Asa 8 Months

Asa's hit the 8 month mark! Without visiting the doctor I can't tell you his stats but he is definitely one tall kid, now wearing 12 month pants. He still hasn't crawled properly yet, but he's very mobile with his leapfrog move; pushing himself up on his hands and feet and then jumping with his legs. He's started pulling himself up on things and just yesterday did the right sign for "please." And if you're lucky he'll give you a high five or a wave.

Go enter the TRG Prints Advent Giveaway!

Head on over to my dad's blog and enter his Advent Giveaway for some free cards!

Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Bray and Kajsa came into town!

Kid table centerpiece

Mom working away

Monopoly City - fun game, more fun of course if you win

Update on my Mom - Thanksgiving!

While we were all over for lunch today the doctor called with the results of the test, and the great news is that my mom will not need chemo!  In fact her score was so low on the test that they estimate she only has a 9% chance of the cancer ever returning.  She'll start the radiation treatments after Thanksgiving and continue with medicine.  Thanks for all your prayers.  We've got a lot to be thankful for!

Advent Calendars

Well I wanted one of those wooden Advent Calendars from Restoration Hardware but they are a little expensive so I found this instead and am currently working on painting it.

Just need to add numbers and some molding.

Christine's progress on her Advent Calendar. She decided to do felt numbers instead of the original yarn and I think it looks better than the pattern!

 And some crafting necessities.

TRG Prints - Cards for Sale!

My Dad's website, TRG Prints, is up and running! You now can order cards and prints of his paintings on-line.

Update on my Mom

On Monday she met with the oncologist and the treatment has not yet been finalized.  They are still waiting on the results of one test before they determine whether or not to do chemo.
Yesterday we went down to see the radiologist and get the process started for radiation.  If chemo is necessary they won't start radiation until that is over.
No more doctor's visits until after Thanksgiving though - and that's something to be thankful for!

London Blocks

On Mike's trip to England earlier this fall he picked up these blocks for Asa. He's just recently become quite interested in them; examining and then, when he can't wait any longer, knocking them down and tasting each one.

Asa and Smugles

My parents have been giving us all of our childhood things and this included a huge bin of my old stuffed animals. Asa was helping me sort through them. Smugles was actually Seth's Teddy Bear that he received from a nice man who thought he was so brave during his kidney operation.  Seth gave him to me when I cracked my head open.

Christmas Projects

Christine working on her Advent Calendar.

Mike's stocking in process.

Should I add the trim of little balls on Mike's or is it too frilly?

Paige and Layla's Baby Shower

Laura, Layla, and Paige

Asa got to come and hang out with us since Mike is out of town.

Baby Shower Cookies

This is especially for you Sandy and Jess!

Thick and Chewy Triple-Chocolate Cookies

(recipe from Cooks Illustrated)

2c. all purpose flour

1/2c. Dutch processed cocoa

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt (less if you use salted butter)

16 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped (I typically just use chips)

4 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. instant coffee powder (I've thrown in 1 tsp. of real ground coffee)

10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

 1 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

1. Sift flour, cocoa, bp, and salt; set aside.

2. Melt chocolate in microwave or in pan over simmering water; set aside.

3. Beat eggs, vanilla and coffee powder; set aside.

4. Beat butter till creamy, add sugars.  Add egg mixture.  Add chocolate until combined. Add dry ingredients till just combined.  Add chocolate chips.

5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit till fudge like ~ 30 min.

6. Heat oven to 350.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper (cookies are very sticky so parchment paper is good here).  Scoop dough with 1 3/4 in ice cream scoop.

7. Bake till edges have just begun to set but center is still soft (rotate pan halfway - I don't bother since I use convection).  ~10-12 min.  Cool cookies on sheet 10 min.

Enjoy!

Baby Shower Preparations

We've got Layla Shaw's baby shower tonight! Cookies and the bags below are for Caramel Corn.

Movie Time with Amara

Asa and Amara got to spend all day together yesterday! I took my mom to Spokane and Naphtali watched them (Thanks!) then Naphtali went to see my dad's play and Mike and I watched them. Amara was upset because Asa kept patting her head and she just wanted to watch the movie. Naphtali's got more pictures on her blog.

Update on my Mom

We went up to Spokane today for follow up after the surgery and good news - the margins were completely clear!  They still have to run a couple more tests to help determine if chemo is necessary and she'll meet with the oncologist on Monday.  We should know then what kind of treatments will happen and when. Thanks for your continued prayers.

Seattle Weekend

Well we popped over to Seattle to see the rels and get a head start on Christmas shopping. These are the only two pictures I took! I just kept leaving the camera in the car. Rachel came with us and spent the weekend with Bray and Kajs. Thanks for a wonderful time guys!

Update - Out of Surgery

The second surgery went really well.  Now they'll be running more tests to see if any of the tissue is cancerous.  They'll probably also be running a test to see if chemo is necessary.  Please pray that everything comes back completely clear and chemo won't be needed.  Thanks.

Update on my Mom

My mom visited with the surgeon in Spokane today who said that another surgery is necessary.  Apparently the first surgery did not get a wide enough margin of tissue.  So Thursday she'll be going to Spokane for this second surgery.  She'll meet with the oncologist later this month who will decide whether or not chemo will be necessary. Thanks for all your prayers.

We've got teeth!

On Asa's 7 month bday, these two teeth popped up! (Not a very good picture of him, I know, but you can see the teeth.)

Fall Carnival

Mike and the Big Bad Wolf

He's too sweet to be big and bad

And we found Little Red Riding Hood

All the kids in the costume contest for Asa's division. (No, he didn't win)

Amara eating her basket...

Serving chili with the Cohens (5th year in a row!)

 Yay Maggie!