Wisdom Leads to Living Well

I love the Dalai Lamas Instruction for Life:

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs:

   1. Respect for self

   2. Respect for others

   3. Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
    

The Face of Fall

Halloween

Halloween was a blast this year. We hosted a Halloween brunch with friends in the morning (which lasted all day). We served pumpkin pancakes, which were delicious, fruit, and veggie sausage. For desert we had pumpkin pie :) YUM! It was really fun to have something during the day to celebrate the holiday... minus the hornets that also liked our meal.









We then took Elliott trick-or-treating with our neighbors. It was very busy and the streets were full of kiddos. Elliott tried his best to say "trick r treat" but could only get the fluctuation. He was the cutest little veggie-burger around.
Sorry no pictures of us dressed up this year. We dressed up for two parties on the 29th and forgot our camera!!! RATS!

Pumpkin Patch

Here we are at the pumpkin patch with Taylor, Elliott, Gordon and Patrick.

Two old bitties

Elliott kept saying "bapple?"

My three dads

So many pumpkins to choose from

Elliott liked this pumpkin

Then Elliott took a spill

Me and Elliott picking out pumpkins


Look mom I'm a clown!!

Elliott loves Chickens

So many cute goats

Elliott riding in my Radio Flyer (oh how I wanted one when I was a child!)

Bragger

Now you know I am not one to post about cooking cause really who the crap cares? Plus I suck at it, but I just had to brag about the soup I made just to say I cooked and you didn't (or at least that is what I like to tell myself.) Also I think my mom would be so proud...

Butternut Squash Soup




yyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmm gooooooddd!

Even Elliott enjoyed it with some broccoli and cauliflower (glad he takes after his mom as a non-picky eater! Just in case you want to try it or pretend you will try it:
	6 cup(s) reduced-sodium non-chicken broth
	3 pound(s) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
	1 medium leek(s), cleaned and sliced (white and light green parts only)
	1 medium parsnip(s), peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch slices
	1 medium apple(s), Granny Smith variety, peeled, cored, and chopped
	1/4 cup(s) fat-free half-and-half
	1 1/2 tsp curry powder
	1/2 tsp table salt
	2 Tbsp chives, fresh, chopped

Instructions

• Bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add the squash, leek, parsnip, and apple; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the squash is soft enough to mash easily, about 25 minutes.
  
  
• Remove the pan from the heat; let the mixture cool for a few minutes. Transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor or blender and puree. Return the soup to the pan. Stir in the half-and-half, curry powder, and salt; return to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the chives. Yields 1 1/3 cups per serving.

Our visit to SLC

We had a blast during our recent visit to SLC. We where able to see a lot of our friends and family and meet some our friends new additions. I was able to see my new niece, Lilly for the second time... she is so chunky and cute! We got family pictures with the Williams and Brennan headed off to Texas to start a new chapter of his life. Elliott got to play with his cousin Desmond and I'm surprise how much they are starting to look alike ... give or take a few inches!

We stayed with Curtis and Sophia and Elliott got to try and keep up with Deacon.

Elliott loved playing in their curtains and Duck had a great time licking Elliott.

Mom and I spent some time finishing Elliotts Halloween Quilt. He loved it!

Grandma and Grandpa Leasure waving good bye!


Ian's Wedding was that weekend as well and we had a great time hanging out with old friends.


noodle-legs Mogan

Sophia ran up and at some of the bride and groom cake... rat!

Curtis, Taylor and Justin

Ian and Charity

Our table was packed with old friends

Taylor and Gary

Josh and Mico

Scott and Taylor

Lindsay, Nick Taylor and Ahsley

We also got to visit Gardner village and all the cool halloween displays:


me and Bailey with big and little hats

Grandma and Elliott at the pumpkin house

Katie and Cory had curits and my family over for dinner.

This is where I was introduced to Sophia's amazing red velvet oreo cookies!!!

All the kids in their Halloween Jammies

Ratty girls


Mike Williams came into town and we were able to have our kids meet for the first time.


It was a great trip and we miss everyone already.