C-mas Eve

So the boys got ONE early present from my mom & dad. A puppet show. Great fun was to be had....

And the BIG present that the boys will get tomorrow will be a HUGE train table w/ all the stuff that goes w/ it. In fact we are thinking of changing the name of this room from playroom / family room to TRAIN ROOM. Here is Darren trying to set up the ultimate train wonderland (he has about 2 1/2 hours of work into it so far at this shot....it is actually much harder than it looks to plan a train city) Not sure yet who will have more fun, Darren or the boys.

Merry Christmas to all!

More Snow

This is a dog across the street who has planted himself in the snow. Cracks me up. He got almost buried before he moved.

Here is Oscar & Darren having sled runs down our driveway

in the laundry basket. So fun!

Snow days...

Some photo's of the boys in the snow. I'll have great helpers when they are bigger!!

Playdates

I am blessed to have two girlfriend whom I love who have kids that my kids love. The boys & I have playdates w/ each of them once a week. Here are some shots of all our fun!

Here are some w/ the Edwards group...

Here are some from our playdates w/ The Baillys...

Awesome playdate spot...

So my friend Shawnna (& her girls) invited me & the boys to a playdate at a place in Beaverton called Me Too. It is the best place ever. They have a large cafe / casual restaurant area & a separate kids play area. Now if you know my kids you know that unless mommy can play w/ them too it is usually a no go. This place must be magic. Once the boys saw the cool toys & interacted w/ the sweet woman in the play area... they were gone. And the staff was cool enough to let them go in & out as they need. I'm going to make it a regular spot & you should concider it too if you have little kids. They have coffee, breakfast, lunch, dinner... whatever you want! Thanks Shawnna!!

Recipe's....

So there are a few recipe's that many of you have requested lately. Here they are. Happy cooking / baking!!

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ELEPHANT'S TOMATO ORANGE SOUP
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a saucepan, melt butter; add onion and sauté until translucent. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, baking soda and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Puree in a food processor or blender; strain through a sieve or food mill. (I used a hand held immersion blender for this.) Return to saucepan and stir in orange juice. At this point, the soup can be refrigerated until ready to serve. At serving time, add the whipping cream and heat gently, stirring constantly, bringing to a simmer and adjust seasonings if necessary. Extra cream maybe drizzled on top of the soup immediately before serving for decorative effect.
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CHOCOLATE FUDGE LAYER CAKE w/ WHITE CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING (adapted from recipe printed in Bon Appetite)

Cake:
4 oz chopped unsweetened chocolate
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 unsalted butter, room temp
2 t vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup whole milk

Frosting:
3 cups chilled whipped cream
2 T unsalted butter
1/2 lb chopped white chocolate
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare two 9" cake pans. Stir unsweetened chocolate into saucepan over low heat until melted & smooth. Cool slightly. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda & salt into bowl. Beat butter & sugar until well blended. Add lukewarm chocolate & vanilla. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in cocoa powder mixture & 3 additions, alternating w/ milk. Divide between pans & bake 35 m. Cool completely.

Bring 1 cup cream & butter to simmer in saucepan until butter melts. Remove from heat & add white chocolate. Stir until smooth, add vanilla. Bring to room temp. Beat remaining 2 cups cream & almond extract in large bowl until peaks form. While beating, slowely add in chocolate. Chill - fold occasionally.

Place on layer of cake on platter. Spead w/ frosting, add second layer. Spread remaining frosting on top & sides. Serve & enjoy!!

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SPICED CRANBERRY CAKE (adapted from recipe printed in Bon Appetite)
*Great for a holiday coffee cake.

2 cups flour
3/4 cup almond flour
2 1/2 t chinese five spice powder
1 t baking powder
1/2 t each baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 cup halved frozen cranberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350; prepare 12c bundtpan.

Whisk first 8 ingredients in bowl. Beat butter & sugars until fluffy (3m). Add eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla, then sour cream. Add dry ingredients. Fold in nuts & all cranberries. Pour into bundt pan. Back for 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool completely & turn cake out. Enjoy!

Party Party Party

We had a weekend full of parties & it was oh so fun. First, Saturday was Oscar's 4th. A truck theme. Here are some shots.

Then Sunday we headed over to the Bailly's for Amelia's 2nd. Robot theme. Oscar is still running around saying, "Robot's do not poop or pee."... thanks Jason Bailly! Here are some shots of that party. Plus a shot of the robot stuffed toy that Jen made for all the kids!

