Happy Halloween!

We had a busy day today, we got our family pictures taken this morning (thank you to the wonderful and inspiring Connie Hemmer http://cmhpotd2008.blogspot.com/) came home and had a very quick lunch, short nap then were off to the Harvest Days Parade downtown followed by Naomi's first real trick-or-treating experience.  Considering Naomi only got about a half hour nap today she was in great spirits, not super smiley but still in a good mood with minimal whining which in my book is a good day.

Pictures this morning were fun - cold but fun - I can't wait to see how they turned out.  Naomi was being a bit of a momma's girl but I think we still got some good ones. 

The Medford Chamber and Downtown Business Association really does a great job of putting on family oriented community events.  I did not take Naomi to all of the festivities they had going on yesterday but I think it's just great that in such a small community these things still come together - so a big thank you to The Chamber for that. 

This was the theme of most of the pictures..."Hey Kids! Look anywhere but AT the camera!" :)

Being the crazy person I am, I thought it would be fun to get all of the kiddos together and do a picture on the steps at our house...yeah, I took literally like 15 pictures and this was the best of the lot...it's funny how hard it is to get a bunch of kids to look and smile at the same time...never-the-less, it was a moment kept forever.

An improvement...they may not all be looking but they all look amused!

Reese as Spider Man - his eyes kill me in pictures.  Just gorgeous.

Ryan is so sweet and always wants to make sure everyone is included.

Miss Rachel - she could not be any more like her mother, right down to her little mole on her cheek :)  Karrie is going to have her hands full!!!

Miss Naomi was giving lots of pouts...I guess that I would pout too if I was woken up from a nap :)

Nay and I having a little pre-parade, post-nap snuggle time.

The parade today was fun, the weather was beautiful and sunny and the kids were all so good.  The older two, Rachel and Ryan were so sweet, they would help make sure the littles all got treats in their goodie bags too. 

Our two little winged girlies, Naomi thought Rachel was pretty darn cool!

 It was really sweet.  Naomi apparently thought that she was Miss America because she was waving (elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist) at everything as it went by. 
 
She also was totally grooving to the music they were playing, there was a Red Hot Chili Peppers song blasting and her one little leg was just moving...I asked her if she liked the music and she said yes!

Sammer's enjoying a little nutritious snack at the parade

The Medford Marching Band - pretty entertaining stuff - good songs and some were rollerblading while playing!  Crazy!

My sweet girl

Staring with longing at all of the buckets of candy :)

Brooke and her dance group - it's been so much fun watching Brooke and her group from year to year, I am really hoping that it works out for us to be home for their Spring Show - it's always a great time, and I think Naomi would think it's pretty amazing :)

 Marsha, Kris and the boys couldn't come out trick-or-treating with us but Naomi, Ryan and I went with Karrie, Rachel, Ryan and Carter and it was so cute.  The excitement! 
The danger (did you look both ways)!  The Thrill (they handed out a FULL size candy bar?!)  It was a great to see how Karrie's little ones were so kind to Naomi, waiting for her when their patience would allow. 

Her first official "Trick - or - Treat"

 I couldn't hear if Naomi actually said "Trick-or-Treat" to everyone but she did say a lot of thank you's for which I am glad :)

We made a couple of longer stops at Marsha's in-laws where we caught up with my Dad for a few minutes and also at our dear friend's Gary and Alice's where Naomi got to play with some very cool vintage Sesame Street toys...and we came home with a plate of cupcakes with the BEST frosting.  If Alice will share the recipe with me I will share it here too. 

It was a great weekend spent enjoying times with family and appreciating those moments.  Monday's are always hard because I just miss spending time with my little deary but there are always bright spots in the weeks that help you get through!  I hope that everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween!

Lemon Olive Chicken with Orzo

Recipe time!

So, at the last Friends of the Library Book sale (if you aren't aware of them, they are in the fall and spring and you can get books for ridiculously cheap prices - I'm talking like a quarter for kids books and fifty cents to a dollar for adult books.  I have found a large number of treasures!) I snatched a copy of the 2012 Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking (for FIFTY CENTS!) and have found a number of recipes that I've wanted to try.  Here is the one we had last week:

Lemon Olive Chicken with Orzo

4 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used breasts because that's what I had on hand)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 can (14 1/2 oz)  chicken broth
4 lemon wedges
1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, sliced
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1) In a large non-stick skillet, brown chicken in oil, drain and set aside.  Add broth to skillet, stir to loosen browned bits from pan.

2) Bring to a boil.  Stir in orzo, lemon wedges, olives, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper.  Return to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occassionally.

