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Don't judge me for Shutterfly post- I am crossing my fingers it comes through:)

This past week we have been busy with CBS and getting ready for the Holidays. Days have been full of reading "My Big Truck and Train Book" watching Veggie Tales, eating cheese, cheese and more cheese.

Robert LOVES to read his "My Big Truck and Train Book" and then when we are out point at everything he knows from his book.

His friend Lilly Anna is taking a brief absence from CBS and mornings have been a bit harder without her but Noah's company seems to have done the trick. Robert also showed us this week that he can climb without ANY help into the pack n play and also onto our bed. He also showed me more of his superman skills and almost climbed into the bath tub-good for me I was near by with a quick yank to the back of his shirt collar. He talks non stop and says all sorts of funny phrases but never consistent. The other day I had told him "Thank you" and he shot right back with, "Your Welcome." He LOVES to sing all sorts of songs. His favorite is probably "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." He just says, "row, row, row" and mumbles and sways along.

We made "Mini Maple Pancake Muffins " yesterday for Bible Study and we are going to be making this "Apple Crumb Bar" for dinner tomorrow with Ryland.

Here is a photo from this time last year:

Shutterfly Christmas Cards

Shutterfly is offering 50 free cards for the Holidays for blogging about their great holiday collection. In past we have loved their yearly calendars and photo birthday cards. We are still crossing our fingers we will have a family photo in time for mailing our cards. Worst case, we will just use one of Robert’s fall photos. Who knew getting 2 adults, one child and a dog in one photo was so difficult? Wonder if Mary and Joseph could have pulled it off with Jesus? Last year’s photo proved to be quite the challenge and production and in the end it worked out and the cards were mailed. Hopefully we have had our last year of Christmas card photo chaos.

We are thinking about using one of these for our Christmas Cards:




Check out these links:

· holiday cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards
·Christmas cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cards
· Christmas photo cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery
· 2011 calendar to http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars
· new years cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/new-years-cards
· canvas art to http://www.shutterfly.com/home-decor/canvas-wall-art


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Fall Photos

We picked up Robert's fall photos last week and they turned out great!

These are just a few:

Robert's package, Sweater vest

Last week Robert received a special package in the mail. He was very excited and even worked by himself to open it. He found a Caillou book inside...from Spain!

These are not the best photos but trying to get him to stand still is quite the task. He wore this Saturday to a birthday party. The vest was made by Aunt Celina! It fits perfect!

Pumpkin Bread

Pumkpin Bread by Dixie found on Toads T:


Preheat oven to 350F & grease and flour your pans. (This recipe makes alot of batter so you'll get at least 3 9X5 pans or 30+ cupcakes out of it!)

In a large bowl combine the following until smooth:
3 cups of sugar
1 C vegetable oil
1 can pumpkin puree {15 oz}
2/3 C water
4 eggs

Blend in:
3 1/2 C flour
1 T cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
{Or instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg I just use a T of pumpkin pie spice}
2 t baking soda
1 1/2 t salt

Fold in 1 c chocolate chip {and 1/2 c chopped nuts if you like them--I left them out}. Put batter into baking dishes and bread pans for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean. I bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or so & the cookies for 12-15 minutes depending on how big you make them.

Halloween 2010

Thursday R was home with a Stomach bug, Friday Macy was sick, Saturday we had a short, but enjoyable reprieve and then Sunday Morning it all hit the fan. Little Robert woke with a 103 fever and we spent the day giving him baths, Tylenol, Advil and liquids. Needless to say he was absent from trick or treating. We did however disqualify ourselves from any Parent of the year awards by letting him pass out candy (His hands were washed and clean). He loved every minute of it. Whenever he would run out of candy to giveaway he would throw his hands up and open and close them, ready for more!

We were at the Dr. first thing this morning and turns out he has two ear infections. You wouldn't have ANY idea by the way he acts.

His Puppy costume didn't quite go with his fever so we went for something a little cooler. A train conductor costume came in handy:

It borders on "Boy Dress" but it was OK for 5 minutes and he will grow into it!


Pumpkin:

Earlier last week this came:

It looks like this out of the package (Photo from Pottery Barn):

When it is hung I will have another photo. Robert is now loving to eat cheese and noodles:

Soup

Found this soup recipe at Sullivan and Murphey:


Max & Erma’s Chicken Tortilla Soup

- Sue’s Version

Ingredients:

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans Campbell's condensed cream of celery soup

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans Campbell's cheddar cheese soup

2 (15 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I use petite)

1 cup picante salsa (I use Pace brand- medium hot)

1 (4 1/2 ounce) can green chiles (Ortega brand)

1 medium onion, chopped fine

4 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon red New Mexico Chile Powder

(NOTE -- This is not the same as ordinary red chili powder. Red New Mexico chile powder can be found in specialty foods stores or often in the specialty area of your supermarket- sometimes in the produce department with the dried chiles)

If you use ordinary chili powder, you can start out using approximately 2 Tablespoons of it.



1 /4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

4 cooked chicken breasts, cut into small chunks

salt and pepper, to your taste

10 flour tortillas

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1/2 lb Colby cheese


Directions:
1.In a large (10-12 quart) stockpot combine and whisk together all eight cans of soup until smooth.
2.Add chicken broth, tomatoes, salsa, green chiles, onion, garlic, chile powder, salt and pepper. Bring all ingredients to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour.
3.Add chicken breast chunks. Simmer another hour. Add cilantro during the last 15 minutes of cooking time.
4.While soup is simmering, make your soup toppings: Cut flour tortillas into small, thin strips. Heat oil to 325 degrees and fry tortilla strips in batches until lightly browned. Be careful- it’s easy to burn them if you aren’t careful. Shred cheese.
5.To serve: Ladle soup into bowls, top with shredded cheese and fried tortilla strips. You can top it with additional sprigs of cilantro, as well.