Enjoying some lunch, outside on a beautiful fall day. On the menu: Homemade Chicken Nuggets, celery, carrots and some sauce for dipping.






















100% kid tested and approved!!!















I am so excited about this recipe! Find it HERE.

TAG YOU'RE IT!
Just got tagged! Here are...

The Rules:

1. Go to your documents/pictures.
2. Go to your 6th file.
3. Go to your 6th picture.
4. Blog about it.
5. Tag 6 people to do the same.
6. So here we go...



Not surprised it was food... I've been taking pictures of my *delightful* meals for the last few weeks and blogging about it on my other blog. This was a lunch I had a few days ago, and it was as yummy as it looks! (It's crisp bread w/ avocado, spinach, cucumber, leftover rock fish from dinner, red peppers, alfalfa sprouts, drizzled w/ fresh lime)

I tag every 6th person on my blog list:

1. Barbara
2. Danae
3. Jamelle
4. Jessie
5. Katy
6. Melinda

Do it if ya want.

Bodie and I were making pumpkin muffins and he was playing with a baby food grinder...



Our convo went like this:

me: "Bodie, do you think we should have another baby?"
Bodie: "Uh, ya....You just need to have a baby in your tummy and then go to the doctor and let it come out, and then you can feed it with this" *holding up the food grinder*
me: (smiling) "Would you like another brother or a little sister?"
Bodie: "I think, a little sister."
me: "Oh really? What do you think her name should be?"
Bodie: "Madora"
me: "Oh...that sounds...interesting!" :)

"Hot cakes o' love" (I hope I always remember why)


I announced to Jess the other night - "You take care of dinner, I'll do dessert." (I had just acquired new dessert dishes.) He was game.
But he pretty much helped me out too - it was so much fun cooking together. I've noticed over the past year that the boys eat A TON better when I set the table and we all sit down to eat together (as opposed to sitting at the bar, or just feeding them when Jess is working) We talk, and laugh, and enjoy each others company. It really does bring us closer together. There is wisdom in the council to sit down and eat dinner as a family. And what Momma doesn't like to see (all) her boys eat?? (Compliments to the chef, no?)
First attempt at making 'hot chocolate' souffle' - Yummy. Definitely will be fun to experiment with different recipes.

Goals this week:
-Get the Halloween costumes started, and hopefully mostly finished. We'll see. I think the last time I used a pattern for something was in 7th grade home-ec class...for the ugliest pj shorts...that were red w/ dalmations on them.
-Two words. my bedroom. ugh.
-Get my hair cut (find someone to cut it!)

Looking forward to:
-Going to South Dakota with Jess. It's gonna be a BLAST! And hopefully not too cold. :)

Our fisherman friend, Shane, went fishing in San Diego and graciously shared some of his spoils with us.
Behold the Yellow Fin Tuna. Isn't it a pretty fish?

I've never been a huge fish person, but I could eat this
EVERY day. The filets are seasoned w/ course salt & pepper,
and seared in a hot pan coated w/ olive oil.
DELICIOUS. MOUTH WATERING. HEAVEN. YUM.

I told Jess it was time to go to San Diego for a fishing trip!

About 2 weeks ago Nana brought me up some geraniums and helped me pot them. We also got pansies and planted them in front of the porch...


Then she came up again today and brought me some lattice for my clematis (they are so grateful and happy) and iris from her garden to plant by the rose & current bush. Love it!

She also came up to give me an introductory class on the Cuisinart she got me for my b-day... We made pizza, salsa & salad in a little over an hour!!! I love this kitchen appliance!! The possibilities are endless, and I will never get over it's chopping & slicing capabilities!



AND we planted a little garden in the backyard....Cherry tomatoes, snow peas & squash... and a few flowers (which I've already forgotten the names). Hopefully I can keep everything alive and they will flourish!


The bottom right picture is of the poppies out front - They look like an ugly weed, but are so beautiful when they bloom! And they are getting close!

It was a wonderfully fun day and I'm so glad Marilyn is willing to help me with all of this gardening because it is something I am really enjoying and I wouldn't know how to go about it by myself!!!

My MIL emailed me this segment she saw on Martha last week. I have not been able to stop thinking about them! They look like so much fun to make and they're just so darn cute! Now I just need an excuse to make them...or not!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
cUpCaKe PoPs!
(photos courtesy of the bakerella's blog)

Are these not the cutest things to 'pop' into your mouth?Love how they are individually wrapped! -Cute little party favors!y u m m y

Go to Bakerella's blog to see her step by step instructions!

Been Baking!!!

How cute and festive, huh? I didn't make these, Tia did.

Chocolate covered popcorn - WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY good. My carton lasted all of two minutes. Did I just say that?

I made the pretzel sticks and cinnamon rolls. mmmm.Pretzels, covered in caramel, covered in white chocolate and rolled in crushed mint chocolate candy canes. I also made ones coved in regular chocolate w/ peppermint candy canes - they were really good. - Not shown though - my camera is dead and I'm too lazy to recharge the battery.They turned out pretty. - Although, I'm still thinking I should drizzle chocolate over them..

And these babies are G O O D ! Jess won't stop getting into them - and I had to lay down the law this morning... Naughty, naughty boy.

hmmm. Reminds me of a time, 10 years ago, when I baked myself crazy trying to raise money to go to China... Even though my parents bought the supplies and 1/2 the finished product, thanks for everyone who bought a plate. or two. or five. I was shameless. :P

This week:

Bodie has been playing with this race car...He's obsessed. Notice the glow sticks he so skillfully tied to the...spoiler(?) And how does he sit like that? ouch. I think he gets that from my Mom.

We made cookies for visiting teaching - THIS recipe. They were good!!!

The boys had fun helping. Baking helps 'pass the time'.

Tonight Brock informed me that he had to "go to a fire." The boys are hilarious. They will take their fire trucks and go around the house 'putting out fires' and 'help people'.He got some bag full of stuff, his pillow, and his trusty hose.

This was him telling me "Don't worry Mama" He was pretty determined to go, somewhere. (and so was Wyatt - luckily I put the camera down and picked him up before he could roll down the steps!) Somehow I convinced Brock to come back inside, and then...

Papa was in town, and stopped by for a quick visit! (Bodie was passed out on the couch!)

Last week, I went down to the Valley of the Sun for my sister's art show opening (which was amazing)...You can still go and check it out HERE. You won't be sorry. :) It would be a fun date night! (And you may be able to catch a glimpse of the beautiful Jeff Bertoncino prints I am purchasing.) I did a workout w/ Kim at THIS gym the next day. I really don't know how we squeezed everything we did in 1/2 hr!! It was a great workout. A while ago, I did a post about Kim and how she documents what she eats. She is having me do the same! I have to say it has really been a treat, and not as hard/inconvenient as I thought it would be! -To plate your food and sit down and enjoy it- It feels like I'm 'eating out' every meal. So here are my pics....YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!