Thankful Pennant

I saw a version of this on Parents.com They had made their pennant with grains stalks and different kinds of fall foliage. I liked the idea, but wanted to do it with beans so that Howie could count and sort them, a little math homework of sorts. Fun to do and easy peasy.

You Have To Try This (we had it for dinner tonight!)

Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

1 Lb. Italian sausage ( I like hot)

2 large Russet baking potatos, sliced in half, and then in 1/4" slices.

1 large onion chopped

1/2 can oscar meyer bacon bits (or crumbled fresh cooked bacon: I used this)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups kale or swiss chard, chopped (I had collard greens on hand and they worked great)

2 cans chicken broth

1 quart water

1 cup heavy whipping cream

How to make it:

Brown sausage and crumble. Drain and set aside.

Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water, garlic in pot and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.

Add sausage and bacon

Salt and pepper to taste

Simmer for another 10 minutes

Turn to low heat

Add Kale and cream

Heat through and serve

Serve with a crusty bread and you have a meal fit for a king!

YUM!!!!

Operation Stocking Stuffer

They talked about this a week ago in Relief Society and for some reason it struck a cord with me and it made me want to do it. We went to the dollar store and loaded up on the goods. It honestly would have been cheaper to go to another store, but I had only intended on filling one stocking from our family. When we got there, Howie and Olivia insisted they fill their own stocking. So it turned into four stockings, one from each of us. And maybe our stocking are totally cheezy, but we hope it is the thought that counts. We did this as a FHE and I took the time to tell the kids how much we appreciate our troops. I think Howie really got it, and we had a really good time. An awesome service project that our little family could complete.

Thank you troops for your service. Our family appreciates it.

Its official, we're moving!

Yes, you read that right. We are moving to Eastern Oregon, more specifically, Nyssa Oregon. For me, it is a move back home. To family, to friends I grew up, to my home ward, and did I mention it is around my family again!!! We are leaving Tommy's family which is sad. It has been nice to be by them for a time. Tommy got his registered nurse license in Oregon (not Utah, VERY LONG STORY, if you really want to know, ask Tommy) and started looking for jobs. He landed a great job in home health care that he is excited to start this week. Yes, this week! I will be packing up the house and kiddos and moving later hopefully by the end of the month.

It is going to sad to leave my friends here. They have become my family away from my family and I love them. I just have to say I have some pretty good friends and thank you for being my friend. It is bitter sweet: losing great friends and family here, but moving close to my family again. Change. It seems to find my family frequently.

Halloween in all its Splendor

I absolutely LOVE LOVE Halloween and we had a fabulous time, celebrating it all month long. It started by getting the decorations up end of September and enjoying this holiday for a while. The previous post tells about our first Halloween Party with my old co-workers and friends. I guess they still like me, or put up with me, because they allowed me to come back to the Halloween party. The rest gets jumbled up because there were so many events, so i'll just tell about them.This was the Fall Festival at a local park. I need to write the city a letter of appreciation for a job well done. The had lots of carnival games that were age appropriate and halloween themed. My kids had a blast. They gave out hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls and my kids ended up with gift certificates for a free kids meal at Del Taco. They were elated. We spaced wearing our costumes, but met up with Carson and his mom. Hi Mario! Love the gloves.

Back somewhere towards the beginning of the month, I got together with some girlfriends and they taught me how to make homemade caramel apples. Boy, they were good. This was the first time I had ever made them. The homemade caramel was to die for and the if that wasn't good enough, we dipped them in white chocolate and decorated. The mint grasshopper cookies took the cake.

One of our holiday traditions (as long as we are in the area) is Thriller of course. We had a hard time finding a babysitter so we ended up taking Olivia with us and she had a ball. She waved her hands and bounced around on our laps during the whole thing. Maybe that is a sign we should put her in dance, but she really liked it. She liked it from our seats, from a distance, and nothing up close. That freaked her out. Howie enjoyed it again, but for some reason, didn't have the nerve like he did last year and wouldn't really take any photos with the characters afterwards, I only got a shot with him and a Zombie before the show started. Maybe he was just too tired and grouchy.

We just LOVE LOVE LOVE Thriller. If you are in the area or have the opportunity, Oddssey Dance Theater does a fabulous job. I guess there are about six locations across Utah that do it each Halloween.

This is our tradition and version of pumpkin carving. I think it is because I don't like carving, too messy. Not to mention the frugal side of me hates to let a pumpkin rot because I can use it in baking throughout the seaason. There is one draw back, I do miss roasting the pumpkin seeds. Howie made a face on the front and Livy on the back, dual purpose pumpkin.

Attended Howie's school Halloween parade around the track. It was fun and there were a lot of great costumes. Howie is the Thing from Fantastic Four, but they aren't allowed to wear masks. He was a trooper to clunk around in those feet.

Trunk or treat at the church. There was a poster board in the foyer that talked all about it. I swear it said our ward, turns out it wasn't. Oh well, we joined in for the fun anyways. I guess there will be confusion when multiple wards use one building. The kids had fun regardless. We brought candy to hand out from our trunk. We did contribute. I feel justified in helping them eat their soup in breadbowls (yummy!) because we contributed, not just party crashed the place.

Livy is a munchkin, Howie the Thing, Tommy a mad scientist, myself a ghost skeleton.

Attended the Halloween Mansion, a must every year by Green Valley and Howie enjoyed the train rides. They are so cool, they give out FULL sized candy bars.

A Goulish Family Photo

Livy picked up the trick or treating thing pretty fast, what kid doesn't? Some people even dressed up. It was great.

Me and my kiddos on Halloween, comes close to perfection in my opinion.

Livy giddy about her booty. Hope you enjoyed a SAFE and hApPy HaLlOwEeN!

Muuuhhhhhhhaaaaaa

(that's my spooky laugh)