Pumpkin Patch

Our Halloween pumpkins have been chosen. And, contrary to Judd's face in this picture, the kids are thrilled. How are the costumes coming, you might ask? yeah.....better get on that.....

I love to see the temple

During our month in Portland we lived 5 minutes from the LDS Temple. We went there with Granny Sunday afternoon during her visit. Here are just a few shots from the day.

Pumpkins and chatty witches

She was absolutely charming, really a spellbinding conversationalist. We were just enchanted.

Does it get any cuter?

Last Saturday Gran Lori, Granny Barbs, and I took the little ones to Gardner Village. So fun but whew! lots of people. Still, we had a great time looking at ALL the pumpkins, spotting the different witches tucked here and there, and eating some delightful cookies from the bakery.

Only wish Dada could be here. We miss him. Judd-man told me tonight that we need to "go to he." Yes, I think we do.

3 Years Old!

New (play) shotgun from Uncle Matt!

Opening a Thomas the Train present.

The special request chocolate cake

Happy Birthday to our little Judd Redmond! On October 3, 2007 he was born to excited and scared parents. After spending a week as the biggest, hungriest and, probably healthiest, baby in the NICU we got to have him home for keeps.

Now he's a three year old that LOVES to run, jump, play basketball and baseball, tease Sister, love sister, make cookies, play Thomas the train, hang out with Uncle Matt, drive cars:), watch football with grandpa Matt, ride in Grandpa Brian's boat, read library books, and eat fruit snacks (rationed by mom). AND he's potty trained to boot!

We love him so dearly. He's been mom's buddy through all of daddy's school and special helper after Wren-baby was born. He makes our lives so much better and happier.

Getting so big

Wren turned 1 on August 29th. And she got some very fun Fisher Price student people.

Its amazing how fast a year has gone by.

Some of the things we love about our Wren-bird:

1. She always has her little pointer finger out. Lately, her favorite thing to point at has been brother's Buzz Lightyear. She tries to say "Bzzzz". So cute.

2. She has found out how to stand up in her high chair...and she will NOT sit down, thank you very much for asking. (though she thinks its hilarious that you do still ask over and over again during every meal.)

3. Her first word, at 10 months old, was "kaka". But she can now say "woof", "mama", "dada", and "jesu".

4. She is a momma's girl! She LOVES to be held by mom all the time.

5. She wants to play with whatever brother is playing with...which more than likely he's not too excited to share. She actually picked out her very own matchbox cars to try and solve this problem but somehow they all become assimilated into brother's car box.

6. She puts EVERYTHING into her mouth. The question isn't how many crayons she has chewed on. The question is how many colors of crayons she has chewed on today. Grossening, as Judd would say.

7. She is also a daddy's girl. As soon as the dad gets home from work she HAS to be picked up and kissed. She is not happy until she is.

8. She loves the little baby that looks back at her in the mirror. She has to give her kisses.

9. We love her very, very much. The other evening Steve had to work so I went to a dinner party without him. I took Wren with me but Judders got to go to a sitter for a few hours. When I picked him up and brought him home the first thing he did was hug Wren and say, "I missed you so much, Wrennie-baby." And I think that says it all. What would we do without her.

Happy Birthday to our sweet Wren-a-Lenna!

beautiful biscuts

Aren't they lovely? Don't you just want a little lemon curd to smear all over them?

So, I like to cook. I usually only do it for my husband and Judd (Wren is stilll learning to appreciate most solids :)). Cooking for others, for whatever reason, never turns out quite right. You elders that had to slice off a chunks of my spagetti carbenara that one time know exactly what I'm talking about. In my daily cooking I lean more towards veggies, proteins, and whole grains though anyone who knows me knows I'm a cookie addict (I always talk myself into them because I add whole wheat flour--I know--it doesn't make THAT much of a difference.) but that's really another story.

