#WW Tomatoes {Linky}

Processing tomatoes is almost an everyday thing. I'm pretty sure we go through the longest way to process them. 

1. Pick Them
2. Sun Bathe Them in the Windows
3. Slice Them
4. Boil Them
5. Put Them in an Ice Water Bath
6. Peel Them
7. Deseed Them
8. Put Them in a Big ZipLoc Bag
9. Deep Freeze Them
10. Can Them When the Deep Freezer is Full

I'd skip the deseeding part, but I'm an ultra allergy sufferer. I've read that the seeds are what bother many with allergies. They get stomach aches, and don't even know why. Tomatoes were on the list of foods to avoid - from my allergy | asthma doctor. I only am supposed to avoid them during the season, when they grow. The same goes with squash. 

If you are ever frustrated with - LIFE, just go through the whole process. Read my captions, and you'll understand. 

The Attack of the Killer Tomato

The Sacrifice

Bobbing for Tomatoes

Peeling Some Skin

Naked Tomato Nest

Squeezing Some Guts

Are you growing anything in your garden this year?

Processing #tomatoes

Per usual Travis has a lot going on in the garden.

Things we grew:

• Kale
• Tomatoes
• Corn
• Popcorn
• Different Types of Dried Beans
• Basil
• Oregano
• A few Types Peppers
• Strawberries

...and more

He plants it, and for the most part I process it. 

We have a system with tomatoes:

1. We bake egg shells, grind them in a coffee grinder to sprinkle on the ground, where the tomatoes grow. They love the calcium! 
   
   
2. I have 3 windows where tomatoes go. 1 is for green and yellow ones, another is for orange ones, and the last is for almost ready ones. Once the almost ready ones are ready it's time to move on to the next step.
   
   
3. I slice the tomatoes in a cross formation. That makes them easier to peel. It feels a bit odd, like I'm sacrificing something. Ha! I find that ceramic knives work so well to do this. They are sharper. I don't want to cut into the tomato, just the peeling.
   
   
4. I boil a big pot of water, to put the tomatoes in for 2 minutes. 
   
   
5. Then it's time for the tomatoes to move to an ice bath. They sit in there, for a minute or two.
   
   
6. They peel so easily!
   
   
   
   
   
7. After they are all peeled, and the peeling has moved into the compost pile I cut them, and deseed them. Anyone with allergies should deseed tomatoes. The seeds are what many are allergic to. You wouldn't even know that you're allergic to them. You just get common allergies all the more, with ingesting the seeds. 
   
   
8. It's time to cut them, and put them in a silicone reusable bag, or ZipLoc bag. 
   
   
9. There is a ton of tomato juice. Travis used to dispose of it. One year I was like, "Let's keep it!" I have to say that I'm glad we started doing that! I use the cubes for soups, and any dish that requires chicken or beef broth. It adds flavor!
   

About TigexPro Silicon Ice Cube Trays:

You can get them on Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/TigexPro-Silicone-Whiskey-Beverages-Popsicles/dp/B082KFJHRV/ref=sr_1_88?dchild=1&keywords=whiskey%20ice%20cubes&qid=1586811325&sr=8-88&fbclid=IwAR1zsh0KBuPWWK3Kl-PDlIFGEoFlogWXzIKOGfDawZFHADNnHKyTATj8cMw

Cost: $11.99 

Included: A red and black silicone deep ice cube tray, with lids. 

What Else the TigexPro Silicon Ice Cube Trays Can Be Used for:

• Homemade Baby Food
  
• Frozen Fruits for Smoothies
• Frozen Veggies for Soups
• Ice
• Alcoholic Drinks
• These are deep enough, where dried snacks could go in each one, for little kids

Popping Out the Cubes:

They easily pop out if you run the bottom of the tray under warm, or hot water in the sink. They do have lids to prevent anything from getting freezer burned + to cover the cubes, so they don't fall in the sink + to pop out the cubes. 

I pop them out, once they are frozen, and store them in a big ZipLoc bag or reusable silicone bag. Then use them when I need them.  

What would you use silicone ice cube trays for?

Disclaimer: I got the silicone ice cube trays, for a discounted price in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Rainrop Men Garden Shoes

These Raindrop Garden Shoes are perfect with all the rain we’ve been getting. In Omaha it's been raining for a week now. It's rained more now than it did all spring. It turns summer tomorrow!

