Treat Street

We just got back from Owen's first trick or treating! Our downtown stores have a "treat street" for little kids in the afternoon. The employees dress up and hand out candy to all the little cuties in their costumes. We met two of Owen's friends, a bee and tinker bell, and my sister and her husband and GG (Owen's great grandma). Owen can't eat the candy but it was fun to go with friends and dress our little lion up. 


After walking all the streets, we said good bye to our friends and went to the car to feed Owen before leaving. We heard they were holding a big costume contest for all the kids and decided we would go back and enter Owen. They had the kids sign up by age group (canines had their own category). Owen was number 18 out of 30 kids ages 0-3. We got his number and waited for them to line everyone up. While we were waiting Owen got really fussy and I started thinking maybe this was a bad idea. We decided Paul would hold him and take him up on the stage while I took pictures (he can get pretty heavy when being held for long periods of time). We got all lined up and Owen completely fell asleep. He was still just as cute, but maybe not the most ferocious looking lion you had ever seen. We heard the lady over the loud speaker call for "heat number two!" I ran around the front to get the best spot to take pictures and paul got in line behind stage. We had our first case of parental competition! After all the kids/parents said their age and name the judges announced the 3 kids who qualified for the final. They called for "the alien"...."the solar system"...and then... I didn't even hear the last one, it wasn't the lion! When Paul came down off the stage he said, "why didn't he win? I was nervous but thought for sure he would win!" Our hearts had been racing with excitement for our kid to be the one picked and then the realization hit that we didn't even get picked for the final round. We laughed all the way back to the car! I guess it was a costume contest and he really only had on a lion mane. But we are his parents and think he is just the cutest thing ever. I bet every other parent felt the same way. 

I'm a Lion...RAWR!

I am a mighty lion

I have a shaggy mane and giant paws

I like to sleep, eat and play

hear me RAWR

Grown up Mac and Cheese

This is one of our favorite meals! It is definitely not your traditional mac and cheese. I love the fresh basil and the nutmeg (Paul loves the bacon). I found the original recipe on the Food Network website. Ina Garten has some of the best recipes. I made it for Paul tonight when he got home from his trip with a couple twists. This is the quicker, cheaper, new momma's grown up mac and cheese. I substituted the bacon with real bacon bits (Paul's favorite thing in the fridge). I substituted the Gruyere cheese with more extra sharp cheddar and blue cheese, which made it cheaper. I did not use a food processor for the bread or basil, just a knife to dice it finely. If you have the time the original recipe is delicious but if you need something a little quicker or cheaper this version is really yummy!

Just the two of us

Owen and I spent all day at home, just the two of us. It reminded me of when he was a newborn and we would stay home all day together. Paul was out of town for a conference and I am getting over a cold. A lazy day at home with my boy. We missed daddy though.  

The cabin

We just got back from a one night getaway with my family. We went to a cabin several hours from our house that I have grown up going to. It is a rustic cabin on a lake in the mountains. The only access is by foot or by non-motorized boat. There is no electricity and the only bathroom is an outhouse (and not just any outhouse but a two seater). Owen went on his first boat ride! We loaded up our stuff in the row boat and my dad rowed us across the lake to the cabin. Owen was very intrigued by the boat ride, mostly by the oars splashing in the water. He got lots of attention from his Grandparents and his Uncle Tim and Auntie Amy. The first day we took naps, had a delicious roast for dinner and played cards all night. I was a little nervous it would be too cold for Owen that night but we had a fire going and he got to snuggie up in our bed. The next day we went on canoe rides and relaxed before boarding up the cabin for winter. Owen must have had a good time because he has been sleeping all day today.

Grandparents come to town

Paul's parents came from San Diego to visit Owen for a couple of days. Two of my favorite moments were taking Grandma to story time and getting food from our favorite taco truck and eating it in the park.   

Not the cleanest clean clothes

Owen and I find it very funny to play pranks on daddy with the dirty diapers: Leaving them on his seat, throwing them at him or making a trail of them from the door to find us when he gets home from work. They are perfectly contained but whenever Paul sees one not in the trash (flying at his face) he totally freaks out. As I was quickly doing laundry this morning, getting ready for Paul's parents to get to town, I went to get the clean clothes out of the washer and found a dirty diaper! A dirty diaper in the "clean" clothes. This is what I get for playing pranks on Paul. At least it was all in one piece. Sometimes being a new momma you find yourself standing in the mall with spit-up covering your clothes, wiping down the stroller in Costco after a blowout and discovering stray diapers in your house. Owen and I have so much fun together, even when we're making messes!

My Little Pumpkin

We had a fun family outing to the pumpkin patch today. I have so many fun memories of going to a pumpkin patch when I was growing up. I think it is the first time Owen has been covered in dirt, such a boy. Paul had fun showing him the farm animals. Papa pushed him through the patch and made sure he was shaded. Grandma picked out his first pumpkin. Owen was mesmerized by the pumpkins. He couldn't wait to touch them and of course try and suck on them. It is exciting to make fun family memories with Owen. Next year I'm sure he will get much dirtier and have even more fun!