Leed taking Patrick for a ride at preschool

We've been cooking a lot lately

Here are a few pics from my camera. Most all of thevtecipes can be
found on the crookedskyfarms.com website.

White Bean and Greens on Crostini

Holiday Fun!

I'm sorry I haven't been blogging much but we've been so busy this holiday season with a Cookie Party, Trip to Polar Express in Williams *ahem* The North Pole, Christmas, Trip to San Diego (including Legoland 2x) and such. You know a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll let the pictures tell the story.

Check out the photo album here: December 2009

Hugs and boogers and stuff

Patrick has been hugging everyone in sight. I think he learned this from preschool where at the end of class, everybody can give/get hugs if they so choose. Well, he chooses and with everyone. All the moms/nannys and most of the teachers get one. I usually get two if I have helped in the class that day.

He is also (mostly) very polite about things in general. He loves to say please and thank you and even will hand you his boogers instead of eat them (most of the time). He stretches his arm out and sings "I have a booger for you." Might not sound so, but it's adorable.

He's just started asking a few days ago about what words say. He put some of his fridge letters together to spell "UZP" and asked what that spelled. I told him and then rearranged the letters to show him "PUZ" and "ZUP." Of course, I don't think those are real words, so I might not be teaching him much. He asks what words are on billboards, the tv and books. He is very proud to know how to say the title of one of his favorite movies "ET." He knows that one pretty well.

We've been eating through our advent calendars and we practice counting. I don't suppose he knows what the numbers mean really but he's memorized up to 25...and even higher...we count to sixty every night before bed. I made up this game after he wanted to cuddle before being set down for the night for what seemed like forever. I decided to count to sixty (slowly) to give us some cuddle time

Thanksgiving Weekend 2009

Picking Beets

Patrick and I went to the farm this morning for our weekly visit. Patrick wanted to have a ride on the golf cart so we rode out to the beets and picked a few bunches. I can't wait to eat them!

Patrick's first visit to a mall Santa

We had heard from our friend Suzanne that Santa was at the Paradise Valley Mall already and I thought it would be fun to take Patrick today at lunchtime. We've been reading The Polar Express all week and I think he was ready for Santa. We had to wait for Santa to check on Rudolph (he does that from 12:30 - 1pm every day, according to his sign). So we ate bagels and cream cheese at Chompies and went back to visit Santa.

He was waiting for us. No lines. Phew! Patrick walked right up and got on Santa's knee and leaned back into his chest. I think he likes Santa. We'd been coaching Patrick on how Santa was going to ask what he wanted for Christmas but no such question was asked. Ok, time for pictures. We said "say cheese." So he did. However, no smile. We said "show us your teeth." So he did. No smile. This was the best of the 6 or so pictures they took. Exposed tummy on all of them too.

All in all, it was nice visit to Santa. When Patrick would tell us what he wanted for Christmas during lunch he said "presents, in my hands." I'm sure he'll be getting some of those.