Pie Party

We hosted our First Annual Harvest Homes Pie Party this year (our second total, with the very first being in Provo). Our next door neighbor and friend, Kelly Dyches, helped put the shindig on and provided a generous amount of delicious pies. When all was said and done, we ended up with 20 unique pies and 26 total pies (some were repeats). I made 16 of them.

This was our list of pies (stars by the ones I made):
*Pumpkin
*Pumpkin Butter Pecan
*Toll House Cookie
*Jello Cream Cheese
*Raspberry Cream
*Chocolate Crusted Peanut Butter (or Candy Bar Pie)
*Buttermilk
*Coconut Cream
*Chocolate Cream
*Banana Cream
*Heath Bar
*Tart Au Citron
Apple
Dutch Apple
Snickerdoodle Apple
Key Lime
Pecan
Salted Caramel
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Chocolate Truffle

The most popular pies were the Dutch Apple, Buttermilk, Salted Caramel, and Snickerdoodle Apple. The least favorite was the Jello Cream Cheese. I don't think I'll bother making that one again. I also think I would limit any doubling up to only the very favorites. We had a pretty good crowd, but I think we can do better next year. The plan is to either invite WAY more people, or make a lot fewer pies. We ended up with SO MANY leftovers and were sending people home with and delivering plates full of different pie slices.

I also wish I had taken more photos of the guests and party. There's always next year!

Crusts prepped and ready to go!

Labels printed beside the Tart Au Citron and two Buttermilk Pies:

Part of the layout:

The Nielsons enjoying some pie:

Two awesome neighbors and friends - Natalie Dobbin and Dayna Olson. They were some of the very first to welcome us to the ward/neighborhood.

The aftermath.... The first is of our downstairs once all the kids got done destroying playing in it.

And of course, the kitchen:

It was a ton of work, but a LOT of fun. I love this unique party idea and I'm grateful we've adopted it from Miles' dad. We hope to have just as many years and more of Pie Parties!

Thanksgiving

This year for the month of November in preparation for Thanksgiving, I created a "Thankful Tree." I took branches from our yard, and made pretty maple leaves to hang. Each night we would talk and write down something each of us was thankful for. I was really pleased with how well Owen took to the activity. He was so thoughtful and would often say things that both surprised and impressed me. The first night he said, "My parents," which of course just melted my heart right then and there. A different night he said this (over a period of time and interjections/acknowledgement by me):
"I have something I'm thankful for. My hands! What if I didn't have my hands and couldn't pick this up? (Picks up his fork.) I'm thankful for something else. My arms! What if I didn't have my arms? (while flapping them) And I'm thankful for my eyes! What if I didn't have my eyes. I would probably bump into things and walls. I'm thankful for something else. My house! What if I didn't have my house to play in and eat in and go to sleep in my bed? (I asked him what he would do if he didn't have his house.) I would go to the store and buy stuff to build a new house." I thought it was so insightful for him to recognize all of these blessing that we often take for granted. And for him to realize how different life would be without them.

Of course, just like a typical three-year-old, there were other nights I would ask him what he was thankful for and he would say, "I'm not thankful for anything." However, overall I was very happy with his responses. This is a list of different things we each said. Apparently we must have missed a few days here or there because there are only 24 for each of us. And I noticed that there were a couple of items that were repeated. Also, often the answers were indicative of our experiences from that day.

Miles: Oxygen, The beautiful Earth, Megan, Owen, My loving children, America, Food, Health, Health, Elsie, The law, Guns, Moments alone with Kendra, My family, Sleep, My education, Early bedtimes, Extended family, Church, Technology, Our warm house, Friends, Kendra, Kendra-Mommy

Kendra: A healthy body, Miles' job, The Gospel, Music, Miles, Art, My two beautiful children, Good neighbors, Modern medicine, Our home, Siblings, Safes, Kisses from my kids (& Daddy), Heat in the cold, Good friends, Chocolate, When my children giggle, Ice cream and hot chocolate, Singing in the choir, the Fall season, Financial stability, My degree, Miles, I get to be a SAHM

