This and That...

Our life has been kinda busy and kinda not so busy.  We do things but it doesn't always feel like we've actually accomplished anything.  Since I don't have much to say, I thought I'd just stop by and share a couple of things I've been thinking about lately and some funny things the kids have been doing/saying.  

- Nana took the kids to McDonalds to get some ice cream and Kira told me that she "loves Old McDonalds."  

- Speaking of Old Mcdonald, I found this book at the library and I loved it.  Buy it here.  In it, Old McDonald starts a urban homestead much to the chagrin of his neighbors.   

- Speaking of urban homesteads, my current dream is to buy an old fixer-upper farmhouse that is only kind of in the country and create a hobby farm complete with a garden, honey bees, egg laying chickens, and some kind of meat source.  First step, convince Aaron.  Second step, actually find a house since there are never any such houses for sale in our price range on the side of town we need to live on. Though in all honesty, we're planning on staying in our current house for at least another 1 1/2 years as it would be financially beneficial for us.   

- Did I mention that my almost 17 month old son can say several sentences and phrases?  Starting at 12 months, he would say, "I go ou-side." Now he can say all sorts of things including, "Wha dat?," "I want some!!!" "I'm done!!!" "Mom-mom, I boop (poop)" and he responds to affirmatively to question by using "Uh-huh" or "sure" which he says in the sweetest little high-pitched voice.  I don't think Kira started talking in sentences until around 20+ months.  What a little smartie-pants.  

- Kira is so excited about Christmas this year.  She loves everything from Christmas lights, to the fact that Christmas is baby Jesus' birthday, to any and every Christmas decoration.  The other day I was listening to the holiday pandora station and after each song came on she would shout at me, "Mom!  It is a Christmas song!" 

- Kira is also super in bedtime stories. She used to complain about going to bed and about having to wear a mitten at bedtime to keep her from sucking her fingers.  Now all we have to do is promise her a story and she hops right into bed without a single complaint.  Of course she does start to complain at the end of every story, "But that isn't the end."  So far we've just stuck to Bible stories and a couple fairy tales.  We'll probably run out of those in another few weeks and we'll be forced to venture into the realm of made-up stories.  

- PSA: Homemade salted caramel is where it is all at.  Just saying.  Just mix together some sugar, heavy whipping cream, butter, salt and voila!  This year one of my Thanksgiving contributions was a pumpkin cheesecake with a salted caramel topping.  I may or may not have eat most of it by myself.  Check out the recipe.