This Is Halloween, This is Halloween....

Halloween is here. Hooray! Since I love if possibly more than any other holiday. I feel like we have already had sufficient Halloween celebration and there is still a week and the actual day to go. On Friday we had a ward party. It was fun to see all the kiddos dressed up. Kate loved the kiddie carnival, spent most her time at the coloring table (shocking I know) and cried when I tried to take her around for the trunk or treat, I think she was just tuckered out by then. She feel asleep on the way home in her car seat in her costume with a sucker half eaten in her hand and all over her face. Mind you it is only about a two minute drive.
On Saturday we had some friends over for a Halloween Party. Last year we did not have a Halloween Party and I really felt like something was missing from October. It was a fun excuse to make cute invitations, go all out decorating the house and make some of my favorite party food. We did a haunted scavenger hunt, Competitive Halloween Charades and a costume contest. In the end I think it was a success. All that is left now to make the holiday complete is to watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas" or some other scary film and hand out the rest of our candy.
Here we are- Senator McCain and Gov. Palin- we have been planning to be this for weeks. Jake came up with it because I am sometimes telling him that I think that in 60 years he will look a little like John McCain. Notice the campaign buttons I had to order on line. Also don't you think Jake looks pretty hot with white hair. I think we are decent look-a-likes. The fact that I am pregnant and showing I think just makes it a little funnier.
The party crew! There were some great costumes, I even think we were de-throned to the Littles for Best Costumes- they are the ones were the tacky Publisher's Clear House awarder and caught off guard house wife awardee. Cruella deVille, a pair of eyes, Screech and Lisa, a deer and Hunter, Speed Racer and Trixie, Three Witches, and Emergency Response Worker and a Blind Sports Ref completed the group.
Kate as an elephant at the ward party. It was a little difficult to think of something to go with our political theme- and Jeff and Amy came up with an elephant for me- Brilliant! Notice the color crayon in hand.

Tagged.

I often comply with tags, especially when they are so short and sweet.

Where is your cell phone? Purse
Where is your significant other? Work
Your hair color? Fake
Your mother? Giving
Your father? Adventurous
Your favorite thing? Sleep
Your dream last night? Bears
Your dream/goal? Vacation
The room you’re in? Living
Your hobby? Planning
Your fear? Loss
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Stress-free
Where were you last night? Couch
What you’re not? Comfortable
One of your wish-list items? Camera
Where you grew up? Heber
The last thing you did? Breakfast
What are you wearing? PJ's
Your TV? Basic
Your pet? Dirty
Your computer? Old
Your mood? Tired
Your car? Missing
Something you’re not wearing? Socks
Favorite store? Many
Your summer? Sick
Love someone? Katerade
Your favorite color? Orange
When is the last time you laughed? Yesterday
Last time you cried? Yesterday

Oh Boy!

Our first family photo of our family of four.

I'm at about 23 weeks now- over half way I keep telling myself. This week we got to go and get our ultrasound done. Kate and Jake came of course to find that we will be adding a little baby boy to Team Freeman in February. I was sure it was a girl too- so it was a fun surprise. We will be an even four some now. The doctors did find a small problem with his kidneys. They said not to get to0 worried yet-(do they know pregnant women at all?) and we would do another ultrasound in a few weeks to see if the problem is still there. Obviously we are a little concerned about the problem- but excited we get to have some extra ultrasounds in the weeks to come and more pictures to share. We actually have a lot more boy names than girl names- so that is a bonus. I did go through all of Kate's clothes and try to find all the gender neutral things to start putting in the new babies room- Sadly it turns out that most everything she has is pink, so I guess we will be just packing away a closet full of clothes. Last night we decided to move Kate into her big girl bed and get her used to not having the crib before we are even more desperate for sleep. She seemed very excited about it until we left her there- she kept getting up and crying. I'm not sure what I expected but I did not think it would take her an hour and a half to figure it out. She did sleep through the night in it though then this morning I heard her wake up and she came right to our room.
When it was warm Kate and I would go to the park everyday. Now that the weather has changed she is apparently missing the slides. At her Grandma's the other day she discovered how this steep grassy hill in their yard doubles and sliding fun. She would roll a little too much even and fall. She thought it was fun and she looked really cute doing it.

Pum Pums!

