New Recipes

I've just posted two amazing new recipes on my recipe blog: Spaghetti Bolognese (meat sauce), and chocolate chip cookie bars. Go check them out: http://sarahsfavrecipies.blogspot.com

The cookie bars are soft, chewy, thick and wonderful - I think they're even better than eating cookies! The meat sauce comes out full of meat flavor, with really tender meat. It is a great meal because it makes a TON of food, but the ingredients are very cheap to buy! I paired the spaghetti bolognese with some ciabatta bread and spinach sauteed with garlic and a pinch of nutmeg. Try it out with your family!

Happy Halloween!

We had a really fun Halloween! Jason's friend, Lane, came over to visit and watched the U of U football game with us. We grilled bratwurst sausages with peppers and onions, and they were really good football-watching "man food." I had bought some wings, a skirt, and a wand for Lizzy who had requested a Tinkerbell costume, and Rachel was going to wear the pumpkin outfit that Lizzy wore at Rachel's age, but Lizzy saw the princess costume that she had worn last year in the closet, and suddenly she wanted to wear that! So, Lizzy was a princess again, and Rachel wore the Tinkerbell costume! Jason took the girls out trick or treating, and I gave out candy. The girls really enjoyed trick or treating, although Lizzy was a little scared of some of the other kids' costumes! Here are some pictures of the girls in their costumes; with the pumpkins we carved; and a picture of Rachel with her first pigtails!

Phone Pictures

We took the girls to Gardener Village with Grandma and Grandpa Gale... here they are sitting with Grandma Gale... I mean, a witch.








































Also here: Lizzy went "poo poo" in the potty for the first time ever!

Lizzy was so tired one night, she fell asleep at the counter while I was making dinner!

Lizzy and Rachel climbing trees at Grandma Susan's house.

Lizzy at the zoo.

The girls being naughty at church.

At Last!

It is a special day today... Rachel has just slept through the night for the first time IN HER LIFE. Which means, for the first time in 15 months... I SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT. She has been a terrible sleeper... waking up to nurse anywhere from 2 to 8 times during the night. Letting her cry doesn't work... she just ends up waking up Lizzy, and making Jason mad because then he is up too, and she wouldn't ever accept a substitute such as a pacifier or bottle. She would forcefully throw those to the side and demand "nuss! nuss!" However, she is now at the age where I weaned Lizzy, because Lizzy stopped nursing except for nighttime, and Rachel has just started this too. Also, my milk really dried up when Lizzy stopped nursing during the day, and the same thing has happened this time. When Lizzy dried me up, I layed in bed with her the night I stopped nursing her and just cuddled with her and told her the milk was "all gone." She whimpered and cried a sad cry, but then went to sleep after 15 minutes, and never nursed again. Rachel, I did the same thing last night, and she cried a MAD cry for 30 minutes. Boy, was she angry! We'll see how she does tomorrow... but this could be it! After 3 years and 9 months of being continuously pregnant, nursing, or both(!!) I am so ready to be done.

Last Week of CSA

Sadly, this week was the last week of the CSA. We received a letter with our boxes telling us that it was the end. I have had a really fun time experimenting with all these fantastic fresh veggies, and I hope I have inspired some of you to either join a CSA or grow a garden, and enjoy the variety at its best. This week, we got onions, potatoes, corn on the cob, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, cabbage, and jalapeno peppers. My friend, Celia, gave me some tomatoes from her garden, and so I was able to make some homemade salsa, fish tacos, and some freezer tomato sauce. (Click the links to access the recipes.) A week from Saturday, we get to go to East Farms (it's in Layton) and pick our own pumpkins (one per family member) from their pumpkin patch! So that will be fun.