Christmas

We were really looking forward to celebrating Christmas at home this year. It's nice to have your child sleep in his own bed, wake up in familiar surroundings and then see that something is different at the Christmas tree. Here is Miles' experience.


Everything is set up for optimum viewing when Miles wakes up.

Here, he is seeing things for the first time. Let me explain the picture a little. In the morning, it is cold in our house so we bought Miles some slippers to wear in the mornings. Everything was going great until Miles needed a new pair of school shoes and we bought him some new sneakers. Now, every morning he insists on putting his shoes on. On Christmas morning, I asked Miles if he wanted his house shoes on. He agreed until he saw I was talking about the slippers. As a compromise, Miles offered his chicken wear the house shoes and he would wear his sneakers.

Don't worry, Scooter got presents too. He got a catnip pillow with big eyes on it. Miles took one look at it and deemed it an owl.

Here we are going through his stocking. The first thing he pulled out was raisins and he wasn't really interested in it after that. Taking everything else out of the stocking was a bit of a chore to be done in between bites of raisins.

The family in our new pajamas.

Miles got balls from the grandparents. He likes to try to carry all of them. Here, he is carrying three, but at one point, he had all four in his hands/arms.

By far, his two favorite presents were the legos and...

A race car track. Thanks again grandparents!

Miles meets Santa

I forgot to post this earlier. This is Miles' first time meeting Santa. We were waiting in line and Miles kept calling him Satan. Miles also calls the Christmas Tree the "Gimme Tee". His stocking is "tockin".

So, we are thinking of not really talking about Santa to Miles. I don't really want that to be the focus of the holiday and want to instead emphasize the celebration of the birth of Christ. Any thoughts?

Decorating for Christmas

Here are a few pictures of us decorating for Christmas this year. I was expecting the worst with a toddler, but things have been okay...so far.


It's important to us that Miles learn about the story of the birth of Jesus and that being the reason we celebrate Christmas so we got him a nativity scene made by lego. Miles loves playing with it.

He also loves wearing his monkey hat. The hat has nothing to do with Christmas, but it's cute.

When we pulled out the Christmas tree, it poked Miles so he was afraid of it from the beginning. Here he is playing with a garland while Steve and I decorate the tree.

Miles finally got familiar enough with the tree to touch the ornaments, but not the tree (it still pokes). This has actually made Christmas really nice because I don't have to worry about Miles playing with the tree and having it fall on him. I think next year I will give him the job of keeping the cat away from the tree.

The magic of Christmas as seen from little eyes.

Thanksgiving and handmade fun

So I am really behind in my blogging so I am combining different things (not the snow thing though because it was just too precious). Anyway, I decided to combine Thanksgiving and other crafts. The best part of Thanksgiving this year was that Steve did all the cooking and preparation. I just did some cleaning and set the table. It was awesome.


Here is my awesome table. Everyone had a chocolate bar favor on their plate. Even Miles got a peppermint kiss on his plate.

Here's a close up of the favors. Steve designed and put them together.

Here is Steve posing with the food. We had friends over and split up the food so Steve made the turkey and israeli couscous salad. Other delights gracing our table were mashed potatoes, sauerkraut mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, dressing, rolls, spicy cranberry compote, a couple different appetizers, and pumpkin roulade and gingerbread cupcakes for dessert. It was so tasty

Here is a close up of some birds I made for a garland that I strung around the stockings. I got the pattern from a book called FaLaLaLa Felt. It's a great book.

I made Miles an apron too so he could help me make christmas cookies. If you look at it closely, it's not very christmasy (there are pigs with webs on them). Oh well. Miles is at the age where he makes everything look cute

snow

Right before Thanksgiving, Seattle got a snow storm (unheard of). This may not seem to bad to friends in family in Utah, but this much snow shuts down the city and turns my commute from 20 minutes to 3 hours. At least Steve stayed home with Miles so I didn't have a toddler on the bus. Here are some pictures of Miles enjoying snow.


Miles likes things orderly. Here he is cleaning the tree.

