Smiles

Right on target at 5 1/2 weeks, this little guy started smiling. Mike caught it on his phone. He now has 5 people in his face at all times trying to make him do it again. He is such a good, happy baby. We can't get enough!

The BEST stuffing

Before you decide what you are making for Thanksgiving, put this on your menu. It's the one thing I cannot live without. Everyone I've made it for, even the skeptics, love it. I promise, make your original and this one too...you can never have enough stuffing!!

Cornbread Stuffing

9 x 13 pan of baked cornbread (I've done homemade and Jiffy, both work just fine can make the day before and let it get dry)
1/2 lb. of pork sausage--mild with sage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, rinsed, drained, chopped
1/2 c. pine nuts
1 T. finely chopped fresh sage or 1 1/2 tsp. dried
1 1/2 C. turkey or chicken stock

(I have also added craisins, the full pound of sausage and more pine nuts and I love it that way)
Fry sausage in a large skillet until brown. Remove from pan to a large mixing bowl, leaving oil and drippings in pan. Saute the onion over medium heat in sausage pan, add celery after about 2 minutes. Cook until onions are translucent. Add to sausage mixture in bowl. Add baked corn bread, crumbling in pieces, sage, water chestnuts and pine nuts. Add stock. Mix all ingredients. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake on top rack for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove foil and bake for another 30 minutes until the top is crunchy and brown.

I always make this salad too!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Birthday Boy (James, age 5)

A Conversation with James on his 5th Birthday

My favorite food is: Chicken Bowtie Pasta

My favorite sport is: Tennis

The best show on TV is: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Phineas and Ferb

The coolest person in the world is: Mom

My best subject in school is: Art

I'm really awesome at: Drawing

If I could change my name, it would be: Mario

If I could go anywhere in the world, I would go: California

My favorite color is: Blue

When I grow up I want to be: Dentist

My parents are too strict about: Nothing

My favorite song is: Days of the week

My favorite book is: Berenstain Bears

3 words that describe me are: Cute, happy, helpful

When I was little, I used to: Read books with mom

My favorite scripture story is: Moroni

My favorite primary song is: Armies of Helaman

My favorite season is: Summer

The best snack ever is: Goldfish

The food that makes me want to barf is: Kale

My best friend is: Austun

If I had one wish it would be: That I could be Super Mario

The best thing that has happened to me this year is: going to Kindergarten

One thing I want to learn to do this year is: Subtraction

What my mom wants me to know: "Jamesy, you are my little buddy. I am so proud of how well you've adjusted to Kindergarten this year. You are smart, kind and quick. You love to read and learn and are great at keeping up with your brothers. You are a great sport...you win and lose with grace and you play fairly. You adore your older brothers and love Pierce...in every prayer you thank Heavenly Father for our baby. You are too old for your own good. You roll your eyes. You told your older brothers, matter of factly that there is no tooth fairy and  in Kindergarten you were already too cool to wear your costume to school (even though your older brothers totally would have) and it made me a little sad. You are easy going, not at all stubborn and adjust quickly and happily to any situation or change in plans. You are funny, really funny and because of you our home is full of light and laughter. Your smile, cheekbones and dimples are enough to melt us all. We are so happy you are part of our family!

James' buddies at his party: Caden, Joshua, Parker, James, Josef, and Jace

He loved being the star of the day...going to breakfast with dad at Northside grill for the HUGE panckaes, having no chores, waking up to balloons, party, friends and presents

James loves toys and couldn't wait to open his presents. He had some money to spend from grandma and LOVED going to Target and getting to choose whatever he wanted!

These boys are great playmates!

Since Halloween was the night before, James was all sugared out (which is amazing for him). He only ate 1/2 a piece of pizza and no cake or ice cream.)

Halloween and Award Winng Chili Recipe

My goal for Halloween this year was to be able to get through it without missing anything important, survive not thrive was my mantra...and we did it. I provided the games in 2 classroom parties and helped at both in addition to helping at our neighborhood party, attending the ward party where I won first prize in the chili cook off! (see recipe below), and organized our neighborhood parade/trick or treating and remembered to buy candy to hand out at the door.

