Blog Facelift

I just took another class at JessicaSprague.com (I heart JessicaSprague.com).  This one is a beginning blogger class.  Since I've been blogging for a while now, I really knew most of the stuff already.  There were one or two things I didn't know that I thought were very helpful, AND I got some great templates to use in designing my blog.  So, I hope you enjoy the new face lift.  I used a free scrapbook kit from http://www.shabbyprincess.com/ to design it.

Luv Sac and Prince Caspian

I have been trying to interest my kids in letting me read chapter books to them for years.  I've tried everything from Harry Potter to the Mouse and the Motorcycle with no success.  This fall something has changed.  We started reading Prince Caspian from the Chronicles of Narnia, and they can't get enough.  Every night, they like to cuddle up under a blanket on the Luv Sac downstairs and have me or Dad read to them.

Who wouldn't LOVE those little smiles?

Autumn Bounty

Fall is my favorite time of year.  I love the cooler weather, the fall colors, and that it's dark at bed time for the kids.  I'm also enjoying the beginning of the school year for Aiden. 

Another yummy part of the fall is the harvest.  On Labor Day, the kids and I met our friends Nathan and Brook in Brigham City for peach days.  We checked out all the road side stands and I picked up a half bushel of peaches. 

The next day, my father-in-law brought me some more peaches, tomatoes, and peppers.  I had a kitchen overflowing with fall's yummy goodness.  The bummer part for me was doing something with it.  Canning has never been something I enjoy.  This year I decided to make peach freezer jam, freeze the other peaches for smoothies, and make salsa with the tomatoes.

What goes with peach jam?  Homemade bread, of course.  A few weeks ago, a dear friend of mine, Becky Deppe, invited us over to her house and taught us how to make her mom's bread.  It was great to not only get the recipe, but for her to show us the "tricks." 


My kids now beg me to make "Becky Deppe" bread, like you'd say french bread or wheat bread. I can just my grandkids sometime in the distant future asking for beckydeppe bread.


I also got my salsa recipe from Becky.  Of course, Aiden also calls it "Becky Deppe" Salsa.  I finally got everything finished Saturday night at about 12:30am.  Sadly, I only got 3 quarts of Salsa.  Next year...

Hair Cuts!

Cutting their own hair seems to be something that every child does.  Unfortunately, the bug bit at my house, again.  The other day while I was making dinner, Aiden got the scissors out and clipped his and Mackenzie's hair and then Mackenzie finished the job.  Sadly they both have been grounded for the last 3 days.

Mackenzie LOVES to go to Cookie Cutters to get her hair cut.  So, I felt in a pickle because I know they are affordable, do a great job because they see it all the time, and they are convenient.  But we don't want to reward bad behavior.  In the end, I buzzed Aiden, and took Mackenzie to Cookie Cutters.  However, I didn't let her watch a movie (standard when they get a hair cut there), I didn't let her have a balloon, and I didn't take any pictures while we were there.  The worst thing about it is that she looks so stinking cute with her new little bob, but I can't tell her that.  I'm terribly afraid that the kids are going to do it again.

Before

Aiden After

Mackenzie After

Kindergarten

This week was Aiden's first week of school.  He loves it!  He really seems to be enjoying the experience.  His teacher is Mrs. McDonald, and she is Mary Poppins.  The creative things she has for the kids to do is amazing.  She started the week off with an introduction to monarch butterflies by having live catepillars for the kids to watch turn into butterflies.  The week ended with a cowboy dress up day, and they had lots of fun and learning in the mean time.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

I'm going to start sharing recipes for the foods we make that we really like.  Hope some of you enjoy them too!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

From the kitchen of Lynnae Hymas

2 acorn squash
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
⅔ c. water
½ c. couscous
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb sausage
½ c. slivered almonds
¼ c. craisins

Preheat oven to 400° F. Cut squash in half crosswise and scoop out the pulp and the seeds. Place halves in a baking pan, flesh side up. Pour hot water into the pan until it covers the bottom half of the squash. Add ½ tbsp butter, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and salt, and pepper to each half. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 1 hour.

Cook the sausage through in a frying pan and then remove from pan. In a sauce pan, bring lightly salted water to a boil. Add the couscous. Turn off heat, cover, and let stand.

Heat olive oil in frying pan and add almonds. Stir until almonds are toasted. Stir in sausage, couscous, and craisins. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove the squash from the oven and transfer to a plate. Divide the couscous among the squash.

Bees Baseball

Mackenzie has been asking all summer to go to a Bees game.  Rich actually got the whole weekend off, so we took advantage of it and went.  We always like to watch the games, and this was no exception, but I must say it was LONG!  At 10pm, we were only at the bottom of the sixth, and Connor and Mackenzie were done.  Every time we plan what we think will be a nice family outing, I forget to factor in the baby.  Rich and Aiden thought about staying and riding the train home, but in the end, we all came home together. Sadly, that also meant that we missed the fireworks.  Aiden ended up getting a foul ball on the way out of the stadium though.  It just plopped right over the stadium wall, and Aiden and Rich chased it down.

Teeth!

I decided it was finally time to take the kids to the dentist. I took them to a Kids Place. Random pic of a pediatric dentist who accepts our insurance. Aiden got a clean bill of health, but the dentist said Mackenzie had 8 cavities. What? And, he wanted to knock her out the next day and fill the cavities. The total bill? $1250.

Now, I had felt a little uneasy from the moment we walked into the office, and I decided to hold off until I could get a second opinion, and I'm SO glad I did. Our friend Clint, who is a very awesome dentist if anyone is looking for one (Dr. Clint Blackwood), agreed to take a look at her for me. He said she had four small cavities and is treating her with fluoride and no filings for now. That sounds like a much more conservative treatment plan for a 3 year old.

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