pumpkin (shape not flavor) hummus

We had our playgroup Halloween party today, and everyone was suppose to bring a holiday side or dessert. Naturally, I waited until the last minute, thinking I'd just take hummus (since it's one of the few things on my MSP-free diet). As I was getting ready, I thought, "wonder if I could shape it like a pumpkin? After all, it IS orange....) Well, it totally worked. I made my favorite red pepper hummus, and put it on a heavy duty white cardbord plate (so I could trash it afterward, rather than carry it back home). Next, I put dried parsley flakes on the stem. It was thick enough that I could make it 3-D basically, but it still needed a little more orange. I put a little hummus in a snack size zipper bag with a couple drops of red and yellow food coloring, mixed it in bag, snipped the corner, then "drew" on the pumpkin lines. How easy is that?!? Plus, I think it turned out pretty cute, especially for a 5 minute meal. Right before serving, I surrounded the plate with broken up Wheat Thins tuscan herb flatbread. I'm so thankful that it all actually worked last minute, LOL!

Horse Trailer

Being a "crunchy" mom

So what exactly qualifies as "crunchy" anyways?

Here is a fun quiz to determine your level of crunch, LOL!

Do you have homebirths?
15 points for “yes” (unassisted)
10 points for “yes” (with a midwife in attendance)
5 points for alternative birthing center
2 points for “thinking about/would like homebirth”
0 for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Will you circumcise future sons?
5 points for “no”
-5 points for “yes”.

Do you use cloth diapers?
20 point if you do Elimination Communication (no diapers)
15 points if “yes” (wash and make your own)
10 points if “yes” (wash your own)
5 points if “yes” (diaper service)
2 points if “thinking about it”
0 points if “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you observe your fertility signals using Natural Family
Planning/Fertility Awareness and use that for birth control/trying to conceive?
10 points for “yes” (observe and use for birth control/ttc) or you use ecological
breastfeeding/lactational amnorrhea
5 points for “yes” (observe for trying to conceive)
2 points “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you breastfeed exclusively for the first 6+ months?
10 points if “yes”
5 points for “no” (use occasional bottles of expressed breastmilk)
2 points for “no” (use occasional bottles of formula)
0 for “no” (don’t breastfeed by choice).

Do you co-sleep/family bed?
10 points for “yes” (all night every night)
5 points for “yes” (part/all of most nights)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no”.

Do you use a sling/soft carrier?
5 points for “yes”
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you believe in/practice child-led weaning
(even if that means breastfeeding for several years)?
15 points for “yes” (complete child-led weaning)
10 points for “yes” (up to 3 years)
5 points for “yes” (up to 2 years)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (you’ll wean the baby at 1 year or earlier).

Do you tandem nurse/nurse during your pregnancy?
10 points for “yes” (nurse during pgcy and tandem nurse)
5 points for “yes” (nurse during pgcy, but wean before birth)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no”(wouldn’t consider it).

Do you eat organic/whole/natural foods and limit your meat?
15 points for “yes” (grow own/buy organic, shop only at health food store,
grind own wheat, vegetarian, etc.)
10 points for “yes” (grow some of own food, buy organic,
use whole wheat flour, bake own bread, eat some meat occasionally)
5 points for “yes” (try to buy natural, whole grain foods, etc.)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you use herbal/homeopathic remedies?
10 points if “yes” (very rarely see a regular doctor)
5 points if “yes” (but use a doctor occasionally)
2 points if “thinking about it” (see a doc for now)
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

Do you homeschool?
10 points if “yes” (currently homeschool)
5 points for “yes” (will homeschool)
2 points for “thinking about it”
0 points for “no” (wouldn’t consider it).

What's your take on childhood vaccinations?
15 points for no vaccines
10 for delayed, selective vaccination
5 points for selective, on schedule vaccination
2 points for thinking about not vaccinating
0 points for vaxing on schedule.

Would you/have you ever breastfeed/fed someone else's baby
or have someone else bf your child?
10 points if yes (have or someone has bf your baby)
5 points if yes (would)
2 points if maybe 0 if no (wouldn't consider it).

Do you use cloth/re-usable products for mom?
10 points if yes (make own)
5 points if yes (buy own)
2 points if thinking about it
0 points if no.


Ratings
120 – 140 Super Nutty, Ultra-Crunchy Granola Earth Mama
90 – 119 Mmm! Love that whole-grain crunch!
60 – 89 Pretty Crispy
20 – 59 Sprinkled with Granola
5 – 19 Instant Oatmeal
0 - 4 Jell-O

Oh, and if your wondering what I scored? Oh, I'll never tell!

