Bonding and Apple Sauce

I haven’t done much canning the past two autumn seasons.  I was very busy with two little baby girls, and since I had plenty in storage I figured I could give myself a little break.

Until….

I had a good friend offer me a big box of apples for a very low price, and I just had to have them.  They were kind of small, with some worms and getting soft, so not very good for just eating.  They were screaming to be made into apple sauce and canned.

I decided to grant their request.

Here is where the bonding part comes in.  In the past I figured my kids were too young to help me can, and I would usually shoo them out of the kitchen so I could get into the “mode” and can like a crazy person.  This time I did things different.  I got my two oldest involved, they are 13 and 12, old enough to learn how to can and old enough to help.  After the initial complaining, we settled into a very nice afternoon cutting and cooking apples.  We didn’t get a lot done, just 6 quarts for this round, but I will always remember the first time  my girls and I chatted away the afternoon canning.