Canning Tomatoes

My tomato crop this year was a complete failure.  We had great expectations, too.  The summer started off great -  70 heirloom tomato plants that I started from seed, planted with loving care by Mr. Bechtel and the family, complete with drip line and weed barrier. We even put little arches of pvc pipe over the rows with expensive frost protection fabric to keep them warm and safe from the wind.  We should have had a bumper crop.

Unfortunately, we have dogs now:  Jack and Pete.  Jack is obsessed with chasing dust and spent the whole summer digging up my garden and  chasing the dust right through my tomato rows.  Pete thought the fabric was a neat new toy and tore it off on about the 3rd day.  I kept hoping though.  By the end of august we still didn't have any tomatoes.  I inspected and every plant was broken off and ruined.  There were a few that managed to survive, but the chickens ate the fruit off them before we could get to it.  The chickens even ate all the hot peppers I planted for salsa.  It was very sad.

So I was thrilled when Spencer (Braeburn's friend) brought me over 2 big boxes of tomatoes from his mom.  His mom has a wonderful green thumb, an amazing green house, and is a REAL gardener.

Granny Smith helped me make salsa, chili sauce, and home made ketchup.  We haven't tried the ketchup yet.  It seems strange to get it out of a glass jar somehow!

The Spy Twins Meet Football

After several years of resisting, I finally let the boys play football this year.  There are several other boys in the ward who play and one of the dads kept asking me if the Spy Twins could play. Then the boys would beg me.  I kept saying no.  Finally this year the coach called me.  I told the coach I would think about it, but that I didn't want the boys getting hurt.  When I got off the phone I looked out back, and Prairie and Nova Spy were wrestling in the back field.  I watched as they straddled the ditch full of water, and then took turns throwing each other in.  They were banging each other around and having a great time.  I thought it looked very painful, but they seemed quite happy.  I decided then that I'd better let them  play. 

Prairie Spy.

Nova Spy.

Evening Practice.

They played O line and D line all season.  They protected the quarterback, blew holes in the opposing line, and took seriously the coach's yells:

"This is OUR HOUSE!  This is OUR FIELD!

This is OUR TURF!"

Time for School!

We took Braeburn down to BYU for School.  He's staying at Helaman Halls and majoring (right now) in Advertising.

Life is very quiet with Braeburn gone, and Golden Delicious and I are bored.  We miss the late night Krav stories and all the tales of wild adventures.  Braeburn, however, is having a marvelous time.  When I asked him what he liked best about college he said.  "I really like the total freedom to do whatever I want."  

Labor Day Horse Buying

The cabin wasn't available this Labor Day weekend, so we had to think of something else fun to do.  I saw an ad posted at the feed store for a horse sale and thought that would be fun.  The boys dressed up in their cowboy shirts and boots and we headed up to Rexburg.  

Mr. Bechtel said, "I am not bringing my wallet."  And I said, "oh, of course you're bringing your wallet."  Then when we got to the sale, Mr. Bechtel said, "we are not getting a number."  And I said, "oh, of course we're getting a number".  Then when the sale started, Mr. Bechtel said, "we are not bidding on any horses."  And I said, "oh, of course we're bidding on horses!"  And Mr. Bechtel said, "we're not buying any horses."  And I agreed.  "We are NOT buying any horses!"

So, then He bought a little bay filly.

And then I bought a yearling mare.

The moral of that story is that it is IMPOSSIBLE not to buy beautiful horses unless you have lots more self control that I do.  And you should always, always, listen to your husband and leave your wallet at home.

The little filly's name (which we got to choose and register, which was very cool) is Driftwood Dancer.  She is out of Drifts Chip and Mr. San Peppy.  She is also extremely feminine, fast, and utterly adorable.  Nova Spy has fallen in love with her, and takes care of her.  The yearling is named Yankee Illusion.  She is out of Dash for Cash, and a Society Road Mare on her dam's side.  She is gentle, gorgeous, and bright as a newly minted penny.  We know we can't keep both of them, but we are enjoying them for right now.  I can hardly wait for the sale next year!  But I notice that Mr. Bechtel has planned a trip to Japan then.  Is he trying to tell me something??

Cabin Trip with Fonbuenas

Every year we have a tradition of going to the cabin with the Fonbuenas.  This tradition started at least 6 years ago when we had our first cabin at Mack's Inn.  I miss the old cabin!  We would pack 17-20 people into a little cabin and bunk house with one bathroom, and somehow everyone was happy.  (you can do anything for a weekend).  The best part of the old cabin was that it was close to the water and the kids could run down and play whenever.

Look how little they were!

One of our favorite traditions that we still do is to go on an early morning "girls float" when the water is still misty and no one else is out.  It's fantastic!

We still manage to have fun at the new cabin!  Here's Braeburn and the girls playing soccer out back.

After church we decided to go take family pictures.  We almost got eaten by spiders and fell into several gopher holes, but survived.  (You can see that only Mr. Bechtel and I stayed in our sunday clothes.... I remember now there was a small rebellion on that point and I lost!)

Fonbuenas posing.  Leslie and Nathan are on missions here.

When we got done we looked behind us, and this is how the boys were entertaining themselves.  

I'm looking forward to summer!

Braeburn Turns 18

How could 18 years go by so quickly?  I remember holding Braeburn right after he was born, looking at his perfect little hands and feet, just like it was yesterday.  The midwife asked if I would go through the whole process again, and I remember thinking that was such of dumb question.  Of course I would. 

Braeburn taught Mr. Bechtel and me how to be good parents, how to put others before ourselves.  I dropped out of college after he was born because I couldn't bear to leave him.  When he was one I thought maybe I could take a class or two and leave him with friends.  No way.  Neither of us was happy.  I realized then that no amount of formal education could compare with what I was learning every day being a mom.  

We went on lots of walks, read thousands of stories, and played with blocks and puzzles for hundreds and hundreds of hours.  I don't regret a single second of that time.  They are choice, precious memories to me.  We grew up together.    

Now, here he is, 18, and ready to head off to BYU.

He requested creme puffs for his birthday.

May all your best wishes come true!

Favorite Eagle Pictures

The Spy Twins helping Braeburn paint and stain his sign.

Testing out the flagpole.  Grandpa donated a flag to the cause and it worked just perfectly.

When the project was almost finished, the head of the Iona Historical Society, ZoAnn Simmons, came over to check on everything.  She said she had been working for over 3 years on the old tithing house to turn it into the museum, and this was the first definite sign of progress she'd seen.  Then she started to cry and gave Braeburn a big hug.  Just her gratitude was enough to make it feel like a worthwhile project.

The finished project.