Steve taught Miles how to catch snow on his tongue

Carmel Apple Butter

I mentioned on facebook that I was making carmel apple butter and several of you asked for the recipe so here it is.

Carmel Apple Butter by Linda J. Amendt
Makes about 7 half pints

Apple Pulp
3 1/2 lbs tart apples, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups unsweetened apple juice
1 cup water
1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice

Butter Indredients
4 cups apple pulp
3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp unsalted butter
1 (3-ounce) pouch liquid pectin

To make the pulp: In a 4-quart pan (I had to use an 8-quart pan but that is because I weighed the apples after coring and peeling them), combine the apples, apple juice, water, and lemon juice.

Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the apples are soft, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Press the apples and juice through a food mill or fine meshed sieve. Return the apple pulp to the pan.

Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. As the apple pulp thickens, stir th mixture frequently to prevent sticking or scorching. Remove the pan from the heat. Measure 4 cups of apple pulp.

To make the butter: In an 8-quart pan, combine the apple pulp, brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter.

Over medium-low heat, heat the mixture, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the entire contents of the pectin pouch. Return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Skim off any foam.

Ladle the hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp cloth. Cover with hot lids and apply screw rings. Process half-pint jars in a 200F water bath for 10 minutes, pint jars for 15 minutes.

Halloween

Miles gets to go trick or treating with his classmates to some of the local businesses. Miles was dressed as angry elephant this year.


A few members of the class getting ready to go out. They have a rope with rings that they hold on to.

Fran's Chocolates was our favorite place to trick or treat. They gave the kids boring candy, but gave the adults a chocolate ganache. Yummm!!

Pumpkin Patch!!

We started going to a pumpkin patch every year to support local farms and get back to nature (because we love nature). This year we went to Craven Farm.


Miles tries so hard to help with the farm chores.

Steve is so strong

Determination...I will not let this pumpkin that is bigger than me beat me.

STRIPES!!!

I'm checking for seeds.

Childrens' Museum

I was downloading pictures off the camera to post pictures of Miles trick-or-treating and I realized I haven't posted anything on the blog in awhile. Here we are at the Children's Museum on the advice of a friend. I think Miles had a good time, but I think we will wait a few years before we take him again. We didn't get to spend any time in half the museum because Miles (meaning Steve and I) got tired.

They had a special Clifford the Big Red Dog exhibit. Miles liked the purple poodle.

He was a little afraid of Clifford though.

I was glad we went in October. This pumpkin is HUUUGGGEEE!!

We found one of those bikes that teach little kids how to balance without pedaling before they get to an actual bike so Miles took it for a spin. Later, I wondered if it was part of the museum or privately owned since it was parked near stroller parking. Oh well.

Since Miles rides the bus every day we thought he might enjoy driving one.

He seems to be a friendly bus driver as he mingles with his clients.

Here he is grocery shopping.

Here he is checking out the fish he chose to buy.

Leavenworth

After a super crazy week, we met up with friends and their family for a weekend in Leavenworth. What an awesome time we had.

Steve and Miles took a cow ride. If you look close, you will see that Steve's knees are poking out. He had a great time.

Did you ever see Muppets from Space when the evil guy says to his bear helper "Hand me the remote" and the bear says, "The goat?" That's what this reminds me of.

If you look in the back of this picture, you will see a freakishly small cow. It was insane.

Miles didn't even like the pretend animals in the petting zoo

Steve is showing Miles that it's okay to feed a sheep. What you don't hear is Steve asking the sheep to please not use his tongue when eating out of his hand.

Finally, Miles found something he loved at the farm. A small shopping cart.

Downtown Leavenworth. It was about 80 degrees and Steve didn't pack shorts. Therefore, he fashioned some manprees.

This picture made me laugh out loud. Miles is clearly hot and tired.

After a full day, Miles finally warmed up to the dog Rocky. It was so fun watching him interact with a dog. Here he is trying to feed Rocky.

On Sunday, we went to the beach. Once again, Steve sports manprees. More than once on this trip we had role reversal where I said, "You are not wearing that" and Steve said "but its comfortable".