Halloween and more...

My first attempt at Indian food. Actually, it was easy to do and very aromatic and tasty! This is Biagan Bartha. Now it didn't taste like the one I get at Mirch Masala, but I have another recipe that is for the same item but has a different twist. So I'll try it and see if its closer to what I'm looking for. The kiddo's each had at least 2 servings, except of course for finicky Olivia.
Another completed project! Yeah! Olivia was kind enough to model it for me. This one took a bit longer since I actually put the needles down for about 3 days. wow.
Halloween at Liberty H.S. To my knowledge this is the only H.S. that had a Halloween SAFE Night event. They were expecting over 1,000 people in a 3 hour period.
Here the kids are getting ready to do the mazes. Jolie really had a rough time in that dress...


We did go Trick or Treating this evening. The kids ran from house to house and I followed in the car. This is the first time I've ever done that. But we stayed in our neighborhood and I felt comfortable letting them run with Kristina for a few houses and then by themselves. We did discover that our section of this subdivision sucks where participation is concerned. Very disappointing. Just around the corner there was house after house of candy to be had, tons of kids trick or treating, and even more being delivered up here by car. Next year.....

Happy Halloween Y'all!

check back later for our Halloween post...

Halloween is in the air and a little more...

What an interesting sight this was. Earlier we'd heard a large plane fly overhead and then when this group of helicopters started over I just had to see what was going on. Well imagine my surprise to eventually see 16 helicopters fly over in formation.


Halloween costumes in the house! Everyone trying on theirs to see if they fit and look as expected.





Olivia is a Ladybug!


Jolie is a plush Princess, not posh or cute, but Plush!
Parker is a Ninja! Yeeee Haaaaaaaaa!

Hunter is a Bakugan!



3-D glasses all around for the kids to watch "Bob's Big Break". This picture really reminds me of the 1950's movie pics...
Next came pumpkin cleaning, carving and
wonderful mess'.









Indian food on the horizon for this house. I've finally found a dish that I just have to learn to make for myself. Its called, "Baigan Bartha". Yum! So David and I took off, in the snow storm, this a.m. to get what I'd need to make the dish AND others that we all love. So I'll be attempting to cook Indian food tonight (fingers crossed) and again in the near future. I hope it turns out good....
The plate in the midst of all the Indian items is Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies! They are great!

Last, but not least, snow angels in the making! Everyone had to run out and play in the snow as soon as there was enough snow to play in and lay down to get started. This video was shot yesterday during their first snow day of the year. We're now into day 2 and its possible that we may have a 3rd day, but we'll have to wait and see. This storm is reeking havoc all over the front range.

Flu mist and H1N1 shots all around.....

Just line 'em up! That was the song of the day today. Kids and dogs alike. David had our group of 5 at Dr. Margo's office getting yearly physicals along with their flu shots and mist. So I guess everyone is now covered and Kaitlyn will go in shortly for her yearly physical and any shots that she may need. David even got his flu shot.

Don't bother asking..... I don't do flu shots or mist.

I had the smaller group of 2 (hairy one's) at Dr. Buxton's office. It was time for our boys to get their Bordetella vaccines and for Max to get rechecked. Wonderful news! All the coughing Max has been doing is related to his narrowing of the trachea and not his heart enlargement. So he is doing well and his heart has remained the same in size. There is no edema and we may be able to cut back on the lasix if we can get the coughing under control with the cough medicine.

Story----- Max was back getting an X-ray and blood drawn while Jake paced the floor of the vets office. When Max finally returned the homecoming welcome was very touching with Jake making sure that Max was all in one piece and well. Max, of course, responded with his usual growl to Jake that all is well and "No! nothing fell off while I was gone."

Singing, Crocheting, Baking AND Booing... OH MY!

When everyday life takes hold there isn't much time to muse over the days happenings. So I'm taking this moment to reflect on what has occurred over the last week that I've neglected to talk about.

