Colorless Fall Photos.

I have tried and tried to get out to the park for the annual fall pictures. We never had a nice sunny day when I had a chance, until yesterday. However, by now they are very colorless when I compare the previous years. I'll have to update the blog header with these soon.

I also found it even harder this year, with 2 mobile kids to get any decent ones. Kellen was mad he wasn't digging in the sand and kept scowling. I have really been trying not to use bribes, but I finally broke down and promised him a Lightening car (he has had about 10 and has lost them all!) It was amazing how quickly the smiles showed up.

Winter then Fall

A few winter pictures.

I love this expression. I can tell this is him beginning one of his stories.

Then fall returned and I got a few pile of leaves shots. Although they are pretty few. It was hard to catch any that were not of their backs as they ran around.

Chicken and Eggs

Kellen told me yesterday that he would draw me a picture. That usually means some scribbles and color. I had never seen anything that looked like anything. He was quite delighted when he exclaimed that he had drawn me a chicken. Then he took it back for a minute. "Oh, I forgot it needs a beak! Oh, how do I draw a beak?! Umm, yeah, like this..." and put a few scribbles down.

I thought it was a pretty big step and thought I should scan it to save the first (what I call) "real" drawing. So, here I share. I really enjoying watching him do new things.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

I don't know my source. I scribbled this off a blog and didn't note where I stole it from. Sorry to whoever. But its so good I think I should share anyhow.

2 cups milk
2 T canned pumpkin
1 heaping T of sugar
2 T vanilla extract
1/2 pumpkin pie spice (or in my case a dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves)
1/2 cup very strong coffee

Combine milk, pumpkin, and sugar in pot and cook on medium heat until steaming. Remove from heat, add vanilla and spice. Process in blender for 15 sec (or in my lazy case, whisk frantically for 30 sec.) Pour into 2 large mugs and add coffee.

Mmmm.

vacuum advice

wishing I had a vacuum advisor tonight. Mine is not working. No suction. I thought it had been getting worse for awhile. Even with a brand new bag in it, the button flips over to full every time I turn it on. My carpet looks really awful right now.

So, I picked up one that was 40% off at Ian's favorite store. Dirt Devil Vision Power Pak Canister. Looked good - HEPA filter and it says POWERFUL on the box. It also said #1 consumers choice. But, then before I open it, I go looking for reviews online. I find only a few, and they are not that great. I'd really like to vacuum my carpets right now. I'm sitting here beside a box, wanting to open, but not so sure anymore, and wishing i had a vacuum advisor. Maybe I just should have just vacuumed instead of investigating.

UPDATE: Amy, funny that I tried a friend's Dyson from next door just after I wrote this. After that trial, I would have liked to get one until I looked into the price. If we were keeping our carpet, I might have felt more like investing. Since we are hoping to go to hard floors soon, I opened the Dirt Devil and found it actually works great too. Someone else told me after that according to Consumer Reports, there are other very comparable vacuums to the Dyson that are not as pricey. The Dyson was pretty awesome though - I especially loved the swivling head that made it super nice to vacuum the stairs.

a little fun around here

I couldn't choose just one of Kellen the Artist. He doesn't often spend this much time on "art". A couple scribbles on the page and he's gone. This was fun to watch him work so intently and to have a story to tell about this bird he painted. I loved it! So, sorry for the many pictures of this event.

And here I display some of my work from today. I did make my bread. I think this will be a new habit, so I might as well go purchase a couple more bread pans, although round bread in pie plates is kind of fun.

I don't know how to take good pictures of cards. Well, I don't usually do it, seems an odd thing to do. But I really liked these ones I whipped up the other night and the camera was sitting there.

I wish I also had some new pictures of my kids in the beautiful oranges, yellows, and reds at the park. It was on my list of things to do today, but it was so cold, rainy, and dreary that plan didn't get carried out.

So, that is the only recent fun from our lives that my camera captured. I really need to take more pictures. I don't even have one from our wonderful visit from Grandpa Gerry and Grandma Lorna last weekend. I'm hoping to have some pictures of a newly painted entry way and a "surprise room" soon. Paint was purchased, now I just have to find some time. Ohhhh, what color, you wonder? What room? Hee,hee - the suspense, eh? I should also have some pictures of an adventure to the cabin next weekend!

crazy late night

The bread turned out absolutely wonderful. I hope I have time to make it again tomorrow. If I don't forget the molasses again, it might even be better. I am really, really looking forward to my day at home tomorrow.

I loved, loved the Food Secure Saskatchewan conference I attended the last 2 days. I sometimes feel that I won't learn anything new at some conferences, but this was not just the same old. I did learn some new things. A practical thing - The Green Ranch that runs a CSA for Weyburnites. They are from Osage and I did not know about them. If you live around that area, you should check them out here.

We just finished pureeing a mound of tomatoes, I think we must have done almost 15 L.

I bought paint today for the porch. I'm itching to get at it now, I can't wait to see if its how I envisioned it. I hope its not a disappointment. I hope I'm posting pictures of that soon.

Why, oh why, is there not more time in the day? And why am I up so late again?