telling him he was nearly a bridge baby. If there had been ANY traffic on that bridge, that's where he'd've been born. There's the Lord for you again.

Oh god.......i'm trying to go to my happy place right now, anybody got a valium or something? Baby talk....lol

EG

I'm not going to want to leave this baby when she's born :-( I've told Mr. H I will not leave until at least a week after she's born, but he's packing right now! I won't be back until she's 5 months old, so I'll miss out on sooooo much. At least we now have cameras to take videos every day, and a way to share them immediately, which will be a great help. I swear, I'm going to try to sell the AZ house and just stay home in the future...snow or no snow!

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

medo, I meant to tell you to thank your Mother for me, I'm happy she enjoys my blog! I'm hoping I can keep it semi-interesting through the winter, but it probably will be more about trips into the desert than about gardening and cooking! Not that I've ever been one to keep on topic, anyway *smirk*

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Think I started something...... :)
The first time, I was in labor for just over 5 hours, second time just over 3 hours. Good thing I like having them at home!
Granny, I like a surprise after all that waiting and hard work! Think we're having a boy this time though, I was Really sick the first 2 times and breezed through this one. The first 2 were both exactly 1 day early, so I'm not too hopeful that I'll be giving birth very soon, sigh. Make that heavy sigh. Good luck on the 13th Granny, be sure to let us know. As for me, my money is on the 27th, 8.5 lbs, 22 inches. My apologies EG! :) That's what you get for hanging out with the weemin'folk. Go build something, you'll feel better. ;)

I think i'm gonna build something to impale myself with.........

That'll be easy compared to spending 9 months building something while carrying it everywhere. ROFL.

LOL! Wimps. My first one was 16 hours of labor, the last 10 or so hard labor! My second was one hard pain and born in the hallway with a nurse in attendance. The third was easy, she was adopted! The fourth was only 3-lb. 2-oz., full term evidently due to a combination of my having a horrid case of flu and the antibiotics that I had to take in my 6th. month. The fifth was uneventful, normal and right on time. Th-th-th-that's all, folks!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

granny, another coincidence, I have four natural and one stepson. The first one took four BMs and the last one, I never got to the bar stool.;o) I also have 10 grand children and they all love there pappy John and visa versa. The one thing I could not understand though is fathers to be, wanting to be in the delivery room. They would have to call in the paramedics for me.

John

Here is a link that might be useful: Johns Journal

WOW Granny! You must have been terrified over that tiny one. BTW, my first labor was no joke. Contractions were 3 minutes apart from the VERY BEGINNING. Intense. Threw up 3 times. Got to the hospital with 10 minutes to spare. Stayed home next time and got in the tub. I was able to stay relaxed and baby #2 slid out like a ripe grape. Wish you could have seen my husband's face! It was just the two of us and it was an awesome experience. We went back to bed and called the midwife in the morning! Wimp my a$$!:)

dang!! aint no wimp here!! 25 hrs of hard labor with my first baby!! i won't even talk about the 3-5 minuts apart. but dilated to only 3. stupid docs!! then the dang placenta wouldn't come out so my doc with HUGE hands no less was fishing to get it out!! talk about pain!!
talla decided she was gonna stay home where it was nice and cozy!! LOL so i was dialeted to 6 and didn't even know it!! so the time to take the pill or pass was up, i said no, it doesn't even hurt. so they took EVERYTHING out, 5 min later small pains, then larger pains, i think it was an hour later and that baby came out after the poo. i told the doc, give me an enema!! he was so sure that i didn't need one, i tell ya what i bet he'll NEVER say that again!! remember!! i LOVE mexican foods!! Hee Hee **onery grinn** i know what i need!! LOL

so Granny we are making that recipe, i am trying it with the regular sugar, he (tabor) is making it with 1 1/2 cups splenda, so i can have it!! LOL my little hero!! LOL
he is such a sweetie!! well back to peeling more apples by hand!! he cuts out the yucky spots and i get to peel them!! apparently he's been wanting to can for a long time!! so he's really into this!! YIPPEEE!!! how darned well lucky am i???? homeschooling is awesome!! ~Medo

no wimp here!! **grinn** all onriness!! :'))