They come in 6 different sizes:

• 7
• 7.5
• 8
• 8.5
• 9
• 9.5

So they won't fit my Dad that has 15 AAA shoes, but they do fit Mica.

He likes that they breathe, are easy to slip on and off, and are waterproof.

Styles:

• Black with beige bottoms (the ones we got to review)
• Blue with white bottoms
• Black with yellow bottoms

What style would you pick? I like the sporty look of the black with yellow, but felt like blue and black with beige would be more practical.

Where to Get Them:

You can get them on Amazon Prime http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D53CH65 for between $9.99 to $19.99.

Breathable:

They have holes all over. I don't the fact that they are breathable. No foot smell. No chance of foot fungus. Ewww!

What kind of shoes do you like to wear in the summer?

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for a discount. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

How to Get Your Kids Interested in Food

How to get your kids interested in food

Are your kids’ fussy eaters, or do they already have set ideas about certain foods? Perhaps your kids are afraid of vegetables, or maybe they will refuse to try new foods, meaning that you have to prepare the same meals day-in, day-out. Well, it’s time to make a change that will benefit your entire family, and see your kids become seriously interested in the food that they eat. Fussy kids will turn into fussy adults, so it's essential that you change their relationship with food now. Get your kids back in the kitchen, and the garden, remain calm, and you will soon start to see a difference that will be for the good of you all.

Back to basics

Do your kids think that all food comes out of a tin? Perhaps they’ve never been involved in sowing and growing vegetables, for that authentic garden to table experience? If your kids have no interest in food, then try taking it back to basics and get them involved in the entire food sourcing process. If you have space in your allotment or garden, then encourage your kids to grow their own produce. It will improve fussy eaters’ understanding of how long it takes for certain foods to grow, plus it may even get rid of their fears of fruit and vegetables at meal times also.

Isaak Digging Up Potatoes When He Was Younger

Be open

Your kids may suddenly decide that they don’t want to eat any animal products, or that they would prefer to be vegetarians, and that’s ok too. It’s important to be open and welcome any diet or lifestyle changes that your children want to trial. Remember that your kids are sure to have questions about particular foods too, so it’s important that you are prepared to answer them. Online resources including hcgdietreview.com can provide you with the information and nutritional advice that you need. Remaining open and honest will ensure that your kids have a healthy relationship with diet and food.

Stay calm Your kids will pick up on your mood and stress levels at meal times. A stressed mom will mean cranky, short-tempered kids who aren’t happy sharing their table, or time, with you. So if you get upset and snap at your children if they won't even try your food, then bite your tongue. It’s time for you to grow up and change your attitude too if you want to see a difference in your family meal times. Remember, introducing any new food that your kids aren’t sure of, or haven’t tried, will take time. So remain patient and try not to fly off the handle if this doesn’t go down well during your first attempt. Make sure that meal times remain a positive and upbeat experience for the entire family to enjoy, rather than feeling like a chore or punishment.

Finally, keep calm, remain honest and open and take your kids back to basics to ensure that they are interested in food. Meal times shouldn’t feel like a chore!

Disclaimer: This is a guest post.

WW: Bullfrog and Butterfly {Linky}

We went to Lauritzen Gardens this past weekend. We had plans to go to Lauritzen Gardens and Durham Western Heritage Museum, but by the time we got done with Lauitzen Gardens I was feeling done in. Isaak was crabby, it was hot, and I still don't have my energy all the way back from my surgery on the 23rd. It will take some time.

I do love walking through the gardens!

There's Isaak with his sun hat on:

Mica kept saying, "Isaak stand up for Mom!" Isaak was like, "No I don't want to stand up." A fight nearly broke out between these two boys.

Bullfrog:

And Butterfly:

I was pretty obsessed with taking photos of sunflowers, while the rest of my family rested on benches.

A Spider! Do you see it?

Asian Garden Area:

Do you like walking through botanical gardens?

Expandable Garden Hose Set With Sprayer Review

For Father's Day I helped my Dad set up an Expandable Garden Hose Set. It came with a lot of things, which I'll get to. The top perk that it came with is a sprayer. 