3) Return chicken to skillet.  Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and pasta is tender.

This dish had great flavor and textures, I think it would be a great spring dish and would perhaps even dice up the chicken and you could bring it as a cold salad to a party. 

Bon appetit!

Epicures - Fall Session 2012

Yum.  We just had our quarterly (or seasonally rather) Epicures dinner this past weekend.  We all so look forward to getting together because it brings a really fun group of people together that enjoy trying new foods.  

This time the Dixon's took their turn at hosting and put together a bit of an intimidating menu at first glance:

I know, some of the foods on there sound crazy right?  That's the point of the dinner party group - to try new things that you wouldn't necessarily do on your own.  And 99% of the time the food is amazing...sorry Doug and Patty, I am still not in love with snails.  Or even in like.  Or that I ever feel the need to try them ever again.  Ever. 

First things first - Rach's table setting was absolutely gorgeous - they have a beautiful home with the perfect dining room for hosting our group.

Our gracious and beautiful hostess.

Appetizer, Creamy chicken liver mousse - it was actually delicious, it had great texture and didn't have an overpowering flavor of any of it's ingredients, just a great pairing.  The White Burgundy wine was a delicious pairing to this as well.

Chef Beilfuss preparing the seared scallops for the First Course...

Rach and Ellie

Seared scallop nestled on a leek topped with caviar.

Team Beilfi prepping their soup.  They are a great team!

I'm actually pretty proud of catching the oil stream in motion here :)  The oil was lemon infused...Patty and I were talking about how she was going to do that earlier in the week and I suggested just slipping a little pledge in with the oil...totally kidding - the point is to be adventurous not deadly!

 

 

 

 

Seriously beautiful colors!  Very festive.  The cauliflower base also would be a great chowder base.

The group enjoying the Cauliflower soup with seared scallop and caviar

Next up was the salad course prepared by the van der Berg's. It was a fantastic change from the typical greens salad.

 

 

 

Jaco was a tremendous amount of...help...as a spokes model.  His next stop will probably be the Price Is Right :)

The Dixon Siblings

Ryan sneaking some extra caviar on a cracker...using a baby spoon...very resourceful that husband of mine is!

Ryan and I

On to the main course - Luke pan searing the steaks

Good times with great friends!

SO good!

Beauty on a plate

Dessert course!  Figs, walnut and blue cheese greatness.

It was a tough night for Frankendog Walker, he needed a snooze on the couch :)

I think this every time after we have an epicures, but it just keeps getting better and more fun with each one.  There is something so therapeutic about really slowing down a meal, enjoying the quality of the ingredients truly savoring the flavors and being around others who enjoy it too.  Bon Appetit!  I can't wait until next time!

They Sure Grow Up Fast...

Catchin' up, catchin' up...

A few weekends ago Marsha and her boys came to stay and play for the weekend.  Halloween is a really big thing with little's, which is something I kind of forgot about until this year.  It's a lot of fun to do all the little crafts and just help build up the celebration.  So we added a building block to the celebration by painting pumpkins and letting them run around in their costumes super fun!

It's not everyday you get to cook dinner with a butterfly and Superman!

Not only can THIS Superman leap tall buildings in a single bound he can also share toys and mix a mean batch of upside-down chocolate fudge cake :)

Love, love. LOVE. <3

Who loves candy?

Pony rides with Daddy/Uncle Ryan

Karrie and her little's also stopped by for a little bit and they were running the loop in the house...then suddenly everything got quiet...I walk down the hallway and find them piled in my bed, Rachel (who literally could not look MORE like her mommy) is reading a story out-loud to all the other little's.  My heart just melted.  Sweet, sweet stuff!

My little book worm :)  

Just. So. Excited!

All ready to go.  Now!

The following week was the Child Development Days at school...boy oh boy was she excited about going to school!!!  We had to get her backpack ready to go...granted she really didn't need it but she really wanted to take it.  And she just kept saying, "Going to school, going to school."  
 Here is a montage of her quasi-first day of school...

 

Overall it was a great experience for both Naomi and for Ryan and I.  We learned a bit of a base level of where she is in her skill set as well as what we should be working on in the next year.  I think the highlight of the time for her was just the concept of going to school...the down fall was a little boy smacked her with a dinosaur toy so of course what she is remember is that "Naughty boy" from school. 

It seemed crazy to be taking her in her little shoes, with her little back pack into that big school but the reality is that it is not far off at all.  Cra-zy.  I hope that school is a great place for her, a safe environment to expand her knowledge, keep an open mind and start to shape her as a person and keep her own unique little self intact.