John, my husband was the first person to touch our second child. Quote "I can see the head, the head is out, the head is, the whole thing is out!" Me, "Well, pick it up!" He did. We cut the cord, dried and swaddled her and got back in bed while our 23 month old slept undisturbed in the next room. Birth can be quiet and peaceful. Plus, EVERYONE gave my husband the credit for 'delivering' the baby!!! He sat on the side of the tub and watched open-mouthed while I calmly and quietly birthed a baby unassisted and HE gets treated like a hero by both our families! What's a girl got to do to get a little respect?....

I hope EG isn't still reading this thread. Between those last two posts I expect he ran screaming into the night to launch himself with that trebuchet....

I hope EG isn't still reading this thread. Between those last two posts I expect he ran screaming into the night to launch himself with that trebuchet....

No idea why that posted twice. Maybe the computer thought it was funny....

Yes, but then they grow up so fast. I looked in the rear view this afternoon and caught my one yr old girl rocking out to some ACDC song on the radio. I went home and made her a shirt with the ACDC logo, but with my own little flair

Check it out

Granny, WOOHOO for adoption. My sister and I are both adopted. It's a wonderful thing.

WOW!! ok, whats the ab and cd stand for? **quzical look** *grin*

my hubs is adopted, he went thru ( i should say "we") the whole why me, and feeling abandonned and everything. because of him being adopted. i say we, because i swear, when one of us goes thru something we both go thru it together, LOL we are so close!! LOL i guess that's just our way of helping each other out, because then we can. ya know, help them get over that!
did you get to meet your bio mom or dad? he got to meet his bio mom and neice and talk to the sisters, but not the dad. that sucked!! Home birth!!! WOW!! my sil had that done, it was terrible, only cuz anna wasn't the right way. but that's the way they would do it again! ~Medo

No, Medo, I've never met the biologicals and I don't really care to. They made the best decisions of their lives, I am eternally grateful to them, but that's where it ends.

Instead of putting ACDC (Band name) I put ABCD (the alphabet). I just wanted people to take a second look at what they would automatically assume would be a band name on a 1 yr old's shirt. Who needs that? Well, actually, She's also got a Social Distortion shirt and I'm working on making her a Clutch shirt. Gotta support good taste in music, you know.

I swear freaked out hubby hit every rut, pothole, crack and pebble in the road in the 3 blocks to the hospital with #1! I was 15 minutes from giving birth and trying to hold myself up off the seat of our little sedan while going through transition and screaming "What do you mean you're not sure where the maternity entrance is?!!!!" Stayed home next time. After the first hospital experience I understood why even herd animals go off to be alone to give birth!

EG, go hide your head in your seed starter or something, this has turned into girl talk. Well, girl and John talk ;-)

Ribbit, my daughter never wanted to know who her birth parents were, even though we gave her that option. As far as she was concerned, she only had two REAL parents, Mr. H and myself. I always told her I carried her siblings in my tummy, but I carried her in my heart.

John, my husband wouldn't go into the delivery room with me either. I went in with the last three of my grandchildren, and I was introduced to one granddaughter's head before she was born...to my daughter's dismay. She's the daughter who is expecting now, and she said "Mom, you just keep your head OUT of there!!" I told her I expect to bond with this one during birth, also. I'm sleeping with my cell phone from now until B-Day.

Ribbit, I think I'll go make myself a DC sweat shirt. No AC, no AB.....David Cook rocks Granny's sox!!!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

i absolutely love that idea!! its so neat!!
hmmmm......don't think i know who david cook is?? LOL
i found angela, she's having too much fun!! trading seeds!! LOL i told her it was addicting!! LOL but i find this to be more my thing these days, LOL
my seeds need to finish ripening then i have a few more to get out then we are DONE!!! LOL unless i see something really awesome, but then again, i can just get that online. with those credit cards from the mall. so i don't have to use hubs's. then nothing can go wrong!! WOOO HOOO!!! LOL ~Medo

ok on the canning, we did 2 that have splenda, 2 that will have pineapple instead of the sweetners, and 4 that will be w sugar. hmmm....i think i'll let the other simmer for a while longer, there is absolutely no sweet flavor.. i want sweet with no sugar. ~Medo

