Domestic Divas

For the sake of this post, you can call my Holly ... not because my birthday is on Christmas, but because Holly Homemaker seems appropriate after my recent accomplishment.

I've blogged about my Tuesday lunch dates with my dear friend Beth {who is always referred to as my dear friend cuz that's what she is} which we have been enjoying for 2 years now. What started as a celebration when our kids went back to school a few years ago has turned into something that I look forward to immensely. Summer usually throws us off our schedule so I am always anxious to get back to our weekly "catch up" lunches. We've gone from toting 3 kids with us {Kendyl, Alex, & Cougar} to just the 2 boys, and this year Cougar is the lone child who gets to enjoy our company now that Alex is in Kindergarten (a moment of silence for Beth sending her baby to Kindergarten). P.S. This photo is from a lunch date last year as we stood with the boys and let them throw pennies in the fountain outside of Paradise ... Beth will probably kill me for posting it.

This year we've made a few adjustments to our Tuesday lunch date plan. You see, both of us are making an effort to change/improve our eating habits. I know .... Anyway, rather than eating at Paradise Bakery, Chipotle, or Einstein's Bagels once a week we've been "eating in" a bit more and just enjoying our time catching up at one of our houses. That was, until this past week. My dear friend Beth {who will now be referred to as Becky ... as in Becky Homecky} had a brilliant idea. She suggested that we spend our afternoon making freezer jam!

Now, canning is something that is very new to me. I've canned chicken twice {and need to do it again}. I got a canner this past Christmas and have been wanting to learn to use it for more things to add to our food storage. I know a canner is not required to make freezer jam, but the mere idea of canning something just FEELS so domestic, doesn't it?

I had never made freezer jam before. I have had so many people tell me how easy it is but had never taken the opportunity to do it myself. Beth's suggestion was exactly what I needed to get me moving!! With raspberries being on sale I loaded up, bought jars, pectin, and was ready for my first freezer jam experience.

Beth was an expert, of course, having made it before. I followed the directions on my package of pectin (I ended up buying the reduced sugar formula on accident but it ended up being just as easy) and in less than an hour had 9 beautiful half pints of homemade raspberry jam!!!! I honestly could have stared at those bottles all afternoon ... I was so proud of myself! Beth made a batch of strawberry and a batch of raspberry and hers were just as pretty as mine. I was totally basking in our domestic goodness!!

The best part? We had a fabulous time catching up, swapping stories, AND had the pleasure of being domestic and doing something useful for our families {and I got to learn a new skill}! We have now decided that we are going to spend more of our Tuesday lunch dates doing fun things like this ... our next project will likely be making aprons to wear during our domestic endeavors ;) Both of us have been wanting to learn/practice basic sewing skills and we're hoping aprons would be quick, easy, and something we could make again for gifts! I'm also thinking of craft projects, home decor, baking, and more canning to be done ... peaches are next on my list of things I want to learn to can.

Of course we will still make trips to Paradise Bakery - we can't give up the "regular" lunch dates that we love so much, but I'm excited about this new domestic outlet and look forward to the things we will learn and make together :)

P.S. The very same night I actually made another batch of raspberry jam, but made COOKED jam in the canner that can be stored in my pantry for a year ... how's THAT for domestic? I'm still gushing over the mere idea of it all!!