The Full Set Included:

• 50 foot expandable garden hose
• 10 pattern metal garden hose nozzle with pro-style thumb control for easy use
• Nylon carry/storage bag
• Washer hanger
• Extra set of washers - I couldn't find in my set

Everything in the Set Fit in This Nylon Bag: 

I like how everything could be condensed down, but it was hard to get it all back in the bag by myself. My Dad had to help me. One had to hold the bag open, while the other stuffed it full.

The hose is light weight. I like that because my Dad has heart problems, and he tires easily. I don't want him over doing it.

Cost:

The cost for everything is $34.95, which I consider a great price. 

Sprayer:

The sprayer is my Dad's favorite feature. It has different settings, and can be turned off. The sprayer fits on any hose, which is super nice. The front of the sprayer changes the setting, and the icon that looks like an arrow controls how heavy the spray is.

Hanger:

This is really the only thing we don't think my Dad will use. He has a hose hanger that he likes better.

What We Think:

We've read a lot about these hoses. We've read that they don't last as long as other hoses. On Amazon they call the hose, "Long Lasting" and "Very Durable", so I guess we'll have to see. If they get stepped on they can damage easily. 

The hose can't be left out in the sun, which by the house, most of the time it's sunny. It's a pain to take it to put in the shade all the time.

We do love that the hose is light weight! It's neat that it expands, and is kink free. 

We heart the sprayer big time! It has so many spray options. 

Do you have an expandable hose, or have you tried one?

Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there.

Disclaimer: I received this Expandable Garden Hose Set for a discount in exchange for an honest review.

Gardening

We're so lucky that we have some great nurseries here in Omaha. We have Mulhalls that literally has almost everything. Their slogan is, Mulhalls has it all! My Dad is a huge garden person, and he always finds something they don't have. Earl May is great to. They grow a lot of their plants from seed. It's smaller than Mulhalls, but still great. We also have a place called Indian Creek.

What nurseries are popular in your area?

Travis planted a bunch of seeds before he left for his residency. He was back and forth. He said, "Don't worry about watering these. They should be fine. I just watered them." So I didn't worry about it. When he came home he was so annoyed that they weren't watered. Yep they dried up. If someone tells me not to do something I don't. He was ultra annoyed with me. I felt bad. I take things very literally with instructions. It would have been better to tell me to check the seeds in a few days.

This weekend we went to Mulhalls to get edible plants: Tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and more. He'll plant sees for collard greens and kale.

I hauled edging, and dug up weeds in a weed patch.

Travis decided to plant things a new way this year. He basically made the garden area pop up off the ground by layering things like a lasagna. 

That was all weeds that I yanked up. He defined the shape.

These are all Amazon boxes from me. They are put down and watered.

Then things go on in layers: Mulch, compost, hay, crushed fall leaves, sticks, repeat, and repeat. We compost year round.

He even put crushed rock in there.

You can see compost here:

Broken down grass:

I'm pretty sure he'll be hurting this week. I was sore yesterday, but after I hauled, and weeded I did indoor chores like laundry and meals.

Isaak loves gardening, but he's not good at weeding just yet. Mica could careless about being outdoors at all. They still tried to help.

Isaak dropped a edging stone on his foot. I thought he'd never stop crying. Mica was kind of like me saying, "Enough Isaak. You're fine." He milks pain to the max. I checked him out. He was fine.

The start of our garden is in. We still have to plant the kale, collard greens, potatoes, and beans. One thing at a time.

Travis is going to a neighbor's house to collect sticks for the next garden area. If you dig holes to plant sticks, or sections of tree you don't have to water as much. It absorbs the water like a sponge.

My husband is a researcher/gardener/artist. He figures it out. I just do what I'm told. Ha!

It would be nice to add a Chiminea to the backyard. They'd totally fit my husband's ancestry background. He has one whole side from Mexico, and the Chiminea started there as well. Do you own a Chiminea? You can read about Best Chiminea: Get the Right Rustic Fireplace for Your Relaxation Space here. They are great for roasting marshmallows, or just having a nice fire when you're hanging out in the backyard.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bluekdesign/3930236103/

I think the look of a Chiminea would be super cool! 

Did you plant anything this year?