HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK!

We celebrated last night with a pumpkin mousse pie (at Mark's request) - this is the recipe I posted then I put it in a gingersnap crust - Yum! With some presents - a new headlamp and a greenhouse kit for getting an early start on gardening (Mark's new hobby & passion). Happy Birthday! It was fun to have Grandpa over to celebrate with us and to read a bedtime story

Pumpkin Carving Party

We had our annual Pumpkin Carving Party on Saturday with some neighborhood friends - we were lucky to have great weather - it turned out to be lots of fun!Everyone carved a pumpkin of course...We had a Mummy pinata... What's a pinata without the mad scramble for candy?
BOO! A competitive game of "Pass the Pumpkin"...

The kids were supposed to make the same face as their pumpkin!Or if that's too hard just eat candy!

We also had pumpkin bowling, ghost bingo, and I even braved making homemade donuts which turned out to be a lot of fun. Everyone brought yummy stuff...we had a nice array of spooky eats. This is a really fun tradition we look forward to every year!

NO MORE STATS!

CONGRATULATIONS to Mark who passed his Statistics final today and as a result is done with the course! Independent study is not for the faint of heart - especially when it's such a tricky subject! Time to celebrate - way to go honey!

Dance Class

Holly finished up her little community ed dance class today with a cute performance for the moms. I don't know which is more fun...the dancing or the dressing up?

As you can see she was a good head taller than the other girls in her class. Where did the tall genes come from? I guess from my mom and Mark's mom. She learned a dance to the song "I don't care if I never go to bed" which I danced to when I was that age!

It is hard to get Ella to wear regular clothes these days - she lives in her little leotard and skirt (and usually ballet shoes too). She is excited for when she turns three and can do her own dance class. Until then, the living room "ballroom" will have to do!

Gardner Village

Like many of you we made our annual trip to Gardner Village Saturday evening to see the witches and have fun looking around. This time it was just the girls on a special date with mom and dad...we knew Josh would have more fun playing with his cousin (which, of course, meant that we would have more fun too!). We managed to get one picture outside before it started pouring rain on us!

We happened to be there on "Witches Night Out" so we saw tons of ladies dressed up (I mean really decked out) as all kinds of witches. It was really fun and made it all the more festive.
Luckily we found shelter from the storm in a nice, cozy bakery. They had just the thing to warm us up - yummy grilled cheese and hot cocoa!

Despite the rain it was a fun little outing and we even found a great deal on a new dining table & chairs - one we can actually all fit around. Hooray!

Let it Snow!

What a beautiful sight to wake up to this morning! The kids couldn't wait to get out in it and play...I managed to scramble up some winter things but I guess it's time to get out and buy new boots, gloves, etc to get ready for the real thing. I remember being so excited as a kid for the first snow (well, nothing much has changed actually) especially when it would come before Halloween!

First little snowman of the year

Our yard went into shock with all the snow - our poor plum tree really looks pretty but I'm sure doesn't feel too good being bent over so far!

My rose bush - brrrrrrr!

Time for a nice hot cup of cocoa!

No more diapers!

It was a happy day today when I realized I went to WalMart without buying any diapers!! Ella has actually been 100% potty trained now for about a month, HOW SWEET IT IS! If anyone is interested in my method (which I learned from a friend out in KS) I call it potty training boot camp - it only takes about three days and then your child is out of diapers. I can give you all the details. Don't be fooled...it's a rough three days...but oh so worth it! SOOOO, for the first time in 6 1/2 years I'm not changing diapers. I'm sure I'll make up for it soon enough!

Pumpkin Mousse

I just made this for dessert tonight (not the Jack-o-lanterns) and after licking the spoon I think it's going to be Yumm-O! Recipe from Utah Dairy Council.

Pumpkin Mousse
Ingredients:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons cold water
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 package (8 oz) reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 can (16 oz) solid pack pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whipping cream, well chilled
fine chopped pecans, optional garnish
small gingersnap cookies, optional garnish
Method:
Place water in small custard cup, sprinkle gelatin over water and stir. Allow gelatin to soften.
Beat sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar and softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add pumpkin, spices and salt; mix well.
Whip cream until soft peaks form.
Microwave gelatin on high for10-15 seconds, in 5 second increments, stirring every 5 seconds until gelatin is completely dissolved. Rapidly whisk gelatin into pumpkin mixture. Fold whipped cream into pumpkin mixture. Spoon mousse into serving dishes; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, sprinkle with optional chopped pecans and add an optional small ginger snap cookie for garnish.
Notes: Airy fall mousse - might be the perfect touch for Halloween party or Thanksgiving dinner dessert. Serves 12
* Pumpkin pie spice may be replaced with approximately 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice.

Pregnancy at 6 1/2 months

Well, technically I have three months (& three days) to go till my due date...but counting from the beginning I'm 6 1/2 months along...it's all very subjective. I think either way I can claim third trimester which is very exciting! A lady at Costco today said I don't look very big, which is about the best thing you can hear when you have a little soccer ball for a tummy! Ammon should be around 2 lbs & 14 inches now. Let's just hope that the trend of my babies' getting bigger by 1.5 lbs each pregnancy doesn't continue!

We love the fall!

We started off the month by making popcorn balls to deliver "You've Been BOO'd!" treats to some of our neighbors. The kids had a blast learning the art of doorbell ditching (in the rain, too!)

Between conference sessions we drove up Squaw Peak to see the leaves and got to see a little snow too - it was beautiful! btw I don't usually pose when I'm pregnant so this is a rare shot!

Our sweet little Ella just kicking back

Josh in front of the "Great Pumpkin" we grew in our garden this year!

Holly with the "Great Pumpkin"