Granny, the waiting is the worst! But what a sweet reward!
Get lots of hugs and kisses in before you head to AZ. I have a question about canning the apple butter. Can you do the water bath in a large pot if you don't have a canner??? I sure wished I had paid attention in my early years when my Mom and Dad gardened and canned our food!!!

bettyinga, as long as you can get about an inch of water over the tops of the jars you're OK. I use a big soup pot for mine, it holds about 7 pint jars. If you don't have a rack to fit in the bottom of your pot, lay an old dishrag/washrag in the bottom (or extra jar rings if you have them) to hold the jars off the bottom so they don't break. I couldn't find my jar lifter, but husband came to the rescue with a humongous wrench that worked like a charm!

Medo, why didn't you just use Splenda to sweeten it all? I used to make it with no sweetener, then stir in the liquid sucaryl (no longer available in USA) to taste, and that worked fine. Just add some Splenda to the unsweet stuff before you put it in the jars.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

we did on one, then we wanted to experiment on the other. LOL
but it seemed i had to add the sugar afterall. talla liked it. heck she loved it without the sugar. but i know tabor wouldn't eat it, he spit it out. but we all agree 3 cups is wayyy to much sugar. maybe 2. but then again, i'm not a sugar freak either!! LOL
i didn't know about the dishrag at the bottom. so i left it like that. they didn't break but hubs has one of those pro HUGE stainless steel i think 5 gal pots, i do know its heavier than i can lift with water sometimes. its our chilli pot!! LOL so i used it!! LOL
so all in all we are experimenting to see which one's we like the best, and if they can handle the splenda one's. since befor long we will be going to that one anyhow!! i just got to get the measurements right. so it doesn;t have that taste. maybe it won't when its cooled. LOL
the potato/tomato
no potato although as big as a potato. hmmmmm....maybe that is the thing???? LOL ~Medo who has a 5 gal bucket of green maters!! LOL

I read you can use a big pan on the ball website. Next year, I'm certain I'll have to water bath all the tomatoes b/c I can only do 7 at a time now in the pc.
And, for the record, I am a wimp, lol! I was reading Sinfonian's blog yesterday and thinking, "This woman does more in one hour than I did all last weekend." Sigh!

LOL my mom is the first one to admit she's a wimp too!! i hate to admit when i cann't handle it, arm all messed up and feels like its falliing out, and i'll carry the groceries in, using the other arm, filling it up,, instead of using the smart way and doing it a little at a time. LOL

ok, the apple butter comes out like mussclemans but sweeter, so if you don't want a puckered mouth, use a little less. i'm thinking about trying to use some of the dark syrup like it say's on one of the bottle, but how would that affect my sugar levels?? do ya think? ~Medo

Carolyn, did you just call sinfonian a woman? I don't think he'll appreciate that *snicker*

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

ewwww carolyn!!! didn't you know??? i used to wonder in the very beginning. then i read a post that said something referring to it as a he. i was like duhhhh~~ LOL
ok taking recipes for and ideas for green tomato's. we picked all of them. and now we are done with the apple butter. we made 11 1/2 pts.
we bought qts for the salsa. i know we can go thru tons of them!! LOL i'm going to get more of them!! LOL and gal one's for chili,
what do you have to do can chili? anything special? it has meat in it. and of course tomato's. ~Medo

Chili has to be canned in a pressure cooker.

