Enjoying the time of year.

 
 

In true holiday form, we carved up some pumpkins this weekend with neighbors and friends, Chris and Sheena. All the pumpkins had their own personalities by the end of the night. (Smarty, Evil, Cheesy and Friendly)

And officially, Mike has walked across the stage, accepted the applause and graduated from culinary school. All the recent celebrating has dulled the memory of early 5am mornings, 5 days a week - late nights, a sometimes fragily exhausted husband, late night black box cooking practice and in the end the feeling that we had missed the summer together. But it was a journey that only some travel and it will most likely be the best financial investment I will ever make. Congrats to Chef Mike!

What people will do for a pumpkin

Does anyone watch the how LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG WORLD? Well thanks to the show this pumpkin patch is buzzin with anxious perfect pumpkin hunters at this time of year. We had such a great time with the two baby girls who I am sure had no idea what was going on. We waiting in a long line of cars just to park, then waited for tickets and waited in line. We were at the pumpkin patch for 4 hours. We took the Roloff Farm tour on the tractor drawn carts, searched for pumpkins and visited the petting zoo. I can't wait until our little boy arrives as I am already looking for a Halloween costume for next year. Does anyone plan on having a Halloween party this year?

Celebrating the Chef

Saturday night was our graduation party to celebrate Mike's completion of culinary school. It was such a fun success! The food was fabulous, the company entertaining and the memory priceless.

Chris, the red bearded man on the left, was Mike's culinary partner during the program. Chris is such a neat guy and it was amazing that he joined the festivities by helping Mike in the kitchen. I think they must have put in 20 hours of prep time. And to start the party the tradition is to begin with shots of Rumplemintz, peppermint snaps...refreshingly minty!

This weekend was pleasantly busy as Jennifer; Mike's mom flew in from Oklahoma for some maternity shopping, trip to the spa and the grand party on Saturday night. The completion of an accomplishment like the dream endeavor of culinary school must be celebrated so Mike took us on Friday night to the Joel Palmer House for dinner out. Now as the wife of a chef, it is hard not to be spoiled forever when it comes to eating out but I must say the experience and the food was a joy. Before our departure and late into the evening we got a tour of the kitchen and wine cellar and in this photo you can kind of make out the front of the restaurant (back of the historic house) that is the Joel Palmer House.

We're having a...

I want to know...who was the lone ranger who voted for a boy? I own you a prize so reveal yourself!!! On October 8th which was Mike and my 4 year anniversary we went in for the big ultrasound. We were lucky enough to get a very sweet technician who spent lots of time checking out the baby. When she first squirted the hot jelly on my tummy and we saw the baby he was super active...kickin' around and waving his hands. Within minutes it was like he had camera radar and he stopped moving and got really stubborn. He curled up in a ball put his hands in front of his face and crossed his legs so we could see very little. When the "manly parts" were finally discovered after much prodding of baby to "MOVE" we got a shot from underneath. But Mike really wanted a profile shot with the little thing popping out like this.
What is it with men? He said we need a photo like AJ got when their ultrasound was done. Alas, no such luck. This is what we got.But she did take several shots to appease Mike and was sure to point out and label in case it was not clear enough that we are HAVING A BOY! At only 18 weeks I will be going back in for a 2nd ultrasound at 22 weeks which will give us a chance to check the heart out in further detail and say hi to our boy again. Maybe we'll get that profile picture next time. (SMILE)

Here are the monthly belly pictures and evidence of how quickly my hair style changes.

I will be posting further updates on the baby and the belly to this blog since my news is now out in the open. To difficult to maintain 2 blogs these days. Stay tune for more photos.