Thanksgiving 2009

Our Thanksgiving started out with a really cute turkey...

Actually, it started the night before, with the pie baking activities. I like to make things as complicated as possible, so we started by roasting a sugar pumpkin. And then we had a marathon of apple peeling, which the girls absolutely loved. We have one of those apple peeler/corer/slicer things, and they love turning the crank and grabbing the spiraled apples off the end when they're done. Fun times.

I tried a new recipe this year: maple pumpkin pie. It sounded divine, but in reality was awfully sweet.

And a new apple pie recipe, too, in which you cook a caramel sauce on the stove and then pour it over the lattice top so it soaks into the top crust and goes into the filling as well. This one was pretty nice.

Nora made placemats for everyone and proceeded to re-set the table at Grandma and Grandpa's house when we arrived.

Nora thought basting the turkey was really fun, and she helped Grandma with this task.

And then some wrestling ensued. Notice the pizza paddle. I am not sure what Kevin said or did, but his parents team tackled him. Ah, the holidays.

We ended the night with some salon time. Dana soaked my entire head with detangler and then brushed it. Nora brushed out Jan's hair and put on some lipstick.

Hope your holiday was as fun-filled as ours was!

Tower and Painting

Hi! Remember us?

Sure can't wait for life to simmer down a little.

Here are a couple of photos of slower days.

Dana built this fantastic block tower. She had to stand on a stool to built it this high. These girls are still obsessed with Duplos.

My dad is building a playroom downstairs for the kids. He wanted to do something really special, and Dana suggested he build a playhouse. Perfect!

So he did. And then he invited them over to help paint the floor. He put a 2-sided chalk board on one of the walls. It's awesome!

My dad was working out of town and living in a hotel from July until November. We are SO HAPPY to have him home again. We missed him!

Halloween 2009

Here are some Halloween photos.

Dana and I picked out pumpkins on Wednesday afternoon, and we carved them that evening.

Dana was really proud that she could pick her pumpkin up. It's pretty big!

Both girls helped scoop the innards out of their pumpkins, and then they worked on separating the seeds from the pulp while Kevin and I carved the intricate designs they had selected.

I carved Dana's pumpkin. If you look carefully on the left side of the mouth, you can see a bit of toothpick surgery.

Kevin carved Nora's pumpkin. She thought Dracula was pretty swell.


Two years ago, we carved our pumpkins and displayed them on a hay bale near our front door. One night when we got home, there were deer under our porch roof, munching on our pumpkins! The girls were furious, and they have NOT forgotten. They insisted on keeping our pumpkins inside this year so the deer couldn't get them.

And this is what we found this morning. The deer didn't get them, but the in-floor heat did. Gross! I made Kevin bring them out to the woods so I wouldn't gag. I washed the floor where they had oozed, which was bad enough.

Nora went as Dorothy, which was so cute. I found a pattern and sewed her a costume, but shoes were a problem. I ended up making her ruby slippers. The only sequins I could find were in a bag with 14 different colors, and it took about an hour to sort all the red ones out from the mixture. It took another 90 minutes for me to glue them to her shoes with rhinestone glue.

Now, before you get all crazy and start lecturing me on the fact that Target sells red glitter shoes and has for years, let me tell you that story.

About 2 weeks ago, we went to Target to buy the aforementioned shoes. Unfortunately, they didn't have any red ones in Nora's size. So we tried on the black glittery ones until we determined her size.

On Tuesday, I went to Target and found the right size in red: 12 1/2. When Nora got home, I proudly took them out to show her. She tried them on and proclaimed them much too big. So on Wednesday I exchanged them for a size 12. When Nora got home, I proudly took them out to show her. She tried them on and proclaimed them much too small. So we had a little chat and determined that the 12 1/2 was the best choice. So on Thursday I attempted to exchange them, and, of course, they were gone. None in 12 1/2. And that's when I headed to Michael's for sequins and glue.

Here she is in the Halloween parade at school. There were many other Dorothys, and I even recognized the few that had been sewn by moms using the same pattern I used. Ha! I am glad to not be the only nut.

And here are the girls last night before leaving to go trick or treating. Nora as Dorothy, Taylor as Super Girl and Dana as Lavagirl. I sewed the 3 trick or treat bags, too, because clearly I have much too much time on my hands. Or something.

Anyhow, I am glad Halloween is over so I can move on to Christmas sewing and knitting.