Busy as a Woman Can Be . . .

Have you ever read "The Giving Tree," by Shel Silverstein?

image from here

That's what's been keeping me so busy around here this past weekend.
At the beginning of the spring, our peach tree was a beauty.  But it needed to be thinned right around the middle of April and we were slightly busy around then (Heidi's wedding, in case you've forgotten), so the tree was neglected.
One morning I was looking out the kitchen window when I saw the branches drooping precariously.  One had even split.  But it was too late, I'm afraid.  We thinned what we could, but we were unwise stewards this season.  The tree has MASSIVE amounts of peaches on it.  We picked and picked.  We ate and ate.  We used them as a stop in our backyard obstacle course.  We used them as projectiles (well, the boys did).  But there were still hundreds, so I decided to get busy.  I made peach jam.  And although it's an involved process, it's a beautiful process.

Can you see the difference between the two pictures? When you add the sugar, the liquid immediately clears and takes on this shimmery beautiful quality.
Don't get me wrong.  This was a ton of work.  How much work?  Let's see.  I peeled and pitted and chopped for three hours total.  Then making and bottling took another four.  And then two hours to clean the stove and kitchen. How did I do this with a nursing baby, you ask?  Nope, no magic wand.  No super powers.  Not even a helpful husband (he was gone to youth conference with our big boys this weekend or he definitely would have helped).  This is how: I did all the work in shifts.  I peeled and pitted and chopped at night, then added the lemon juice and some Ever Fresh and refrigerated them overnight.  The next afternoon, while Evie took her good 3-hour nap, I stirred and cooked and bottled.  I did this on two different days--and besides an extremely sticky and messy kitchen (and a broken dishwasher--let's not go there), this is what I got:

Aren't they gorgeous? Is there anything more beautiful that freshly canned fruit (besides a clean house)?  That's

19 pints

56 jelly jars (8 oz.)

12 mini jars (4 oz.)

Exactly 800 ounces of beautiful tasty jam.  And I was so prepared and forward-thinking as I made it.  Methought: Self, what a great gift for friends and neighbors at Christmastime when life is so stressful and you have no time to make something tasty?
I had it all figured out--until I realized that I had miscalculated the sugar in 28 of the jars.  I had doubled the recipe (actually quadrupled it--you should have seen me stirring with two wooden spoons like one of the Fates in Macbeth) but not the sugar.  So, 28 of the jars will not set up correctly.  Doesn't that stink?  It was still just as much work to make "syrup"  as it was to make jam.
Luckily, I'm a glass-half-full kind of gal.  Because this stuff is PERFECT for pancakes, French toast, crepes, and especially vanilla ice cream!  I also mixed a teeny bit into Evie's cereal.  She like!
And although it is a great "invention," so to speak, there's no way our family can use 28 jars of it.  So now you're lucky, too!  I've decided to make it part of my giveaway.  I haven't had a giveaway since Paige and Kristen guessed Evie's birth date.  It's about time, don't you think?

Here are the fantastic prizes:

First, this book by DeAnne Flynn, The Time-Starved Family.  Brad gave it to me for Mother's Day a year ago, and frankly I was offended that he thought we were overloaded.  Didn't he think I was handling things very well around here?  It took me almost a year to swallow my pride and read it.  And I would venture to say that it has changed my mothering perspective this summer.  Maybe even permanently.  I really like DeAnne's no-nonsense approach to managing her family of nine, just like mine!

Second, this quote by Neal Maxwell is one of my favorites.  I've struggled with this concept a lot this last year, and I hope I'm beginning to trust a little bit more.

Third, two 8-oz. bottles of my beautiful, tasty, only-slightly-runny peach syrup.  And you thought Georgia was the peach state, Natalie!  How wrong you were, my friend!

So, what do you have to do to win?
Simply leave a comment on my blog, describing one project you are going to accomplish this summer--big or small.
And if you're a follower, you'll get a second entry, just for posting your pretty face in my sidebar.
If you want to link your blog to mine talking about my giveaway, you'll get a third entry. Leave me a comment to let me know of your link.

None of this facebook/twitter stuff. Sorry. I don't go there.

Winners will be announced next Monday, June 14. I'll have Miss Lily assist me with drawing names. Good luck. And I love all y'all!

I really hope my giving tree survives the season. As much work as it's been, I've loved it. The apricots are next!And if you know where I live, there are still some left if you want them. More than some--lots. But I think I'm about peached out.

Linking up to DIY Project Parade
Linking up to Motivate Me Monday
And as a special bonus, Tucker's quilt was featured over at New Nostalgia over the weekend. Thanks, Amy!