raking leaves

 
 

 

Jim and the kids go out together to rake leaves each fall on a dry day after most of the leaves have fallen. It is a tradition, and I bring out the camera and photograph them each year. I also bring them hot chocolate, but this day it was sunny and in the fifties so we skipped the cocoa treat. The kids helped pile the leaves, jumped in them, climbed trees, went out in the field to pet the cows, and played with the dog. This year they each wanted a 'good' picture taken with the {uncooperative, ball of energy} dog who wouldn't hold still. It took several attempts, but here is what we came up with.

Jim also put up the Christmas lights. He worked outside way past dark. I noticed him hobbling around when he came in, so I know he worked hard and exerted muscles he doesn't usually use to such an extent.

Catie played in her 'science lab/kitchen' and decorated the house with fir boughs for Christmas, which Jessica and Andrew thought was so funny. She had all the windows in the back of the house stuck with fir boughs, and she even had them sticking out of the mailbox. Jim removed all the boughs by the time the mail came, and from the windows at the end of the day, but it was a cute attempt at getting ready for the Christmas season by our youngest.

black friday christmas shopping

 

     I went shopping today, as I've done for the past several years, but for the first time I decided to head out early to a store for their opening. So, I left home at 11:47 and made it to Target just as it was opening at midnight. There was a huge line that wrapped around the store, parking lot, and back to Costco, but I got into line with someone I knew towards the middle and made it in in about 15 minutes. I was in the electronics line from the time I entered at about 12:15 until 2:15. It was not a pleasant experience, but 2 hours later, I emerged victorious in obtaining my good deal. I went home and slipped into bed without anyone even knowing I had left, as it was a very last minute decision to got to the midnight opening.

     I woke up just over 4 hours later, and headed out again. I went to Fred Meyer at 7 and found everything I was after there. Grabbed Starbucks, did Old Navy, Michael's and then stopped back at Chipotle for the BOGO deal where I used (2) vouchers earned at Old Navy. I brought home 4

HUGE burritos for $11 that fed the whole family for lunch and then some. It was SO good. When I got home, Jim and the kids were out raking leaves in the sunshine--an annual tradition I've pulled the camera out for each fall. Those photos I'll post next!
     I don't like the crazy Black Friday shopper persona, and don't consider myself as such. I do hate crowds. I stayed local and didn't do many stores. But, I do continue to go out and shop because after several years of doing it, I have found that using this 1/2 day to get some gifts purchased gives me a jump on the holiday. I used to do it because it was one day I had Jim home to watch the kids and could get out. Now my kids are older and all in school, so I have time to shop while they are at school. I will say I did not run into anyone who was grumpy or rude, and I'd like to think this is because I stayed in Wilsonville and Tualatin. There seemed to be an atmosphere of joy and excitement in the crowds I encountered. We have a community in the Christmas spirit, I guess!

happy thanksgiving

thanksgiving 5K

Jessica and I are doing the Give N' Gobble Thanksgiving 5K run tomorrow morning. She wanted to do some more runs as she had so much fun and did well in cross country this year. A few of her friends and moms are doing it, as well. Jess and I ran/walked together several Saturdays this past spring when I was training for the half marathon. She did 8 and 9-milers with me in the pouring rain. That experience makes 5K opportunities undaunting to us. But, hopefully, this run will stay dry!

november storm watching at the beach

We're on a little vay-cay to the beach for two nights. We came down right after Andrew's first basketball tournament of the season Sunday, and are coming back home today. We're staying in Seaside at the Shilo Oceanfront right at the turnaround. {Jim had free airline mileage that needed to be redeemed so we got the hotel FREE.} Sunday night, we got down here around 6:30, checked in, ate dinner at Pig-N-Pancake as it was right there and seemed like about the only place open, got a little food/snacks at the grocery store for the kitchen in our suite, and went swimming for an hour and a half, until 10. Later we all stayed up until midnight, doing TV, computer, books and just hanging out in the room all together.

If they look a little bummed, it's because they had to wait before we took them down to the pool.

Monday, after having the hotel breakfast, we drove south to Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Wheeler and Tillamook. The winds picked up and built all day long. We stopped and took the kids pic at Tolovana Beach. Next, we stopped at the Tillamook Cheese Factory for 'Squeaky Cheese' (curds), ice cream, and the Tillmook Country Smoker for Beef Jerky--the above mentioned treats being the absolute faves of nearly the whole clan. I, on the other hand, forewent ice cream for Starbucks. We browsed the Old Wheeler Antique Mall, then drove back up the coast to the Seaside Carousel Mall where the kids wanted to go to a few shops. Kids got some things to use in the pool (water skipping hand ball, diving rings, beach ball), Catie got like her 50th stuffed animal puppy (but she just 'loves her so much' and named her 'Sunny'), and girls bought Seaside sweats. Jim & kids got salt water taffy at a candy shop. I am also not a fan of taffy, which suits me just fine. We had an early 'happy hour' dinner at McKeown's since we skipped lunch (or at least I did, as I didn't inhale bags of curds and jerky and ice cream), and the rest of the night we hung out storm watching and swimming at the pool. That night and this morning, we saw newscasters out at the turnaround filming the ocean and the weather. We kept joking about finding a way to get on TV.

