My icing did not turn out great after refrigerating it...but you know me...that just means "it wasn't perfect". The marzipan pumpkins and acorns were a lot of fun. Cake was a Caramelized Apple Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Butter cream. You'd think I had time on my hands or something...
Drink enough of this and no one notices the defective butter cream frosting and your own neurosis diminish with enough glasses...
losing your first?
November 24th.
Subway restaurant on the Golden Strip - 6:30pm.
What did it?
Turkey on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, green peppers, pickles & black olives. A side of raisins and a cold fruit punch.
Me: grabbed a napkin, dunked it in cold water and told Cooper to bite down - doing my best to calm Coop down - wasn't sure if he was going to be excited or panic...I was cheering telling Coop how proud I was and overall just giddy in the moment - then took the tooth and washed it off and wrapped it up for safe keeping until tonight...
John: "I think I'm gonna be sick..."
Coop is very much loving learning right now. Every night after his tubby he curls up in our bed and practices letters, words, numbers, adding...anything you give him. It is so cool watching him get excited about learning, it's like he can't get enough. Apparently this is somewhat typical for a kid his age, but it's new to this family and we are loving it!
This is my kitchen today. Today there are oranges, pears, apples and bananas. In July there might be grapes, cherries and peaches. The fruit changes, as does the occasional bouquet but the look is the same. For almost 12 years the end of my island has housed the limes and the avocados, the plums and the pineapples. Most often there is a candle. If there are flowers (or berries like above) it's usually because I cut them from my dad's (or in this case - Eagles Mere's) gardens. And although I love the idea of a bigger kitchen with more space and more places to put things and a pretty view and light and a dishwasher and an exhaust fan and well you get the idea. I will miss my simple kitchen. I have crowded many a people in this kitchen. We have gathered around this island (that my amazing husband built for me 11 years ago) and talked and laughed and cried and cooked and ate. So in keeping with my gratitude list...I feel I must add my kitchen and my island. Thank you to all who have gathered here - I am thankful for your company, your food, your conversation, your advice and your love.
We made our yearly contribution to Woolrich today. Every Larson got a new pair of shoes. I decided to splurge on Merrill shoes for the boys to see if they might wear better than the sneakers I just bought them. I know you get what you pay for; I do, I really do...but these little boys go through shoes so fast I hate spending a lot of money on them. But I guess if you have to buy two (or even three!!) pairs to make it through the school year then quality might just be the ticket. Plus these shoes are dark...definite plus with preschool boys!
Enjoying just being home and doing homey things this weekend. Happy Birthday to Uncle Richard today.
Working on my page in the Comfort Keepers newsletter this weekend...theme is "being thankful" or "gratitude". Love this. Love the reminder. Love this time of year that is all about being thankful. I put together a "gratitude list"...
1.) Love having a pot of soup on the stove and fresh Tollhouse cookies cooling...
2.) Love Cooper's new "big boy" bed that we picked up yesterday.
3.) Love that Jane called and (long story) gave me a reason to pull out my wedding books...great memories.
4.) Love being able to walk through my pantry/back porch (those of you who know my house know what I'm talking about!)
5.) Love getting ready for the upcoming season - kicked it off with The Polar Express last night - I believe!
6.) Love that I picked up a kitchen magazine at Lowe's with tons of ideas - most I can't afford but I still love the dreaming!
7.) Love the ideas spinning around in my head about the holidays - from ways to save money, to gift ideas, to food and recipes to the music...
8.) Love my husband.
9.) Love documenting my gratitude.
10.) Love that I love (some people don't you know!).
We are trying here to show my mother's gargantuan mutant apples. Somehow putting a quarter next to it just didn't seem like it would do the trick so we used Duncan's head. You just know Kay is probably genetically engineering those things. Probably injecting them with growth hormones and artificial fertilizers...it'd be just like her...
Yesterday I helped my mom make applesauce with apples from her trees. 
What a beautiful way to start November. While canning, my mom and I discussed the economy, the cost of groceries and the loads of canning that she used to do when we were little... We talked about how much money we saved on groceries this summer by eating out of our gardens. There is something very satisfying and beautifully simple about eating/preserving what you grow in your own backyard.
Marilyn Thomsen : And while it takes courage to achieve greatness, it takes more courage to find fulfillment in being ordinary. For the joys that last have little relationship to achievement, to standing one step higher on the victory platform. What is the adventure in being ordinary? It is daring to love just for the pleasure of giving it away. It is venturing to give new life and to nurture it to maturity. It is working hard for the pure joy of being tired at the end of the day. It is caring and sharing and giving and loving…
And they're off...
It was a spooktacular evening for sure!