Just kidding.

I float between "Sprinkled with Granola" and "Pretty Crispy", depending on my garden, energy level, and what not.

Quiz taken from these sites:

http://angels-and-aprons.blogspot.com/2008/01/what-does-crunchy-mean.html

http://www.themoralesfamily.us/granola.htm

It's October

All treats around here! Well, that's not true. Pierce did get a pretend mouse at our neighborhood halloween party Saturday, and has enjoyed running around the house "scaring" different people with it. He thinks that is SOOOOO funny. Precious to see his sense of humor developing.

Sorry, I'm too lazy to fix these pics that are out of order.

Here's P sampling his first batch of sugar cookies. It's a pumpkin! He absolutely loved working with the dough, using the rolling pin, and of course the cookie cutters!
Tasting the dough, before it went into the fridge. If you can see the mess- all over his face and shirt, it's proof that he was my "helper".
At the Antique tractor museum- part of the Harvest Moon festival.
Checking out the square and doing a little people watching.
The boys lounging in their holiday wear. Pierce loves to hold his little brother!

Pierce's 2nd Birthday

Pierce turned 2 on September 7th, which fell on Labor Day this year. We celebrated by having an "All-American family picnic" at Pierce's Tutu and Pa's house. The weather was great for swimming, and we had a wonderful time celebrating! A few dear friends and family couldn't make it, but we certainly understood and missed them all.

The birthday boy, with watermelon mouth!

Front Gate- inspired by something similar I saw in a Chasing Fireflies catalog... last year, LOL. Fortunately I remembered to hang it up this time around!
Blowing out his "2" candle. His friend Jenna also was celebrating her 7th birthday that day, and we put a candle on her piece of cake too. Silly me didn't realize it was a "trick" candle that didn't blow out, so we had a good laugh with that one. She was such a good sport :)
Yummy Costco cake!
Dinner time
Silly Tutu and Jan trying on the hats that all the kids didn't find.
Testing out his scooter from Melissa
Grandmama getting some newborn snuggles from Henry

WeeSchool

Pierce goes to WeeSchool at Lakeside Baptist Church 2 days a week. He seems to really enjoy it. We started him there 1 day a week when he was 7 months old, to give him a little socialization. Not only does he have some great friends there, but his teacher from the last 2 years, Ms. Diane, is so loving- she moved up with his class. I use it as kind of a "mothers day out" and it allows me some time with Henry as well.

Pierce is enrolled in Gym Kats, a tumbling program that comes to the school once a week.

Checking out his new classroom, for this year.
Heading inside, on the 1st day of school! My girlfriends, the Sassy Six, gave him his monogramed camo backpack, filled with toys when Henry was born.

Henry's birth and coming home

"The Thomas men"

This cracks me up. Totally worth "clicking" on this one to enlarge and savor it. Note how it seems Pa is reading to Pierce, but Pierce has responded to the book in a funny way, so all the men look down at the book with a chuckle. Now Pierce clearly knows he's cute, and looks up at the camera for any others that may be in his audience. Oh yeah, and what about Henry? Pay no attention to the newborn. He does make a nice table to rest our cel phones on, Haha! Gotta love it!!!
Aunt Kimber w/ Henry; she's expecting her first (Kate) in this pic. Doesn't she make pregnancy look so easy!
Grandpops
Grandmama....Pierce still isn't too sure about this whole baby thing!
He's coming around and can strike a pose for the camera now.

Cousins- Hannah holding Pierce and Rebecca holding Henry on SundayAnne's family on Sunday when Henry came home from the hospital (click on pics to enlarge)
Momma and her baby!
Family pic, shortly after delivery
Our OB, Dr. Howser
Handsome Henry! This is what a 10 lb 14 oz baby looks like. Don't even want to imagine what it would have been like without an epidural! Hats off to the "natural" childbirth women!

Shout out to Misti

Long overdue pics....

Misti White, who is no longer just our pastor's wife, but is now also considered a dear friend, took our maternity, newborn, and some Thomas family pictures. Isn't she so talented?!?

Anne's mom and Henry

Thomas Family a couple of weeks after Kate was born
In Tutu & Pa's tree
Cousins- Kate and Henry




Awww! Sweet brothers
Jan Williams gave Pierce this Teddy bear for Christmas, made from one of Bill William's shirts. Such a special gift!
Our silly (almost) 2 yr old,in the final days of being an "only"!
Visit her site when you have a chance! www.mistiwhitephotography.com