Thanksgiving

We traveled to Michigan for Thanksgiving. Jeannette cooked a great meal--the stuffing was my favorite. The cousins had a great time together. Claire and Lily have been disgruntled that they have to wait until New Year's to see Michaela and Sophia next.

Absence

A picture of me looking very tired and slightly anemic.


I took a break from blogging for a while. I'm sure that you noticed. I have been much too busy and blogging seemed like the easiest thing to axe from my packed daily schedule--which befuddles me--I really don't do anything. I still don't really have the time...but I am pretty tired. I don't feel like doing more laundry (mountains of laundry), or washing the floor (currently crusted with high-chair sacrifices to the floor below), or sanding the buffet (which has turned out to be solid mahogany, not oak like I thought).

Izzy Pictures

Hanging out in the pantry...one of her favorite places to cause trouble.

Eating Lily's bell necklace.

She has the whole thing in her mouth...notice the dark brown outfit. Isabel manages to get it VERY dirty, but it NEVER is stained!

Buster

James is six weeks now!

Weekend Update

Claire brought the "class pet" home this past weekend. Nemo spent most of the visit lost in the hat and mitten box. I'm glad we found him--for a while I thought that I might need to visit the Disney store to buy a new Nemo.

Lily brought home a lovely GI virus this past weekend. Thankfully, she only shared it with her little sister. They are both feeling much better.

Pop Rocks

We are down to to the bottom of the trick-or-treat bowl. The remainder includes treats like banana Laffy Taffy, Tootsie-Rolls, and Dubble Bubble gum (the Snickers, Reese's Cups, and Skittles are LONG GONE). Last night after dinner Christopher opted to have Pop Rocks. I hated them even as a kid. They "pop" in your mouth making a horrible fizzing noise--think Rice Krispies "snap krackle pop" x1000. Chris shared with Claire and Lily it was funny watching their faces when the candy started crackling in their mouths. Laughter ensued.

Daylight Savings

The adjustment to the time change at our house has gone extraordinarily well. The kids have been going to bed an hour early and "sleeping in" that "extra" hour in the morning (thankfully NOT waking at 5:00 AM like I remember in years past) . Chris and I have been in bed by 8:30 or 9:00 every night and waking up well rested at 6:00 in the morning! I fully expect the spring forward change to by excruciating.

Neighborhood Tall Tales

Claire and Lily came inside afternoon yesterday full of stories told by the neighborhood children also playing outside in the leaves. Apparently the "scary man" who lives in the green house on our street puts glue on his grass and when curious children get stuck on the sticky grass he captures them and puts them into packages--to be sent in the mail. I don't remember the scary neighbor story from my childhood to be quite so vibrant.

Twinkle

A parishioner stopped by this morning to help me with a project I am working on. As she was leaving she looked admiringly at the baby pictures of my family I have arranged by the door. She commented that the girls have an impish twinkle--just like the Pastor.

Later as we were getting in the van, Lily was studying herself in the mirror and asked "Mom, where is my twinkle?"

Ah Ha Moment

Claire had an "ah ha" moment yesterday on the way to school. Chris was telling her the story about King Cyrus rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. They talked about Jerusalem and how we would like to travel there someday. Suddenly, Claire was euphoric.

"You mean Jerusalem is a REAL place?!!" To which Chris explained, yes it is a real place where we can visit and see where Jesus lived, taught and died.

"Jesus lived in Jerusalem? You mean he really lived on earth?"

"Yes! Where did you think he lived?" Claire apparently thought that all of the Bible stories she knows took place in heaven. Seems logical. It was a life altering realization for her to understand that the Bible is not just heavenly stories--but earthly history. Chris said that Claire was so excited to tell her teacher and school friends that Jesus was a REAL person (not just God) and that we could someday travel to Jerusalem (though she was concerned about the bad Romans...wondering if they still lived there). So my PK went to her secular school yesterday excited to tell everyone about Jesus--sometimes I wish I could capture and instill myself with her 5-year-old-exuberance and kind spirit.

Tina the Mouse

Lily's Tina nest.

A while ago when my girls were "vacationing" at Grandma's house, my mom told them a story about a little mouse named Tina who liked to burrow in little girls' hair at night to make a warm bed of her own. Consequently, "bed head" at our house is called a "Tina Nest". Lily had a case this morning...

Besides bed head, Tina is also blamed for other naughty occurrences at our house--such as disappearing trick-or-trick candy or marker drawings on the wall. That mischievous mouse!

Oreo Cows

We pass a herd of Belted Galloway cattle everyday on the way to school. I have a thing for cows (must be my Wisconsin blood)...and these guys are so cute.

Italian Wedding Soup

Rachel, here is a soup recipe your husband should like...

The standard recipe for Italian Wedding Soup can be found here, but the following recipe is how my mom makes it. It is much tastier--and there are more veggies! Christopher and I think that it is a delicious cross between Minestrone and Italian Wedding Soup. I don't know if it can be properly called Italian Wedding Soup, but it's my blog and I can if I want to.

Italian Wedding Soup
(Cathy's version)

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/4 c. onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
1/4 c breadcrumbs
1 T fresh parsley, chopped

2-3 cans chicken broth
3-4 carrots, peeled, sliced
2-3 ribs celery, sliced
1 c dried pasta noodles
1 can kidney or cannellinni beans, rinsed
1 can petite chopped tomatoes
6 oz. fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
additional Parmesan cheese to garnish

Combine first ingredients and shape into meatballs. Combine broth, carrots, celery and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook meatballs in simmering broth until cooked through. Add pasta and rest of ingredients and simmer until pasta is finished cooking--add more broth or water to cover.