5 months!

Sorry, still no variety in the posting:) Jos is 5 months today and has discovered a couple of things.

First, her feet, which provide hours of entertainment. That is, unless it's 5:30 or 6 am then which feet alone just won't do the trick. Only mom then.

but those toes sure are munchable!
Then, sitting up.

She can't get there on her own but once I plop her up she has a good time.

She also like to conduct the wind a bit like August Rush.
And just so you aren't bored with pictures of Josie I'll put a few others to show what life has been like at the farm.

Yes, no kidding. This was taken last Friday. That was the day that my dad and his friends all went up to camp to go hunting.

That was the day that my dad and his friends all went up to camp to go hunting.

Not because we're lacking in deer around here though. (this one is finishing up the last of my dad's beloved brussel sprouts)

I think they go up to camp perhaps more for the experience of being out in the woods and being a hunter in the elements. My vegetarian husband even joined the hunting crew for the weekend. More for the male bonding experience and to enjoy the great outdoors. (Rumor has it that the hunters actually just go into the woods and take a nap though)

Last Friday was also my dad's birthday was last Friday and he got a brand new ipod to take with him. (I don't know about taking an ipod in the woods so you can enjoy the great outdoors, but I guess sometimes you just gotta meet somewhere in the middle.)

Like making vegetarian stews for a group of hunters at camp (which was done, actually.)

But it's not snowing now, in fact it's quite the opposite. Like in the 60's. I'm supposed to be training for a 10k which takes place in 2 weeks. Supposed to run 5 miles yesterday but I was too tired. And then I was supposed to do it today. I got about 3 minutes out and a migraine nipped that idea in the bud. So, instead I've been playing with my camera. Looking online for a good 50mm 1.8 lens (via recommendation) and folding laundry. Well, not really. I need to in the next 10 minutes before Dave comes home from being a 4th grade teacher so it looks like I did SOMETHING today! Besides be a mom- which ain't half bad.

Smooch!

You would think I have more to do than take pictures of Josie. Well, I don't. She's such a fun model and when you capture shots like this, well, it's worth it. However, this is a rare shot for me- eyes in focus, no blur, no flash. Any of you photographers out there (eh hem, Katie) have any suggestions for capturing those beautiful kid shots? :)

gerber baby?

I've been surprised at how much Josie is just growing up-- wasn't she just a little thing not too long ago? And now, in a week, she'll be 5 months! Here we are at 21 weeks.

Does this look like someone who sounded miserable all night?

Who just didn't want to sleep between the hours of 12 am and 5 am?

Can you believe these eyes cried for many hours? Oh silly baby, silly silly baby. You are such a goofball!

yummy

In an attempt to utilize all the wonderful gifts we've received for Jos, I found a special spoon that our friend Chuck made somewhere in the wilds of Utah or some other remote place where he works with students. It's a special spoon, made of lovely wood and carved and sanded to perfection.

So, I just thought Josie might want to try out some rice cereal with it.

Well, she found the spoon interesting enough, but the cereal-- no thanks.Mommy's hand is better, or better yet, the high chair.Well, that was a fun experiment Mom, but lets get outta here!

Recipes of the Week

I made this for B&B this weekend-- it was delicious-- I especially liked the combo of the cream cheese topping with a very yummy bread. My cousin Makayla did all the hard part with grating carrots and apples and rinds-- go Makayla!

Carrot-Apple Bread (supposed to be Zucchini but I used apples instead!)
I also used egg substitute because I was out of eggs and has vegan replacement left over from Derek's visit, but I'm sure eggs will work just fine!

2 1/2 c unsifted all-purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c buttermilk (I used vanilla yogurt)
2 T melted butter
grated rinds of one orange and 1 lemon
2 cups grated carrots
1 grated apple
(recipe calls for 1 c carrots and 1 c zucchini- grated)
whipped cream cheese with brown sugar and a pinch of powdered ginger for topping

preheat oven to 350 and butter a 9" by 5" by 3" loaf pan

Mix together flours, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Stir until well blended. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 1 1/4 hours or until bread is firm (I had trouble getting the whole thing cooked through-- many tries!) Cool 5 minutes and then unmold unto a rack. Slice and top with whipped cream cheese and ginger yummyness.

Butternut Bisque Soup
(we went to a garden-share dinner where they served something like this. I came home the next day determined to mimic the recipe it was soooo good. This one worked out pretty well!)

1 medium/large butternut, cubed into 1 inch pieces
2 medium onions, chopped
4 small carrots (from the garden) or 2 big ones
1 t of garlic
5 cups vegetable broth
2 T butter
1/4 cup cream (or yogurt, evaporated milk or what half and half)
1 t salt
nutmeg
cinnamon
vanilla
date sugar (this apparently is a sugar that is GOOD for you-- you can get it in health stores and cook with it not feeling a bit guilty. I wouldn't use it in coffee though)

Saute onions and garlic in pan, then add to vegetable broth with chopped squash and boil until it is all very soft. Puree in blender (or vitamix, if you have one) with 2 T butter and the cream. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and date sugar to taste. Top with a dollup of yogurt. If you puree it long enough it will be very smooth and silky and just delicious!

you would think

now that we are closing in on the end of 2009 I would be working on a photo album for this year. Not so. In fact, I just finished one for 2008... And with almost 7000 pictures to sort though SINCE JUNE this year is going to be a duzy. But, here is a glimpse of our past life:)



enjoy.