Owen: My parents, Bunnies and my bed, Screws in my bed, Daddy's office, My Dad, The carriage at the farm, Playing, My train, My hands, Daddy, My family, Big race cars, Screaming, Food, My pillow, My house, My Mommy, Backpacks, Luke & his mommy and Sylvie & Genevieve & their mommy, My eyes/eyesight, Flashlights, the Counter and the food I eat, Lions, My house

Elsie: Food, Bare feet, Bare feet, Cheerios, iPads, A hard head, Chocolate chips from Daddy, Dogs (Pete), Shoes, Dogs, Uncle Mitchell, Pans, Sign language, Owen, Mommy's milk, Floor vents, Books, Mommy and Daddy, Patient parents, Raspberries, Toilets, Baths, Rocks, Sippy cups

Here are some pictures of the Thankful Tree and a few other decorations I acquired this year.

I bought two felt acorn garlands and I am in love with them.

For the actual day of Thanksgiving, I hosted my first ever Thanksgiving dinner. Kerry, Matt, Hadley, Elena, Lance, Pat and Courtney Wickman all attended. It was a bit stressful, but I think it went well. I desperately wish I had more space for hosting large dinner parties. I also made my very first turkey. I got a brine recipe from a friend and I thought it was delicious! Lance said it was one of the best turkeys he had ever had. Not sure if he was just being polite or not, but honestly, it was good. Not to mention the amazing mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon and carmalized onions, fresh oranges and pomegranate seeds, Ruth's Chris style sweet potatoes, homemade buttery rolls, and stuffing. Mmm mmm mmm!!!

It was a wonderful dinner and Thanksgiving celebration. We are so happy to be close to some of our family and have the chance to be with them. We have much to be thankful for!

Pi

I decided that Pi Day (3.14) couldn't go unrecognized. Or maybe it's just that I wanted an excuse to make something yummy. So we celebrated with a little buttermilk pie.

Happy Pi Day!

V-Day 2013

Valentine's Day this year was jam packed. Well...at least it felt that way to me.

I started by getting up early (before the kids were up...which is early to me) and making Miles breakfast. I decided to make him eggs in a basket but cut out the holes with my heart and lips cookie cutters. It didn't turn out perfectly, but I think it was alright.

Miles then spent a little time letting Owen jump off the changing table...

...into his arms, of course!

Once Dad was out the door, Owen and I got busy making breakfast for ourselves. Owen decided to jump the gun and chomp into the cheese...again.

After breakfast and once Elsie was down for a nap, Owen and I took on the task of making sugar cookies.

I think he had a lot of fun. I, on the other hand, had to exercise a lot of patience. One time, when I was pulling off the extra dough around the cut cookies, Owen grabbed some of the excess and quickly shoveled it in his mouth. He also had a hard time resisting the urge to stick his little fingers into the rolled out dough.

Then he pretended to eat the dough off the counter. Such a silly boy.

Elsie was a gem and just sat back while we finished up baking the cookies.

I made some special cookies for Miles to eat.

A final note on cookie making with Owen. He was ridiculously obsessed with them the rest of the day and throughout the following days. I couldn't go more than 10 minutes without hearing about cookies and requests for cookies or finding him sticking his fingers in the frosting. One time I put them in a pyrex dish on top of the toaster so he couldn't reach them. He climbed up on the arm of his chair and brought the dish crashing down onto the counter. Thankfully, neither he nor the cookies were hurt. Next time, I vow to hide all evidence of cookies or frosting so that it won't be such an temptation obsession for his sugar-crazed little body.

When Owen was down for a nap, Elsie and I had a little v-day photo shoot. She is so dang cute and is always so quick to give me a smile. 

After "nap time" (AKA: Jumping in his crib) Owen and Elsie spent a little time playing together on the floor.

  
While Miles helped finish up dinner (my schedule did not go according to plan) Elsie conked out on me.

We had pink buttermilk pancakes. Unfortunately, once they were cooked you could hardly tell they were pink.

