Thanksgiving 2009

Here it is, the Crown Jewel Of Thanksgiving. The BEAUTIFUL Turkey! 23 pounds of it. We used the Martha Stewart Method; basting with 3 sticks of butter and one whole bottle of dry white wine, with the turkey shrouded in a cheesecloth. (My first purchase in a liquor store! I know, shocking isn't it?)

My Table: Brown on Brown. I loved it!

The Menu:
Shrimp Cocktail (Lori), Corn Chowder (Brooke), Pomegranate Jello (me), Turkey (group effort), mashed potatoes (peeled a la Wes & Brooke), gravy (by Lori), Cranberry Sauce (me), Stuffing with pine nuts, sausage and water chestnuts (Brooke), Sweet potatoes (me), corn (parents garden), Rolls (Me, Brooke and Wes), Squash - which didn't really make an appearance (Dad), Welches Sparkling Grape Juice, Spiced Cidar(Me), Water, pumpkin cheese cake (Brooke and Wes), Apple and Pecan Pie (Lori) and whipped cream. We had a very abundant feast and days and days and days of wonderful left-overs.

Shane, doing the pre-dinner clean up. Nothing worse than doing hours and hours and hours of dishes after the meal when you can save yourself tons of time by cleaning up in between cooking duties.

Brooke, also doing pre-dinner clean up.

Cooking began at 6:30 A.M. with Sausage cooking, and celery, onion, and water chestnut chopping. You've got to get that Turkey stuffed before it can go in the oven!

Sam and Nathan, awaiting the feast.

Lori making WONDERFUL gravy with our Turkey,butter, wine juices.

Dad and Wes having conversation



8:00 P.M. Totally Conked out watching the game on TV.

33 Weeks & Ultra Sound Photos - finally

I went in for my 33 week appointment today. ALL IS WELL! Heart rate: GOOD. Blood Pressure: GOOD. Weight Gain: GOOD. Everything Else: GOOD! I'm measuring at 33 weeks, which means we've caught up to when I was measuring 5 weeks too big, and this is also: GOOD! I even got to feel his head, which is down in my pelvic area...just where he should be! I had to take Ruth's word for it, I couldn't really tell what I was feeling, but she assured me it was his head.

Here are some of my 2nd Ultra sound Photos from a few months ago.

The tech was surprise at how long these baby feet were :o)

Pretty sure he's smiling in this one.

I love this photo, because he's waving at us.

Nathan has been helping me with my 'fetal kick count.' (You want 10 kicks within an hour, we're usually about 7 minutes or so) He comes and talks to the baby, and lays his head on my belly, and often exclaims: "He Kicked Me!!" Nathan talks about his baby brother and asks me if 'the baby' is sleeping, or asks if he is playing. It's very sweet that he has an awareness of what is happening inside my tummy. He's excited to be a 'big brother.' When ever Shane or I tell Nathan what a big boy his is, he says "yeah, like a big brother." I have big hopes for these boys to be great friends. I'm sure they will be.

Tip of the Day: tennis ball in the dryer

(Photo credit: Flickr)

We had an activity for the Activity Day Girls a week or so a go. And I learned that if you put a clean tennis ball (I think you need just one) in your dryer with your towels or down coats and such, that it will fluff the heck out of them!! Wow, something so simple, yet so effective! I'm gonna put "tennis balls" on my shopping list for this week!

Bride's Maids

Brooke Surprised us girls (Amy and I) with adorable personalized wedding dress cookies, inviting us to be part of her special day! What a very clever and special way to deliver the message. Of course I said yes, and not long after the photo's were taken, the Petty family devoured my cookie. It was delicious.

Mine says "Will You Be My Matron of Honor"


Amy's Says "Will You Be My Bride's Maid"



Brooke and Olivia

Happy third Birthday Nathan

One week after Halloween, we celebrated Nathan's third birthday with a Pirate Party! I decided to heck with the germs floating about Fremont County.

Amy and Travis went to a lot of work to make a "Pirate Ship" for the occasion, and the kids loved it!

The Shipmates, enjoying the ship

For a Pirate Birthday Party, one needs a Pirate Birthday Cake. This was actually one of the easiest cakes I've ever made. It's true, sometimes less is more!

How I decided to do the candles, which were trick candles, I hadn't realized until the copious amounts of smoke and flickering began.

Birthday boy blowing his candles.


More fun aboard the sea worthy boat

NQ checking out the port holes

NQ and Olivia Checking out the port holes

Aunt Brooke joined us from Sheridan for the festive event.

Nathan loving on his Aunt Brooke.

For the party we played:

1. Walk the plank

2. Duck, Duck, Pirate

3. Mark the "X" on the map

then we watched a pirate Backyardagains episode

Followed by Lunch of "Golden (chicken) Nuggets", veggie tray and fruit tray

The adults had quiche

Then Cake and Ice cream followed by presents for all!

We had a treasure hunt slated as well, but the kids were winding down and didn't need the extra activity.

Thanks to Brooke, Amy, Travis and Shane for all your help!

Halloween 2009

Here's what the Petty Family Looked like for Halloween this Year!

NQ the Pirate and Momma the Hippie supporting the theme of "Free Love" with a peace sign on her unborn child.

Daddy the greaser all slicked up and slicked back with a deck of cards rolled up in his sleeve along with his pirate son.

The fantastic little pirate


Another shot of Pirate and Greaser


We hit the main street trick or treating 1st for about an hour, then we attended the ward party for probably less than 30 minutes. The kids had a blast. We went with Olivia (princess Leia), Amy (scary witch) and Travis (World Champion Boxer.) I will have to steal pictures from them later! I love this age...just over an hour was enough for EVERYONE!!

Peach Crumb Cake Mix

(photo credit: flickr)

All I can say about this recipe is YUM!! In addition to my Choke Cherry Jelly Jars I have ready for the holidays, I also made a few Peach Crumb Cake Mix Jars. I recently baked one, just to test it out. You know, make sure it is a quality product. IT IS! So I'm sharing with you!

3/4 C. Sugar

3/4 C. Quick Oats

3/4 C. Brown Sugar

2 C. All-purpose flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

In a 1-quart container of your choice, layer the above ingredients in order given. Pack each layer into the container before adding the next ingredient.

FOR LABEL:

1 jar Peach Crumb Cake Mix

3/4 C. butter or margarine

1 (29 oz.) can peach pie filling

Preheat oven to 350. Empty the contents of jar into mixing bowl, stirring to combine (if brown sugar is hard, microwave for 10 seconds.) Melt butter and stir into dry ingredients to form a crumbly mixture. Press half of the crumbs into a greased 9 x 13" pan and top with peach pie filling. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over filling. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

You WILL want Ice cream or PLENTY of milk to go with this dessert! It is RICH and DELICIOUS!