Green tomato mincemeat is the only thing I've eaten that I really liked. It also has to be canned in a pressure cooker or frozen. I do have some green tomato pickles that aren't too bad, a bit more sour than bread & butter pickles. I just made tomato juice with the last of my ripe tomatoes and I just have two 16-0z bottles left. Do a google search for "green tomato recipes"

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

why do they have to have a pressure cooker?? see, i just don't get that!! ahhh, i have to buy one of those, and one of those tong thingi's and one of those canister thingi's that is in the pan, i burnt my fingers too many times and then cut my fingers using the salad tongs, so that is out!! hmmm...sometimes the "right" way just might be the better way. LOL ~Medo

Medo, because there isn't enough acid in them to keep botulism from killin' ya! No worry with fruits, but all veggies and meats must be pressure canned. Tomatoes need extra acid (vinegar or lemon juice) and can be canned in a boiling water bath. Salsas, etc. do not change the ingredients from the canning recipes or they can be unsafe also.

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Thanks Granny - I have a huge soup pot that will be perfect.
Carolynp - I have to confess that I am a wimp too. I have been visiting alot of blogs and I don't know how they accomplish so much - I am feeling very inadequate!

ok, gotcha!! thank you, i have been spending the better part of the night after church looking up that stuff. and WOW!! i tell ya. alot of info. them things are so dang exspensive!! i know i can't get one!! shoot!!
ok you two, no talking about being wimps!! your making my arm hurt more!! so zzzzppp!!! LOL just kidding. i carried my bible home tonight, and i really do wish that i could put my arm in a sling, but then if i did, i'd have to admit to being some kinda pain, then have to admit to being some kinda something. no can do. then the kids would walk all over me!! ohh anyhow my arm feels like its falling out of the socket. it does that in the fall. its because in the fall thats when i do the cutting back of the honeysuckle vines. and i hurt my arm the very first time, so i think it has a mind of its own, so every year it does that. LOL
here is our applebutter look at the difference in the color of the crockpot version!! its soooo dang dark!!
{{gwi:1286527}}

~Medo

Looks darned good, Medo! I love that stuff. Guess I'll have to make some when I get to my kitchen down south.

You know, I got a rotator cuff injury in my right shoulder 3 years ago, painting the exterior of our place in AZ. I did the whole thing with a three inch paintbrush! It has that corrugated siding so I couldn't use a roller, and I have arthritis in my hands so I couldn't use a larger paint brush. Anyway, talk about being a wimp, I've put up with the pain in that shoulder all this time because I will not let them take one of those hurky huge needles and shoot me full of cortisone! Aleve works well, but it takes a week of daily doses to begin working, and I'm not one who cares to be on any unnecessary meds.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Look at Otter & Annie in their new sweaters!

Looks awesome medo! I got my pressure cooker for $26 at walmart. You can use it as either a canner/pressure cooker/or a water bath. Very nice. I've gotten alot of use out of it. My aunt suggested that I try pot roasts in it. She said it'll make them fantastically in 45 minutes.
Sorry Sinf, I guessed incorrectly. I hope you'll forgive.
Otter and Annie are adorable!! And, wearing the latest fashion for dogs on the go...

Thanks!!
awesome!! how many qts?? did it happen to come with them canner racks by chance?? i sooo need to get one!! or do you know if wally world carries them??
Granny your doggies look so cool!! LOL
when we lived in germany we had them pressure cookers, but on the way over here, the dang shippers stole our stuff. alot of the tupperware, the pressure cooker set and some cool micky mouse phone, and some other things. it was terrible. but that's cool!! LOL we loved the memories!! LOL ~Medo

Mine came with the little rack in the bottom of it, but not a second layer rack. I did splurge for the jar lifter thing, but I didn't buy the magnet thing. Tell me if you get one and feel it's a necessity.

Medo, I saw them on the end rack at Wal*Mart yesterday, I think under $30. I was tempted, but the old Ranger is pretty well loaded and ready to head south now, so I don't dare add more. I used to have one, but gave it to a daughter, now I wish I had it back. They are very safe to use, not like in the past when they used to blow up. And pot roast is awesome in them! As is Swiss steak.

