Halloween...

Caleb the fireman--Ethan, Ryan and Caleb have all worn it.

Ryan the policeman. I dressed him up for preschool yesterday and he was the only one dressed up. Guess I didn't read the note from the preschool that said the kids should not wear their costumes? Apparently some of the kids get scared by some of the costumes...big babies.

Ireland wanted to be a "singer" for Halloween. After searching high and low, we found an American Idol contestant costume. (??)

Ethan as Obi wan Kenobi. He's the best-looking Obi I've seen!

Pumpkins

Here's 3 of our pumpkins and their pumpkins. (Lovely carving work wouldn't you say?--so elaborate)

Proud Mama and Papa!

I went to parent-teacher conference this week and met with Ethan's teacher who gushed and gushed about what a great kid Ethan is. She said he is always smiling, kind, smart, respectful, and on and on. She said, "Ethan just has an amazing soul". Yes he does. He is one of a kind. Scott and I are so lucky to have him! To top it off, today at his last soccer game of the season, Ethan scored 4 out of the 5 goals! His team won 5 to 1. He's a keeper!

Fall festivities...

We took the kids to a hay ride/pumpkin patch last week.

Ethan, Caleb, and Ryan

There were huge corn stalk covered Tee-pees there that you could walk through and see hundreds of lit, carved pumpkins and glow in the dark skeletons, which may explain the crazy kids who just came out...

Here is a typical family photo...one in four looking at the camera

A pumpkin or a hippity hop ball?

White Bean Chili

I found this recipe on "Kitchen Cafe" blog. It is GREAT! My least favorite food is chili--my mom and sisters can attest to this--but this is so good and no kidney beans! Scott loves it and the kids will eat it. Here is the recipe...

Creamy White Chili

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon oil
2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies (if you like less kick, add just one can)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately. This is especially good served with tortilla chips. Makes about 6 servings.

A few pictures of the weekend...

Come What May, And Love It

General Conference for our church was last weekend. It was so great as usual. It's hard to pick a favorite talk but I have to say Joseph B. Worthlin's talk, entitled "Come What May, And Love It", was my favorite. To read the full transcript go to LDS.org, click on General Conference 178th Session, scroll down until you find it. So worth reading! Here are a few quotes from it...

"If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness....Over the years I have learned a few things that have helped me through times of testing and trial. I would like to share them with you...Learn to laugh...The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable...Seek for the Eternal...Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others...The Principal of Compensation...The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss...Trust in the Father and the Son...The Lord Jesus Christ is our partner, helper, and advocate. He wants us to be happy. He wants us to be successful. If we do our part, He will step in. He who descended below all things will come to our aid. He will comfort and uphold us. He will strengthen us in our weakness and fortify us in our distress. He will make weak things become strong."

Ok, so that is half of the talk, but the rest is just as good.

Pillow addiction...

I may have a few too many pillows in our family room...what do you think? I have to say, it is an inherited disorder. My mom has about 50 pillows in her house and so does my older sister. Much too tempting for a 3 year old.