I wanted to serve them with strawberries as well, but apparently when you wait to buy strawberries until the day before/day of Valentine's Day they are nowhere to be found. So instead, Miles chose to have a plethora of meat - sausage, spam, and bacon - he said he couldn't decide on one. Here is our little piggy with all the pork products: 

  
After dinner, I gave Miles and Owen their presents. Owen opened a bag with some candy and chocolates and two new Hot Wheels cars.

Elsie watched on while doing her favorite pastime (sucking on her hands).

Then Miles opened his present. Normally I don't go all out just for v-day. Mostly, the holiday was just an excuse to give this to him. It is a signed print (by the artist and the author of the book for which it was drawn) of the book cover for Brandon Sanderson's Way of Kings.

I was pretty excited to give it to him. Miles is so hard to buy for and I knew he would not be expecting this at all. He said he saw the post about the sale on Facebook (where I had seen it) and almost bought both of the prints that were for sale (the other was for the last Wheel of Time book, A Memory of Light, cover art) but didn't because it was a little pricey. However, he said if he could only choose one, he would have chosen the one I got for him. I think I won major "good wife" credits. :)

After presents, we ended the night with some balancing acts. Miles showed Owen how he used to balance him on his hand when he was a baby.

Owen at 4 mo:

Owen at 2 yr 9 mo:

So of course, Elsie had to get in on the fun as well. She hasn't demonstrated the same standing skills as Owen at such a young age, but at 4.5 mo it's not too bad.

It was a great day of love and family fun. Even though it's a commercialized holiday where people often manufacture tokens and acts of love, I don't mind. I enjoy celebrating it and making the day a little more special. Hopefully both my children and husband feel love all throughout the year, but just a little something extra special on V-day.

Christmas Card 2012

Another year has quickly flown by and yet again, we have been immensely blessed.

Miles has been working very hard to grow his personal business by building up his clientele and putting in extra hours before and after his day job. He's hoping to one day be able to solely work for himself and is getting closer to making that dream come true. In his free time, he also works very hard to grow his beard, and shaves as little as possible throughout the year. He currently has a formidable “Christmas Beard” growing, which can be seen here: loganmolyneux.com/blog/christmas-beard

I (Kendra) spent the majority of this year growing a baby. During that time, I tried my hand at sewing a skirt for myself, and a quilt for Elsie. I can see this becoming a new love of mine. I also enjoy reading, blogging, and cooking (although I had a lot more time for all of that prior to Elsie being born). But most of all, I love being a mom and feel so blessed to spend my days and nights with both of my children. I never could have anticipated the joy I would have in raising my children.

Owen (2 1/2 yrs) has grown up so much over the past year. His language has exploded as well as his skills. He's on his way to counting to 100 and knows his ABCs. He loves to sing and knows at least 10 different songs including I Am a Child of God, Annie's Song, You Are My Sunshine, and Daddy's Homecoming. He enjoys making them his own by singing in a fast, low, growl. He also loves to read and has many of his favorite books memorized and will "read" them to Mommy and Daddy. We are constantly amazed at what a sponge he is and how much he picks up. Most enjoyably, he is a silly, goofy, fun, little boy. He loves to jump and can often be found (and heard) bouncing for hours in his crib during "nap" time, or on his trampoline. He makes us laugh daily and is a bright light in our lives.

Elsie (2 1/2 mo) most enjoys eating and sleeping. However, in the past month she has added smiling, cooing, and sucking on her hands. She is often found with a bib around her neck to catch the spit up caused by her reflux. She tolerates her brother's boisterous outbursts and loves his sweet hugs, pats and kisses. She is happiest in the morning and loves to see a smiling face. She also loves to be held and will fall fast asleep with the jostling bounces of a walking gait. She is an angel and brings a sweet spirit to our home.

We are so grateful for the wonderful year we have had. As we welcomed a miracle into our lives this year, we also recognize the miracle of our Savior's birth, whose life made it possible for us to experience such joy. We hope that this New Year will bring happiness and prosperity to you - our family, friends and loved ones. And we hope you will all feel the love of Jesus Christ in your homes and hearts this season and always.

