You would think a blog post entitled “Pumpkin Patch” would contain photos of pumpkins. This one does not. It’s become quite challenging to take time to be comtemplative in my photography as I am usually responsible for the well-being of Livia, an active and eager-to-explore almost two-and-a-half year old. A few weeks ago we went to one of the many local pumpkin farms and had a wonderful time. The weather had just turned very fall-like, with a high temp of 52 and drizzly rain expected all day. But in Nebraska you can’t let the weather hold you up. So away we went to the Roca Berry Farm to enjoy a hayrack ride, mazes and wandering bike paths, one funnel cake shared between seven people, and of course, a little pumpkin for my little Punkins. And if Liv tries to tell you about how her mom took her in a haunted house? (She’ll mention words like dark, scary, round and round.) Don’t buy it. I’m mean really, what kind of mother would intentionally introduce her toddler to something like that? Key word: intentionally. Ahem. Let’s just say that next time I’ll know better.
This blog has been woefully neglected in recent days. Its owner has been far too busy doing things like cleaning baby powder off of the floors of the foyer and re-rolling the remains of toilet paper strewn about the bathroom.
It’s a busy job, this toddler mommying gig.
Singing for their supper, er, dessert are Jason, Renae, Joie, Brook and The Artist Formerly Known as Livia. Note: 10 points if you can name what they are singing about.
I love this itty bitty Covenant College sweatshirt. My brother Andrew wore it as a child and now Liv can wear it, too. My heart doesn’t even want to calculate the year Livia will start college (both because anything beyond year 2010 freaks me out and because I can’t fathom the notion of Livia ever leaving the nest), but I wouldn’t mind if Covenant was on her list of college choices.
However, as the photo above seems to indicate, Livia’s choices now involve: cream or sugar? This child, due in no small part to her Papa, loves coffee. [sigh]
Whoever thought the Aerie Girls were a good idea on CW’s Tuesday nights… well, they were WRONG. Ugh and double-ugh.
Please, CW, I beg of you to ditch this concept. You’re making guy viewers embarrassed to be watching these shows and you’re making girl viewers embarrassed to be girls!
(Deviating from my precious niece’s photos feels like a crime. So for now she’s stays on top of the blog.)
There is this thing Midwesterners do with their food. And no, I’m not referring to placing copious amounts of marshmallow in fruit salads, though they do indeed do that. I’m talking about tater tots. Tater tots used as real food options in real food casseroles. Like it’s totally normal or something.
The first time I encountered tater tots in a casserole I was simultaneously horrified and thrilled. I was babysitting and the children’s mother had set out a tater tot casserole for that night’s supper. Oh my goodness. Yumminess in Corningware.
So it is without further ado I present to you: Taco Tot Casserole. It’s comfort food at its best, a dish I secretly resented Jeremy for finishing off for lunch today, even though I had leftover Valentino’s pizza (which I love and crave). Yes, Taco Tot Casserole is that good.
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Taco Tot Casserole
(from Joan Texel)
1lb lean ground beef
1 – 1.25oz pkg taco seasoning mix
1 – 15oz whole kernel corn, drained
1 – 11oz can nacho cheese soup, undiluted
4 cups frozen tater tots
salsa (opt)
sour cream (opt)
Preheat oven to 375.
In a skillet cook beef until brown. Drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix and add water, cook as directed on package of taco seasoning. Spoon meat mixture into an un-greased 2-quart casserole dish. Spread corn over beef. Spoon undiluted soup over corn and arrange tater tots in a single layer over this.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until bubbly and potatoes are lightly browned. If desired, serve with salsa and sour cream.
Yield: 5-6 servings.
One week ago we were standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon.
More Arizona pictures yet to come…
Last night was the Tale of Two Arrivals. Our arrival home from a family vacation in Phoenix, Arizona, was paralleled by another arrival. As we awaited our plane at the Phoenix airport, my sister in law Kristin was getting settled in a delivery ward at a hospital in Omaha. I haven’t heard the full story yet, so I can’t embellish this blog entry too richly, but I know the story’s outcome.
At 12:50am on September 27, about the same time I was finally laying my head down on my own pillow in my own bed, Madeleine Mae Lawton made her way into the world. My dear big brother became a father in an instant to a beautiful 8lb, 4oz, 20.5 inches long baby girl! Congratulations to Kris and Adam!! I can’t wait to love on my first niece.
Quick update: Kristin, Adam and Madeleine are all doing really well. Adam and Kris are natural parents — they look like they’ve been at the nursing, diapering, loving baby gig for a lifetime. And, of course, Madeleine is beautiful.
Just when you think you are living in the city, what with your postage stamp-sized lawn and five whole inches between your house and your neighbor’s, you notice a skinned deer hanging upside down in another neighbor’s garage.
“Venison”, he explains while carving away, Johnny Cash blaring from his stereo.
You nod in agreement. And wonder if you should shield your toddler’s eyes.
Yeah, yeah. So what if Montana came up with that slogan first? Nebraska is definitely big sky country, too.
I remember visiting South Dakota as a little girl and being somewhat in awe of the enormous sky. You could look east to west and see sky hitting the earth in each direction. Now that I’m a Midwesterner, no longer that little girl from Georgia, I have grown used to our beautiful skies. I love the open air, the clouds that transform from dark and brooding to light and fluffy within mere moments, the farm fields that seem to stretch on forever. I actually get a bit claustrophobic when driving on curvy, tree-covered roads in places like Lookout Mountain or St. Simon’s Island, as I am accustomed to our wide, open spaces.
Okay, Montana. I’ll give your your slogan back. Really, there is no place like Nebraska.
**Disclaimer: These pics aren’t the greatest (note the cut off kid in the second one), but I’m sacrificing my blogger’s pride in order to display them for the sky’s sake.
