For Momma

Well that would be abuelita to Hazel and Jade, but momma to me! You see, my mom is amazing. She is kind, sweet, loving, and generous (just to name a few of her great attributes). She is always thinking of the girls and they just love her so much (as do I). Did I mention she is fabulous, talented, and creative???? Well she is! She knitted the girls little hats for the winter time and made flowers out of felt to sew on them. I suggested adding a button to the flowers (because I am a button fanatic), and so she did. While we were in California Hazel caught wind of the project and decided that she wanted a larger gold button with a faux pearl in the middle. My mom and I tried to talk her out of it, because it was, well, just a little much. Hazel insisted on the gaudy button, and just like always...abuelita let her have it her way! 

*So here are the pics of the girls and their hats momma...I just love you to pieces and miss you so very much!!*

A couple of pics that are a bit blurry but oh so cute.

Love,

Mon

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was delightful. Delicious. Lovely. Warm. Cozy. Simple.

We spent a quiet day at home and a couple of friends joined us. I should first start out by saying that I am very blessed to have a husband like Joe. Well, since he is a chef and all, and Thanksgiving is all about food, we get kind of hooked up. We decided to buy a farm fresh, free-range turkey straight from a local farm, and used simple and wholesome ingredients, throw in a fabulous chef...and you have a recipe for deliciousness. This year, I helped by baking some mini apples pies in mason jars, mini pumpkin whoopie pies, and rolls. We had a fabuous Thanksgiving, and hope that everyone out there had a lovely day as well!

Love and God Bless You!!!!!!!!

.

Our day at the Museum.

Was wonderful!

Love,

Mon

Impromptu Photo Shoots are THE best.

It happens from time to time. When either Joe or I are taking photos, a nice person will offer to take a family shot. They usually have no idea how to work the camera, and bless their hearts...someone usually has their eyes closed or a head turned in the opposite direction. In those cases you are just happy that they offered and thank them because family photos are rare.

This Sunday we spent an immensely enjoyable afternoon at a Museum. Our kids loved it. We learned stuff. We admired some awesome art. We had a nice little bite to eat at the cafe. It was bliss. We made our way outdoors and while Joe was snapping a photo of me and the girls, this enthusiastic woman came out of nowhere and offered to take a family photo. Only this offer was a bit different than most times. She grabbed our camera and quickly began what was the most bizarre photo shoot ever. She took one of me, asked me to move my shoulders slightly to the right, lift my chin, and stand a bit farther back! She moved back, and forth, crouched to the left, moved the camera to the right then the left, moved us around so that she could ge the best light. She wanted to take one with Joe and myself, one of us with just Jade, then with Hazel, then with just Joe. It was intriguing. So here are the photos she took. My poor husband looks a bit frightened and is laughing through the fear. Yes, these things only happen to us. Bless her heart, she was eccentric, kind, and nice which is rare in most people these days!

Love,

Mon <3

Punkin carvin'

 A lil family tradition we do...or at least as close to tradition our non traditional family can call one...
Every year we select some gourds and go at it...
We had stencils but I always prefer going freehand... This is Dad instructing the young punkin padawan in the punkin craft...

 These are the eyes.....

 The nose....

 The mouth and we are ready to carve...

 Ewwwww.... Mom's disemboweling our Jack!

 Hazel's showing Jadey how its done.

 Hazel wanted hers to have a girl face, of course!

 Jade enters the action to start cleaning up Dad's punkin....

 We were drinking hot cocoa, compliments Big Momma mountain, and gettin our punkin on!

 Thi is Hazel's and Mommy's punkin...

This is Daddy's and Jade's punkin'....

Happy Post Halloween!

The Pumpkin Patch: Montgomery style.

We wanted to get the girls pumpkins but had not made it over to one of the various local farms offering the "pumpkin patch experience" with wagon rides due to Joe's busy schedule.  I had driven by a few farms during the weekends and was astonished by the hundreds of people there and vowed to not be one of the masses fighting for the perfect pumpkin. In my mind: It was just not worth it...eeewww I hate crowds.  Last year we had found a small farm near our home and decided to check it out one Monday evening.  We noticed it had closed and began to pull out of the driveway when we saw the farmer walking towards our car. He offered to open up the pumpkin shed for us! This farmer is so cool. He is like an original cowboy and just loves to chat about the farm and life. We hung out with him for about a half  hour or so as the girls played around the pumpkins, and heard the stories of the weekends with the bratty kids that made their way through the farm, he complained of how the John Deere parts for his farm equipment where made in China, and how that really angered him. I told him how I dream of having chickens and a family cow someday, and he thought I was insane. He spoke of how deer have totally overrun the farm, and how expensive his medical insurance was as he paid out of pocket. We had a great time just shooting the breeze!  He is just a really cool guy! So we had our own little pumpkin patch experience, alone, chatting with the farmer.  It wasn't with the masses, posing for photos of kids on wagons...it was simple, chill, and so us.

Oh, and we did manage to go back to the same farm for an evening hay ride the Friday before Halloween. No photos. It was so fun, with the wide open sky lit with bright stars. We rode with a troop of girl scouts in the back of a tractor, amidst hay and it was just amazing. Chilly and brisk on an amazing autumn evening riding through the pumpkin patch and farm, through the woods with carved pumpkins lit along the way. The girls just had so much fun. Wonderful moments, really! Not to be cheesy, but it was beautiful!

Love,

Mon