November in September

Hello you guys! How are you all???  I sure hope well.  Last Sunday I was in the mood for pumpkin chocolate chip bread so I made some and it actually turned out pretty good.  So here is the recipe.....

I got it from allrecipes.com

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Rated: Submitted By: Star Pooley Photo By: Allrecipes Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 1 Hour 30 Minutes Servings: 36

"This spicy pumpkin bread dotted with mini chocolate chips makes a fun holiday treat."

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups white sugar 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree 1 cup vegetable oil 2/3 cup water 4 eggs 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 1 pound size coffee cans, or three 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2.	In a large bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, oil, water, and eggs. Beat until smooth. Blend in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Fill cans 1/2 to 3/4 full.
3.	Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool on wire racks before removing from cans or pans.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com

Printed from Allrecipes.com 9/22/2010

Just a few things..... First I know it's a lot of sugar.  I bet you could substitute with applesauce or something like for at least some of it or just not put that much in.  Also I only made half of the recipe and used 8 by 4 pans and actually only cooked it for 45 min and it came out perfect.  So your ovens may be different.  


So as I made the bread, I watched Home Alone 2 and felt like it was November or late October.  I was super sad for summer to end but it made me get excited for fall with Halloween and just all of the fun activities that fall brings.  I also was probably trying to trick myself in wishing it was November because I would be that much closer to having our little one come and for Drew to come home.  I have about 10 more weeks!  I tell you what- I can't wait to have my old self back again.  Not that i am not loving having our baby girl grow inside of me but I went to Target tonight and I was like.... really?  can I just buy a normal shirt or pants that will fit me!  Okay I am just complaining because pregnancy really is the most amazing thing and I am so excited for all of you to go through it but there are sometimes where you are like....okay I am done!  Anyways....  Well I hope all is well and I miss you all!


much love


Rach

CHICAGWA

We just got back from visiting Brad's brother/sister-in-law in Chicago and it was AMAZING!!  Les, I was thinking of Marianne while we were there and imagining how sad she must've been to leave!  I thought it was the coolest city.  Steve and Mares live right in the heart of it all too so it was way fun.  We stood on the glass plank at the top of Sears Tower (intense), we went to a cool art museum, we saw the musical "Billie Elliot" (has anyone seen that?), we rode the swings and ferris wheel at Navy Pier, we went to a Cubs game, we walked along the beach (so cool that they also have a beach in that city!), and ate a ton of yummy food!  Sadly we didn't go to Oprah... that was the only thing we missed out on, but it looked so fun to have a baby in the city and it made me excited for you Laura and Rach!  You will have a blast once you get all settled and situated.  You need to post some pics of baby Ethan by the way!  He is so adorable.  And I'm sure you have so much free time on your hands right now Laur :)  I'll have to post the ones I took.  Anyway... this is awkward to end... enjoy the pics I guess!  

Picking Peaches

A few weekends ago there was a peach festival in Porter, OK.  We drove out there to pick peaches, see the parade, and eat peaches.  It was blazing hot... as you can tell, we're melting, in the pictures, but it was a lot of fun.  It is a tiny town, and this must be the biggest thing that happens all year.  We gathered fresh peaches, ate frozen peach slushies, and walked around the little town. 

I love having Elliot around on the weekends... it's the best!

Look who learned how to post!!!

Hey ladies!  

I really don't have anything to say, I'm just excited that I know how to post!  Since I'm here... Here's something you'll all appreciate.  So one night we heard this jazzy music coming from the basement and we were like, "who is playing that music?" So we went to the basement and this is what we found:  Joe and Maile having a dance party!  He is the CUTEST uncle to her, plays with her all night and does anything she says :) How about those moves huh?  I watch it every day I think it is so funny and cute 

It's a ......

                            Here is our Little Girl!  Our doctor is so funny...  He was typing it in and speaks okay English and was like, "how do you spell Mommy? Momy?  I guess English is a little strange....

                             I know you can't see her too clear but I love this one with her little hand underneath her chin!!

      
So we are super excited to have a little girl!  We had a feeling we were going to have a girl all along.  Also after much thought and prayers we decided that I am going to come home for the delivery.  I am super sad that I am going to be away from Drew for so long but the cost to have it down here will be too much and if there are any complications, it would put us in debt for years.  So I can get insurance at home but I have to be home before the end of July so I actually am flying in July 27th.  So I hope to see each of you tons and Les, you are going to have to tell El that you need to come home and visit!!  I love you all and I hope everyone is enjoying their summer....

xoxo
Rach

"I can do anything gooooood!"

If you're like me and could use a good pep talk to get up in the morning, I recommend this:

makes me giggle every time.

 love, Laura

Chicago

We took a little trip to Chicago for a weekend get away, to see my sister and her family before they moved to San Francisco.  Elliot hadn't seen where they lived, so we spent a few days seeing their life.  Chicago is such a fun city, and we were able to do so much!  We went to the Sear's tower, and rode bikes along the lake one day.  I felt like I was at the beach.  It was heavenly!!!  It was such a beautiful, fun, busy weekend!

Then, to make a long story short... we missed our flight home.  We both had to be home for work the next day, and we weren't going to be able to get on a plane for 2 days, due to so many canceled flights.  So at 12:30a.m. we rented a car and began driving from the top of the country... to the bottom!  We drove all night, through St. Louis, and on home.  It was a long drive, but actually turned out to be so much fun!  St. Louis... The gateway to the west.