Boys outside

On your mark...

Get set...

Stop and look at the camera!

Go!

We had a lot of extra energy to burn the other day and so the boys ran races in the backyard. Jonathan usually stopped half way to the finish line and had a head start for the next race.

They still had energy after all that running. I wish they could share some with me!

Jonathan wanted to wear his hood and be like his cool big brother!

"On!"

Playing together in the sandbox.

It really wasn't that cold, but Andrew insisted on wearing his hood.

It's starting to feel like fall around here and it's been great outside-playing weather! We took advantage of it last week, and I was hoping the cool breeze would wear them out enough for a nap. It worked for Jonathan, but no such luck for Andrew. He's getting too big for a nap and will only take one a couple times a week (after some promises of a bike race later or other treats). I fear the day when he refuses to nap at all!

Race for the Cure

Walking with the crowd in the 5K. There was no room for speed walking!

the finish line!

dorks after the race/walk

On Saturday, Sondra and I participated in the Race for the Cure. We were part of the masses walking the non-competitive 5K. We were going to take Jonathan and Luke, but after some debate, we opted to leave our boys at home with their fathers and walk alone. After we got there, we quickly realized we had made the right decision because there were so many peoeple and walking with a stroller would have been difficult! We had a great time talking and walking and having girl time and all for a good cause!

Ice Fish and Tomatoes

Chef Andrew

Andrew was making "fish," which is funny since he doesn't usually want to eat fish. He was "catching the ice fish" in my cold-water bath I had used to skin the tomatoes. This kept him busy for quite a while, until he decided he need to add salt and added the whole shaker. Then our cooking fun had to come to an end.

I was given a bounty of ripe tomatoes and having been trying to find new ways to preserve them this week. On Monday, I peeled and diced a bunch to freeze. I found the recipe online. Just boil the whole tomatoes for a minute and then drop them in a cold-water bath to peel them. (I was skeptical, but it really worked.) Chop and freeze. I'm hoping they stay fresh-tasting for some yummy soups this winter!

I also have a no-cook pasta sauce that is delish! And so I decided to make up a large batch of that to freeze. The sauce doesn't require peeling the tomatoes, but since I was freezing it, I decided to peel them to make sure the sauce froze well. I'll post the recipe below.

And I canned some tomato juice. Andrew is worried I'm going to make him drink the tomato juice and I assured him I wouldn't waste it on him! I'm hoping all my hard work pays off and all of this still has that fresh-from-the-vine taste in the dead of winter!

No-Cook Pasta Sauce

4 ripe raw tomatoes, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

couple dashes of pepper

In a food processor or blender, puree all the ingredients. Add 1 hand-chopped tomato for texture, if desired. Pour the (room temperature) sauce over a pound of hot cooked pasta and enjoy!

I wanna be a fireman!

I found this fireman hat and a matching yellow one at the Dollar Store, and they are worth way more than $1 around here! Usually Jonathan wants Keith or I to wear the hats and they don't fit us quite as well. But he gets to practice one of his favorite words, "ON!"

Foodies?

Why do my children have this need to put cheese and other foods on their heads?

Jonathan - 19 months

Andrew - 21 months

And then look so proud of their accomplishment? Is it a sign of genius?

Kansas State Fair

Jonathan checking out the giant pumpkins.

The biggest pumpkins

Llamas!

A-Rod, the llama

Andrew took this picture of the cows.

Andrew insisted on being fed his pronto pup and because he needed the blood sugar, we obliged.

Jonathan worked on his pronto pup for about an hour. He kept telling me it was "HHHHHott." His new word for the week.

No trip to the State Fair is complete without a Pronto Pup.

Fried Green Tomatoes
These were not worth $6. They were lacking in flavor, but I would try them again at a restaurant.

Fresh Potato Chips

This container was overflowing, but before I thought to take a picture we ate most of them.

Funnel Cake - or at least what's left of it.

Everyone enjoyed the funnel cake!

Taking time to smell the flowers and lecture the crowd or warn that the flowers had ouchies, I'm not sure which.

Time for a train ride!

(Everyone was more excited about the ride than they appear in this picture!)

Jonathan kept looking back to make sure we hadn't escaped without him.

Proof that we were at the fair with our children.

On Saturday, we braved the chance of rain and headed to the State Fair. Grandma and Grandpa met us there, and we wandered all over checking out cows and llamas, giant produce, fish, bees, machinery, and the food. We ate all sorts of yummy treats: pronto pups, fresh-squeezed lemonade, potato chips, fried green tomatoes, fat balls (sort of like a cream puff, but heavier), and funnel cakes. A fun time was had by all, but we were exhausted by the end of the day!

Southwest Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

Pretend there is a pretty picture of this yummy salad here.

2-1/2 cups corn
2 avocados, diced
2-1/2 cups grape tomatoes, halved (or chop any tomato)
1/2 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, diced
1/2 cup finely diced red onion

Dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. grated lime zest
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the corn, avocado, tomatoes, cheese and onion in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the vegetables. Toss to mix. (If making in advance, omit the avocado and then stir it in right before serving.) Makes 6-8 servings.

I made this for our Labor Day lunch with family. It was a big hit with only a tiny serving leftover, which I ate the next day on my taco salad instead of using salsa.