Children's Museum

Have I mentioned that we LOVE the museums here? The best part is that they all have a ton of free days throughout the year. We decided to take advantage of it and head over to the Children's Museum on Thursday night (it's free every Thursday!). The kids had a great time and it's so nice now that Max is officially walking...he can stroll around and do more things. I must mention that the children's museum in Phoenix is much much better though. Maybe because it's newer but it has a ton more stuff.

Bye Bye Wiggleworms

Today was Suki's last Wiggleworms class. It's so weird to think that 16 weeks has passed since we started this. Wiggleworms is kind of a folk music/dance/movement class. She has loved every minute of it and I have loved having that special alone time with just me and her. She has become very outgoing since starting this class and at times was the only kid singing and dancing along. She has grown up so much in the last few months and is blossoming into this funny, outgoing, independent, very sweet little girl. Next session she is moving up and joining an art class where she will go all by herself and I will take Max to wiggleworms so that we can have that alone time too. I will miss this class and this time with her!

My New Love

I am loving Trader Joe's lately. I shopped there quite a bit in Phoenix but not so much since we moved. There isn't a TJ's that close to us so it always seemed so inconvenient BUT once I go...I can't stop. Some of the items I am loving these days...

Cookies

Suki and I made sugar cookies tonight. For some reason, I have never made them from scratch so I searched for a recipe and found this one: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/3-in-1-sugar-cookies-recipe/index.html It is a good one! The cookies taste just like the ones from AJ's and the icing is delicous too!

Snow Day

Today we woke up to snow. I know most people that have lived in the cold for years are probably just annoyed and dreading the long cold winter, but we are from Arizona and only get to see this stuff if we take a two hour drive. Needless to say, we were excited! Suki couldn't wait to get out there and make a snow angel (it's all she's been talking about lately). After lunch we bundled them up and headed out into the cold...


Our snow angel



She definitely likes eating the snow



Max wasn't so sure about it at first



He can barely move in his snow suit



Carlos' snowman and the dog

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Hey!!!!

Oh how I love this boy! He is 13 months old and he is so yummy! He is walking about 50% of the time now and is babbling more and more everyday. He is still such a baby to me and that is just fine. I am in no hurry for him to move onto the toddler years. One toddler in this house is enough for now (especially a strong-willed bossy one at that!) so I am just enjoying every minute of this prolonged baby stage. I know I have probably just succumbed to the age old theory that boys are "mama's boys" and girls will be "daddy's girls" but I can't help it....he is my boy.

The Stockings Were Hung By the Chimney With Care

Sweet Potato Cupcakes

I've been feeling a little down lately missing our old life in Phoenix. Chicago definitely has it's up sides and we are still loving city life but we desperately miss our friends! I never realized how much you rely on them and how you somehow don't feel whole without them. To make up for my loneliness I have been cooking feel good food like stews, soups, muffins, and cupcakes! My sister-in-law passed this recipe on to me and kept telling me how good they were and that I needed to try them. Well, I finally made them and she was right - they are delicious! Here's the recipe:

SWEET POTATO CUPCAKES (MAKES 24)

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 17.2 ounce can vacuum-packed sweet potatoes (unsweetened) or 2 large baked sweet potatoes mashed up to make about two cups
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 recipe for cream cheese frosting below

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees, line muffin tins with cupcake liners
2. In medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium for about 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low until combined. Add sweet potatoes and vanilla, beating until combined.
4. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups and bake for about 20 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pan on wire rack for 2 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely.
5. Top with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting: (I would HALF this recipe - you will have plenty)
In large mixing bowl beat one 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese and 2/3 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add two tablespoons of milk and beat until combined. Beat in 8 cups of powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth and creamy.

This Is It

This is the only picture I have from our trip to Phoenix! I can't believe that I didn't take more pictures. The kids had so much fun playing and we had so much fun hanging out. We were so busy the entire time that I really didn't think about pulling out the camera much. I wish I had because I already miss everybody so much!!!!

The Model

I entered Suki into the Parenting modeling contest today since I think she's the most beautiful girl I assume everyone else would think that too ;). I haven't entered one of these in a long time (I entered her into more contests the first years of her life than I can remember) and I know that the chances are slim but I thought I'd share anyway. If you have a spare minute you can click on this link and vote for her :)

Vote for me in this contest!

Contest details

Halloween

We went up to my brother's house in Appleton, Wisconsin for Halloween this year and the kids had so much fun. Suki was so excited to dress up and she really go into the trick-or-treating. She thought it was so cool that you just knock on someone's door and they give you candy! By the end she was literally screaming TRICK OR TREAT at them because she was so excited. She got lots of candy, a box of cereal, a toy bug and some fake tattoos. Max hated the headpiece to his costume so he only wore it for a short time...maybe next year. Sydney was sick so she didn't get to dress up or go out with the kids (poor thing!) and Paige was such a good sport collecting candy for her. It was a good weekend!

Apple Butter

Last week my mom came in town for Max's first birthday and we did all sorts of fun things. We celebrated Max's birthday at Lou Malnati's with deep dish pizza and ice cream. I think that's a pretty good way to spend a birthday! Than the next day, my mom and I took the kids to an apple orchard to pick apples and have some fun on the farm. I had no idea what to expect and since we drove all the way to Indiana I was hoping it would be good...well, I was NOT dissappointed. This was by far one of the coolest things we've done all year! Suki had so much fun feeding the goats and picking apples. We picked tons (fuji's, golden delicious, and suncrisps) so when I got home I looked up some apple recipes and decided to make apple butter. It was delicious and made my whole house smell so yummy(pictures and recipe follow)! My mom was also so nice to watch the kids one night for us while me and Carlos went out for some much needed adult time. We have not had a sitter since we moved so we were pretty excited! Thanks again mom!

Apple Butter Recipe

Apples (enough to completely fill crock pot)

1/2 cup vinegar

2 cups white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

dash of nutmeg

1. Peel, core and slice apples to fill a crock pot so full that the lid just barely sits on top

2. Add vinegar and cook on low for 12 hours (I did this overnight)

3. Add remaining ingredients

4. Blend together using hand held or conventional blender

5. Cook on low for another 3 hours

6. Seal in jars (I had 2 1/2 pints when finished).

Enjoy!