Happy Birthday Miss Maggie!

Check out the blotchy complection and the wild hair! Last night after the kids went to bed Chance and I sat here at the computer and looked at old pictures of Maggie and her brothers and sister. They used to be so little! Sarah's chubby cheeks and Dayton's widely spaced front teeth just killed us. And Davis, oh man, I don't even know where to start. He's practically a teenager now!

But back to the birthday girl. What a beautiful little girl she is turning in to. Even with cupcake on her face. It occured to me that it won't be long now before she starts getting "easier". Not long after she really starts walking she will start growing up in so many more ways. Feeding herself, climbing into her carseat on her own and before you know it she will want to go potty in the toilet like her siblings. I will have been changing diapers continuously for something like 7 years. Seven years!! Anyway, we'll be turning a major corner in our house in the next year or so and mommy has very mixed feelings.

For now though, Happy Birthday my Beautiful Baby. Mommy loves you!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pupcakes

Today the kids and I tried a new recipe. Grandma Hodgson makes Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies that everyone loves (particularly Chance and Chase!) And I found a very similar recipe for muffins. Actually, my recipe can be used to make cookies too and I bet you could make cupcakes with Sue's recipe. Here is the cast of characters. (Not the apples and bananas):
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves (I didn't have any so I left this out)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flours, spices and all the other dry stuff together. Be sure to take turns!

You're supposed to mix all the wet ingredients in a different bowl and then add it to the dry stuff, but I just did it all in the same bowl. Then stir in the chocolate chips. Chocolate chips are special so it can't be just one person's job...work together. Put the mix in your muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes.

You could also drop by tablespoonful on a cookie sheet to make soft cookies. If you do that, you'll only need to bake them for 8-10 minutes.

I used a whole bag of chocolate chips in these and thought it was almost too much but when I shared this opinion with Chance and Davis just now they looked at me like I was insane and said, "Nuh-uh". That's a direct quote.

Bannack, Montana

The week right before Halloween Chance took some time off work and we all went to Montana to visit Grandma and Hodgson. Here's the proof.

We visited this cute ghost town called Bannack. It used to be the state capital. It was a mining town. It was super cool and super cold. See Maggie shivering there in Hodgson's lap? She does love her Hodgson.

Here's a picture of the jail. The lock on the door was broken. I tried it.

The floor plan of each house or building was very unique. This house was just one square room right after another.

Finally, on the sunny side of the street Maggie began to thaw out.

Look how warm it is now, no coats! Of course we've nearly seen everything now and it's about time to go find some grub.

Maybe there's a McDonald's across this bridge. No? Shoot.

Christmas Photo Losers

I love this picture. It would have made a good Christmas Card if Maggie had been in it. She was being pissy though. Maybe if you're being pissy you don't deserve to be in the Christmas card photo. Nah.

Can you believe this photo was a loser in the contest for Christmas Card Photo? Me either. You can see Maggie's pissiness in this one. The others were worse. Maybe next year when she's nearly 2 it will be easier. Haaaa!

Merry Christmas Everyone!