Strawberry Jam!!

To go along with today's "theme" of strawberries I thought I'd let you see the photos of us making them.

Sunday after church we got everyone into red shirts and we started to make some good jam! Q was kinda interested but that faded soon.



We started with Arnold getting a shot of us getting everything ready. As you can see Q and K were both here for that.




Then I got the camera and made my 'what we used' shots. I can't figure out which one I like better so you get 2.





We soon lost Q to the "computer couch" after he saw Daddy and Papa there (my mom, dad, aunt and cousin came down to visit and all but my cousin stayed here. There was a scrapbooking class the next day so they were off at that and Dad stayed here with us!). Q got his computer and off he went:




My aunt gave me some tips on how to squish the berries. We got out some plates and forks and went at it. Here's what they look like before squished:



After squished:



K squishing the berries



This was just the beginning of the tops. I wish we had gotten a shot of all of them but it was so much we had to empty the container 3 times during this hole thing!



We got our photographer back (papa) and he took some shots for us!





(see I was there)



We had a squishing war. We would see if you could get the other person wet with berry juice. Later you will see a close up shot and I have strawberry juice on my arm!















Q finally joined in and squished a few berries









We Did It!! The first batch called for 3 and 3/4 cups of crushed berries!



Time to add the lemon juice:









Next the sugar (almost 8 cups)





The berries and stir!



This is an important step!! Send the kids to bed!!

Now work slowly heating the jam:





Dirty table:



We had a bit of an overflow so we changed pots the next time but as always the 'hired help' wasn't in the house at the time so I managed to survive myself!!



Before skimming:



Finished product:

Round 1:









In total we got 19 jars. 4 were sent home to my parents house before Papa left. And then the rest are here. 1 didn't seal (darn) so we started that today. I've eaten WAYYY too much bread and jam today.

It was alot of fun. Next on our 'family list' is Apples in September!!