We made it! Everyone (except me) had recycled costumes that required no effort and would not win a costume contest, we forgot about carving pumpkins (next year!), didn't deliver "boo" treats to our neighbors (next year), did not put up Halloween decorations, didn't even think about a Halloween meal or craft, forgot to get something to gather candy (thanks, mom), didn't record or rent a Halloween movie...hmmm, shall I keep listing my failings?

Amazingly, it was still a fantastic Halloween where everyone had lots of fun and lots of sugar. And, who doesn't love a one month old in just about any costume. He totally cracked us up in each of his little outfits.

Our little monster.

Arghhh!

Look at this crazy haul! They love separating and dividing their candy just like I used to!

Now for the White Bean Chicken Chili...an award winner in 2 chili cook offs, so cheap, easy and one of our family favorites!

3 T. oil
1 large onion, chopped
the meat from 1 rotisserie chicken or equivalent
3 C. chicken broth
3 small cans of chopped green chilis
3 cans of white beans, undrained
3-4 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 tsp. garlic salt
3-4 Tbsp. cumin
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (if you like spice, I don't usually use them)

Heat oil and cook onions until translucent. Stir in broth, chilies, chicken and spices and let simmer 15 minutes. Stir in beans, simmer 5 minutes. Taste it...because of differences in chicken, green chilis and broth sometimes it needs more spices. If not flavorful enough, add more garlic, garlic salt and cumin until it tastes just right. Let simmer for a few minutes. Top with cheese, avocados, sour cream and  crumbled chips. Makes about 12 cups. For a large crowd I 3x this recipe (still only use 2 chickens). Great to make in the morning then put in crockpot until time to serve, fantastic leftover.

We're in love

In love with this little guy. From the moment he arrived he's been sweet and laid back and willing to go with the flow of this crazy family. Each one of us can't get enough of his sweet spirit and soft skin. We're grateful everyday that he is ours.

I often wish our life could just stop for a bit, so I had all the moments I wanted to hold him, let him sleep on me and nuzzle his delicious smell. Sometimes I do that anyway at the expense of laundry, dinner and a clean bathroom. Oh well, it's worth it. It's all going too fast already...they say that happens with the last. I hate it already.

I'm so lucky my friend Janel wanted to practice newborn photography. I think she did a fabulous job with Pierce at 10 days and I will cherish these photos forever!

Hallelujah! Mimi is Here.

After 10 days on our own and doing fairly well, the whole family was ecstatic to see Mimi arrive. She swooped in just in the nick of time as Mike was gone almost the entire week with interviews all over the country. Without her we would have had lots of tearful nights, hectic mornings, and sleepy days. Instead, thanks to her we had mild mornings where I could sleep in as she made breakfast and took the kids to school, delightful days with fun company and lots of things getting done around the house like laundry, freezer meals, all the winter clothes washed and put away, and so much organization you would not recognize my closets and loving nights with happy kids, music moments. baby snuggles and bedtime stories.

It was so much fun to have her here and I'm so grateful she could come out to slave away for us and she did it with a great, big smile. It made all the difference in what could have been a very tough week...plus, she got to see soccer games, celebrate James' birthday, see fall leaves, go to a cider mill and spend some quality time with Mike. When he was gone, we got to have so many good chats and great times, plus a few naps and lots of Target trips with too much loot in tow :). I wish everyone were lucky enough to have a mother-in-law like this. Thank you, thank you, thank you Mimi! We love you so much. The only problem? I did not take enough pictures...

Michigan Fall

 Our favorite time of year for lots of reasons...weather, leaves, cider mills, homemade doughnuts, crisp evenings, college football. Fall in Ann Arbor is just the best.

 To celebrate Pierce's 2 week birthday we took him to 3 Cedars Farm. The weather was delightful and the  doughnuts were hot. The only thing that was sad was watching my boys and noticing how old they are getting!