more pictures

We went to "Haunt the Zoo" here in OKC. Portia was Princess Leia, I was a witch, and Brandon was Donald Trump. It was alot of fun!

LOTS of pictures

Here are some pictures of Portia and daddy at the park!

Here are some pictures of Portia and daddy at the park!

YUM!!!

Curried Pumpkin Apple Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 2 teaspoons mild curry powder
• 3 cups chicken broth

• 1 1/2 cups solidly packed pumpkin mash or canned pumpkin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 to 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• Sour cream and chives, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a medium-size soup pot. Stir in the onion, celery, and apple. Partially cover the pot and sauté the ingredients over medium-high heat until the onion is clear, about 8 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and sauté the mixture for another minute. Stir in 1 cup of chicken broth and cook it for 1 minute more.

2. Pour the contents of the pan into a blender or food processor, add the pumpkin, and puree the soup until it's smooth.

3. Pour it all back into the pot, then stir in the remaining chicken broth, the salt, and the bay leaf. Set the soup over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

4. After 5 minutes, stir in the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of honey. Taste the soup, adding more salt or honey if necessary to get the desired balance of sweet and savory. Simmer it for 2 minutes more, remove the soup from the heat, and serve it hot. For a pretty -- and tasty -- touch, garnish each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped chives. Makes 6 servings.

everything's amazing and nobody's happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk&feature=player_embedded

the mom song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nem0bkErGVY

stroller lover

Portia uses her stroller as a recliner, she loves that thing!

shakin it up

Today I was in an earthquake.

Really.

I was laying in bed, waking up, listening to Portia play in her room. Suddenly, the bed was shaking. The room was shaking. The whole apartment was shaking. And there was a weird groaning noise. My first thought was that something (or someone) had fallen down the stairs. I popped out of bed like it was on fire. And then it was over.

Portia was reading a book in her room, totally unphased.

It was a 4.3 on the Richter scale, but we had zero damage. Our pictures didn't even fall off the wall. Just a few miles away though, OU campus had some damage. A building on campus had to be evacuated because it cracked up the side!

Who knew we had earthquakes in OK?

again, i'm a copier

I copied Carrie's idea again, and made a new blog, The Happy Book.

http://thehappybook.tumblr.com/

happy book 1

Flash Mobs!

Watch these and not be in a better mood, I dare you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhbK2bMTRbI

happy book

My little sister, Carrie, has some pretty good ideas. She has decided to start what is called a "happy book."

She used this quote to explain. Its from Pres. Monson's talk on Sunday morning in General Conference. He said:

"We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."

Carrie decided to take Pres. Monson's words into action, and start her happy book. I'm going to steal her idea (sorry Bear) and start one too! I'm going to write in a journal every day, listing the things that I am grateful for!

I am very excited for this project! I think it will help me to not take the wonderful things in my life for granted! I have so many blessings that I don't always thank my Heavenly Father for, and a Happy Book will help me to be better at that!