It Will Be Finished

This weekend it ends. After our Dear Friend goes back to Chicago next Tuesday we will officially be done with our Influx of Company. Since October we've hosted family and friends five times, and now it draws to a close. I'm sure I will be kind of happy and kind of sad. It's always good to get back to a normal routine, but it's also depressing to drop off your loved ones at the airport and drive away. Most of the time. ;)

So, yeah, we're still really busy just trying to keep up with normal life while it's laying topsy-turvy on the bathroom floor covered in Gizmo's target practice.
(Yeah I was keeping him company in the lavatory recently and he said, "Look Mommy! When I move around like this I can tee-tee all over the seat!" Oh, geez.)
And along with Lew's visit this weekend Li'l Bit is going to be a flower girl in a wedding. The amazing thing about not going to a traditional church: your kids don't typically have dressy clothes. Seriously, without church we have no need to dress them up. Except, obviously, for a wedding, so now my little ones have adorable little outfits which I will most assuredly capture pictorially.

Okay, I've got nothing else. Here are some photos. The kids are making much use out of the boxes which contained presents from grandparents. Once again, the old adage: All they need is a good box. I could throw the presents out and they'd never know.
I won't, by the way.

Hi. I'm Penuche. But you can call me Smooooth.

Food is my absolute favorite love language. I seek out opportunities to bake for the people I love, and I derive great pleasure in the filling of their tummies and tickling of their taste buds. So if you have any requests, I will be happy to fill them!

Today I took a pan of penuche (puh-noo-chee) to some fellow mamas at a play date, and the recipe was requested. I love chocolate, but I also adore butterscotch and caramel flavors! That makes this fudge my favorite to make. Not to mention it's a special New England treat. The ingredients are simple; the instructions are simple enough. But it is certainly a treat that requires patience, attention, and presence in the kitchen. (And a candy thermometer.) Basically, don't make it until the kids are in bed. Added bonus: you'll be the only one around to lick the pan. And you will lick the pan.

Penuche

(Better Homes & Gardens recipe, doubled)

2 cups granulated sugar

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 1/3 cups half-and-half or light cream

4 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup walnuts (optional if you absolutely hate nuts. otherwise, a must!)

1) Butter an 8x8 baking dish, set aside.

2) Butter sides of medium-large saucepan. In saucepan combine sugar, brown sugar, and half-and-half. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils. Clip candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium low; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, until thermometer reads 236 degrees F, soft-ball stage. (About 15 minutes.) Boiling at a steady rate-not too fast or slow-will ensure the consistency of the fudge is neither too hard nor too soft.

3) Remove saucepan from heat. Add butter and vanilla but do not stir. Cool, w/o stirring, to 110 degrees F (about 40 minutes).

4) Remove thermometer. Beat mixture vigorously w/ a clean wooden spoon until it just begins to thicken. Add walnuts and continue beating until penuche becomes thick and just starts to lose its gloss (about 10 minutes total.) Your tricep will curse you.

5) Immediately spread penuche evenly in the prepared pan. Score into squares while warm. When penuche is firm, use foil to lift it out of pan. Cut penuche into desired size squares. Store tightly for up to a week.

As The Leaves Fall

This season is certainly being true to form. We have been delightfully busy with family, cooking, cleaning, work, activities, lessons, play dates, etc. And this week we are gearing up for even more!

Our visit with Nana and Grandpa was absolutely wonderful; what a blessing to have had them in our home! Also, our visit with The Long Lost Hunt Family was glorious. (I'm quickly running out of synonyms for delightful.) It was such an encouragement to our hearts to be near Doug and Shelley, and all the kiddos played so well together. Basically our kids were on Cloud 9 throughout the entire month of October.

Believe it or not I did actually get a little pumpkin-ed out. I guess when you become infatuated with anything (or anyone) and obsess over it and manipulate it and devour it, you're bound to get bored. (Draw profound analogy to failed relationships in past.) I must admit I was a little disappointed in myself when October 31 rolled around and I had an unopened can of pumpkin in the cabinet--and no aspirations to turn it into something delicious; it's still sitting there. I'll get the pumpkin itch again, and it'll just have to keep until then.

In the midst of all of this delightful, wonderful, great, glorious chaos, we have still had several opportunities to sneak away, just the five of us, and enjoy our city in this beautiful season. And I must say, That is no small thing for this young family!

Breaking in our new boots "Mountain Climbing":

Daddy was throwing armfuls of leaves into the air for the kids to enjoy.

And they were enjoying it. :)

Making a Leaf Angel. It was actually a very convincing Leaf Angel.

My little buddy for this day's excursion. We did a lower level of mountain climbing than the other spider monkeys.

The most fun daddy ever!