Everyday when we go outside Kate points across the street to our neighbors and says "pumpums". Yes the neighbors have about 25 pumpkins on their front porch- creatively decorated with hay and such, and Kate was a little jealous. We decided to go some pumpums of our own last night. I wanted going to the pumpkin patch to be a fun family event, a fun memory of us with Kate when she was our only child, her first chance it seems to really understand the fun of a holiday- we would wander through a field looking for the perfect pumpkin, take a hay ride and sip some cider. Good luck finding and actual pumpkin patch though. I believe there was one about 50 minutes away, but by the time Jake got off work and we made it there is would have been dark. I found a nursery in Kamas that had a "pumpkin patch"- but really it was just pumpkins sitting in piles. Better than the grocery store I suppose but I was really looking for a pick your own pumpkin... patch. All I have been able to find- within a reasonable distance are pumpkin piles. This place was kind and let us stay even though they were closing, we were able to get a few pumpkins and I guess in the end Kate is happy just to have pumpkins on her front porch too. Today we have gone out to see them twice and every time she passes the front door she says "pumpums". And even though they were just pumpkin piles it still seemed exciting to her.

Fall Food Begins

Well I actually can't claim that this is the first time I have been making pumpkin or spice goods, Spice Muffins and Pumpkin Cookies have already left the oven a few weeks ago and been finished off by eager mouths- namely mine. I tried a new fall treat yesterday and it was a big hit at our ward party so I thought I might share. I'm earning a bit of a reputation for making good treats lately but the credit for this goes to my mother-in-law, I saw her making something similar for a wedding open house spread this summer.

Ginger White Chocolate Cookies
2 1/4 cup flour
2 teas ground ginger
1 teas baking soda
3/4 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 teas ground cloves
1/4 teas salt
3/4 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
white chocolate

Set oven to 350 and grease cookie sheets
Sift flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a large bowl- set aside
Cream butter and 1 cup sugar in separate bowl- beat in egg then stir in water and molasses. Stir in dry ingredients that were set aside*. Roll into walnut sized balls, roll in left over sugar, set on cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes
When completely cool (sometimes I set in the fridge to make sure they are really cool) melt white chocolate and drizzle criss cross across the top of the cookies set on wax paper.
* if you prefer- you can mix in white chocolate chips, it makes it a little easier, but the presentation is not as great, and I think the reason my treats always get great reviews is more how they look then what they taste like.
Hmmmm- now I am going to go eat some, it tastes like fall and I like it.

Orange you glad it is October?

As promised- a picture of the cat shirt Kate is obsessed with. I am pretty sure she is going to wear it everyday it is clean until I don't let her anymore. Here she is with one of the pumpkins from our garden. She calls them "Pumpums" and apparently thinks you eat them too.

A Grocery Store of Treasures

It is not that often when I find one new thing that makes my life easier or better, let alone three in one week. They are just little things I found I really liked while grocery shopping this week and I thought I would share my finds. All three in fact have to do with making this second trimester a little bit more comfortable. Since I am still very miserably throwing up several times a day I would say every little bit counts.
The first is this Aveeno Ultra Calming Night Cream. I have been getting that hideous pregnancy mask of blotching skin and found that this cream gets rid of it mostly, at least enough that I can easily cover the rest with makeup. Not only that it is pretty cheap and I just found it at Smith's.
The second is this Mega Shower Foamer from Scrubbing Bubbles. It makes cleaning the shower and tub so easy it is hardly any work at all. I have used it on toilet bowls and sinks as well. Less time cleaning the shower means more time to take a nap- just what I need! Plus I like the way it smells- sometimes I spray it in the tub just so it smells good.
The third is Tostitos Medium Queso. What have I been craving this pregnancy?- orange juice and what I call "Hot Nachos", which are the kind of nachos you buy at gas stations or sporting events. I know gross right- even Jake has questioned me if I know how long that cheese has been sitting in the convenient store before I beg him a second time to run a get me some "Hot Nachos". When I was making a grocery list this week, I asked Jake if he needed anything, his response "nacho cheese". He is either beyond grossed out that I eat them from gas stations, sick of me saying at 9:00 at night that I sure could go for some, or never wants to go to the gas stations for the sole purpose of bringing me back my hearts desire again. Either way buying this Tostistos cheese was a great idea, and it is maybe even more delicious, especially with a side of orange juice.
Do you have any great new finds lately? All I know is if it was my birthday nobody would have a good excuse for not knowing what to get me now. Aveeno, Shower Cleaner and Nacho Cheese is sure to put a smile on my face- well at least for this week.