Carving Pumpkins

The fun began today! We carved our pumpkins! The kids each did their own, with the exception of Will although he did help clean the seeds out (or maybe he just made a bigger mess) Oh well what is carving pumpkins if you don't make a mess right?

I know you miss this, right Josh (he he he)!
They actually did a good job! I didn't help at all. And we had a great time! Now I just get to clean up the mess in the kitchen. Ugh!

Another Recipe

I am always craving soup, but because of the cold weather lately it has gone from just craving soup to "I need to have soup NOW." So as I was going through my soup recipes and I remembered this great one. If any of you have ever eaten at Carrabba's this is as close to their sausage and lentil soup as I've ever had.

1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (16 oz) package dry lentils, rinsed
1 cup shredded carrots
8 cups water
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound Ditalini pasta (optional)

1. Place sausage in a large pot. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Add onion, celery and chopped garlic, and saute until tender and translucent. Stir in lentils, carrot, water, chicken broth and tomatoes. Season with garlic powder, parsley, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover, and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until lentils are tender.
2. Stir in pasta, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until pasta is tender.

This soup is almost exactly like Carrabba's sausage and lentil soup. To kick it up you could add 1/4 tsp. of red pepper flakes or I have tried getting the spicy Italian sausage, which I highly recommend.

I went up to Midway today and while I was there I tried to take a few pics of my kids. First of all I need a better camera, second of all I wish my kids had been in nicer clothes and lastly I need HELP! Oh well at least a couple turned out kinda cute.

Disneyland

I went to my very good friend of 26 years, (wow I'm old) wedding on Friday. (Which I forgot to bring my camera to.) It was in San Diego, so since I was going that direction, I was bold and brave and daring, and decided to take the kids ALONE to Disneyland. It was really fun! The kids had a great time and are so incredible. They look out for each other so well and helped me out immensely.
I did have the help of a couple of my sister-in-laws and their husbands during the wedding, which I was so grateful, Thank you! And I talked another sister-in-law to come down for a day. We just proved we CAN do Disneyland alone! With no problems, in any way! He he he.................
......................except getting her son's leg caught in the bench and having to have the paramedics, security and everyone else take the bench apart to get it out. (Sorry Kim, it was so funny) And look at poor Seth's face, he was so brave!


Sometimes I think they would rather spend the entire day swimming than doing anything else.



One of the days, there was a helicopter filming the parks, so if you ever see footage of Disneyland from overhead, you may just see us. LOL!


Having so much time at the park, we decided to do all the stuff we had never done before! I had never been over to Toontown. I guess it's one of those places you forget about, and these guys belong in this place!

For some reason, they always seem to have the desire to line up like this.

I love having kids old enough to go on the rides alone!

Oh, and we never had to wait in lines! It was perfect!

So over all we had a great time! We were just missing one very important thing..........DAD!

Pictures from Josh!

Josh and the Hobbit translator!

A dust storm!

HILARIOUS!!

I just found the funniest blog! I have been looking at it all day! Very funny!

One more to go!

I now only have one more kid to go. Nate went to kindergarten today. Ethan and Emery went a week ago Monday. Will is so bored, but at least it is only 2 1/2 hours a day before Nate comes home, and then he will go to preschool next year.

For any of you that know Nate, you know that he DOESN'T move. He is so slow and I ALWAYS have to fight him to get dressed. Well this morning he was up at 7:00, dressed and eating breakfast before the other two were even awake! I doubt that will last very long, but for today it was nice.
I love walking with Will to pick him up in the afternoon. I love the fall and the cool crisp days. Soon fall will be over, and then winter, then before I know it Josh will be back. (if only it would go that quickly)