Kristina spent last Friday evening at the Zoo for "Boo at the Zoo". She was a volunteer with AVID and had a blast.

She worked in the grave yard, working a skeleton that waved at the kids. She was a bit upset
that some of the little ones started crying from her skeleton though. Thursday night, midnight, found her and dad at the Premier Showing of "Cirque de Freak". She has waited for this show for almost a year. The original story is by Darren Shan who is Kristina's absolute favorite author AND whom she was able to meet and interact with almost a year ago. Today she is performing a One Woman Show for Forensic's at St. Mary's H. S. doing "Little Red Riding Hood". We have to be there at 7:45 a.m. and she'll probably get out at about 3 p.m. So another long day for her. This is the novice group and though this is a competition she is some what over relaxed and unconcerned about the whole affair. She didn't particularly want us there and after arriving and seeing all the students being dropped off or driving themselves I guess she won't be the only lone student. But I can't wait to hear how she does!
Olivia is in the Choir this year which meets M,W, and F. mornings before school. She recently tried out for a solo and won it! We are so excited and can't wait to go to the concert and hear our daughter sing to an audience. Next is Baking Club, which meets after school every Wednesday, and it is just what it appears to be, but it also teaches them math with the added bonus of getting to eat what they bake! She is also going to try out for the Missoula Children's Theater production of "Pinocchio".
Jolie just won a spot in the Square Knitting and Crocheting Club. She is so excited. Like Olivia's winning a spot in the Baking Club. Jolie was one of 12 students who's name was, quite literally, picked out of a hat to get to participate in the club. This club meets every Thursday after school and met for the first time this last week. Jolie couldn't wait to tell me that she and another girl were able to help the two teachers work with the other students in making a crochet chain. (FYI! There are two boys in the class.) She came to the car after the club brandishing her crochet hook like a won saber from a duel. She's just a bit proud...
Parker is going to also try out for the Missoula Children's Theater. He is so unafraid of attention and being under the "eye" that I think he'd make a good actor. Hunter was also wanting to try out, but I think we'll wait until next year for him. He can still be a bit giggly in front of an audience.

About this picture. Well...... we were roasting marshmellows for the first time this year and DAD was taking the pictures. All of the pics came out fuzzy/blurry/wobbly, etc. I don't think I'll elaborate further.... ;-)

Mystery pattern revealed...

This is the pattern mystery item. Funny how when the weather changes everyone gets the idea of keeping the hands warm in one way or another, right Bonnie! Anyway... The pattern is by Eunny Jang and called, "Anemoi". I just love it!
I've started on another pair of fingerless mitts for Kristina that hopefully she'll get by Christmas, but I won't promise a completion date. She fell in love with another pattern and it is giving me a diversion from the other knitting that I've got going. (I'll post pics of Kristina's mitts after I get a bit further along.)


The color is more accurate in this picture. This pair will be for me. I can't wait to get to use them for the first time. Of course that requires me to have two! With Kristina's mitts now in progress my second mitt may be a while in coming...

Toronto, ON. David spent Monday in Toronto for a business meeting. Having never been to Canada he was impressed with the cleanliness of the city and all the Fall colour. At least this flight made it back on the same day it was supposed to. Even though we still didn't get home until 12:30 a.m. Wednesday morning with me picking him up from DIA.

My African basket. I just love this basket. We bought it at one of the Farmer's Markets in town. It has really come in handy with shopping at the markets and for my knitting.

Snnnnoooooowing......


Just a video of a great Colorado Springs sunrise...
Can you guess what this is going to be?

Kaitlyn confirmed with the flu. So she's home for the next 6 days. Didn't confirm "PIG" flu, just some type of flu. So when she saw this she immediately asked if she could have it. Let me think......................Don't think so!

Completions on many levels...

