Bean Soup and Pumpkin Crisp

So I made a deliciously simple bean soup for dinner last night and a pumpkin crisp to give to a dear friend. Domestic tranquility and simplicity was so refreshing after a week of appointments, obligations and being away from my kids. The campaign is in full throttle, and we're feeling a bit tattered (or maybe just me?). Have I kissed away my normal, quiet life? Well, whatever happens - win or lose, I've learned so much. Today I'm researching pine bark beetles in Colorado.

Friends

Saturday night I was able to enjoy dinner with many friends who I haven't seen much. My friend Jessica Carlson was diagnosed with a very rare eye cancer and is having her treatments this coming week. She has a baby girl, Rylee that was born in June. The time away from her precious baby girl is the most worrisome aspect of this ordeal. She is one tough chick. That I know, because she was my running buddy when I lived a bit closer. She is half coach, half drill sergeant! I love that she brought out the best in me while we were running.

From left to right:
Sunny, Karen, Laura, Colleen, Jessica, Me, Brittnie, Popi.

Berry Patch Farms

Today we went to Berry Patch Farms and picked raspberries with Aunt Marcia. We also came home with local, fresh, unfiltered, unprocessed honey, cilantro, and roasted anaheim peppers. Yum! At home, Aunt Marcia made vegetable beef alphabet soup and we had cornbread with our honey.

Bremma spelled her name today!!

Little Sisters are So Helpful!

Turin started hockey on Saturday. After he was suited up for the very first time ever, his nose began to itch. Hmmmm..... "Mom, will you scratch my nose?," and I did. Bremma enthusiastically interrupted, "I wanna do it Tuwin!" and she did.

These moments are priceless.

Sarah Palin - Wahoo!

She is the epitomy of beauty, grace and strength. She is smart, witty and tough. Maybe hard core feminists and the media elite hate her out of a deep sense of envy. To use a High School analogy, she is the unique mixture of the Prom Queen, the Valedictorian, the State Champ athlete who also volunteers at her local nursing home.

The reaction at my house: "WA-HOO!" That is how you say,"YEAH!!" when you're a six-year-old litttle boy.

On the Grocery List Today. . .

Here is what I purchased at King Soopers today:

2 boxes of sugar cubes

3 big containers of table salt

1 Fresh, Young chicken

Can you guess what we've got cookin' over here at Basement School?

We are making a mummy of King Cluckenkaman! Sugar cubes are our chosen building material for his pyramid.