{less sugar} black raspberry jelly

I have been SO very happy with my {less sugar} strawberry jam recipe thatI figured finding a {less sugar} black raspberry jelly might be worth a try. I was right.

I have 2 versions of this recipe, and haven't decided which I like better, so I'm putting them both down here.

[less sugar] black raspberry jelly
VERSION 1

Ingredients:
12 c. Black raspberry (aka 6 pints)
1/2 c. Water
1 package less sugar Sure Jell pectin
3 c. Sugar, divided
1/2 t. Butter

Directions:

1. Wash and crush berries. Add berries to soup pot. Add 1/2 c. Water. Boil. Drain with cheesecloth. This should produce 4 1/2 c. Juice. (You can add 1/2 c. Water to get enough juice but no more.)
2. Mix 1/4 c. Sugar (from 3 cups measured sugar) with pectin. Add to juice in soup pot, along with butter. Once it comes to a rolling boil, add remains 2 3/4 cups sugar. Stir constantly and boil 1 minute. Then remove from heat.
3. Process for 5 minutes in water bath or steam canner.

[less sugar] black raspberry jelly

VERSION 2

Ingredients:

8 cups berries (aka 5 cups crushed)

2 cups water

2 T lemon juice

1 package less sugar Sure Jell pectin
3 c. Sugar, divided
1/2 t. Butter

Directions:

1. Wash and crush berries. Add berries to soup pot. Add 2 c. Water, 2 T lemon juice. Simmer and strain into cheese cloth. Let sit in cheesecloth 1 hour. This should produce about 4 1/2 c. Juice.
2. Mix 1/4 c. Sugar (from 3 cups measured sugar) with pectin. Add to juice in soup pot, along with butter. Once it comes to a rolling boil, add remains 2 3/4 cups sugar. Stir constantly and boil 1 minute. Then remove from heat.
3. Process for 5 minutes in water bath or steam canner.

Easter 2017

Our beautiful kiddos all dressed up for Easter Sunday! What a wonderful happy day!

Family day: Inner Harbor

April 13, 2017

Yay for a Family Day! It's been a LONG time since we've been to the Aquarium and we were excited to go back. This is the first trip Jackson will be able to remember and it's Levi's 1st time. Exciting!

They had some touch tanks and you guys were excited to get in and touch the stingrays. Sadly Levi's arm was not long enough to reach the stingrays on the bottom of the tank.

But, he was able to touch the jellyfish in this tank. Whew! Glad we could make that happen. You guys loved it and I love seeing Daddy enjoy it too. Maybe Mommy will be brave enough to do the same someday; until then, I'll just capture the moment.

The cherry blossoms were in full bloom! I didn't even know but what a beautiful bonus to our day! I LOVE them!!

Walking along the Harbor are these concrete loungers. Yup, they look comfy.

Now there's a beautiful girl. 

I love a jean jacket. My Grandpa wore one all the time on the farm but it was his work jacket. Nowadays its just a fashion statement I'm happy to have come back. I love that they love wearing them (they're so cute) and I feel like its a bit of family heritage too.

We topped the day off with lunch at the CHEESECAKE FACTORY. How is it I've never been here before?! I LOVE cheesecake. Actually, it's probably better that I haven't been here before, but I will be back. Lunch was pretty good but you better believe we took a couple slices home for dessert. They were AMAZING!!

I tried to snap a picture of these two guys and this is what I got. Silly "no picture please" boys.

It was great day all together. Can't wait to do it again guys.

April Gen Conference &Store

{April 3, 2017}

I love General Conference and I love our little store! The kids look forward to Conference, I'm sure because of the store and the fun it entails, but I'm hoping it'll create those good happy feelings of looking forward to Conference in general once they're older. Fingers crosses.

What is General Conference?

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide gather twice yearly for what they call “general conference.” This is in addition to their weekly worship services each Sunday.

General conferences are conducted each April and October and comprise six two-hour meetings held over three days. The April meetings are called annual conferences and those in October, semiannual.

During the conference, Church leaders speak on a variety of spiritual topics. They address Latter-day Saints as well as government, faith and community representatives and other conference guests. Speakers include the worldwide leader of the Church, President Thomas S. Monson, and his counselors in the First Presidency, the governing body of the Church. Talks are also given by the members of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles and other leaders.

General conference talks vary in length from about 5 to 20 minutes. Topics are not assigned; each speaker chooses his or her own subject matter. Talks usually cover basic gospel principles or address significant issues of the day, with speakers encouraging individuals and families in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ.

Photo 1: I got the materials and Alivia organized the stuff. Looks pretty great!

The kids take notes or color pages related to church topics and "cash in their pages" for prizes between sessions. They love it and I'm glad I can get them excited about doing things like this.

Photo 2: This is what General Conference looks like at our house- Conference is on the TV, the kids are working on their pages and notes and Mom and Dad are listening in. (Note: my super sore toes healing from the trauma of a much-needed matrixectomy.)

Photo 3: Alivia is getting old enough now that she likes to take notes on the speakers. I do this on my iPad too because that's how I learn- write, read, remember.

Photo 4: She even colored this coloring page with one of my favorite apps and added her note. I love President Nelson too.

Here are some of my favorite quotes or para-phrases from this year's April General Conference:

• Pres Henry B Eyring: 
• Those who do not see their weakness do not progress. It keeps you turning to the Savior.
• He is concerned not just with our comfort but with our progress.
• Your power to do good will depend on the unity and love that exist among you.
• The Spirit sees with the pure love of Christ
• Carol F. McConkie:
• Holiness is making the choices that keep the Holy Ghost as our guide.
• Do we recognize that every good gift comes in and through Christ?
• 
  
•  Pres Henry B Eyring:
• The best technology can never be a substitute for revelation from heaven.
• Elder Dale G Renlund
• We, who are sinners, must reach out to others with compassion and love.
• Elder Mark A Bragg
• Wherever there is human life,there is the light of Christ. Pres. Boyd K Packer
• Families increase in light as they increase in love and kindness.
• Seeking the light is in our spiritual DNA.
• Pres Russell M Nelson
• True disciples of Christ are willing to stand up, speak out and be different from people of the world.
• Elder Jeffrey R Holland
• The only way complex societal issues can be satisfactorily solved is by keeping God's commandments.
• Come as you are, but don't plan to stay as you are. God is determined to make of us more than we thought we could be.
• Elder Valeri V Cordon
• Daily family and personal scripture study = we will be blessed with more unity and being closer to the Lord.
• He is patient with our imperfections and mistakes.
• Sister Joy D Jones
• Children are great imitators so give them something great to imitate.  !!!!
• Elder Ronald A Rasband
• Strive to live worthy of the Spirit....We must be willing to receive the Spirit....We must recognize the Spirit when it comes....Act on the 1st prompting. 
• Don't expect fireworks because you responded to the still, small voice. 
• We must always act on our 1st prompting. 
• If we call on the Lord daily and tell him we're ready, he'll call on us. If we follow these promptings, he will call upon us time and time again.
• Put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good.
• Pres Dieter F Uchtdorf
• The antidote of fear is the PURE LOVE OF CHRIST. Christ's perfect love gives us the confidence to press through our fears.
• Christ's love will help us to be a little kinder, more caring, more forgiving and more dedicated to his service.
• Elder D Todd Christofferson
• Wickedness never was and never will be happiness.
• We are all accountable to God for the lives we live.
• Elder Joaquin Costa
• Nothing draws you closer to Jesus Christ than the desire to change.

These are some of the messages that we heard and that touched me. I'm so grateful for modern-day prophets to teach us how to be more like the Savior. Can't wait to listen and keep learning from these messages!