Happy Halloween.

oooh. I love holidays. today could not have gone ANY better.





Zeb and I went running in the most magnificent weather. I wore my witch socks and he wore his pumpkin costume. We also went trick-or-treating in downtown Perrysburg (a quaint little main street area) with friends. I made sure that zeb got all of the really good candy (chocolate, etc) so that Kent and I could enjoy it all later on.

This evening for dinner I decided to attempt my mom's famous "stew in a pumpkin". I made a delectable beef stew (it really was so good) and then baked it in a real live pumpkin. The pumpkin changes to this cool dark color and adds just a hint of Halloween flavor to dinner. Kent actually likes to scrape pumpkin guts into his dinner- I just enjoy the seeped in flavor.

Somehow I had forgotten about our Toledo halloween tradition of dressing up like burritos for free food. I got a reminder call and with just a few pieces of foil got more free dinner. Kent was pleased with his steak burrito. My chicken burrito is in the fridge for his lunch tomorrow. Our burrito costumes were not nearly as comprehensive this year as last. We each only had a foiled finger burrito instead of full body burritos.

I already can't wait for next year Halloween! I think Zeb will enjoy it next year even more as well. Unfortunately that means we won't get as much of his candy.

my pumpkin beef stew.

bake in the pot for most of the time- then add it to the pumpkin for about 30-45 minutes and bake at 350. Line your baking pan with foil and be careful because the pumpkin softens considerably.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons instant tapioca
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 strips celery, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 3 potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 slice bread, cubed
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the stew meat; drain and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, water, tapioca, beef bouillon granules, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir in the beef, carrots, celery, potatoes, onion, and bread cubes. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
4. Cover and bake for 2 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender.

just another recipe. fastest & easiest great cookie known to man.

I'm obsessed with these. I've always always loved homemade oreos- but lately I've made them so many times I've lost count. I make the frosting orange so that they are festive and halloweeny- and I try to give as many away as possible so I quit eating them. I just need to stop making them. I got a bunch of cake mixes for 50 cents at walmart- so I've been using them up.

This is the EASIEST recipe and best tasting cookie ever.
1 pack devils food cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 c shortening
mix and shape into small balls (I like mini cookies). Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. YUM-o.

I also love love love the homemade buttercream frosting for in between (thanks betty crocker).
1.5 c p. sugar
2 tbsp soft butter
3 tbs milk
any fun coloring you wish

and check out this deer Zeb and I saw yesterday on our run. The ones with antlers make me a little nervous. What if he tried to charge us?! a ginormous dog once jumped out at us while I was running and you know what I did? I jumped BEHIND the stroller. Yep- I left little zeb prey to the ferocious animal. Does that make me a bad mom? I didn't mean to do it- and the dog didn't end up being mean at all.

time out

Timeout has been one of Zeb's consequences since he turned one. Only recently his timeout location was switched to a kitchen chair where he has more accountability to STAY put and come to the realization that even though he wants to do other things he has to sit there and wait. He thinks it's hysterical. Maybe it's just because I'm his mom and I know his faces- but this is a face of pure amusement and slyness (or orneriness in ohio context). This rascal thinks it's so stinking funny to be on this chair while I explain to him the infraction that put him there in the first place. He giggles while I describe his offenses to him. He slithers around and laughs when he says "sorry". I realize that taking a picture of this event is NOT helping the situation- but I couldn't help it. I think the chair is going to have to face a corner from here on out. When he knows he can get my attention or see me- he's incorrigible.

Ever had one of those days when EVERYthing goes the OPPOSITE of how you planned it?! yesterday was that day for me. We started off with Zeb's doctor's visit. We discussed it, we planned for it, we practiced everything. It was terrible. He screamed like a banshee baby the entire time. He was, however, able to squeeze out a "thank-you" to the doctor amidst his sobs before she left. Storytime at the library was also treacherous. He was a little fidgety and got in trouble THREE times from story lady (she tends to be a little stiff and strict sometimes). Once we got home he was EXHAUSTED- but didn't want to sleep. Cleaning the house is nigh impossible with the rugrat running rampant. We decided to go to the grocery store to get stuff for dinner and pumpkins for family home evening. After a medium length shopping excursion I got to the checkout only to find that I had forgotten my wallet in my coat pocket at home. Grrrr. We returned home to get the wallet and decided to run to Meijer (closer) to get our items since we were running quite late. We get to Meijer only to find that they have NO PUMPKINS. Are you kidding me?! It's freaking October 27! I decided we'd have to go after dinner with Kent to get them.
Dinner prep went pretty good. Kent finished up the steak stroganoff (one of his specialities) and things were looking up. I smooshed my potato and smothered it with dinner. Just as I was about to dig in I flipped my bowl onto the floor (accidentally) and all over my pants and shoes. Lucky for Kent I was Über irritable and just scooped it back into my plate to eat. Zeb actually loved the dinner and shoveled the steak in like he hadn't eaten in years. Apparently he dropped to the 25% percentile for weight so this was a good step for his "new chub up" program. The not so good step came five minutes later. I guess he shoveled the steak down without chewing it well. Just as I went to get him out of his high chair, he starting ralphing. Not gagging or spitting up- but full on vomiting and dry heaving. It was so sad. I took him to the bathroom to clean up and just as I got all of his clothes off the ralphing started up again. He got most of it in the toilet at least. I moved him to the bathtub to clean off. Shortly thereafter the ralphing commenced again. Darn that good steak floating around the bathtub.
At this point returning to the store was not in the best interest of all family members. Zeb went to bed- and I followed a short time later.
Today has already been a turn for the better.

Here is zeb pre doctor check-up. all chipper and pleasant.

Here he is after the nurse has weighed him and checked head circumference. In this picture he has yet to even see the doctor and get his "real" check-up. Kent is trying to calm him down by reading to him. He is exasperated and wants nothing to do with the book. I wish you could hear the screeches coming out of his open mouth. This picture makes him look happy compared to what was really going on.

Kent's thoughts

School has been much more intense this year, but I absolutely love it! We are learning the coolest things right now which have reinforced the lessons I learned in Nicaragua and reemphasized my desire to practice global medicine. I'm so glad I'm in the Air Force and will eventually have the chance to practice medicine in various places! This last week we have been studying infectious worms - many of which are found only in Africa and South America. My doctor in Utah would go to Africa every year for a month and I was always impressed with his pictures and stories. I want to go to Africa!!!

Check out these crazy diseases:

Guinea Worm - Dracunculiasis (scroll to 1:55 if you get bored)
River Blindness - Onchocerciasis
(kind of boring - but I would love to help people like this)

Zeb got a pretty decent amount of good candy at the "trunk or treat". I'm not sure whether that's fortunate or unfortunate for Kent and me. Zeb doesn't really love candy much and so we've been eating it all day today. I do not need more sweets.



Zeb loves playing with the packaged candy. He must like the wrappers and bright colors or something. He knows what's inside them all- he just doesn't seem to care.