Haircuts all around! Its about time. I finally took my boys to see Miss Carolyn to get a professional hair cut. $20 later here they are exuberant about the really short hair on the back of their heads. :-) It really doesn't take much to make my group happy... The difference between their hair is really amazing. Hunter has very course, thick hair. Parker has baby fine, soft hair.

Jolie was kind enough to act as model for my latest knitted completion. Parker's new surprise Christmas morning hat.

She does make a cute model, doesn't she!

This really was a lot of fun to knit and it worked up quickly! I may be doing lots more of these before December....

Our final completion. Yes, David did make it home from his business trip. 13.5 hours later than anticipated, but none the worse for wear. This weekend will find him working diligently on the 2nd 25% of the book. Hopefully getting it turned in by mid-week. But first he had to cook the bacon .....

Airport and David

David had a business trip to Atlanta day before yesterday. Did his spiel and started on his way home from Atlanta with a stop in Minneapolis.
Well.....
This is the Minneapolis, MN airport.

Somewhere down there in the airport, David slept over night last night. Weather here in Colorado Springs kept the flight from taking off.

FOG.

This morning there is still fog. So I'll be anxious to hear if they take off this a.m.

p.s. My question answered. They're still on the ground.

I can't see.... and more.

I look out our family room windows only to be met by fog. Lots and lots of fog that continues on and on. We're supposed to have a chance of a wintery mix for this morning and then supposedly clearing by later this afternoon.
Hunter missed a couple of days of playing last week due to his tummy. But he had a body guard with him at all times. Can you find him?

Our ice storm. Check out the lean on my Bradford Pear!

We were hoping and praying that the tree wouldn't break before the ice could melt. As usual, the next a.m. all the ice on the trees and grass was completely gone by 8:30. So pretty....
Jolie's determined to clear the sidewalk to the house. Good going girl!
Parker is after the driveway.
Take notice that this is our usual ice storm after math. Anything stand out? The driveway is icy, the street is clear! We were out and running errands as usual without any trouble all day.
Another completed project. Now put away waiting for its debut in a couple of months on a early morning.
I got the biggest kick out of this cloud formation. Notice that there are no other clouds anywhere around the peak.

Puffy's passing.....

I found Puff this morning. She was with me for about 3 years.
She initially came to us able to fit in my hand and today was a bit over 14" and weighed in at 3 lbs. She definitely never missed a meal and loved being hand fed. Like all Pufferfishes, she loved attention and was interactive.

We're all going to miss her.

Happy Birthday Bonnie!

Happy 29th!
Love,



Mom
Dad
Kaitlyn
Kristina
Olivia
Jolie
Parker
Hunter

Moon Festival Celebration

7:30 p.m. found us all sitting outside in our Mexican blankets eating ice cream and moon cakes under the moon. Our celebration of the fall equinox. I hope next year to have the lit lanterns to decorate with and maybe a bit more on the usual customary items.

Keep reading below for more fun stuff from earlier today...

Moon Festival tonight, Veg. Picking, more Knitting and school?!?

Happy Moon Festival!

We hope you have a Moon Cake to eat!

I'm volunteering again for the kindergarten class this year. I just love all the kids and they seem to enjoy seeing me each time I show up.
Hunter enjoys the fact that Mom is acting like a teacher on Friday's... he's in the white short sleeved shirt.




Sweater coming along nicely...
At the farm! We've never done anything like this before so I had no idea what to expect. Next time I'll be better prepared for a day of harvesting...
Fields of vegs as far as the eye can see. There were...

Squash...


Turnips.... with their greens! Yummy!
More turnips... that mom originally thought were potatoes! I guess I need to get out to the farm more often myself.



Little pickles...
















3! little pickling cucumbers.
Chickens, Turkeys, pigs, cows, horses, etc. If you pull the picture up check out what Jolie is doing... she's a city girl at heart.


Back home with our harvest. Can you guess how much all this cost? Even when you do the picking...... $2!
No, I didn't forget a zero.
Here are the boys wrestling with some turnip plants....