Thankfuls in November

November has started out just as busy as the rest of the months, but with a focus on being grateful.  It isn't difficult to look around and be grateful for what we have been given.  Every breath is truly a gift.

On November 1st we woke up before dawn and headed down to Provo to pick up my nephew and then drove down to California.  We stopped in St. George for a visit with Nana and Papa and some breakfast and then continued onward towards Mortensen Manor and then on to San Diego.

After being in 30-40*F weather the warmth of San Diego felt especially wonderful.  It was such a fast trip, but it was such a great reunion.  We were able to see lots of our friends and enjoy the nice warm weather.  We are so glad that we could celebrate Kaitlyn in Mark's wedding with them.  I'm so grateful for the friends I had while living in CA.  They may it so much more fun.

We had dinner at Corvette Diner.  It was so fun to be down near the water!

The Triplets reunited.  These girls hadn't seen each other in over a year and didn't want to spend one minute apart.  When it was time for us to leave the girls just cried and cried (Lily continued to cry a couple days after we returned.)

 Lily just loves her old babysitters.  They really were something special and we loved them being part of our lives down in San Diego.  I couldn't have asked for better girls to babysit my kids while they were growing up.  They were such a blessing to our family!!

Fall Field trip

So my kids have never really seen fall.  We had fall in Oregon, but the kids don't really remember that.  It's our first Fall up in the mountains and the kids have been amazed by the ever changing colors.  Damon decided to take us on a fall field trip down to Payson and do the Nebo Loop drive to enjoy the fall colors.  They didn't disappoint.  The kids loved seeing what Fall really looks like.

This picture looks like it belongs in an Eddie Bauer catalog with the scenery and my clothes.

 I wish it could stay Fall until Spring. I know what is just around the corner and I am trying not to think about that right now.

Life continues...

Seems like blogging has taken a backseat to everything else lately.  Either I don't have the energy to blog or I just forget.  It has definitely taken a back burner in life lately.

Fall is in full force here.  We've had a couple of snow storms, we are all wearing fleece more and the flannel sheets have made it on the beds.  It's getting cold.

We've been busy but have had fun as well.  Here is a catch up of all our doings.

Football-

Swim Team-

Volleyball-

Family/friend visits-

Braces off-

Italian Cooking

There are a few things I can always count on my kids to eat when it is put in front of them.  They are Mexican Food, Italian food, pizza and hamburgers.

So I decided to do an Italian dish that was vegetarian.  The kids were skeptical when they saw me cutting all the veggies up, but as the smells permeated the house they knew they could trust my culinary skills.

Here is the recipe...

Vegetable Lasagna

olive oil for greasing pan, lasagna noodles (cooked or the no cooking ones and 1/3 c Parmesan cheese)

roasted vegetables

2 medium zucchini, sliced
2 red bell peppers, cut into chunks
1 large red onion
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

tomato sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
large onion, chopped
1/2 leek, thinkly sliced
1 medium carrot, grated
1 celery stalk, thinkly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 cans (14oz) chopped tomatoes
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp tomato paste
salt and pepper

cheese sauce

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
1/2 c greated gruyere cheese
pinch nutmeg
1/4 c mascarpone cheese
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

1)Preheat oven to 400*F.  Put the roasting veggies in pan and mix together with olive oil, salt/pepper
2) cover with foil and roast for 30 minutes and then uncover and cook for 20.  remove from oven and cool slightly
3) for tomato sauce- head oil in pan and saute the onion, leek, carrots and celery until soft. add garlic and cook for about a minute.  add the canned tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, ketchup, salt and pepper, let simmer for 30 minutes.  let mixture cool and blend to a puree using a hand blender or food processor (I used my blender)
4) cheese sauce-melt butter and stir in flour, whisk in milk a little at a time.  when it thickens remove from heat and add in the cheeses, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  mix until well blended and the cheese is melted.
5) layer lasagna pan that has been oiled for nonsticking.  start with cheese, then layer of noodles, then half the veggies then half the veggie sauce and then cheese sauce.  repeat, noodles, veggies then tomato sauce.  Then noodles.  Cover top with rest of cheese sauce and parmesan cheese.  Cook for 35-40 minutes at 400*F (I did mine at 375*F.)  I also covered mine with foil except for the last 15 minutes.

Super Yummy and full of veggies!!

Arrow of Light

 Adam earned his Arrow of Light at the last pack meeting we had.  He finished all his requirements for it before his 11th birthday, but the pack meeting wasn't until tonight.  They had a great program that included a bridging over to 11 year old scouts.  We are so proud of him for working hard to finish before the deadline and to earn the highest award in cub scouts.  It's great he got the Arrow of Light, now on to boy scouts and an Eagle Award! (photos were done by Lily)

New School Year!

 The new school year is upon us.  It's a little earlier than what we are used to, but we are managing it ok. Running to 3 schools at 3 different times has been a tad-bit rough.  Hopefully things will go smoother as the weeks go by.

 Lily is a 3rd grader and didn't want me to take any pictures at school.  I had to beg her for each one.  The kids got to walk on the red carpet and have the cheerleaders from the high school cheer them on as they entered the school.  They were even greeted by the school mascot. This is a big year for Lily because it is the first time that she will be at school without one of her brothers there.

 Adam is a 6th grader now and he chose to go to a different school than Noah for middle school.  It makes me a bit sad because they won't go to the same school for 3 more years, but academically we felt it was a better choice for him.  It's a uniform school.  He wasn't excited about that, but has accepted it.  This is also his first year of going to school without a sibling around. 

 Noah is in 8th grade and is excited to be the big man on campus.  He gets to go to a brand new school.  He is so happy about his friends, his classes and the new school.  Hopefully the excitement will last all the way through June.

 We can't forget about Damon.  It's his first year of MBA school.  I took this picture the first day of school for him (which was back in July).  He's enjoying it and learning to balance his time between school, work, kids, exercise and his wife.  Hopefully he will continue to find balance and continue to enjoy all that he is learning.

 As for me... I was hired by the school district to be a substitute teacher and I will continue to do the things I need to do in order to renew my teaching license. 

Our Family Theme for this year is Family Unity.  It's kind of funny that I picked that theme for the year because we seem to be going in all different directions now.  I guess it's important now more than ever to be united as a family.  I'll have to step it up a notch.

Lily's Baptism

 Lily was able to be baptized today as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We are so happy for her and for her decision to be baptized.  It was a wonderful event.  She just glowed all day afterwards.  We are so grateful for the friends and family who came and participated in our activities today.  We feel very loved and blessed. 

  Lily and her friend Myra.  They have known each other since they were 2.  They used to live near us in San Diego and now they live near us here.  It was great to have them there. 

 Aimee and I decorated the house and planned the menu for the luncheon after the baptism.  It was a wonderful gathering. 

 Here are some pictures of Lily that Damon and I took a few days before she was baptized.  They turned out great.