Thank you farmers, thank you!

My feet ache, my belly is full, our kitchen has been abused and filthy, the oven is exhausted, and the dishwasher is still running. But our Thanksgiving meal was FABULOUS. Granted I could not have done it without the use of my appliances, the help of my Mother-in-law, and the never ending dishwashing of the hubs. However, who we really could not have done it without was the labor intensive work of the farmers. It was nearly impossible to go 5 minutes without thinking of people just miles from us that have been working on our meal much longer than today. So, to my local farmers:

THANK YOU! We sooooo appreciate you! Our Thanksgiving was a dream come true as we really hit our lo-cal-vore goal.

Here's a recap of what our 1st ever As-much-as-possible-local-Thanksgiving looked like:

The Turkey - 6 J Ranch. Sooooo yummy.


Sweet potato cassarole
Potatoes - Bush Farms, Pecans - Texas Pecan Farm, Butter - Way Back When Dairy, Brown Sugar and Maple Syrup - organic but not local.


Braised Green Beans
Green Beans - Hairston Creek Farms, Tomatoes - Angel Valley Organic Farm, Onion - Johnson's Backyard Garden

Sweet Corn - Two Happy Children Farm

Mashed potatoes - a cheat. The hubs really wanted mashed potatoes. They are organic, but not local.

Dinner rolls - Swedish Hill bakery

Pecan Pie
Pecans - Texas Pecan Farm, Butter - Way back When Dairy, Eggs - Smith and Smith Farm, sugar, flour, and chocolate chips - organic but not local

Apple Pie
Apples - Greenling (not sure of the exact farm but local), Butter - Way back When Dairy, Sugar, flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar - not local.


Whipped Cream for the Pies
Cream - Texas Daily Harvest

White Wine
Flat Creek Estate, local

We also had egg casserole for breakfast with Smith and Smith Farm eggs and Full Quiver Farm cheddar cheese.

I really do love that I can tell you exactly where most of our ingredients came from. I love that the money I spent on those ingredients was put back into our local economy. I love that it was a truly yummy and enjoyable meal. I am so thankful for the Cedar Park Farmers Market that pulls most of these farms to one place for us to shop every Saturday morning. Most of all, I love that in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I felt a true and deep sense of thankfulness for a bountiful harvest in Austin. I really do appreciate that farmers so near to us are working the land to provide such amazing foods. It tasted incredible in my tummy and in my heart.


Thank you local farmers (even ones not mentioned here that I've bought from other weeks at the market). We really do appreciate you. We pray you are enjoying a relaxing Thanksgiving and we pray this cold weather won't be too hard on your crops! See you next Saturday...apparently it'll be Eat Local Week in Austin. I think I can handle that :)

Rain, Rain, Rain, Rainy Day....

Cupcake loves the rain right now. In one of her Baby Signing Songs they sing about the weather and when it gets to wind and rain she is so excited she jumps up and down while doing the signs for rain and wind.

Sooooo I decided I could forgo neatly flat ironed hair one afternoon and play in the rain with my cupcake. Needless to say she was thrilled. Especially with a particular puddle that pools up in our driveway every time it rains. I've carried her over said puddle many times and instructed her on the grossness of muddy rain water. This day however, we went nuts. Cupcake loved her raincoat and hat. Splashed until she was a muddy mess. AND the best part is when we came in and striped the muddy wet clothes off she reached up and asked "Cuddle?" Soooo, we then rocked, cuddled and read books, frizzy hair and all until we warmed up.

I think I love rain too.

Cheese...

CHEESE!!!



Saturday morning we took our Christmas card picture. Luckily we've set the bar fairly low when it comes to Crack Team Christmas'. This year will be right in tune with the honest, real, life, Crack Team un-perfected because in 40 minutes of tickling, bribing with candy, throwing in the air, kissing, pleading, sweating, begging, and finally giving up we could not get cupcake to say one word....cheese. Sigh. At least you've been warned.

Take the Turkey Day challenge

(picture from JBOrganic.com of our farm box we got this week)

It's coming....and I'm not talking about SANTA!

