My First Fancy Cake

Someone at our office just retired, so I decided to make him a cake.  His nickname was "Rocket-Man" and I found this idea online.  Frosting is my friend.

Tyler was devastated that he couldn't have any.  Guess I will have to make another someday. 

On pregnancy

I Dislike being called "cute."  When you have gained 30 pounds and can only wear baggy sheets, there is no feeling of "cuteness."  I only say this because my boss (who has two kids) frequently says this.  Along with "are you feelin' it yet?" as I waddle down the hallway. 

ummmm, yeah.

I also miss picking up Tyler and carrying him around.  Soon I will be able to do that again, but right now I can't, and I barely have a lap so I can't even sit with him on my lap.  This makes me sad :(

 

He has been a pretty big goofball lately.  He was out riding his rocking horse and had a pre-school necklace on that was flinging around.  Funny guy.  Needs a haircut.

Someone told me I will want to look back and see pregnancy pictures, so here is one I can look back on.

And the final shot is one Tyler took.  He is getting pretty good with the camera.  Shawn is holding the cover to the used carseat we purchased.  It's washed and ready to go, unlike all the baby clothes and blankets sitting in boxes in the house. (there's still time..?)

(notice how brown and crispy it is?  It hasn't rained significantly since August 25th)

Harvesting

Even with the poor growing conditions we've had, I still was able to harvest some things from my garden and greenhouse.  Little pumpkins, yellow squash, cukes, tomatoes, onions...(we grabbed some for a picture, actually have a few more cutie little pumpkins)

I commented to Shawn last night that as much as I love making things from scratch and using homegrown vegetables, it is A LOT of work. 

I felt like I was in the kitchen all weekend! 

Homemade tomato soup, a double recipe to freeze of meatloaf (elk, garlic, onions, zucchini from our harvest), roasted carrots, coffee cake (our raspberries and huckleberries)....and I was spent from stirring, mixing, washing, drying, and cleaning.

Good thing I had canned tomatoes a couple of weeks ago.  For the time and effort and money put into these they are priceless!

Picking Pomatoes

Tyler and some of his preschool friends walked over to the Community Garden this week and picked some veggies to snack on and learn about.  Tyler was super excited to pick things, but not so excited to eat them.  He found carrots, peas, onions, peppers, some "Pomatoes" (tomatoes) and "Pomatoes" (potatoes).  (He hasn't quite remembered which is which, so they are both called the same thing.)

Here they are in the pea-tee-pee...or maybe tee-pea?? 

Outside of the structure is frosted-top unbloomed sunflowers, frosted tomatoes, and frosted pumpkin vines.  but at least the Peas are survivors!!

BFF Wyatt loooved eating peas.  His mom was pleased.

The teachers and kids show off their bounty.  Do you notice the size of the radishes the girl in the front left has?  They have been left all summer, and the teachers were considering carving them as a project.

Then they walked back to daycare and I went back to work.  I loved seeing how excited they were, and how happily they got along.  I love kids :)

State Park Saturday

"I am going somewhere this weekend!!!" 

After two looong weekends with nothing going on (Shawn was either working or hunting), I insisted we leave home and go on a road trip.
So we went to Lewis and Clark Caverns, but didn't go into the caves because the Rangers indicated that a 32-week pregnant girl and 3 year old kid would not have the most fun.  There were little pathways to look around at, and a fake cave to stand in.
We'll be back!

Then we kept on a-drivin' and hit some back roads and new scenery and ate lunch in a small town.  Our next stop was Headwaters State Park (Three Forks).

 Do any other families drive 3 hours to take their kids on a bike ride?  We are sorely lacking bike-riding spots at home, so we brought Tyler's and he cruised around on the paved paths.

Then after riding for a while and dipping our feet into the river to cool off, we headed off to get groceries and go home.  A much better way to spend the day than sitting in my small house.

Sadness

 Our friend (and co-worker's) father passed away yesterday. 

His health rapidly declined over the last few months, and we could see the stress of it wearing on her more and more each day.

He was a lifelong rancher in this town.  An old cowboy, "tough as nails," "full of piss and vinegar." 

They have a tight-knit but huge family, and everyone is very sad. 

These situations break my heart.  And they help me remember how special life is.

We have an extraordinary son, and another on the way.  Today I am reminded to feel blessed and thankful.

The hottest place in town

We went down to the community garden greenhouse yesterday afternoon and waited for the kids to show up.

They were walking over after school to harvest some of their veggies.

Tyler wasn't really into it.  He would have rather played than pick tomatoes.