So I'm wondering...

...What do you do with your turkey leftovers? So far we've done the traditional turkey sandwiches, which have been so delicious. Our turkey turned out fairly well this year; it lacked a terrible amount of flavor, despite my tremendous efforts to season and stuff and baste the thing, but we definitely succeeded at producing a moist turkey--which adds just that extra scrumptious factor to the sandwiches.

The other thing we tried tonight was Turkey Pot Pie, and it was SOOOOO YUMMY. It's a slightly modified version of my friend Katie's recipe, which I actually found on our friend Kim's blog. I thought I'd share it with you, Blog Friends, but under one condition: please give me some of your creative recipes for turkey uses...otherwise all that turkey's headed for the freezer...

TURKEY POT PIE (preheat oven to 400)

1 Pillsbury All-Ready Pie Crust (refrigerated section)
6 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 celery stalks, chopped (optional--I did it by accident but it was good!)
7 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/8 tsp pepper
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups turkey, shredded
4 carrots, peeled, chopped and cooked
3-4 small potatoes, peeled, chopped, and cooked
3/4 cup frozen peas, defrosted
3/4 cup canned corn (I add more corn and peas as I mix, usually)

(Boil chopped potatoes and carrots first, until they are almost-tender, and set aside.)

Melt butter in pan. Add onion and celery and cook until tender. Stir in flour, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Add broth and stir to mix well. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Stir in turkey and veggies and heat till bubbly. Put in pie dish lined with pie crust and place the other crust on top. Pierce crust with 4 slits and bake at 400 until crust is done, about 20 to 25 minutes.

(I've used the Marie Callender frozen pie crusts and I prefer them to the Pillsbury. They seem to be a bit deeper and they don't fall to pieces like the Pillsbury ones seem to. Just my own suggestion.)

(One more: I sprinkle a bit, or as much as you want, of cheddar cheese on the top of the mix before I put on the top crust. Just adds a litlte something.)

So there you have it. Your turn!

Things that make you go, "Mmmmmm."

Our pseudo-Christmas tree. Our apartment is just too small for a real tree, that is if we want it to stay intact for a month with a toddler going at it all day long. This bush outside our window provides me the twinkle lights I love and for now, well, it's good enough for me.

I have a nephew!

My first nephew, Solomon Marcel, was born last Saturday during Ellie's birthday party! Not AT Ellie's party, obviously, but out in Boston...we received text messages the whole day about the progress of labor, with a special "Baby is born!" text just when the final guests had left and my parents, Eric, and I were sitting around talking--a special moment to share as a family. Although we all wish we could have been there to hold the sweet little bundle! Weighing in at 7 lbs 6 oz and 19 inches long, Baby Solomon apparently looks like my dad's side of the family. I will hopefully get to see him in February, which seems so far away! Congratulations, Jonathan, Marika, and Mikaila! Welcome, Baby Solomon! We love you! Enjoy your first Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl

Sweet Elisabeth Kate,

Today is your first birthday! One year ago today we were in the hospital together, trying to get the hang of life as mother and daughter. You were only happy when you were laying on my chest; I tried to leave you in the hospital nursery so I could get some sleep but they brought you back saying, "She just wants her Mommy." (This should have been a clue for the church nursery struggles ahead!) But as tired as I was after your birth I cherished having you so close. We spent many of your first few nights sleeping on the living room couch, with you on my chest, snuggled together. How I loved those nights, just you and me!

