It has been a long time since I posted. Alot has happened in the past several weeks. School started back, canning season has started (albeit a little late) and a very important person!!!! J2 “Doc” turned 9 a couple of weeks ago!

His list included things like overalls, voice recorder, watch, cookbook, a gift certificate for the friends of the library, a cuddle pillow, a lizard, cowboy shirt, wolf scout uniform, digital camera and any books! It is funny what they ask for. He got almost everything on his list except a lizard! Having just had the frog die, I wasn’t ready to feed a lizard! The cuddle pillow I made him is a ladybug with pipe cleaner antenna’s inserted into a cotton cording then sewn down. She came out cute. I made her wings so they were satin lined and sewn down at the top and bottom to create two pockets. He likes to stick his hands in the pocket when he hugs her.

Here are some pictures. Unfortunately, alot of the pictures he either wasn’t looking at the camera or had red-eye. These are pretty good tho!

Here he poses in his new cowboy shirt and overalls. Everytime we hear overalls, Slo and I laugh about a lady online he used to tease about living in Georgia. She responded in a thick southern drawl in IRC with a voice recording, “I-D-O-N-O-T-W-E-A-R-O-V-E-R-A-L-L-S!” Well now, SugaBaby, you don’t have to be ashamed to admit it now! We are wearin’ them now.

He wanted a blue cake again this year. Last year, if you remember, I mistakenly mixed blue food coloring with buttercream frosting and got Tiffany blue! This year, we was smert and ‘membered to get white icing! lol. It came cute. Chocolate cake, and X’s and O’s for decorations.

He loves to cook and totally worships Bobbie Flay. Last year he wanted a chef’s jacket like Bobby’s, and got it. Since he already bought himself most of his cookbooks, this time, we gave him the Joy of Cooking. It’s a great cookbook and this one is their 75th anniversary edition.

The baby of the family loves to give presents. The morning of Doc’s birthday, he went around his room and gathered everything he thought J2 would like and wrapped it up in pillowcases, blankets, whatever he had that was colorful. It was really sweet! and J2 loved every one of them!

As for canning – I’m down to one bushel of apples left and a 50lb. box of new potatoes to can… Then I’ll give the full report.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy fall!