What Was I Thinking?

Last Friday, we picked apples at a local orchard- a bushel and a peck (somehow this reminds me of a song my Grandma would sing to me?).  Truthfully, it was Matthew and a friend of his that did the picking.  I was the supervisor, a job I enjoy!  

Feeling self imposed pressure to do something with those apples before they go bad (which really is a few weeks down the road), I decided to can apple slices on Tuesday afternoon and can applesauce tomorrow, Thursday afternoon.  Forget the fact that this week is busier than usual, with a soccer game, practice, piano lessons, church, Rich's promotion ceremony, Mom's Night, Homeschool group, dinner at a friend's house, another adoption class and our Homeschool group Kick Off Party, along with school every morning and everything else we normally do around the house.....  

Canning is something new that I started this year, with help and guidance from my friend, Chris.  I canned tomatoes with her in July and felt so confident in her teaching that I have since canned more tomatoes, pears, relish and now apples on my own.  There is nothing as sweet as the sound of the jars sealing with a "ping"!  

Apparently, I didn't pack the quart jars tight enough......But we did better with our pint jars.  My plan is to use them as desserts throughout the winter.  I have a great recipe for cooked apples spooned over vanilla ice cream.  Yum!

 As you can see in the picture below, there is no room for cans of applesauce, which is on the list to be made tomorrow!  Time for another pantry reorganization while the apples are cooking, I think.  And then it looks like I am done with canning for this year and all that's left is to enjoy throughout the winter!