So yesterday, we had Stevo's parents, brother, and sister-in-law over for a little turkey dinner. It was a pretty healthy meal--a little turkey breast, baked sweet potatoes, green salad, and fruit salad--so when Stevo requested these delightfully NOT low fat/calorie biscuts I didn't feel at all bad about making them. Stevo LOVES these biscuts. When I really want to make him (and me) happy I whip him up a batch and then sit back while he eats all but 2 (one for me and one for Judd--scratch that, he usually talks Judd out of at least half of his) and tells me over and over what a wonderful cook I am (that's the me happy part). I made these biscuts yesterday and SHOCK they turned out the BEST I have ever made them (though don't even ask me about the pie crust fiasco.) So I thought I would share.

There are a couple of things I would feel guilty if I didn't share about this recipe before I posted it. First, I got it from my 6th grade Home Ec class. Second, normally I'm all about the real butter so I know what you are going to be thinking when you see the butter-flavored shortening in this recipe. The only thing I can say in my defense is it really is delicious though not, as it were, an everyday or an elegant/trendy food. Were just talking down home, family-style yum. Those things said and my sense of right soothed, here is the recipe.

OH, and one last thing, for truly SPECTACULAR results (as I learned yesterday) use chilled shortening and freeze the dough after you cut it into biscuts. From the freezer throw it directly into the oven (no thawing necessary) and you will reap some divine rewards.

Angel Biscuts (only makes about 5-6 biscuts but can be doubled/triped)

1 1/4 c flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c shortening (I always use butter flavored)

1 egg

3 tbsp milk

Stir together flour, sugar, powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles crumbs. IN seperate bowl beat together the egg and milk. Add milk mixture to shortening mixture and mix just until dough starts to come together in a ball (there will be some flour not yet encorporated.) turn onto wax paper and knead 4 to 5 times just until flour is mixed into the dough. Roll dough out to 1/2 inch thick or so and cut biscuts. Bake in a 425 oven for 5-7 min (longer if using frozen biscuts) or until just golden around the edges.

nomads

Well friends. This week began another page in the medical school book. In fact, you could probably call it a chapter and name it "Wandering: How to become a nomad with two children and enough stuff to comfortablely fill a three bedroom house."

Saturday we left the beautiful 4 bedroom house we rented in Corvallis and LOVED (I cried when I drove away for the last time...). The majority of our stuff went to Redmond with mom and dad Platt and the remaining "bare minimum to survive" stuff moved with us to Portland to a one bedroom apartment we affectionately call "spa living". Sure, all four of us are sleeping in one bedroom, sure our closet is full of suitcases instead of hanging or neatly stacked clothes, and sure there is a huge tower of boxes being used as the living rooms main focal point. BUT there is a workout room AND not just one but TWO pools.

We plan on being here a month. Then, possibly, maybe, we-plan-on-but-not-too-seriously, at the end of September Loni and the kiddos will go to Utah until January to stay with mom and dad Lawrence and Stevo will begin his month long stays at exotic locals like Wisconsin, Vancouver (WA), and a-place-not-yet-determined-because-the-one-that-was-determined-fell-through. We're excited that Stevo will get to be with us in Utah for Christmas and then we'll all move back to Portland for the month of Jan, and maybe Feb? Really Feb to May is extremely fuzzy as to where we'll be. Who knows?

At the end of this long year I have two things keeping me going. One, DISNEYLAND! yes Disneyland, in May we are coming home for a week of rolicking fun. (I"ve already bought Wrennie a Cinderella dress and you'd better believe that Judd is going to dress up too!) Officially we are going to Cali for Steve's graduations--but we all know that's not the REAL reason. And TWO, JUNE! (or July) will be the start of Steve's residency!

Well, if this is a chapter in a book, I think I'll dedicate it to all the good help we've had so far. This is for you, mom and dad Platt, mom and dad Lawrence, Brother Mecham and his son, the guy that moved into our ward a week ago and still came to help us move, Greg and Stephanie, and of course, Stevo for working so hard, handling everything so calmly, and being a very sweet dada and husband.