Archive for October, 2009

Halloween cupcakes

Saturday, October 31st, 2009

Bittersweet chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, if you must know. Thanks to Grandma Pam for the spooky sprinkles.

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Caramel apples

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Just waiting for them to cool…

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OK, they were pretty good. I would have liked the caramel to be a little harder though. The caramel tasted very buttery, and had the consistency of a soft caramel chew. The recipe said to bring it to the “firm ball” stage but then they also called it 280 degrees, which is too high for the firm ball; it’s actually more like 260. So I pulled it off at 265 but I think it could have gone to 270. Anyway, it was a fun and quick project and very Halloweeny.
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rainy day project

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
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trying out the kayak

Monday, October 26th, 2009

Eric had to bring in his deck for the winter and we took advantage of the kayak being out. Andrew went first and got the hang of it, then came back in for me to take my turn. I was worried about tipping over into the cold water but once I got in I felt pretty stable. Ingrid didn’t get to try it because it’s just a one-person kayak. The lakes are so beautiful here in the Adirondack region that we’re tempted to buy our own kayak.

Yesterday we had a killer morning. Eric took us to Chenango State Park and we rode bikes through the woods, alongside some beautiful glossy lakes. The weather was sunny and cool, the ground covered with yellow, orange, and red leaves. First Ingrid rode on trailey and then the boys took off on their own while Ingrid and I tooled around in the parking lot then waited for them in the playground. 
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Saturday was awesome too. I found a Zumba class in Binghamton, about 15 minutes from here. The teacher was good, she followed the zumba routines and the class had good, fun energy. She complimented my dancing which was nice. Now that I found a zumba class, I’m alternating it with strength training on the other days. I’ve been using a resistance cord kit that I bought at Target for $14 and I am very happy with the results I’m seeing. I’ve never felt stronger, and my waist feels tiny and tight. I tried a Jillian Michaels routine using dumbells, but I didn’t feel as good afterward as I do with the resistance cord routine. I think it’s because the cord works more muscles, including my back. Ahh, it feels good to have a strong back.

It’s a kid picnic

Monday, October 26th, 2009

I love it when Ingrid wakes up with an idea. She gets so excited about it. I’m like that too so it’s definitely not surprising. It’s actually frosty here and the grass is wet, but Ingrid didn’t let that stop her.

That’s Maggie trying to join the picnic. Maggie is the dog that Ingrid loves most. She loves to be with people, even prefering it over food! Maggie loves to give kisses. She’ll lick any bit of exposed skin. Maggie and Ingrid are very attached to each other.

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Dinner with Grandma & her boys

Sunday, October 25th, 2009

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Pumpkin painting

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Yesterday Grandma took us to a pumpkin patch and the local cider mill. We ate some incredible cider donuts, still warm! They have barrels and barrels of all different kinds of apples, all grown in New York. Andrew went to Subway to grab some lunch, but I’m hoping he got lost and ended up at the cider mill instead : )

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more costumes

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Lauren, Flowers, and Katie Cat get their Halloween costumes

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Dogs in the haunted house

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

We moved back into the RV yesterday, and the dogs seem pretty happy to have their own spaces back. They took themselves for a three hour walk yesterday, and so today they are just pooped.

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Ingrid’s bedroom

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

The day has finally come that Ingrid’s been asking for- today we’re setting up her bedroom! Technically, it’ll be our couch during the day and her bedroom at night. We picked out a cute doggie and kitty comforter, pink paw sheets, and a pink and blue star nightlight. During the day, these will hide behind the couch. Her toys are in the space under the bed, her “kids” in the cabinets above, along with her books that she reads by herself. She’s busy now decorating the windows with washable window markers. It’s nice too that daddy covered up the ugly formica armrests with a rich brown pleather material. One last touch Ingrid wanted in her bedroom was the photo of her and daddy. Plus today’s view can’t be beat!