Andrew saw this picture and said, "Oh, man, I should have flexed!" {He reminds me of his Uncle Jeffrey}

This morning, we had breakfast downstairs and now the kids are at the pool again. Jim and I are taking turns packing and watching them swim. We'll check out in an hour, at noon, and drive north this time to see the beach and find something to do before heading back. On our way back through Seaside, we plan to stop and eat at one of our fave steakhouses that was closed yesterday--Bigfoot Restaurant.

Post-Trip Note:
We returned home around 7:00 after having traveled home through Astoria on Hwy. 30 due to a road closure just south of Seaside where the storm flooded the road. This altered our dinner plans; we ate at The Wet Dog Cafe in Astoria, a place we discovered this summer while camping. Good burgers and waterfront view. We storm watched during the late afternoon meal. Just as with last night at McKeown's, the storm opened the door we were sitting next to several times during the meal and we had to keep closing it. We saw several sea lions and the wind blowing water spray across the Columbia.

We had a fun trip and fun watching storms, even though kids were a little spooked {mostly our big, tough boy--poor kid}. Once we were walking to our car when a big gust came nearly taking the door of the car off as Jim was opening it. Andrew jumped and ran to stand in the doorway of the brick building we were parked next to. Jim smiles and says, "Good to know we can count on Andrew in a crisis." Andrew laughed sheeplishly after he realized what his reflex action was--to run and hide. Catie was actually the least scared. Today, she was like, "I don't get it? What is there to be scared of?" We were nearly home when the radio newscast stated, "It caught people off-guard and seemed unusually stormy, but that was because we haven't seen that weather around here since last winter. Actually, it was just average to above-average in terms of storms we see in this area every fall and winter." That seemed to put it into perspective for A and he may have then realized it was not as big a deal as he was making it to be in his mind. Jess commented that the highlights of the trip for her were the storm and the swimming. I guess there wasn't a whole lot more to it, but we had fun being together.

fall--ish treat traditions

...by popular demand, here are a few requested fall treat recipes that I've shared the past couple Halloweens at friends' homes. These are also a big hit with my kids and their friends.

Pumpkin Bars, Cake, or Loaf (recipe from Mom, but I nearly double the spices in her recipe)
*Makes several dozen
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
2 c. pumpkin (or 1 large can--28 oz.?)
1 c. oil
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. each ground nutmeg, cloves, ginger and allspice
1/2 tsp. salt

Let eggs warm to room temperature 30 minutes in mixing bowl. Meanwhile, sift dry ingredients together into a separate bowl. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in oil and pumpkin and blend well. Beat in dry ingredients on low speed until just combined. Pour into ungreased pan. Bake 35-40 minutes in a jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet with 1 inch sides), 1 hour in a tube cake pan, or 50 minutes in (2) loaf pans. Test for doneness. Cake is done when it springs back slightly in the center. Cool completely. This cake is very moist; store in refrigerator.

I frost bars with cream cheese frosting and chocolate sprinkles, glaze cake with thinned, white vanilla frosting, and serve the loaf as is.

Apple Dip (my creation; aka 'Mock Apple Pie' when eaten together with Wheat Thins and thin slices of apple {MUST try!})
1 8 oz. pkg. neufchatel or cream cheese
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

In a medium glass dish, soften cream cheese in the microwave and beat until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Adjust sweetness and spices to taste. Store in refrigerator until serving.

Sweet Spice Chex Mix (my adaptation of 'Cinnamon-Apple Chex Mix' on Chex.com.)     *I use pistachios, orange zest & dried cranberries for the Holidays, and pumpkin seeds and chopped, dried apples for Fall.

5 cups Rice, Corn & Wheat Chex® cereals
1 cup pretzels
1/2 cup lightly salted whole cashews
1/2 cup shelled pistachios OR pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tsp. orange zest, OPTIONAL
1/4 teaspoon ea. nutmeg, ginger, allspice & cloves (or 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice mix)
1/2 cup dried cranberries OR chopped, dried apples
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt-covered raisins

1.  In a large, microwavable bowl, mix cereal, pretzels and nuts/seeds.
2.  In a 1 quart microwavable measuring cup, heat butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and spices uncovered on High about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until mixture is boiling; stir. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
3.  Microwave mix uncovered on High 3 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl after every minute. Stir in apples or cranberries; microwave uncovered on High about 2 minutes or until apples just begin to brown on edges.
4. Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool, about 5-10 minutes. Place in serving bowl; stir in raisins. Store in airtight container.

Popcorn Balls (from Mom again)
*Makes 12-13
3 quarts popcorn (air popped; seeds removed)
6 T. butter
3 c. mini marshmallows
3-4 T. flavored Jell-O powder (a small, 3 oz. packet=7 T., so use about 1/2)

Melt butter in large pan on the stove top using medium-high heat. Add marshmallows and continue to stir until melted. Remove from heat. Add Jell-O and mix well. Pour prepared and measured popcorn into pan and stir until evenly coated. Shape into balls with buttered hands. Wrap with plastic wrap when completely cool and serve in a basket.

new fall calves

See new cattle purchased this fall at Suburban Cowgirls blog.