With love,

The Wright Family 

Gingerbread Houses & Rice Crispy Trains

Grandma Wright (Margaret) sent us a Christmas package that had a gingerbread house kit and rice crispy train kit in it. This year I let Owen help out more with making it. However, that quickly turned to eating it. It was so funny to watch him swipe at the frosting after I would pipe it out, or take a moment to think about whether or not he wanted to eat the candy vs. put it on the house. Usually, eating won out. It was a bit of work to get anything accomplished with my little "helper," but it was a lot of fun too.

The next day I found him sneaking candy off the house at least 3 times, until I finally moved it to higher ground that could not be reached simply by standing on a chair.

We also made the rice crispy train set she sent. It had similar results. Although he did want to suck on the tube of frosting and eat every little candy ball, he actually did a bit better decorating his own train. He would ask me for the candy balls by color. "Can I please have a green one?" (I would hand one to him) "Thank you!" And so on through all the colors. (Except for some strange reason he kept calling the red one brown.) I love the little pile of balls he made too.

A couple days later, I also found him sneaking candy off the train. He had eaten all the little balls off of his train. Sigh. What can I say? He has a sweet tooth just like his mommy.

The Man in the Big Red Suit

Last week we went as a family to go visit Santa. We went to the Riverwoods like we have for the past two years. I love it. It's always so beautiful with all of the lights and decorations.

Warming up by the fires:

It was fun to get some family shots.

I should mention that I was only able to get one picture with my nice DSLR before it died on me. I had even checked to make sure the battery was charged. I think it's a faulty battery. :( So all of our pictures were taken with our iPhones. Miles said it was our "experiment" to see how they did. I think for the most part they turned out pretty good - except when someone didn't quite know how to use it and focus properly...but at least we have them. :)

Waiting in line to see Santa:

I loved having this little one all snuggled up to me. It was good too because it was so cold and I was able to wrap her up and keep her nice and warm. 

Earlier in the day I tried to prepare Owen for meeting Santa and sitting on his lap. When I first told him we were going to see Santa, he said, "Yay!" I told him Santa would ask what he wanted and had him practice what he would say. He said, "Presents!" I asked, "What kind of presents?" He said, "A blue present." After more encouragement, he finally said, "A car." We had this exact conversation about three times (presents, blue present, car). I also had the great idea of showing him pictures from when he saw Santa the previous two years (both can be seen here). After looking at those, I again asked if he wanted to go see Santa and sit on his lap. He looking slightly frightened and shook his head no. Oops! So much for "preparing" him.

So once we got there, it took him a second to warm up to Santa.

But as soon as the jolly old man gave him a high five and knuckles, he was sold. 

Elsie was a little upset at first. I'm sure it really had to do with being yanked from her warm, snuggly, spot on Mama's chest more than sitting with Santa.

But then she got over it and was just apathetic to the whole thing. 

After visiting Santa, we walked around and enjoyed the lights. 

Then we decided to grab some dinner. I had never been to this "newer" Chinese restaurant. It was pretty good. 

While we waited for our food, Miles and Owen had fun sticking their tongues out at each other. 

This was my view - a sweet, sleeping baby all snuggled up to me in my carrier. She did great and slept the entire time. 

Owen dined on ice cubes (typical): 

But ended up doing an amazing job of chowing on his chow mein noodles. I think it's because they were so fun to play with. You can make mustaches, snakes, jump ropes...the options are endless. 

Here's a video of Owen enjoying his meal. In it he grabs a piece of chicken and says, "Another one!" and tosses it to Daddy. It makes me laugh because he had just taken it out a minute before and Miles put it back on his plate for him to eat. I guess he wasn't convinced to eat it. :)

And here were our fortunes. Can you guess which belongs to each of us?

It was actually pretty funny. I opened the one that says, "You will soon embark on a business venture," handed it to Miles and said, "I think this belongs to you." He then handed me his, "Soon someone new coming into your life will become a very good friend," and said, "Then this must be yours." I then told him to open Owen's and see what it said..."You deserve respect and will eventually get it." We both cracked up! Perfect.

And one last family photo to end the night. 

It was a lot of fun and a great way to spend the evening together. I sure do love my little family of four!