6!!

Kelsey at 6 months... loves to blow bubbles, smile, get tickled by Daddy, see Cole after he's been at school, suck on her thumb when she's bored, slobber, watch her sisters dance.... doesn't love to try to sit on her bum, lay on her tummy or roll. Kelsey is an incredibly happy little girl and we LOVE having her as part of our family!
Trying to get the block...

Holding still for 1 second...

O Christmas Tree!!

Every year, the countdown is on for the day after Thanksgiving and yesterday was no different. We continued our tradition of going to Homestead Farms and sawing down our own tree. We left early yesterday morning, even though it was so chilly and a bit rainy. We tromped about the farm and discovered our own piece of Christmas. Decorated, our gorgeous tree could not be more perfect!

Coming home, we enjoyed decorating the tree, putting up lots of lights and made the first batch of pipineer (a Swedish cookie). What a fabulous day!!

Great Wolf Lodge

We got a good deal, so we headed to Great Wolf Lodge again. What a fun place! Our family loves going there. The kids had a ball and we all loved spending time with Bart, who has been traveling quite a bit.
Ready to head to the water

Cole and Kelsey

Floating Sadie

Cole's balancing act going across the logs

Kelsey

Jayda

Pictures

As I post these, I realize that I need to get some pictures of Cole!
Sadie does a great job of keeping Kelsey smiling.

Cole shared his "army guy" toys with Kelsey.

Sadie and Jayda took a ballet class this week. They looked so cute, I just had to take a picture. Can you tell they were SO excited!?

Flying high!

Gorgeous Fall Day!

Our neighbors were nice enough to let us jump in their leaves. Bart brought his camera and got some great shots of the kids! Jayda wasn't to happy at first, since we woke her up from her nap, but then she had a great time.

Fall

Here are some pictures of the kids. I love the leaves on this "fire" bush in the fall... I found out later that the setting on the camera was set to a random setting, so the pictures aren't that clear... but you get the idea...

Sisters!!

Sadie and Jayda wanted to get some pictures taken with Kelsey... here are a few of them.. they are such cuties and great friends already! I love it!

Yumminess!!

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
(Everyday Food Magazine)

These scrumptious morsels will be a delight to your mouth!

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins
10 TB (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3 c. flour, plus more for pan
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/3 c. buttermilk
1 1/4 c. pure pumpkin puree (from a 15 ounce can)
3/4 c. light brown sugar
2 large eggs

for the sugar coating:
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups (I just sprayed with Pam). Make batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture and beat to combine.

Spoon 1/3 c. batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack. (Store in an airtight contained, up to 1 day.)

*Make sure to not over bake the muffins. Mine cooked in 22 minutes. I also think these would be yummy in the mini muffin size.