While Super Heroes Sleep...

Well, Halloween is approaching, and this year the kids have opted for a League of Super Deacon's. So they will be attending the festivities decked out in super hero wear. I suppose this is a good compromise, as I was really hoping for Max and the Wild Things, and Cubby was pulling pretty hard for Police Officer. They will don their new "looks" tomorrow for a party and then again on the actual day... we'll see how it all unfolds. My Dad is here to enjoy the fun with us as well. YAY!! And has already been wrestling the kids, riding skateboards, and today... we let Miss H and Cubby ride all the way to park on their bikes. I told them if they got very good at listening and following, and properly walking their bikes across the street, I would let Papa ride with them all the way to the store to get a soda. I know.. it was an amazing picture.

Here is a recap of our Halloween fun thus far..

2008..Oompa Loompa's a la their favorite movie.. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

2007... Captain Hook, Peter Pan and Crocodile

2006... Dorothy and Scarecrow

2005 Two little Monkeys

Rock Stars?

The Mr. thinks we should title this post "Voices of Angels" I've chosen "Rock Stars" but I am not sold on it. Here is the debut of the Covenant Choir at church this morning.

You will notice that Miss H looks a little dazed and confused and is singing the words quietly as she reads from the prompter. Our other child is the one on the right with his hands over his face. What you may not be able to tell from this itty bitty little video is that he really was singing, quite well and loudly, he just didn't want us, ie his family to be able to see him, all this was explained of course after the fact on our way to our weekly Costco excursion. So with strict instructions that next time we should sit in the balcony we giggled and chalked it up to a first experience. The other revelation was Miss H saying, "When I went up there, some raindrops got in my eyes and I think they were going to turn into tears. I might have been a little bit scared."

All in all it was an amazing day, (I managed to avoid singing in front of people for almost my whole life) to see our kids up there to open the worship service and to hear their little voices praising God was inspiring. By far, this was all made sweeter by Cubby's prayer at Dinner. "God is great, God is Good, and we thank him for this food... and thank You for letting me sing in church..." When I asked him what he thought God thought about his singing he said, "I think he liked it." with a quiet assurance that comes from true faith. What a blessing.

A Busy Week

It seems I used to be able to post everyother day or so, and now time flies during the week!! We had a few adventures here.

First there was a narrow escape to the refuge of the porch by a skull and crossbones wearing pirate and a pearl tiaraed princess.

"I'm a marry this princess with my skull on cross bones on" I was informed as they escaped the mutiny of a cannon firing indian.

That idea seemed to agree with the cupcake princess.

The kids and I made a trip to Virginia to get apples, and get them we did. Mutsi apples were $6 a BUSHEL!! So I got two for our family, and one for a friend, and a half bushel each of Rome and Golden Delicious ($12) I know the whole back of the minivan was filled with apples for only $30!! We converted said apples into 30 quarts of homemade applesauce, 1 apple pie for a friend in mourning, 1 apple crisp for dessert and lunch/snack for the entire week, and this one too. Our first experience with canning/preserving was awesome, if not also exhausting. I'm excited to try making spaghetti sauce and diced tomatoes next year, If not some jams over the summer as we continue on our quest to connect with our food and join the "slow food" movement.

While the kids interest waned dramatically (it did take hours!!) they were each able to crank the food mill, and if The Mr. hadn't been a dynamo at the apple slicing station I would have gladly used child labor there too. It was a great feeling to think that one organized fall morning would mean a delicious treat throughout the rest of the year. What an amazing insight into his eternal provision for us.

I went to the Animal Fair...

No, techniquely, we went to the Dixie Classic Fair... and it was awesome. Well, it wasn't the Orange County fair, or the Nevada County fair, but as far as fairs go, around here it's awesome. We petted the farm animals, drank homemade rootbeer, saw some really cool chickens, watched the pig races, ate corn dogs, and earned some ribbons.

That's right.. Cubby and Miss H entered some items in the fair, and won a slew of ribbons. Cubby took Blue with his rocketship quilt, which he designed literally from the ground up, including drawing it all out on paper and selecting his fabrics. AMAZING!! He got red for "Soriano". Miss H, scored red for her kitty cat and heart themed, quiet time blanket, white for her stuffed owl, white for her butterfly pencil case, white for her ballet bag, and a white ribbon for an acrylic painting of a flower she did when we were learning about intensity of color. AMAZING!!

The kids even rode a few rides, well Mimi and I had to coax Little Daddy onto the train and he claimed to like it, but he would not be convinced it was something he needed to do again. Here Miss H and Cubby live out their motorcycle fantasies. The most touching part of this being that while they could have each driven their own motorcycle (as my sisters and I would have done) they were excited about, and chose to ride together. It's such a small thing, but them prefering to enjoy this special treat together was a warmth to my heart.

Although this was the scariest thing I've ever seen!! Look how excited she is to be driving that "convertible". I know it!! She was a little too comfortable for my taste. Both she and Cubby were big enough, but Little Daddy, (although I tried to sneak him in) was too short. Next year I hope!

So of course we had to ride the ponies, whose prices I was glad to see had not been subject to inflation. Although Lil Bit was too small, and Miss H's preferred horse Midnight was preparing to leave for Albuquerque it was still a good ride.

So corn dogs, rootbeer, ponies and goats Oh My! Seriously, my favorite part was the chickens, or maybe the pig races.