This year I've been more bothered than ever by the early bombardment of all things commercial Christmas. I personally prefer to not hear a Christmas carol until the day after Thanksgiving. I do not decorate my house with Christmas until then either. Don't get me wrong, Christmas is a very special day of the year around here. And...I LOVE Christmas carols. I just don't want any of that to overshadow another all important day. Thanksgiving. I can't think of a better way to prepare your heart and home for the coming season of celebrating the Lord's ultimate gift to us than first taking a day to pause and be thankful for all the blessings we have. I don't think that day should be interrupted with early black Friday sales online, hanging up Christmas lights, or anything else Christmas. It's sad that we can't for one day rest, be together, and be thankful.

We're doing Thanksgiving here this year. We'll have a few special guests. AND, as I've reflected on what I am thankful for as well as the origins and history of Thanksgiving, we're challenging ourselves in big ways this year. I'd love for you to join me!

Our goal is to have our Thanksgiving meal be 95% or so locally grown and harvested. The original Thanksgiving was a celebration and time of thankfulness over the harvest. I'm pretty confident that said harvest did not include canned goods or plastic packaged goods in part from China. Heck, they weren't even from Texas. I'm also fairly confident that turkeys were not injected with butter and preservatives to ensure they would be huge. Those turkeys also did not have to stand in their own pens in their own poop, never seeing day until they can't stand anymore because the injections have made them too big for their own legs. I'm pretty sure that even at $0.33/lb at HEB you couldn't have asked a pilgrim to buy a turkey treated that way. I'm also guessing that sweet potatoes didn't have marshmallows, stuffing wasn't made with more preservatives than grains, and pies weren't made with canned filling from South America. I'm also pretty sure that they were well fed and thankful for exactly what they were able to eat.

So, why not do the same? You might be surprised by just how much you can get locally. You probably will pay a little more than you would at HEB. However, the cost you do pay will go directly back into your local community, local economy, and hard working farmers that have given up your otherwise cozy life for dirt, bugs, and producing healthy produce for those who still care. Your money will not go to fuel charges, foreign countries, and packaging that will end up in the trash (you won't find cans or plastic wrap at a farmer's market).

I know....I know. The cloth diapering, baby food making, just generally "strange" mom is seemingly going off the deep end. But those who are still with me, will you join me for the challenge? I understand if you must have marshmallows, buttery turkeys, or green bean casserole but could you do 10%? 20% of your meal local? Imagine if everyone bought even one produce item from their local farmers market for thanksgiving! There are shocking statistics that I'm not wise enough to remember or detailed enough to find and quote about the impact that would make on our fuel intake. I know it's not convenient. I know it might be more expensive. I know it probably annoys you that I don't get off my soap boxes. But I also know you'd show some farmers real love by purchasing their produce. I know it would be an extremely fresh and yummy alternative to at least one side dish in your planned meal. I know that it would make me even more thankful to know that I have friends and family who stand by me even when they think I'm crazy. I know it would make a difference in the world. I know it's American, real original thanksgiving style American.

Please. Take the Turkey Day challenge. See what you can get locally. Comment on what you find. Pray that I can satisfy the tummies around my table with the local harvest. I'm thankful you took the time to read about this.

Fun in Florida

I am way behind on blogging...again. With three consecutive weekends out of town and two more coming with out of town guests it's been a bit of a whirlwind.

Two weekends ago we visited Florida for an extended weekend with Cupcake's Grandma and Grandpa. We had a fabulous weekend on the beach and of course ate fabulously as Grandma is a phenomenal cook. I kept telling the hubs to go ahead and pretend it was Thanksgiving in case my own rendition of a nice meal doesn't turn out so well.

This was Cupcake's first time on the beach! She loved the sand and wasn't so sure about the water. The weather was a little cool but really I think it was the unpredictability of where the waves would crash in that really bothered her. Luckily Grandpa was always willing to come to her rescue:
And Daddy was too:


We also went to their zoo and botanical garden. It was a really great zoo and makes the 4th zoo that cupcake has been too. She loves animals. We got to see an alligator feeding which seemed appropriate for our Florida zoo experience. Though I would NOT want to be the guy doing the feeding. They also had a really awesome primate exhibit. All of their primates live on little islands so there is no need for cages. We got to ride on a boat to drive by the various islands and see the monkeys. They were really cute!


