Holy Cow! Has it been that long since I posted?!

Hi all! Just a quick note to say I'm still alive here and so are the rest of us! Things have been crazy around here for the last several weeks - I'll give proper update later. Emory's getting everything out of our desk right now... Tax paperwork included... !!

Happy Birthday Emory!

Has it already been a year since she came to our family?! It's so hard to believe that! (Emory's actual birthday is tomorrow on the 8th, but tomorrow's full, and she's taking a good nap right now...) Well, the first year has been great - I remember that after we'd had her home a week, Randall and I were talking. We both said that in spite of how short a time we'd had her, it was hard to remember a time when she wasn't with us. She just fit right in, and there was no real "adjustment" for us at all. One year later, it's still the same. She just fits right in - although there has been a little more adjusting since then - mostly for me. Girls are so very different from boys! She reminds me of that nursery rhyme about the little girl with the curl on her forehead. "When she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad, she was awful." That's our little Emory. Nothing done half way for her - she's all in with whatever she's doing! But what a blessing she is for us, and how very happy we are that she's ours!

Whoops

OK, so something clearly happened while I was posting that last entry. Sorry!

So, Turkey Spaghetti:

1 Onion, chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1-2 Carrots, finely chopped - or grated
1-2 Celery stalks, finely chopped

Sautee all these together in a little olive oil, then add a can or jar (I use Hunts No Sugar Added Spaghetti sauce) of whatever sauce you like - about 24 oz or so - and add the leftover chopped turkey, about 2 Cups worth (I sometimes add a little chicken stock if it looks too thick). Voila! Turkey Bolognese! Even my dad looks forward to this one - and he hates turkey!

Got leftover turkey?

I have a great way to use up your leftover turkey. Turkey Spaghetti

Happy Halloween!

As you can see, Dallin wanted to be a Transformer this year.  Bumblebee won out over Ironman, although it was close race.  Emory just had to be Tinkerbell - at least I thought she had to.  I think it was a good choice, don't you?

 

Halloween festivities this year consisted mainly of the Trunk or Treat at church and then Trick or Treating with friends on Friday.  A friend of ours has an annual Halloween party for "grown-ups only."  That was the week before.  Randall wasn't able to go this year, so I went with a Cheerios box.  It had slashes and the scissors still stuck in it.  I was a Cereal Killer - ha ha!  All in all a fun year.  More candy than any person can eat, but that's part of the fun, right?

Here's a few pics from our San Diego Vacation!

We saw all the "usual stops" for us (Randall's old house, school, etc.) and did a few new things this time as well. Point Loma lighthouse, Tidepools (at low tide even!), and of course, Sea World. Apparently when you're actually from San Diego, Sea World is not that cool. I finally talked Randall into going "for the kids." We also spent a day going to some of the museums in Balboa Park. We really had a great time!

Halloween pics to be posted soon. Stay tuned!

We're Going Back to Cali, to Cali, to Cali...

HOORAY for FALL BREAK!

When the schools first started having Fall Break, I thought it was the silliest idea I'd heard since High school starting at 9:00 AM so that the teens can get more sleep (I'm still rankled about that one). But now that I have one in school, I love it! Traveling is so much easier for us in the fall. Things are cooler, less crowded, not to mention cheaper!

So we're headed to San Diego!

I'm sure there will be plenty to post when we come back. See you all then!