Tackle It Tuesday isn't going so well. Babies are grumpy. Nothing is working.

I wanted to clean my windows as my project today but I don't have a stepstool for the ones on the main floor. The basement ones were basically mud so I decided I'd at least do those and call it a project. Well, I cleaned three of them and was so pleased with myself until I came inside. Now I think I may have inflicted tiny little scratches on my brand new windows trying to wash them and get off the dirt at the same time. I pretty much feel like puking.

So, I made more grape juice because there is something very satisfying about watching your cupboards fill up with food you processed that may have otherwise gone to waste. These actually aren't from our grapes but came from my sisterinlaws dad's house (following me). Isn't that a beautiful color though? Thank you Dennis for picking them for me and bringing them over.

There's more, I wasn't thoughtful enough to think before making grape juice in my new shirt and it is stained.

Pumpkin Patch, brought to you by the generosity of a stranger

We've been meaning to go to a pumpkin patch and hayride at the Red Barn in Santaquin, Utah for the last month.

We've been frequenting the Red Barn of South Ridge Farms ever since Ryan stopped there once on a roadtrip from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas several years ago. They sell the most amazing produce from their orchards, candies, home-made sodas, ICECREAM, fudge, and everything else good. If you've never been you must stop the next time you get the chance and don't drive late at night or on Sundays because they are closed (lesson learned).

In the fall they have hayrides to their pumpkin patch where you can choose your own pumpkin for purchase upon return (and also they make the most delicious fresh warm apple cider doughnuts).

We had intended to go for FHE but our weeks were running out so in spontaneity Ryan suggested we go tonight. We packed the diaper bag, some snacks, the camera, our phones, and threw the kids in the car. Unfortunately we left our diaperbag, some snacks, the camera, and our phones on the back porch. We realized that we didn't have those things after we drove an hour to get to the barn and were about to get on the hayride. I was upset but didn't want to ruin the evening.

We met a family with four boys. The oldest two were twins and the sweet mother looked upon my craziness with empathetic understanding that I feel only a mother of twins truly has. She had her camera, her twins, and two more kids (there is hope for me) and still seemed so put together and calm. In an act of kindness she offered to take some pictures and mail them to me--I couldn't believe it--so I gave her my email. She later let us just take the camera on our adventure around the pumpkin patch saying that she had already been with her boys several times this season (again, so put together). I would have been disspointed to miss Alison's and Stuart's first pumpkin patch visit. I'm thankful for the kindness of strangers and it makes me want to be a more generous, sensitive, kind person.

Here we are ready to go.

It was the most GORGEOUS day. It was the perfect crisp cool fall day with lots of sunshine and beautiful blue skies that smells good.

"Hey Dad. Can I have this one?"
Yah for pumpkins!!! Time to go home.

Alison is saying her first word.

Is it "Mama"? No. "Dada"? No, not with real consistency or functionality. "Meeeooooowww," YES!

Her first real intentional word is meeeooowww. It is very cute. She brings me her book with kittens in it (Good Night Moon, thank you Mister Mateo) and meows while pointing to the kittens, over and over and over again. She also meows at everything that is furry. Cows, goats, bunnies--they all make the same sound in Alison's little world. "Meeooooooww!" Which brings me to,



I spent a large portion of Tuesday sewing monkey costumes with one baby attached to my leg meeeoooooowwwing. Alison is getting quite attached to her monkey suit while Stuart is a bit fearful of his.

The babies are going to be circus monkeys! Fitting choice you say?

Last week we went to the fabric store to find costumes. I thought maybe I could convince Ryan to be Papa Bear, Stuart Baby Bear, myself Mama Bear, and Alison could be Goldilocks--or some other cheesy themed family gimmick. It was ummm, fun getting them in the car, then into the stroller, and then pushing the baby limo through the way too small aisles of JoAnns all the time picking up the toys and treats they are chucking out by the wayside, releasing bolts of fabric they've snatched from their tiny little fists, and trying to convince Alison to not throw herself out the side. By the time I sat down to look at patterns I was already wondering, "Why do I do this to myself!?!"

I opened the book to a circus monkey costume and glanced over to see Stuart shaking all the juice out of his sippy cup and Alison trying to play peekaboo while eating animal crackers and hanging out the side of her stroller (again). So, circus monkeys it is.

Today we went on an education mission to the zoo. We looked at monkeys. Cute baby monkeys.

Double monkeys.

Lots of monkeys. Alison had a heart to heart with an old wise monkey named Jocco. He told her monkeys make "ooohh, ooh, ooohhs, and ahh, ah, ahhs" but she told him all furry things say, "MMMMEEEEOOOWWW". It looks like we're going to have one meowing monkey for Halloween despite all of my best efforts.

