Strawberries! We're all about strawberries today! 40 pounds of strawberries, to be exact. That's approximately 25 quarts, Mir, you rookie! I laugh at your paltry 2 gallons! The excursion with just the 4 younger kids was pleasant and fun (yes! it was!) until we got in the car for the hour-long drive home. Rachel decided that she didn't like the CD I was playing and screamed in fury for, oh, 25 minutes or so. It felt like longer. Her screaming was punctuated by periodic wails from Brian: "Rachel! Don't hit me!" and "She's trying to undo my seatbelt!" That's one strange little girl.
Not having any duct tape handy, Larry and I decided to endure the aural onslaught silently rather than add to the noise by issuing idle threats. When we got home, we took Rachel out of the car and gave her a cookie to thank her for finally quieting down.
Ha, ha, ha - no, we didn't. We put her in her room for the entire afternoon. A gorgeous afternoon really - we opened her window so that she could hear the sounds of Brian and Susie playing with the neighbor kids outside. I half expected to look outside and see a bunch of sheets tied into a rope trailing out of Rachel's bedroom window; but, luckily, she fell asleep rather than planning an escape. Yelling like that can be exhausting, you know. At least, both Larry and I wanted a nap by the time we got home.
But that wasn't a possibility, as we had 40 pounds of strawberries rapidly aging in our kitchen. We swung into action. David decided that he was going to make chocolate-dipped confections with them, so he proceeded to melt chocolate chips in the double boiler and spread out wax paper, etc. Is he gonna be one great boyfriend, or what? Chocolate-covered strawberries - he's gonna have to beat those girls off with a stick.
Um, that's a figure of speech. This blog is in no way advocating girlfriend-beating.
While he dipped strawberries, I started up the jam process. David looked apprehensive as I turned on the big front burner on the stove to cook the mashed strawberries and sugar. "Are you sure that won't catch fire?" he worried. Poor kid - he's been traumatized by too many kitchen conflagrations, I'm afraid. So I took him by the shoulders, looked in his eyes, and said, "David. If you can't take the heat, you need to get out of the kitchen."
Tough love. It's the way to go.
Strawberries, yum! Unfortunately they're on our list of Unsafe Foods, too, but I'm sure you guys will enjoy them.
ReplyDeleteLOL about Rachel in the car. I used to turn the music up to cover the sounds of the yelling, but I'm bad like that. Naughty Mommy.
I am jealous. We don't have berries yet and in fact, we almost had snow on Monday. Maybe next week. Yumm.
ReplyDeleteOH I am so jealous! Strawberries are my favorite food.
ReplyDeleteIn these parts we don't have any fields to go pick. We have to wait until the farmer's market opens. UGH!
We've got a whole orchard of cherries getting ripe next door. In your face!
ReplyDeleteStrawberries, yum. Screaming children, not so much.
ReplyDeleteThis entire post made me laugh laugh laugh. Good luck finding all the strawberry sticky mess to clean up. Man when I make jam, there is always a spot or two left and I am cleaning for a week.
ReplyDeleteNow I've got a Strawberry Shortcake song stuck in my head, called Strawberry Jammin'. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteBut, yum, strawberries! I almost bought some the other day, and now I think I have to.
Forty pounds! That is a haul. I hope your jam is delicious.
ReplyDeleteThat's a serious amount of jelly! I need to get myself in gear and get some made as well. I do the freezer variety because it's way easier.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you going to do with all that jam?
ReplyDeleteGood tough love.
oohhh....drooling...I LOVE home-made strawberry jam and it's years since I've had any. YUM! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to comment but I get distracted by all your links...
ReplyDeleteI lead such a highly processed lifestyle I almost forgot that Strawberries actually come out of the earth.
ReplyDeleteMust take the kids strawberry-or-blueberry picking soon.
I love strawberries, they look so good. Quarterback and I are allergic. But, they are one of Pirate boys favorite fruit.
ReplyDeleteYum..... My daughter tonight was just asking where all the jam had gone. I just looked at her and asked "have you made any lately?" She is only 8 so the chances are slim. I am going to have to get on the ball and get some done. I am needing it now though after that post. You are my hero. That is a ton of jam.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for all your help and support.
Oh do I miss the stawberry jam my mom used to make. I wonder if one of my sisters has her recipe...
ReplyDeleteSounds like many of our family outings . . . complete with a temper tantrums, exhausted parents, and usually at least one child punished for the rest of the afternoon.
ReplyDeleteBut we seem to always have fun anyway.
Tough love is great. Hope the jam turned out better than my yogurt and granola bars. I SO LOVE strawberries.
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