Also on Wednesday, we planted bulbs along the front walk way--tulips and daffodils! Of course Heidi just ate dirt.There we are, digging 6" bulb holes.
AdAddie and Heidi head for the swings at Sacajawea Park
Addie trid to make a leaf angel

Quick Trip to Helena

On Friday Night we drove to Helena to have a sleepover with Matt& Amie at their new house. It's the cutest little starter place and they are already making it so cute! When we got there, they had just finished painting their stark-white kitchen a pretty shade of lichen green. And they painted thier dark 70's style wood cabinets a pretty almond off-white. It looks great! Here's the front of the house in the sunset.
There's Matt trying to make Jake laugh instead of cry. Jake was asleep when we got there, but early Saturday morning all the little munchkins got up and were so happy to see each other, they just ran around in circles giggling! Anytime I wonder why we make these silly trips, I am reminded that we are, at the very least, building the relationship between the little cousins and that is a very worth-it thing. I love that they are always so happy to get together. Of course we always have fun with Amie and Matt, too. Amie had a Pampered Chef party and the boys worked on designing and pricing a bathroom in the basement, so it was productive and instructional and fun!

More from Helena Handbasket

Heidi playing in Uncle Matt's backyard
Addie playing with Aunt Amie's soap dish in the back yard; she and Heidi kept fighting over the "Nemo"--then we found there was a lotion pump AND a soap dish, so they both could have a "Nemo." Luckily, Jacob didn't care about the fish--he was loving Heidi's baby doll!

Heidi & Jake are Growing Up!

Jacob & Heidi in August 2004 right after Jake moved to Montana.
Heidi and Jacob October 2005--they are getting big and play so cute together!

Thanks Nana!

Nana sent the girls Halloween cards with dollar bills inside, so while we were in Helena, we went to their big dollar store and let Addie choose something to buy with her dollar. She chose this stuffed fish.Addie loves her new fish! Thank you, Nana!

Harvest Party Menu

Salad (with tortilla chips)

1 can black beans, drained
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
Salt
2 cups corn kernels
about 1/4 red onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
Pepper
Cayenne

In a serving bowl toss tomatoes with salt and set aside for 10-15 minutes to bring out juices. Add beans, corn, and onion and mix well. Add cilantro, lime juice and oil. Stir to coat. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Serve immediately, or set aside for 30 minutes for flavors to intensify (I served it the next day and it was just as good).

Turkey-Cranberry finger sandwiches (aka Thanksgiving -on-Bun)
Wheat rolls
Pulled turkey
Stove Top turkey stuffing, prepared
Cream cheese
Cranberry sauce

Layer ingredients on wheat roll and serve cold

Fall Fruit Dip
1 can solid pack pumpkin
80z package of cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tsp pumkin spice (or a tsp each: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, dash of nutmeg, etc)

Beat cream cheese and pumpkin together until smooth; stir in sugar and spices, Chill and serve with sliced pears and apples.

Punch: Old Orchard Apple Passion Mango Juice (2 frozen cans); 2 cans water; 3 litres ginger ale; ice.

Chili w/ cornbread- I had other people bring these items, but they were delicious. Also, I had planned to make Peanut soup, but considering the guest list, I settled on an Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup (Chicken broth, celery, carrots, fat egg noodles, choped white chicken---99% fat free and YUMMY). However, Peanut Soup is so good, I want you to have the recipe. Same with the cider.

WEST AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP
1 cup chopped onion
1 TB vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cayenne or other ground chiles
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups chopped sweet potatoes
4 cups vegetable stock or water
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 TB sugarchopped scallions,chopped
roasted peanuts

Sauté onion in oil until it is transluscent. Stir in cayenne and ginger. Add carrots and sauté a couple minutes more. Mix in potatoes and stock, bring to a boil, simmer 15 minutes(until the vegetables are tender).
Puree the vegetables with tomato juice (and some of the cooking liquid if necessary) in a blender or food processor. Return the puree to the pot. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth.
Check sweetness and add sugar if necessary. Reheat gently, using a heat difuser if necessary to prevent scorching. Add more water, stock, or tomato juice to make a thinner soup if desired. Serve topped with plenty of chopped scallions and chopped roasted peanuts.

Spiced Cider

2 qt. apple cider
¼ c. brown sugar
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp. cardamom
½ tsp. nutmeg
4 whole cloves
zest of one orange (optional)

Combine the cider, light brown sugar, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and orange zest in a large pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 30 minutes. Strain the spices from the mixture and discard. Return the cider to pan and keep warm. The cider is ready –serves 8.

There! Now go have your own party, and don't forget to delegate.

Steady On

"Just press the execute button"

No, I am not suicidal or anything--this is just a funny from today's engrish.com

I am not dead. It has been a crazy week. The kind where you're like totally out of gas and writing a sentence is out of the question. I am guessing I will have about 5 or 6 more weeks like this in a row until I graduate to second trimester bliss. Right now I am anemic and sporting a severely inflamed sacroilliac ligament-thingy for which I have to wear an ice pack on my left butt cheek, but only when I am standing because sitting and laying down are not good for the joint. But then standing up and moving around aren't that great for the tired anemic girl, either. And oh yeah, and remember how I always put Heidi's hair in a little ponytail on top of her head? Um, it's gone. My psycho-barber child, Addie, gave her baby sister a good chop, and took some off of her own scary recovering hair-do, too (of course pix will follow ASAP). Whatever, little freaks. So yeah, life is good.

Really, I am not complaining because (repeat after me) AT LEAST I'M NOT THROWING UP! I've been able to do lots of really good stuff, actually, including throwing a fun baby shower for my sister-in-law tonight. It was a dinner, too (yes, I am nuts) and the menu was fab. So good, in fact, I shall post the recipes when I get a chance cuz...well, just YUM! We played 2 simple games and opened gifts, then ate warm pumkin-carmel cake and said g'nite, all to the sounds of Loreena McKennit and the yummy smells of Gold Canyon Apple Spice candles and the pumkin cake baking. It was a fall-lover's paradise. Now I must sleep. Pictures coming soon...gestation is hard work.

Googling is Fun

From Crouching Mommy, Hidden Laundry we have this google images scavenger hunt. Go to Google Images and put in the name of the town where you were born, the town you live in now, your name, the name of your grandmother, your favorite food, favorite smell, and favorite song. Then you post the images. So, here goes:

The west side of the town where I was born.
The east side (my side) of the town where I was born.

Where I live now (yes, it's even MORE beautiful than these pix can show and you should cry yourself to sleep because you don't live here).

When I typed in my name, pix of cheerleaders and gymnasts came up, but then I found cute chef, Jamie Oliver. He rocks.
This is my maternal Grandmother's first name (which she rarely uses). I quite like it and she hates it. (PS: the author's name on this cover is what we would like to name our baby if it's a girl).

Hmmm...these didn't post in the right order, but here is my favorite smell--cinnamon vanilla.
This is what came ups when I typed in the title of my current favorite song, "Crimes of Paris" by Elvis Costello.

Is that the hallelujah chorus I hear? My pregnant appetite could really use some authentic tacos right now, right off the dirty ol' downtown taco cart, y'all. Too bad I am in Livingston and all the streets rolled up and hour ago (not to mention we are running low on taco carts).