Around the house

Alison has learned to stand herself up but hasn't taken steps yet. If you encourage her to walk towards you she will lean her upper body, leave her feet, and fall into outstretched arms. Trusting little soul.

The babies got new winter jammies. Alison always likes new jammies (remember the last time we bought new jammies, wow she's grown http://pahnke.blogspot.com/2006/05/new-things-for-alison.html).

Stuart loves to eat spaghetti. Not only is it yummy and nutritious but it also requires a mini sink bath afterwards. Such a cute little body he has. I think he's gotten quite skinny lately--probably from all the running around he does. All day long he wanders around on his little feet. He loves being able to walk.

I've decided that I need to institute a Tackle It Tuesday in my life. I'm seeking motivation and that refreshing sense of accomplishment. Mondays are no good because we have to recover from the weekend on Mondays. Wednesdays are playgroup dates. Thursdays run the risk of overhanging into the weekend and Fridays are the weekend so that wouldn't work either. I figured the only option left was terrific Tuesday.

I've made a list of projects I would like to complete that just don't ever seem to get done in regular life. Last weeks project was grapes. My first Tuesday though I have to confess was a flop in that I didn't actually do it on Tuesday. I had every intention to but I got otherwise engaged. So this Tackle it Tuesday actually occurred on Thursday last week (of course I guess I didn't have to admit that on my little internet world). You'll just have to bear with me as I work out the kinks.

We bought this house with the most delightful suprise. We have a grape bush (I don't think they are called bushes but I'm not sure what else to call it). It isn't actually our grape bush but the wonderful thing about grapes is that they are somewhat unruly. The neighbor has a fabulous grape bush that crawled over wall and deposited all the best vines and grapes in our little corner yard behind the garage.

I decided it would be a fine idea to make some grape juice. Ryan and I haven't ever juiced grapes so we anticipated that it would be a cheerful little project. We took out a rather large bowl before Ryan went to work thinking that it would take 10 minutes or so to pick our little lot. We filled the bowl up 7 times over and it took nearly 2 hours just to finish picking. Extracting juice out of a million zillion little grapes takes a suprising length of time as well. The project ended up lasting well into the night and a good portion of the next day. (See, this is evidence of why Thursdays are no good, runover.)
An 1/8 of the total grape plunder.
First you have to prepare the grapes. This was by far the worst part--evicting all the little creatures. I didn't so much mind the snails. It was the spiders, beetles, more spiders, earwigs, and broken bees I detested. My kitchen was crawling with bugs that somehow escaped their death in my garbage disposal.

Then we steamed the grapes for 1.5-2 hours until all the sweet juice came out. Pour into bottles that have been scalded and prepared. Cap them with a lid and voila, wait to cool.
Yes, my little helpful soldier in the bottom.

I ended up bottling 21 quarts and keeping around 2 quarts fresh. The grapes made the sweetest most gorgeous pink juice. We dilute it half/half for the babies and it still is scrumptiously sweet and delicious.

Yah for grape juice.

This is the brains behind the project.

Go Utes

Dad bought the babies their first UTAH gear. We actually took these pictures when then were dressed up for the Utah vs Boise game but then we were too dissapointed to post these. (Yes Chris, we're awaiting a classic Orme comment.) I think Ryan semi-recovered now after attending the game last week.

Slide meets Stu's Face

It is hard growing up. Poor Stuart has been bleeding from his face twice in 36 hours. The next afternoon he fell on the rocking chair and cut right where his gums meet lip inside his mouth. Little mouths bleed a lot so I was a bit more alarmed. I failed to get a picture. He's all better now.

Aunt Nicole and Uncle Justin

We are sad that Aunt Nicole and Uncle Justin have to live so far. They are so much fun. Stuart and Alison met Uncle J for the first time this summer when they passed through during their road trip to Portland from Ohio through the states of Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. (Don't ask me how you get from Ohio to Portland while passing through those states, just check out http://nandjpicture.blogspot.com/.) The babies loved the visit and I've been meaning to post pictures from it. Stuart and Justin became fast friends, Nicole played PeekABoo with Alison and acted very suprised which is just what Alison likes, and Justin spent a good effort trying to teach Ali and Stu how to put the rings back on--which they didn't figure out that day but by the way, Justin, they persisted and have the back on part down now. Thanks for coming to our house. Can't wait to see you in November.


Today something came in the mail from the Elardos. The mailman came while they were eating lunch so I placed the package in the middle of the living room. They were quite anxious to check it out.

Inside were blocks!!! I'm sure there will be many years of fun ahead for this blocks. Stuart really enjoys stacking things these days (what a smart boy he is). Thank you Aunt Nicole.

You say some babies don't like vegetables?

Alison likes to eat her tomatoes.