Annie looked like a little overstuffed sausage in her new sweater. She's only 9-months old, but very overweight and having some joint problems in a front leg....when she first gets up (anytime she has been laying down, not just mornings) she limps until her leg loosens up, sometimes her right leg just collapses under her and she falls on her face (which breaks Granny's heart). She doesn't each much at all, and the vet has said to cut even that in half for 3 months, after which he'll check her thyroid if she isn't losing. She's also been put on a joint med. Wow...that trip to the vet was mucho $$$, and he didn't do a darned thing! I looked up the medication and it was only $25 on line. Shipping would have brought it to $30. He charged $93 for the visit and the meds! Pretty good pay for a five minute consultation, I'd say. I've used this vet for all the pups shots and neutering, but I think I'm finding a new one in the future. I'd hate to think what it would have cost if he'd done xrays!

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

ok i think i'll try to talk the hubs into getting one.
granny i'm so sorry about the puppy. that is so sad, yes them danged vets charge an arm and a leg for thier services!! i think its a shame!! they are just like the regular docs. that's why i'm such a stickler for the home things like vinegar and such, my mom thought i was crazy, but talla healed up quick and fast. those turned out to be spider bites from the spiders that got into her socks while on the line. takes drying clothes on line to a whole new level!! ~Medo

Sorry about little Annie. She and Otter looked so cute in their sweaters! No sweaters needed here though but we did finally get a whole day of rain yesterday - the first time in over 30 days. My little garden was jumping for joy AND I have baby carrots - Yea!

Medo - I tried your potato soup and it was excellent - I had some friends over for dinner and they loved it. So thanks for sharing the recipe!

Where did I miss a potato soup recipe???? I love potato soup and corn chowder.

Weather forecast says it will hit 28F on Saturday night. I went ahead and pulled out my pole beans today...found about a dozen beans large enough to eat. If I'd had them in just two weeks earlier,maybe I'd have had a harvest from them. Oh well, they were fun to watch grow into a tepee!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Granny - the recipe was in one of these threads/post - I can't remember where but here it is:
Potato Soup
Ingredients:

-10 lbs potatoes, peeled and chunked (about...didn't measure)
-1 medium onion, chopped
-2 cans chicken broth
-2 cans evaporated milk
-2 cans worth water (about...didn't measure)
-2 good splashes of worchestershire sauce
-1 stick of real butter
-1 tsp garlic powder (didn't actually measure)
-salt and pepper to taste

-shredded cheddar (optional)
-crackers

Directions:

-Bring everything to a boil and then simmer until it's done, stirring occasionally. (I let mine simmer on the lowest setting for a couple of hours.)

-Serve with sprinkled cheddar and crackers.

I halved the recipe and mine turned out a little thin so I added some instant potato flakes just to thicken it and it was wonderful.

Thanks, bettyinga. That's very similar to my corn chowder, but I don't add the evaporated milk until the end of the cooking time, then just heat through....and I also use potato flakes to thicken it! Did you mean to say TEN pounds of potatoes? WHEW!!!

Granny's Corn Chowder
Serves 10 (1 cup per serving)

1 Tbsp. butter (more is better, but I try to keep it healthy)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 cups peeled and diced potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds unpeeled)
4 cups water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups corn, fresh or frozen
1 can creamed corn
2 cans (12 oz. each) evaporated skim milk
1 cup instant mashed potato flakes (less for thinner soup)

In a heavy saucepan coated with nonstick cooking spray, saute the onion in butter over medium heat until tender but not brown. Add potatoes, water, bouillon cube, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Do NOT drain! Mash lightly, leaving some larger bits of potatoes. Add corn and creamed corn and return to boil; cook 5 minutes, uncovered. Add evaporated skim milk. Return to boil, stirring. Sprinkle instant mashed potato flakes over top, then stir in to thicken soup. Reduce heat to low and cook an additional 5 minutes. Best when chilled then reheated.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

dang i can't believe i put that up there!! LOL Hee Hee!! i'm glad you liked it!! now i'm busy transplanting now. i know that pretty soon we'll be getting a killing frost. icky!! so that means that i have to have all of my tropicals in, ummmmm that's alot!!!! LOL ~Medo i have NO sq ft in the house!! LOL

Ten pounds was correct! I only used 5 lbs and I still have enough left over for a third meal. Now I will try the corn chowder!

I love potato soup. And, I'm trying your biscuit recipe today Granny. I put it on a card in my coveted recipe box, lol.