Catching Up!

It's been forever, I know.  But every time I think "I should blog," I sit down to realize that I don't have anything to say.  So.

It's been a wild ride these past months, with the big news being that we are expecting our first child! I am 23 weeks along with our little one, and we are eagerly anticipating her arrival! (Yes, it's a girl!)

On that note, it took a little extra time to get the garden in this year, as I wanted to expand it and needed more help than in past years:

My husband, brother, and grandfather using the 

oldest rototiller in existence to till the new garden space!

With the garden getting in so late, I felt behind in all my preserving for this year.  Today, I sat down and took stock of what had been done so far, and to my surprise, it's not too shabby!  (Partially thanks to a marathon canning session yesterday with a friend: http://moonlithill.blogspot.com/

Here's what we got so far:

8 pints salsa

30 oz raspberry vinegar

500 mL garlic scape vinegar

3 jars (half-quart?) pickled asparagus

3 8oz jars cherry balsamic preserves

6 half-pints rhubarb chutney

8 half-pints strawberry jam

3 pints raspberry jam

1 pint red&black raspberry jam

2 half-pints blueberry-maple conserve

2 pints apricot jam

2 pints black&blue berry jam

4 half-pints apricot-plum (and a peach!) jam

7 half pints jalapeno jelly

In the freezer: (including some preparations for when baby arrives!)

2 tubs pesto

1 quart garlic scape puree (in cubes)

1 quart chili

1 stuffed zucchini

1 pint caramelized onions

1 dozen pancakes

1 pan stuffed shells

4 quarts blueberries

2 quart bags of multigrain bread slices

1/2 quart green beans (for baby food!)

1/2 quart peas (also for baby food!)

1 cooked sweet potato (again, baby food!)

So I guess being unproductive wasn't really what I was up to, although it certainly feels like it sometimes as I am learning each day to live with this new experience of pregnancy!

As I put up more foods, I will *try* to update counts here!

To answer any lingering/burning questions:  We are due December 2nd.  I am feeling very well, although I tire more easily than in the past.  The baby's room is NOT ready...hopefully more progress on that as the weather cools.  We are not naming her before she is born, we will have a list of names to choose from, but would like to meet her first!  I have not had any strange cravings, just a taste for fresh fruits and veggies, which could be also due to weekly farmers' market trips :)