Packing Up!

 This is my least favorite part of life in two states--packing up the house and heading south for the winter.

But I must admit, it gets easier every year.  I think it's because we've done it often enough that I'm more in tune with what I use here in Michigan and what I use in Texas and what clothes I wear in each place.  And it's not like I'm packing up and moving my entire house.  Mostly pantry stuff, food and clothes.

Also, the life we lead in each state is very different.   In Michigan, our lifestyle is much more casual and family oriented.  It's summertime, we live on a lake and we eat & live very seasonally (which I love!)   In Texas, where all our friends live, we do much more entertaining at home and we go out to dinner more often.  Neither is better than the other; just different.

But the one thing I do pack up and truck to Texas in its entirety are all the jams, preserves and other goodies I've made over course of this year.  Here's a peak at what I'm taking back to Texas with us ;)

NOTE:  I wasn't done canning or preserving when I took this picture of my cupboard

This is all I've done this season.  

There are over 80 jars of jams, preserves and conserves (and this does not include the nearly two dozen jars I've already given away); 30+ quarts of Pure Michigan tomatoes; 25 pints of various tomato sauces; 1/2 dozen pint jars of Pickled Beets with Star Anise; 8 quarts + 8 pints of Green Tea Chai Spiced Peaches, 8 pints of Pickled Corn with Pinto Beans and Peppers and some other stuff that I can't recall.  Not bad for a season's work, eh?

And every year it's the same struggle for me - I love Michigan and our life here with our family and I am not happy about leaving; but I really do miss my friends in Texas and look forward to spending time with them.  And that's a good problem to have.

So I am thankful for the life I have and am ever so grateful to have friends, family and a wonderful life in two states.