If you are future boyfriend of my cupcake, take special note....she is a girl after her mama's heart! Here we were at the zoo to see animals which she lOVES. Yet she still stops to look at and smell what? Flowers. She really does find them beautiful and loves to smell new varieties. If you are a future mate of my sweet cupcake, bless you for reading years back in this blog. And, note to yourself, she loves flowers....specifically unique or smelly ones.
It was really a fun and relaxing weekend on the beach. Grandma and Grandpa were so thoughtful to rent some age appropriate toys for Cupcake to play with at the condo. We also loved digging in the sand, taking walks, playing at the cute boat park right by their home, and swimming. The day after we got home Cupcake found a shell we had brought home for her. She walked to our backdoor and said "Beech?...Grandpa?" It was a sad day for her to realize that we were no longer on the beach and Grandpa wasn't here to lift her up to throw the shells into the ocean.
Thanks for a great weekend Grandma and Grandpa!

Now off into the sunset....kind of. Off to the mound of laundry and filthy kitchen before nap time is over. More blog catching up soon.

Random-ness

I have a fun weekend in Florida to blog soon enough but I haven't unpacked or downloaded pictures yet because with the token sand that one always seems to bring home from the beach, we've also brought one cough, two colds, and three sleepy peeps. In a day or so we should be back on track and able to catch up.

In the meantime, here's a random catch up of things going on around here:

It's amazing that only a week or so can go by before someone new learns that Cupcake is an excellent napper. It seems to come up in conversation frequently. Almost always the next question is what I do with all of that time. Naturally I sit on the couch, watch Oprah, and eat bonbons. Of course I first make sure to clean the house, do laundry, prepare any part of dinner ahead of time that I can, write notes, read the bible, email, blog, sew or craft. So really, the last time I was free to sit on the couch eating bonbons and watching Oprah was in college and even then I didn't. But since people in Texas have horses and stay at home Moms have lots of free time.....

Soapbox! Anyway, here is one of my recent nap time crafts that is now getting packed away until next year:

BOO!

Uh-oh! Someone is pretty interested in the potty these days though we aren't doing any training yet:
Check out what's in season locally now!!! I'm freezing away as many as I can part with each week to have some for Thanksgiving and beyond but they are SO fabulous fresh. Yum!


TUTORIAL!! I don't think I really want to be one of "those" blogs. You know, the super crafty awesomely designed blogs filled with give-aways, tips, tutorials, and an endless stream of crafty ideas. As much as I love reading them writing one full time would mean less time to be a mommy and wife and my house would be a big old mess. While I am sure those other blog writers are still awesome mommies and wives and their houses are perfectly clean I am not super mom...just a regular run of the mill Mom. So I've got to keep it simple and not spend too much time blogging. Oh yeah...and I might not get to see Oprah. Anyway, I figure I can offer an occasional tutorial and perhaps it will save me a few emails for those of you who want to know how. So, coming soon is my first ever tutorial. Here's a hint of what's to come:

Packy is 1!!!!

Happy 1st Birthday to Packy!!

She loves her some Courtney

We're still catching up on World Series 2010!

On Sunday we drove out to the Darling's hotel room. By hotel room I mean hotel small home that was bigger than my old apartment and much more decorated. It had a doorbell if that paints a clearer picture. Cupcake rang that doorbell in her pumpkin shirt. Aunt Cheri gave her a full size snickers bar. Apparently Cheri and Gary are already more like Grandparents than parents. :)

We ate lunch and enjoyed catching up with them off the field! Really I just need them to live closer. I'm still hopeful to get Courtney to be a longhorn....

Anyway, it's clear: Cupcake loves her Courtney!!


She also got to meet Cameron for the first time. She's warming up to the idea of him. At least he's Courtney's brother.


I'm just glad we keep getting to see them so that Courtney can watch cupcake grow up...like I watched her grow up. I remember the first time I held her she was only 6 months old or was it 9 months? Hmmmm. Either way, it's been longer than we need to talk about. She's still as sweet as she was then! AND its so much fun to see my cupcake love her so much!

Cargo bike

Dear Santa,

Can I please have this for Christmas:



By this I mean all of it: The bike, the boots, the non-frizzy hair, the scarf, and the dog. If I haven't been a good enough girl, you can bring it to my mom. She already has a dog and I bet she'd let me share it sometimes which would be a close second.