Gymnastic Class

We signed the boys up for gymnastic class this winter. Actually Oscar is officially signed up but the teacher / coach is super cool & lets Calvin play along. It is through the local park & rec center. They both had SO much fun.

Oscar's b-day

Yesterday was Oscar's b-day. His big party is saturday but we had a mini celebration on his "real" birthday w/ our gift.

Here are the boys playing w/ Oscar's new garbage truck.

Here is Oscar after his birthday pudding! So cute.

Rainy Day Cuteness

So every tuesday we walk to some neighbors of ours for playdate. Today it was pretty wet & windy. We bought Oscar an umbrella last summer but didn't buy one for Calvin - a mistake in retrospect. SO - I let him borrow my huge pink one. Here is how they looked.

Oh my...

This has been a very hard week. And yes - I realize it is only wednesday.

We are all sick, Darren, Me, Oscar & Calvin. I am almost 6 months pregnant. Darren left for Texas monday at 5:30am. Monday at 5:31am Calvin and Oscar woke up & our alarm system started beeping repeatedly. Monday night Calvin was up most of it & when he was sleeping one of us was coughing. I got maybe 3-4 hours. Remember I'm sick too & pregnant. Tuesday we visited the dr to find out Calvin has a double ear infection. Calvin didn't nap today (a mystery I realize since he is younger than 2 & sick). So at 5pm he falls alseep on the couch - totally out. I finally wake him up for dinner since he has to eat before his night time dose of antibiotics. He screamed for a full 30 mintues. Like he was being given a shot... apparently he thought he was down for the night. Finally I got him to stop crying & then Oscar breaks down. He had been such a big boy the past few days being sick & all and with Calvin such a basket case due to the ear infections. Poor guy. Then the phone rings. I choose to let it go to voice mail. 15 m later it rings again. Same people. Normally I'd love to chat but keep in mind my voice is shot & one or both kids are crying. So I let it go to voice mail again. Finally we are singing bedtime songs - the kids are about to knock off & the phone rings again. Oscar bursts into tears. He is so gone. Same people. Again, I choose to let it go to voice mail. At this point I can feel my thin outer shell cracking & my eyes well up. I'm about to cry & loose it in front of the kids. I managed to pull it together & they are now both sleeping. My sick husband is on a flight home & I'll probably burst into tears when he walks through the door.

Side note: Why is it that some people just call & call & call until someone answers instead of leaving a message (they never left a message) that says, "hey - it's me. Call when you get a chance?" Now probably these people are reading this & know who they are. Sorry if I sound grumpy. I'm sick & pregnant.

Anyway have you ever had one of those days? Now, I am fully aware that there are many who have it worse & I should probably suck it up & deal. I'm sure in a few days I'll be my normal rock of a self - but for tonight..... I needed to vent.

Too cute not to share...

So both boys were firemen for Halloween. For the past two weeks straight they have put on the fire hats & run around the house pretending to be a fire truck. Here is Calvin after he woke up one morning.

Halloween

We had a little trick or treat party this year & it turned out to be super fun. Oscar & Calvin were fire men. Aneka & Kiera were various versions of princess's. Marley was a cat. I was a cat. Darren was a clown. They all headed out early likt 5:30pm & had a blast & then came back to the house for dinner!! Here are some shots..

Here are the kids, Darren & our friend Lisa.

Here are all the kids in costume.

Here they all are hitting the first house next door.

Here are the kids eating macaroni & cheese together!

Here the kids are having "band" practice.

And the token sugar high starts....

Such fun!!

Boys in Fall

We met Darren for lunch downtown yesterday & "leaf suffled". So cute. The boys have started to make silly faces at each other & they were facinated by the drinking fountain in the park blocks.

Playdate with the Edwards girls

We are fortunate to have some neighbors who have kids our age & we love. Unfortunately, they are moving at the end of the year to southern california. Here are some shots of thier girls w/ our boys at today's playdate.

Aneka & Oscar gave us a puppet show.

Kiera & Calvin toddled around each other...

Oscar enjoyed the leaves on the way home.

Home Improvement

This weekend we decided to tackle one of our many home improvement projects. In front of our house we have two HUGE maple trees. Over the last few years the lowest few branches have gotten lower & lower and most recently - since they are loaded with leaves it is not uncommon to brush you head on several leaves while coming up our front steps. SO... we borrowed a chain saw, rented a chipper & went to it. Here are some pics. The boys LOVED it.