Weekend in Canada

Last weekend we decided to take a trip up to Cranbrook and visit Brent and his family before the snow starts to fly. Thatcher had a wonderful time with his cousins and loved all the new toys to play with! We went to the park and played despite the chilly wind and that night went swimming at the local indoor pool. They also took us on a hike to a beautiful waterfall that was also home to old mine tunnels. It was a very enjoyable trip, we did not come home without our favorite Canadian goodies either but we can't wait to go back! Thanks Davis' we Love You!
The trolley to get us back and forth...hold on tight and watch your head.

The beautiful tamarack trees in their golden Glory made for a picturesque hike.

Our Group at the Falls

Our little family

It's fall, you have to play in the leaves.

Thatcher and dad at the wave pool. Almost like the beach.

Thatcher's solo slide...whee! ok he looks a bit terrified.

My Tooth!!!

Thatchers first tooth finally broke through the gums last thursday and this is just moments after he discovered it with his tongue. Now he plays with it all the time.

Oreo Cookie?

At first glance you might be thinking Oreo cookie. Then you might think "what is Briett thinking he's only nine months old why is she feeding him cookies" but as you scroll down you'll see...



...that it is finger licking good...




...dirt!

Oh come on all kids do this at one point. At least I can say this was on Grammies watch and she didn't stop him until she got some good pictures:)

9 Months Old

Thatcher, is you guessed it nine months old today. As I type my little boy is a sleep on my shoulder. Ah how I love my cuddle times with my son. When he's awake and I'm holding him he must face out. He is on the move, always busy, always learning. I really should pick up on this trait of his. I'm serious, I don't know everything. Yet some days I'm pretty sure I don't learn anything new and being that I'm at home a lot more these days I may have to search a little deeper to find that new thing. It may not be as simple as the toilet paper whirling around making a pile on the floor or the taste of the newspaper and every other inedible object I can get my hands on. It may be a new word or recipe or a how to, but somehow I must keep myself learning.
I do learn the new things that Thatcher is learning: He is obsessed with waving. No matter what he is doing, he will pause and wave and continue on with the task at hand. He even wakes up (eyes not yet open) waving. It's totally cute to watch, it's almost like a nerves tick, somewhat unconscious. He still smiles in his sleep, probably thinking of all the fun he and I have. Oh come on, let me think that! He is starting to be quite the chatter box (until the video camera comes out and then he's mute). You know the baby babble only it's more enunciated and has voice fluctuation and tone differences. So I go ahead and carry on conversations with him, it's quite fun and he loves it...I wonder what I'm saying?
He laughs hard and loud when I tickle him. He loves watching his shadow or any shadow for that matter. He tries to grab at the beam the flash light makes. He loves it when people come home or come over (especially family) he gets so excited to see somebody, anybody but mom. He loves to see me to, he just gets to all day. So when daddy, poca or grammy come home he wants to crawl right to them and crawl up their leg to be picked up. O and one more he just delights in looking at pictures of himself, he just thinks it's the coolest thing and gets quite the kick out of it.
What else can I say, he is a joy. I love it when he sleeps but I can't wait for him to wake up! I adore my little boy, he is a sweet, sweet guy.

Happy Fall!

I love this time of year. Change in season, the crisp cool air, vibrant colors and spectacular views. Take a deep breath and enjoy the beauty.

Sunset

Thatcher and I spent the day in Coeur d' Alene yesterday. Mostly visiting with grandma and grandpa Lee. We love it over there. Thatcher especially loves to watch the leaves blowing in the trees and there happens to be 6 or more huge maples surrounding the house, perfect for his such attraction. They are truly great old trees. The reason you throw a blanket down on those warm summer days and enjoy the sun shimmering through when the sweet wind allows. Ahhh! We have been enjoying such days as described this week in a Delicious form of an Indian Summer-love it!



We ended the day down by the lake and I got these great shots of Thatcher in the sunset. He's still funny about the grass and the way it feels next to his skin...I imagine it tickles.


He has also started waving and clapping and I think I catch the words "bye bye" at least the attempt. Smile.

German Apple Cake

OK, this one is so good and even works if your apples are getting a little soft. It has the wonderful flavors of fall sweet Cinnamon and sugar. I know it's cake but I somehow feel healthier about eating it because of all the apples. Totally a false sense of reality but it works for me.

The Cake

2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
5-6 cups apples - peeled, cored and diced


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour(I dusted with Cinnamon and sugar) one 9x13 inch cake pan.
In a mixing bowl; beat oil and eggs with an electric mixer until creamy(over do it). Add the sugar and vanilla and whip well(really really well at least 3 min).
Combine the flour salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon together in a bowl. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture and mix until combined. The batter will be very thick. Fold in the apples by hand using a wooden spoon. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Let cake cool on a wire rack. Once cake is cool serve with a dusting of confectioners' sugar or with a Cream Cheese Frosting.

I did neither. It was almost all eaten before I got the chance but I was going to try a caramel glaze.

Glaze:
1/2 C Butter
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/4 C Cream

Bring to a boil and boil 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/2 t Vanilla - let cool slightly before pouring over warm cake. To make perfect serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Grandpa

This one is of my grandpa as a child.
Leo James Lee


I'm at my grandpa's in Idaho and I decided to raid his pictures and I found this great one of himself having a bath in a lard bucket.

Added Links

I added Links to some of my favorites. The Photographers are two of my friends and you can find pictures of Thatcher and I on both, so check them out. You all know how much I love recipes and the site allrecipes.com is pretty great. Ck it out and add to it if you would like. I also just started the Twilight Saga...Love It! I like to read the books before the movies come out and the Midnight Sun link is in essence Edwards point of view of twilight. But she is not going to finish it so it's about 250 pages, still worth the read to get into Edwards head. I'll be adding more later so watch for more great links.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

I got this recipe from my sister Kristen. It is Great! You can make it into muffins or bread. I like it with raisins too. I thought I would add shredded carrots as well. Anyway it's harvest time I love this part of the year. Time to make and have those warm bowls of soup as well. Yumm.

2 1/2 C. All-purpose flour plus additional for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 C.) unsalted butter. or just omit the salt and use regular butter, softened
1 C. packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 large eggs at room temp.
2 C. coarsely grated zucchini (8 oz.) I use probably a 1/2 cup more
1 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. walnuts, toasted and chopped

3-quart bundt or fleur-de-lis pan

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter bundt pan well and dust with some flour, kocking out excess.
-Sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down side of bowl occasionally, then beat until very smooth and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
-Reduce speed to low and add all but 1/2 cup flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
-Toss zucchini, chocolate chips, and walnuts with remaining 1/2 cup flour mixture and add to batter, then mix batter with a rubber spatula (batter will be thick).
-Spoon batter into bundt pan, smoothing top. Bake in middle of oven, rotating pan halfway through baking, until side begins to pull away from pan and a tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes total.
-Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes, then run a thin knife around outer and inner edges. Invert rack over pan, then invert cake onto rack. Cool completely.

*Keeps 3 days in an airtight container at room temp.