Check out the awesomeness of this bike here:

Sincerely,
Karen

World Series 2010

It's not what you know. It's who you know.

Thank goodness because I don't know a lot of the "whats" but I do seem to be connected to an incredible community of people. In this case the credit belongs to my Mom who had an awesome college roomate back in 19(BEEP) who she has kept in touch with for all of these years. Said college roommate married an awesome guy at the first wedding my mind recollects attending. Maybe I remember because I was old enough. Maybe because I danced with him and it was probably the first man I'd danced with other than my Daddy. Maybe because it was so fun! But anyway, said man, now husband of mom's college roommate just happens to be a professional umpire. Said umpire just happened to be calling this year's World Series. Said umpire was super generous in extending his inside connection to us.

Wah-lah: World Series 2010

The Rangers were playing the San Fransisco Giants and we were able to attend game 3 which happens to be the only game that the Rangers won. I also find it ironic that I've spent most of my childhood years watching baseball. Every time Gary, the umpire we're most fond of, came to Houston, we'd go to the games. We'd also go lots of other times too. I've been at lots of different ball parks and yet never to a World Series before now. Cupcake on the other hand, at a whopping 19 months attended her FIRST professional baseball game and World Series simultaneously. Lucky girl!

We had so much fun at the game!



Gigi and Papa attended too. When Ranger's player Colby Lewis took the field the fans would yell "Colby, Colby, Colby." Gigi told cupcake they were saying her nap. It sounds similar in a crowd of 59,000. Needless to say she was thrilled!


She also loved waving her towel and singing all the Texas pride songs. The stars at night, are big and bright.....

The hubs regularly takes obnoxious close-ups. I typically delete. He liked this one. So this is for you, honey.


The stadium was beautiful and our seats allowed a great view of the field.


Here's Gary, working hard:



Here's a clip from the stadium:

Hmmm....

Recently I posted on the kind of husband I have. You can re-read his awesomeness here. Somehow in my post I forgot to mention that he is also the kind of husband who had to buy a wedding band that is too large to actually fit his ring finger in order to get it over his previously-injured-in-basketball ring finger knuckle. Apparently that incident was "memorable" enough to also forever be the motivation behind taking off his wedding ring every time he plays basketball. Now, when your husband is a total stud on the court (mine is!) it's hard to see him wedding band-less. Of course he proudly wears his wedding ring when mowing the grass in knee high socks, safety goggles, and an allergy mask. But, Basketball-Hubs Extraordinaire is ring-less.

Now, what is the likely hood that of the 10 fingers on the husband I have, he would relive the exact ring finger injury? Apparently pretty likely:


Ewww! Now we're wedding band-less for a healing period. Guess I should keep the hubs on grass mowing duty and away from courts, fields, and all of his other studly ventures for safe keeping until his band fits again. If it fits again...

Trick or Treat...

I'm blogging out of order. Sigh. I try to stay in order but this weekend life came at us fast. So stick with me this week as I play catch up. In backwards order.

We rushed into town last night in order to be back for HALLOWEEN! Our small group was coming with hot chocolate, carnival games, and their kiddos. We set up in the driveway and mingled there for awhile as our friends gathered. I really do love kids in costumes. Cupcake was definitely in the Halloween spirit in her costume and posed for several pictures...kind of.


Then we went trick or treating. I was so impressed at our little peacock. Her outfit was large but she'd waddle down the driveways with a pumpkin bucket almost as big as her and stand at the door with the older kids. She wasn't super reliable on the trick or treat part but always said thank you with enthusiasm which on more than one occasion resulted in a laugh and more candy. Just what we need. At several houses, the home owner would grab a handful of candy and extend it towards Cupcake. She would politely just take one. I thought it was precious and they usually dropped the rest in anyway. Just what we need, again. Finally we hit two homes of neighbors that are retired and specifically wanted to see Cupcake. Of course they made a huge deal of her and gave her LOTS of candy. You called it....just what we need.

Needless to say her pumpkin is very full with more candy than she (and her secret candy fairies that visit every night) need. So we'll have to figure out some way to get rid of the excess. Maybe we'll start handing out candy to everyone who comes to the door until it's gone. Does that mean you are on your way over....or avoiding us?