Tis the Season

After getting back from a fun but exhausting trip in Utah for Thanksgiving, I confess I feel overwhelmed at blogging about all the fun that we had. It would help if I took more of my own personal pictures. Thank heavens that other people were on top of that but now I have to figure out how to retrieve those from everyone.

My dad did just send me an email with this picture attached:


This was from a Santa 5K run that we participated in the night after Thanksgiving. The idea was hilarious since you had to wear Santa suits to even run in the race. Too bad they were made out of felt which was a lifesaver in regard to insulation (who knew) on that frigidly cold night, but were lousy for staying together especially in the crotch area.
The kids made one lap with only a few sorrowful melt downs and bathroom stops. I ran the next lap with Fernando and almost passed out. Fernando and my mom were the only ones who made the full 5K! View Photos from Provo Santa Run

Bread Bowls

Here is the secret recipe:

I use a bread recipe and make it into round balls. Cook them and scoop out the insides. I am sure you all have a better homemade bread recipe than I have so don't be too concerned about the specifics of that. "If you want really crusty bread, great for dipping in olive oil or marinara sauce, (or making bread bowls) place a pan of water in the bottom of the oven. The steam will keep a skin from forming too fast, giving the bread more time to rise. It will also make the crust crisper." So says Cook Like Your Grandmother website.

Enjoy!

Another Random Halloween Moment

The school day closest to a given holiday gets a special lunch visit. I brought the beloved soup in her carefully kept bowl. But the best part was the caramel apple. Besides the huge apple that made it seem even more amazing, there was caramel with white chocolate and cinnamon and sugar. It got a lot of comments as you could imagine. I mean anything homemade next to junkie school lunch is going to look rockin'.

Carving Pumpkins!

Although San Antonio's weather makes one feel more like putting on a swimsuit than wearing a cardigan on a fall afternoon in October, I still had a huge desire to make soup. Trying to be creative and festive, I made pumpkin shaped bread bowls (if you use your imagination it could totally look like pumpkins) and potato soup (recipe below)

It's always nice to hear and see approval for the food I prepare, but the kids were so funny about their adoration of this soup. Tiago wanted to eat it so badly, that his mouth kept getting burned.



Mia kept talking about the soup bowl phenomenon and ate so carefully so as to preserve her pumpkin for more soup to come.



Talia, on the other hand, thought that spoons just got in the way of goodness and attacked dinner as follows:


Running the risk of moldy pumpkins on Halloween, we waited until Thursday night to carve our pumpkins. Mia had written a book all about how to carve a cute pumpkin. She also was in the know about the innards of the pumpkin and warned her siblings appropriately.




It has been nice approaching Halloween in a more favorable light.

Potato Corn Chowder

1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1-2 carrots peeled and chopped
1-2 celery sticks chopped
1 cup water
1 medium potato, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1 pkg McCormick Original Country Gravy Mix
2 cups milk
1 cup whole kernel corn

In a large saucepan, melt the butter with onion, carrots, and celery and cook 2 minutes. Add water and potato cubes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Mix gravy and milk. Add gravy mixture with the remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Sometimes, I have added dill to add an extra flavor to the mix.

Labors of the Day

Although the title of this post could describe the feelings I have most Sundays after a hectic nursery day. (especially when a rambunctious nursery child decides to stomp on another nursery child's head!) But actually this is a post about our Labor Day adventures with a family friend.

Early Labor Day morning we headed to Walmart in hopes of securing our posterity in much needed life jackets. Luckily, there were a few left, but the pickins' were slim. While I search Walmart, Fernando search a nearby store for wooden paddles. We finally make it up to Guadalupe River State Park. It's decided that we will play in the river,



rope swing,



and eat before we raft down the river for about a mile*.

There was a fun playground and the new friends made it more than magical. Then it was time to go on a trip we never anticipated. We loaded up into one van and drove several miles to a entrance point further up the river. The water was flowing, but by no means rapid. We should have taken a clue for how the rest of the trip would have played out by the more than rough launching of the rubber boat. The men stood on a bridge and attempted to drop it into the water below. Unfortunately, it wasn't let go at the same time so it tumbled haphazardly into the water that happened to be flowing quite steadily. I immediately jumped into the water in attempts to save the boat, multiple paddles, and the gear. Luckily I got it in time and the men were able to scramble down to help.

We only assumed we had a mile to paddle until we made it back to our picnic site. I swam for a good half hour without any life jacket. My arms were feeling a bit tired so I asked to row. I rowed down the quiet tranquil river with the other mom and most of the kids on board. We talked and sang and ate fruit. After another hour of rowing, we figured it was getting kind of late and that we all should focus on the last leg of the journey. We attempted a four man row which just took a lot more energy and got us nowhere. The kids were spent, our energy was drained. The boat would travel pretty quickly when the water was deep, but then a shallow, rocky portion of the river would maroon us and take all the adults to push it back into the deeper water, but we thought our site was just around the next bend.

We had started this journey at 1 pm. The boat and all of its weary, rock torn passengers made it back a little before 7 pm. When we saw the rope swing, we couldn't help but smile. Fernando, Joe, and I all tried the swing one more time. Unfortunately, my arms had nothing left in them. I willed them to hold on just long enough to not kill myself on the gnarled root system, but paid with rope burns up and down my arms and hands. Our somber little group rallied enough energy to load all the stuff into the van and left around 8 pm. It wasn't until we met up with the other van that we realized we had left the brand new life vests at the picnic site's playground. We drove the 20 minutes back and searched for several minutes for the vests. We found them thankfully and giggled at the misfortunes of the day.

Although it was tough, the day was more than memorable. We loved it so much that we are thinking of getting a boat of our own and doing it all over again. Next time, we'll have a more reasonable expectation and understanding of the distance we will need to travel and bring enough food to rally the troops as needed.

Tired of Voting?

Well, this is for a great cause. Talia! I entered her into a drawing on facebook. If she gets the most likes, she wins some prize. Here is your job. . .

Soliciting Votes:

There is no random drawing for this contest! It is based purely on votes from your family and friends, as well as our website/YouTube/Facebook visitors.
All voters will need to become a fan of Cute Girls Hairstyles facebook page before they can vote for any photos (see below)…


Vote Nov 2-8th!!!
Votes will be counted via the “Like” feature below your photo in our photo contest album B under PUMPKIN


SEE HERE

Happy Halloween

Who need professional make up artists when your body can pull of this wonderful look?



(scary no?. . .better pictures to come)

Side note: I really could use a good night sleep as you could imagine with eyes that looked like that this morning. Unfortunately, my deepest wish has come true with a vengeance. Every Halloween I think uncharitable thoughts about those "kids" who are capable of growing mustaches and have an hour glass figure and think they still can trick or treat. I always think and sometimes bravely suggest that they should be at a party instead of trick or treating with elementary kids.

I guess they took my suggestion seriously. Two doors down behind my house is a thuggin' sound system and multi colored disco lights bustin' out some serious party music. Really? The neighborhood average age is 8. Turn it down!!