Pumpkin

I made pumpkin puree from scratch on Thanksgiving! I'm so excited! Here's the pictures to prove it. (Michelle - This is one from the pumpkin stand. :) In case you're missing them.)


Here it goes into the food processor. I had no idea how much puree one pumpkin would make. It's a ton. This is only half.

The first finished product - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. I know they aren't the prettiest cookies, but they taste so good!

Thanksgiving Menu

I'm trying to make sure I'm ready for Thanksgiving. It's just going to be us so I don't need a bunch of food. I do want to make sure I have all the stuff everyone loves about Thanksgiving. Here's my plan:

Turkey Breast (I bought a small turkey breast instead of a big bird this year.)
Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Veggie Mix (I got broccoli, orange cauliflower and carrots in my CSA box this week)
Stuffing (Yikes! I forgot to get the stuff to make this!)
Cranberry Salad (My grandmother's recipe)
Pumpkin Bread

Dessert is Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies.

Tomorrow I'll make the cookies and cranberry salad. Thursday morning I can make the pumpkin bread. I think that will work. I'm really looking forward to a peaceful holiday with just our family.

Mmmm...Cranberries!

Yesterday I tried a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everday Food Magazine. My mom treated me to a subscription to this magazine last year and I've found quite a few recipes I like. I found this recipe for Cranberry Bread in the most recent edition. The only change I made to the recipe was using half all purpose flour and half whole wheat pastry flour. (I was almost out of all purpose flour.) I think it is such a pretty bread with the bright cranberries! It looks so festive! I really liked it but the kids didn't at all. The cranberries were just too tart for them. Oh well, more for me! ;)

Music Will Never Be the Same in Our House

Today we went on a super fun field trip to the Apple store. One of the moms in one of our homeschool groups organized a class for our kids. It was complete with Apple field trip t-shirts. The kids brought in a favorite song to mix in GarageBand. Since we have a Mac, navigating the program was really easy for B. But, somehow we hadn't played with it at home. A and C were not as impressed with the class as B and I were. A kept asking, "Where are the apples?" LOL


I think B has found his calling. ;) He was the only one brave enough to actually record his own voice singing with his song. The guys working there loved him. My cute little computer geek! :P


When we got home (after stopping at one of mommy's favorite restaurants, California Pizza Kitchen, for lunch), the boys ran to the computer to "upgrade" more songs. B was playing a song that really didn't sound like one of our kid-approved songs. When I went to look, it was Kid Rock. He said he was looking through the list and it was the only one he could find that said "kid." I explained that it was not kid music. He couldn't understand why a guy would pick a name with "kid" in it if it wasn't for kids. Good question! Like I said, I may never hear my favorite songs again. At least without extra drums, sound effects and who knows what else.

First Presentation!

I am so proud of B today. He gave his very first presentation to one of our favorite homeschool groups. We're part of our local homeschool Roots and Shoots group. Roots and Shoots is part of the Jane Goodall Institute and it's founded on the belief that young people can change the world. They focus on three areas - human community, environment and animals. Everything really is about service and how to make a difference. I really couldn't say enough good things about the organization and our specific group. We have the most amazing leadership. These moms keep challenging the kids and giving them such incredible opportunities to serve. They have started having a day for the kids to give presentations about something that means a lot to them or something they've researched having to do with the Roots and Shoots mission. This time B did a short presentation on Galloping Grace Youth Ranch.

He was a bit nervous to get up in front of everyone. There were about 25 or so parents and kids there today. He wasn't even feeling very good. He woke up congested (probably got my yucky cold.) But, he was determined to go today and share with everyone about the ranch. He talked about their mission and the horses. He passed around some photos I had made into 8x10's of the kids riding at the ranch. We're getting a chance to bring our Roots and Shoots group out to Galloping Grace next week to work, so he shared with them the kinds of projects we'll be doing next week. He did such a great job! Even A got up at the end to tell how to give the horses treats. So cute! (I don't have a picture of that because she needed some mommy help.)

This is what happens when...

mom has a terrible cold and wants to just hide under her down comforter on the couch.








52 goofy photos in photo booth. At least they weren't fighting. ;)