Belated Birthday

A few packages did come in the mail to complete Lil Bit's number 1 birthday. While my favorite had to be the adorable brown cords and polo shirt from Auntie Nea.. Lil Bit particularly loved this little baby doll from Aunt Dorothy seconded by this little Snoopy. Both of which she likes to give slobbery kisses to, she did not enjoy the mooing cow, which moved her to tears. The little cow situation was hilarious because she was a lovin' and a lovin' on it until it mooed and then she threw it to the ground emphatically and would avoid whatever section of the floor it was on. So Funny. So I did not have any batteries for the noise making dog that Auntie Nea sent (I know but without many battery operated toys, we don't really have batteries) and I'm now glad I didn't make a special trip since she didn't enjoy the sound effects.. I also remembered giving the same dog away (perhaps to Nea??) because it talked too much. So we'll see if she warms up to the moo.

Also, it was homecoming here at Wake and we went here's a little preview of the fun!

What a Difference a Year Makes...

Remember this?


That was a year ago!! I know it snuck right up on me too. It has been a challenging year, Lil Bit arrived, and my back broke. We spent months trying to silmoutaneously heal, and grow and luxiurate in this last new baby. And it has been an amazing adventure.

I keep going back and forth about whether or not to admit that I find all this growing bittersweet. She is definitely opininated, and curious, and I never really know what to expect from her next, but having her has made all the difference. I have relished watching the kids grow in their love and care for her, and while I am frequently frustrated by Cubby's insistence upon picking her up and kissing her all the time, I can also understand it, because she really is adorable, and exactly what our family needed.

To celebrate, Mimi and Papa were here, and after church we had lunch presents and cake... which she thoroughly enjoyed..

So she has some new outfits courtesy of her mimi's Mimi Mimi and Mimi Viv.. Mimi Viv I will say she was quite excited about the pink pants and tried to put them on over her head several times before I distracted her with another present.

From the Mr. and I she recieved a pound em ball tower, I held out and never bought this toy for any of the other kids.. and of course Lil Bit had to fight them all off to be able to get in there and play it today.

I thought it would be a good candidate for a favorite because she LOVES hitting us all the time. It took a few tries for her to get the hang of it but then she was moving!!

Finally she got some stacking cups, a larger set than the ones she recieved from Aunt Dorothy at Easter time from all the kids, these are her current favorite, and now she has a set for standing and stacking. I had wanted a wooden set of nesting blocks but I couldn't find any in the toy store, and of course it didn't occur to me that they would not be lined up on the shelves waiting for me.. when will I learn that I have rare demands in infant entertainment?

The Mr. Is cutting the grass.. and the younger ones are resting while the older ones are engaged in various quiet activities.. I am EXHAUSTED, and secretly hope the next year finds us more rested and rejuvenated..for now, I'm just going to try to enjoy it!!

The next birthday is practically around the corner... and that is..

Little Daddy

Go Deacs!

I know you probably thought this would be a reflective post about how Lil Bit is hitting the big O-N-E tomorrow. Well, that is a seriously sentimental moment, but it is not till tomorrow, (Although Mimi did take her shoe shopping today, which I wish I would have thought to document)

No, this is a little post about the kids favorite fall tradition.. GO DEACS Football!! And yes, Little Bit may have uttered a marble mouthed "Go Deacs!!" today complete with arm flail..

seriously, check out this DEACON wear...

I know several of you dear readers just gasped at how stinking cute these kids are! And just look at the girls in those tutus.. I know, I never would have thought about making a tutu as Cheer wear.. but it is cute cute cute! and the humongous bows I put atop their pony tails just adds to the overall effect. So, I'm seriously hoping that they won't need therapy when they are older... but it is cute right? The Mr. is not in love with the look, but strangers seem to be.. so I can't tell if it's adorable, or a train wreck.. perhaps you will be nice enough to chime in with your opinion..

Here Lil Bit takes a keen interest in Cubby's Face Black... or she is trying to poke his eyes out, one can never tell...

So cute!!

Well, we did win, obviously on account of the tutus...

Belated Blogiversary

So as I am a frequent blog stalker on other people's blogs I now know that it is customary in blog world to have a give away of some kind to mark the anniversary of the first post. Well, oops because I missed it, and double oops in advance because if I had been so bold as to propose a giveaway I'm not certain I ever would have managed to mail the given away items.. so instead I have a give away to each and every reader (all three of you thanks DAD!)

Here is a fabulous fall recipe that I just developed and is now my new fall favorite. I am thinking of calling it Jean jacket soup because that is quintessentially fall to me.. but am still open to ideas. Like so many of my best recipes it is made with the crock pot...

So here you go..

Jean Jacket Soup***

1/2 lb dry navy beans rehydrated (as in already soaked overnight, rinsed and drained)

1 medium/large butternut squash peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2 inches cubes

1 onion diced

3 pieces of celery diced

1 pat of butter

2 Quarts Chicken Stock (I use an organic free range variety)

4 cups Kale

1. In small saucepan on stove melt butter and toss in onion and celery, stir and let it get a little brown

2. combine all ingredients except Kale in crock pot, turn on pot to low for 10 hrs, or high 6 hours--soup is done when beans and squash are fork tender

3. rinse Kale de-stem and rough chop

4. Toss Kale into pot 5 minutes before serving

5. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste

5. garnish with parmesan cheese (or fresh grated Parrano) and serve with crusty bread

Delish!

Here is a dessert that is a family Secret, Mike and I used to eat these by the dozen, but we rarely get to make them anymore because Connor is not supposed to have peanut butter.

Mike and Summer's Eat-em ALL Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour (shake the flour bag before measuring and don't pack it in there)

1 cup each Chocolate chips and peanut butter chips

1. cream and then whip the butter and sugars together

2. add egg and vanilla

3. pour in half the flour then the baking soda then the rest of the flour

4. stir in the chips

5. drop by cookie sized spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet

6. Bake in preheated oven at 375 for approximately 8 minutes (or until desired doneness)

Our serving preference is warm under a scoop of vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce, but different strokes for different folks..

So Happy Belated Blogiversary to me, Apparently this is my 62 post, which makes it the most thorough journal I have ever kept!