A year later I am still in awe of your baby girl sweetness, like when I get you from your bed in the morning and you hand me your blankie and your baby doll ("Baby") and snuggle your warm, yummy-smelling little body into my arms. I love that moment of the day. Over the past year you have also grown into your own personality, which often includes a stubborn, demanding little girl! You like to screech to let us know you are hungry or mad, and you have taken to running away when I ask you to come to me or to bring me something (usually something you shouldn't be holding or playing with)--you love to run in the opposite direction. You love music and always start to bob up and down whenever you hear it. Your favorite place to play is either the recycling bin, the "papers-to-shred" holding bag (hence all the old bank statements I find floating around the house), or the kitchen cabinet with the tupperware. (Do you have any idea how much tupperware we wash each day??) You love to play with the phone; in fact just last week you called 911. I don't think the police officer found it as funny as Mommy did. (Honestly, I was mortified. But it was hard not to laugh.) You have virtually no interest in the TV, despite your brother's love of George, Elmo, and Bob. You love Jack so much, evidenced by your giggles and squeals of delight at one another in the morning, and especially when he chases you (slowly!), saying, "Gun gitcha! Gun gitcha!" And even as he slams you into the wall at the end of the chase and you scream for pity-comfort, I know you still love him. And of course you adore your Daddy, although I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual. You run into Daddy's arms when he gets home from work and lay your head on his shoulder contentedly. I know that is one of his favorite times of day.

We are so blessed and thankful for the gift of your life! I pray that God would give Daddy and I the wisdom and strength to grow you into a faithful young woman of God, stubborness and all.

Happy Birthday, Ellie Belle! I love you, Mommy

Butterflies and Ballplayers

Jack's first ball glove
Going to visit Daddy at work

Matching butterflies

Family friends (When we stopped by their house this week, Jack walked in the front door, looked around and said, "Wheresa cho-chit?" The last time we had visited there had been bucket loads of candy sitting by the door, which he happily helped himself to. He seemed disappointed that this wasn't a regular thing!)

Standing at Grandma's back door.

Papa arrives, much to Ellie's delight!

Jack was very fascinated by the Wheaton College football team practicing in the field by my parent's house; he stood there yelling, "Go, go, go!" and "Oh, NO!" and kept pointing saying, "Fuh Ball, Mama!"
Really having no idea why everyone is dressed up, or why he has a orange bucket to carry, but enjoying running freely up and down the sidewalks beneath the beautiful fall colors.

SO HAPPY to see Daddy arrive from work!

The trees are so full of color this time of year.

Showing Daddy all his candy and trying to get more into his tummy.

Showing Daddy the "fuh ball" players.

She loved this new game...Ellie heads for street, Papa chases her and grabs her just in time to her delighted squeals. Why should she stop?

Family photo. This was Jack's first real trick or treating experience. He did not quite get it at first; every time someone opened their door he tried to walk inside, and he seemed a little hurt when house after house shut their door in his face. He also didn't understand at first that they were just giving him candy--he kept trying to give one back from his bucket. But he finally got it and then he wanted to eat a piece of candy after each house! We had a great time walking around my parents' block, seeing old neighbor friends (my parents greatly enjoyed showing off the grandkids!), and being out in the perfect fall weather. The only unfortunate result is that the lovely pumpkin bucket is now the object of much attention in our house. FIRST THING almost every morning Jack comes running out of his room pointing at the bucket (high up on a shelf) and saying in this pathetic please-please-please-Mommy voice, "Cho-chit!" We have never once given him chocolate before noon, so I don't know why he keeps persisting. Fortunatley we are down to two tootsie pops and a Reese's cup so we'll be done with this phase soon, I hope. (Although he has suddenly started to notice the candy in the checkout aisles at the stores...fuuuuuunnn being that mom with the tantruming child at the checkout! The other day I said to him, as he lay crumpled on the floor crying, "We're not getting candy. You can sit there all day if you want. But we're not buying any candy, especially when you act that way." Some lady in another aisle smiled at me, nodded approvingly and gave me a thumbs up. Thank God for her supportive gesture or I might have been tempted to parent out of embarrassment!!) I hope you all had a fun Halloween!

Technical Difficulties

Our computer crashed last weekend and we just got it up and running tonight. I told Eric that, before anything else is done (like responding to eight thousand emails or posting our Halloween pictures), we must, MUST, do a back up of all our pictures stored on the computer. Last January the computer died and we lost all the pictures of Ellie's birth up through two months old. This mother's heart was so sad over that loss...and we don't want to risk it again! So sorry for the teaser below; you all are so very nice to email me and ask about our Halloween. More pictures of our cuties soon.