Lewiston Craft Fair

I got to go us to Lewiston (Melissa's home town) this weekend to a boutique. It was fun to see were Melissa grew up. I didn't realize it was so far! It was a good thing I followed Melissa up or I might have felt a bit lost. It was really beautiful and ever one I met was really nice. I got meet a lot of Melissa's family. Macey came up for the day too. I always love being with my Quigley friends. I had a great day. Thanks to my Mom and Matt who held down the fort at home so I could go!

My Mountain Green friends who had booth's at the boutique. Liz, Janet, Me and Melissa.

Time to get busy creating new things for the next show. Hooray, My first home show is coming up after Thanksgiving. I am really looking forward to it.

Butternut squash soup

This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens but I first tried it when one of my friends made it. This is what we had for dinner tonight. MMMMM... I love this soup. I brought some to my sweet sister-in law Beth. She just had her fifth baby. Oh, my crazy! The woman is amazing. She is such a awesome mom and such a delightful person. I really look up to her and am so grateful to have her for a sister.

ingredients

• 1 2-1/2- to 3-lb. butternut squash or 3, 12-oz. pkgs. frozen cooked winter squash, thawed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large Braeburn or Gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 48-oz. box reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 oz. smoked Gouda or smoked cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• Crumbled cooked bacon, celery leaves, and/or shaved Gouda cheese (optional)

directions

1. Peel, seed, and cube butternut squash. In 6-qt. Dutch oven melt butter over medium-high heat. Add fresh squash (if using frozen squash add with apples and broth), onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add apples, broth, cider, and peppers. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables and apples are tender. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

2. When slightly cooled, puree in pot using an immersion blender. (Or puree in batches in a blender; return soup to saucepan.) Blend in sour cream. Heat through. Remove from heat; stir in shredded Gouda until melted. Top with bacon, celery leaves, and/or Gouda cheese. Makes 8 servings.

nutrition facts

• Servings Per Recipe 8 servings
• Calories213,
• Total Fat (g)11,
• Saturated Fat (g)7,
• Monounsaturated Fat (g)2,
• Cholesterol (mg)30,
• Sodium (mg)655,
• Carbohydrate (g)26,
• Total Sugar (g)11,
• Fiber (g)3,
• Protein (g)6,
• Vitamin C (DV%)41,
• Calcium (DV%)15,
• Iron (DV%)6,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

What's for dinner?

I wish I could say I tried a new yummy recipe or made a fabulous dinner but I looked at the clock at 5:30 and realized I hadn't planed anything for dinner. Matt was gone tonight and I needed something fast, so I decided to make something that each kid liked.

Jane: rice with butter and salt

Eli: ham

Hyrum: Cheese sticks

Walt: yogurt

Me: Apples

Well this was quite the dinner. Not the most heathy dinner but there was not one single complaint or argument. Everyone ate all their food. We all laughed our heads off at Hyrum pulling stingy cheese from his mouth. It was Awesome. I don't remember the last time we had such a pleasant dinner together. So tomorrow I am making butternut squash bisque. I think my taste buds and tummy will be happier than tonight but I am not looking forward to a complaint or two. I used to think that a picky eater was raised. Maybe that is somewhat true, but I have one child who will eat anything and THREE others who are what I consider to be super picky. I make what I want most of the time. If they don't like it they can make their own dinner. I keep thinking some day they will get sick of p.b sandwiches and cheesy chips!

Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project

Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project

This lady is eating school lunch for one year and blogging about it. I found it quite interesting. She take's pictures of the food with her phone. Every photo I see I think, that doesn't look so good, I wouldn't eat that. The broccoli is almost all stems. Well I could could go on about all the things I think are wrong with the school lunch but Hyrum is waiting for me to play bend-a-roo's. Some other time.

Post Cards Are Here

I have this super fabulous friend who took the photos and designed this post card for me. You can check out her blog here. She was so great to work with. I am both excited and nervous to start home parties with Leila Birds Nest. I am not sure what to expect. Maybe it's a good thing to not have to many expectations. If any thing I know I love creating things, setting them up and watching someone find something they love.

