Never seen that before....

Taylor was carving her pumpkin and found it sprouting on the inside!
How weird is that?!

Since no one else is posting....

...I will.

Afton in a cute outfit Grandma April sent her.

And Afton yelling at the world outside our door.

Squeaker is ONE!

Here she is just one year ago!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
6 lbs 10 oz 18 inches

And here she is now!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
24 lbs 33 inches

We decided to keep things simple, fill a room with balloons and cupcakes.
She seemed happy with it!

She wouldn't use her hands, wanted a fork!

Pumpkin Patch 2010

October isn't complete without a trip to the pumpkin patch! So much fun, a lot nicer than just picking one up at the grocery store.

No one wanted to look at the camera at the same time....

Afton loved all the big "balls".

Raedin showing off his muscles!

I perfect Afton sized pumpkin! :)

Oh, and I made those little boots she's wearing. :)

I'll miss it.

Boy and his dog.

Saying good bye to Big Ben.

After weeks of trying and having a specialist come out to work with us, we've decided Ben would be happier with another family. Well, he is happy with us, but a family without an infant would be better for him.

No he hasn't bitten or even growled at Afton, but only from careful planning and separation on my part. He thinks of her as a toy. He likes to chase her, nip at her if we are carrying her, etc.
He can't help it. He was trained everyday to chase little crawling creatures.
So with a new baby on the way, I just can't keep up the exhausting efforts of Ben-sitting all day.

He truly is an amazing dog and a fantastic pet. If it weren't for the baby issue, I'd keep him. He is so loving and so much fun. :( It makes me sad to return him, I know it is best for us and him.

We will have him until November 6th unless a family steps forward before then and wants to adopt, otherwise he will go back into a foster home. We love him and hope he finds a family that deserves him!

After the first of the year we will try again with another greyhound, one that has experience with infants, it'll be hard to beat Ben though, he is a sweetheart.

My Nate

Nate didn't just marry me and become a husband, he became an instant dad to two girls and Raedin was close to follow. He took on an entire family all at once.

He has sacrificed, over-worked, and given unconditional love.

He can be a super dad, flying alone with a baby!

He treats me right. (I love when he grows his hair out.)

He loves his little princesses and they love him!!

He loves doing activities with the kids and going on family outings.

He doesn't mind getting his hands dirty if it means some bonding.

He's been there for the hard things and the good.

He made us a family.

I love my husband and feel blessed everyday to have him in my life.
Happy 4th Anniversary Nathaniel!

Sunny side, no not eggs.

There's a dark & a troubled side of life
There's a bright, there's a sunny side, too
Tho' we meet with the darkness and strife
The sunny side we also may view

Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us ev'ry day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life

The storm and its fury broke today,
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear;
Clouds and storms will, in time, pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear.
Let us greet with the song of hope each day
Tho' the moment be cloudy or fair
Let us trust in our Saviour away
Who keepeth everyone in His care

Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us ev'ry day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life

2 months to go!!!!

That's right! 60 days (ok well, 59 days) until my due date!
Heck yes!
I'm so ready to be un-pregnant! (Spell check says that isn't a word.)
I organized all the baby clothes, thank you Katy and Zoe and Afton for the wonderful hand-me-downs! It will make life a lot easier!
We have crib, brand-spanking-new car seat, and hospital outfit ready to go!

I'm trying to get a lot, and I mean A LOT, of sewing done before the timer is up. With my new found talent for sewing, I'm making Christmas gifts this year for just about everyone. So far, most of my nieces are covered and I'm working on the rest this week. The boys are proving tricky to pick things out for.....luckily there are only 4 nephews vs. the 8 nieces! Plus, I'm making some outfits for Afton and Eowyn that match. After Christmas, I'll post pictures of most of my projects, I'm pretty darn proud of them! :)

Rouladen Recipe

I keep getting requests for my recipes, so I'm just going to start sharing the secrets of my kitchen. Starting with this German dish that is simply wonderful: Rouladen

2-4 thin slices of steak. Now we're talking long and skinny, like a ranch steak.
rice vinegar (just enough to soak meat in overnight)
1/2 cup diced onions
5 tablespoons diced dill pickles
3-4 slices of wheat bread cubed
3 cups chicken stock
1 package lipton onion soup mix
1 package of brown gravy mix
German stone ground mustard (NOT deli style brown mustard)
toothpicks or twine

Marinate your meat in vinegar overnight in a ziplock bag, turning occasionally.

Prepare stuffing:
Mix onions, pickles, and bread, slowly moisten with a little bit of chicken stock.
Mixture should be mushy enough to mold, but not overly soggy.

Spread mustard all over one side of each steak, layer with stuffing, roll and secure meat with toothpicks or twine.

Lightly brown rolls on all sides in skillet using EVOO.
Add remaining chicken stock and Lipton's soup mix, cover and simmer for 35 minutes.
Remove rolls to cutting board.
Stir gravy mix into liquid in pan until thick, this is your gravy.

I like to slice the rolls up into pinwheels and serve over roasted red potatoes or Spaetzle, pour gravy over the top.

Traditionally, Rouladen is a poor persons dish as it uses the cheapest cuts of beef, also it has bacon in the stuffing, I just leave it out. It has become a very popular dish at German festivals and is a change from the better known wursts (German sausages) that are usually served. It is very filling, full of flavor, and inexpensive to make. Most ingredients are things I have on hand, I am half German ya know and pregnant: pickles stay stocked at all times.

Enjoy!

Whelmed?

"I know you can be overwhelmed or underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?"
-10 things i hate about you

I feel so overwhelmed lately! I find myself more easily annoyed, quicker to temper, and sooner to yelling. And I hate myself for it.

Nothing seems to go right lately! Nate is having issues with BYU deciding he didn't really graduate. Medicaid denied me because I failed to turn something in (it was faxed in by ASU, not my fault) and so I get to fight with them. I haven't seen a doctor here yet and feel super guilty, but can't afford to. I have hardly prepared for this baby, once again, guilt. No one helps clean up, no one else cooks, no one was ready on time for church at 1 pm on Sunday, everyone stays up past bedtime, everyone gets up way too early, no one naps, the kids are off from school this week and fight all day long, the dog can't be trusted around Afton and so I have to keep them separated at all time which is just so fun, and on and on and on and on it goes.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

No, that didn't really help.

The bishopric came by tonight, promised not to give us callings until after baby. yay.

Seriously. OVERWHELMED.

Trying to focus on the good....that's hard to do when there doesn't seem to be much good lately.

Two posts? In one day?

Yes. Because my puppy is just too pretty and I had to share. :) Love my Ben!

Getting close....

Here I am (looking just lovely) at 31 weeks.
We had been outside for 3 hours walking around.
I grew a butt!

Sewing Fear, overcome.

Sewing project #1, quilt for Eowyn.

Sewing project #2, Halloween dress for Afton.

Pumpkin Crisis is OVER!

Now that pumpkin can once again be found in pretty little cans, sitting on the grocer shelf,I will share my recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. :)

Preheat oven to 350

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup veggie oil
1 tbsp Vanilla

Cream above ingredients until well mixed.

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
4 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning (or 2 tsp cinnamon & 2 tsp nutmeg)

Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture, dough will look like cake batter.
Then mix in 1 cup mini-semi sweet chocolate chips.

On greased cookie sheet, drop by 1 tablespoon, bake for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

yield 4-5 dozen mini cookies. BITE SIZE!

They should be a more cake like cookie and store nicely in a ziplock bag.