New Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

For the past two weeks we have had pumpkin and squash recipes galore on the show. I've never had butternut squash soup before, but my in-laws gave us one from their garden so I needed to figure out a way to eat it! 

I become quite the chef during football season! Part because Bart isn't here to feed me, and part because I get so bored that I end up in the kitchen experimenting. 

I found a really easy recipe online and switched it up a bit. It was so easy, a little time consuming, but really yummy in the end! Since this is my first bowl, I don't have a lot to compare it to, but I still say it's good! 

Butternut Squash Soup 

Makes 6-7 servings 

- 4 cups cubed squash 

- 1 handful of baby carrots diced 

- 1/4 diced onion 

- 2T olive oil 

- 1T celery powder (or diced celery if you have it)

- 4C chicken broth 

- 1tsp Thyme

Salt and pepper 

In large stock pot heat oil and add onion, carrots and celery powder. Cook until onion is translucent. 

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. 

Simmer 20-30 minutes or until fork goes through squash easily. 

Pour portions of mixture into blender. ( I have a blendtec and had to split it up in thirds and mix separately). 

Blend until completely smooth. 

Enjoy! It's just that easy. It's so creamy and flavorful. Not too sweet- a very healthy and delicious choice for dinner. 

14.5 months of love

Since Mckenzie turned one I stopped thinking of doing regular updates because it seemed changes slowed down a little bit. And while she isn't learning a new "trick" every day, she is still growing and changing so much!

So here is an update since her LAST update:

14.5 months and is just about running. She can step up and down really small steps without falling. She knows exactly where the swings are in our neighborhood and when she wants to go, she leads me right to them. She loves to be outside, but lately she hasn't been as interested in exploring. It's like she knows the neighborhood landscape by heart so she's kinda over it. When I open the front door and sit on the porch she will just hang out there with me. No more running off on her own.

The last few weeks she has been right by my side at all times! She has NEVER been a mama's girl like that so I have had to get use to it. It's actually kind of nice to get this sweet attention, but I do find myself a little impatient sometimes when I'm cooking or something since I'm not use to it. She even cries sometimes when I give her to Bart and leave the room. I know that might seem normal to some of you mamas out there, but this is bizarre behavior for Mckenzie. She's still really good compared to other babies, but it's a noticeable difference to me.

She still sleeps 11.5 hours at night with a 1 hour morning nap and a 2 hour afternoon nap. For a while naptime was hellish, but things have gone back to being settled and easy. (knock on wood). I thought she was getting ready to drop her morning nap but I was wrong! She loves her sleep. She also loves her stuffed animals and drags them everywhere. We call them her Friends and she tries to carry all of them as much as possible. She has toned down the book reading obsession and isn't as interested in food either. She is still a really good eater, but I can't distract her with food anymore or use food to make her happy (unless she's hungry). She's now old enough to know when she's not hungry and when food isn't interesting to her anymore. I don't really worry about the amount of food she eats. I can tell she isn't eating as much, but she eats until she's finished so that's good enough for me. She just recently started using utinsels and loves them! She's getting better at using a fork and prefers it over her hands now. She's definitely thinning out the last month or so. Her chubby legs are still there, but barely! I give it a few more months and they will be gone. Her belly exists only after a meal. but luckily her cheeks are still here.

She loves to talk and make noises and blow bubbles or play with her tongue. She can say mom, mommy, dad and hot. She uses "da" for dogs and knows to say "moo" when asked what the cow says. I know for a fact she understands most everything that comes out of my mouth and can follow commands like "give that to daddy" and "put that back". I'm excited for that next big stage of language. Right now she likes to yell at people who aren't paying attention to her and use her sign language of "more", "please" and "thank you".

Time seems to have slowed down a little bit the last two months. It seemed like forever ago that we celebrated her first birthday. I love spending my days with this squishy baby and she makes me laugh every day. Her little BIG personality is something I am blessed to have in my life. I'm so excited for this holiday season to start and make all new memories and traditions with her and Bart.

Molars and Halloween

HI!! (hand wave emoji)

It's been three weeks since my last blog post. Whoops! Mostly because I just don't have a lot to say and mostly because I would rather be sitting on my couch watching Fall TV when I have a free evening.

But Mckenzie is currently cutting 2 molars so I felt the mama-instinct to document for later referral. Exhilarating- I know! 14.5 months and getting tooth #9 and #10. She actually hasn't gotten a new tooth for almost 4 months- no wonder she was in such a fabulous mood! Now we're back to even more dramatic fits of
*crying
- why am I crying?
- oh yeah I remember why
*more fits of crying.

today she had a fit in her adorable Owl hat from her Halloween costume that she refuses to take off. She was the cutest and saddest owl I've ever seen!

This is the first year I'm actually excited for Halloween. Even as a pre-teen and teenager I didn't like Halloween. As a preteen I was always left out of my "friend's" planned group costumes. As a teen I never felt the desire to dress like a s l u t and then in later years I never saw the appeal of going to a party where everyone was drinking in their slutty costumes but me. Designated driver you'rewelcome.

The first Halloween Bart and I were married I threw a party that I think 3 people came to. We dressed up like Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. Our costumes were awesome, my party was a failure. Since then we've gotten dressed up for different 5K's. My personal favorite was when we dressed up as a dog and cat so we were "a dog chasing a cat" during the race. GET IT?? Last year Mckenzie was only a few months old and had a lovely blow-out in her Cow costume before any pics could be taken. Every year we turn off the porch light and crawl into bed by 9pm on Halloween night. So like I said, not my fav.

Creativity. 2011

Dog v. Cat 2013

BUT THIS YEAR I HAVE A CHILD WHO CAN WALK AND WHO HAS THE MOST ADORABLE COSTUME EVER!!! So I think it will be fun. Bart and I got amazing skeleton costumes so we will be looking quite fabulous ourselves. I am signed up to run the Haunted Half Marathon in SLC this weekend. Plus my mom is having a Halloween party AND we have plans to go out with friends who have a little girl Mckenzie's age to trick or treat. My social calendar is full for the first time in my life. Let's all take a moment to congratulate me.

*cue full circle*

So back to my child's teeth.....I'm in the mood to write a complete Macs update that will include 3480 pics and a different post that will give my 2 cents on THIS article.....so STAY TUNED

Thursday nights

Thursday nights. 

Bart is gone. Baby is sleeping. Grey's Anatomy is on. 

Sometimes life is just that simple. But then I think of the 394847 other things going on in my life and it's not simple anymore. But that's okay! 

Kenny and I went out for a walk again today and I think it will be the last really hot walk of the year. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather. And a baby in the snow? I don't know how it works- but it will be fun to figure it out! 

We're enjoying our afternoons together but really missing Bart. It's always October that makes me a little football-widow itchy. But it's not too bad and we're having fun going to Bart's game on Fridays and experiencing that energy and excitement. 

Mckenzie has been adjusting all week to a new baby sitter. My cousin has been watching her this past year and then this week we started taking her to my sister-in-law. How lucky are we to have such great people in our lives!! This past year has been amazing and she loved every minute with Taran and her little cousin Carter. I had a really hard time her last week there. I cried a few times thinking that little small chapter of our lives is over. I hate change and adjustment so when it comes to change and adjustment with my child I have an even harder time. 

BUT! My sister in law is so great and this first week went well and I'm happy that it's where she will be now. She is going to have so much fun being the "middle child" with an older and younger cousin to play with. 

So change is good. My husband is busy. My baby is goofy. Life is happening.