FRONT OF CARD

BACK OF CARD

A few things I am Loving

I am loving that Hyrum and Walt are having so much fun together lately.

I love that Jane bought this hat. I love eating cupcakes with Jane.

I love that Matt has gotten us into pumpkins. We are now all certified pumpkin fanatics.

I love being goofy with Jane.

I love that my boys look like nesting dolls when they stand next to each other.

I love that Eli and Hyrum chat and play and then end up in the same bed when they finally fall asleep.

Some Things I Have Been Up To

I get so board of doing the same thing. I will always love to make things, I just like to change it up a bit. hear are a few things I have been making for some fall shows.

Different hair clips and pins.

Necklaces.

Ruffle headbands. (photos, by Rachel Penrod)

I am in love with Jars!

I embellished some shirts for recently for some fall shows. I wanted to keep each of them, but at the same time I am hoping they sell!

Happy Birthday Pumpkin King a.k.a Matt

One year older and wiser too! Today is Matt's birthday. We really had a wonderful day with Matt. The kids were so excited to give him there gifts and cards they made for him. We opened gifts, had breakfast together and Jane was off to school and Matt off to work. We had a few miss haps. Like, the cake getting knocked onto the floor, I ruined my salad with rotten dressing, mud tracked in on the carpet, a packet of oatmeal shaken all over the kitchen like a rag doll, broken dishes, and leaking garbage bags to name a few. Thankfully Quigley's and my Mom came to my rescue. Later tonight our parents, minus my Dad because he is out of town came up for dinner and cake. Well let's just say the new cake I made wasn't much better than the one that fell on the floor. Despite looking like a complete disaster it tasted good. One of my favorite things about matt is his positive attitude. I don't think he cared that the cake looked really bad if he did he didn't say anything. I love that at the end of a day when everything I touch seems to go, well not the way I planed, when I hit my knees at night, my heart is so full of gratitude. Today I am thankful for Matt. I am thankful for sweet friends and family who help me get back up and keep going. I am thankful for my eternal marriage to Matt. I am thankful for my bed and that tomorrow is a new day, another day to spend time with the people I love. Matt is such an inspiration to me. I am so thankful to have him in my life. Happy Birthday Matt, We love you!!

Jane's poem for Matt

Happy Birthday Dad! When you get home I feel glad. I love it when you tuck me in at night. You give me a kiss and hug me tight. Love, Jane

Lossing teeth

Eli woke up with a loose tooth. He wiggled and wiggled it just like the last one. He has so much determination. When he got on the bus, our neighbor told him if it came out at school they would give him a really cool treasure box to keep it in. I thought there was no way it would come out at school. To my surprise he came home with his tooth in a blue treasure box. One exciting day for Eli.

Garner Halloween Party

October 28, 2010. Mom threw a awesome Halloween partie for us. My mom love's Halloween more than most people I know. She always made it really fun for us growing up. When we got to old to trick or teat she would make us an out of this world Halloween dinner. This year she sent out cute invitations. My kids loved getting it in the mail. Decked the house out. Put together super fun games, made yummy food you get the point. She always gives 110%. Well right before we got to her house she was getting the caldron out of the attic when the ladder fell and she fell with it. She is one tough cookie. She was banged up rally bad. Total damages done: a big nasty gash on her ankle, one broken rib, and a bunch of crazy bad hits to her legs. I would have been crying my eyes out but she was just sad she was going to miss the party. Dallen took her to the hospital to get stitched up. We all felt really bad having her party with out her. We missed her but we still enjoyed being together.

She made green jello cups to decorate like frankensitne. We glued eyeballs on to pumpkin and ate doughnuts of of strings.

Of course we had witchy brew (home-aid root beer)

After Mom, Dad and Dallen got home from the hospital we turned the kids into mummies. Thanks Mom for all your hard work. We had a great time. We love you and I don't think I can tell you this enough, you are wonder woman!