Post Thanksgiving Whooplas

Phil and I made sure to make the most out of our Thanksgiving 4 day weekend. After the fun with my fam we got together with good friends/fam for a Kelley/Kiker/Kirkbride weekend. I know its cheating but when you have to catch up from 3months of blogging I have to link other blogs!

Kirkbride's Blog

Kiker's Blog

We spent a lot of time at the table, eating, talking and playing games. This was our science experiment.

I really like Florence. I wish it was closer.



Baby Ellyse is so much fun! So expresive and silly.
We love this little girl!

Thanksgiving, I didn't forget you!

Thanksgiving. Sheesh! Its been a while since I blogged but I can't forget these events because my blog is my scrapbook. My family's usual tradition is to go to my Grandma and Grandpa's house in Eugene. Phil and I don't try to split holiday time, its better for us to do every-other-year.

My Bros. Do we look related?
My two favorite ladies.

My grandma's niece has the CUTEST little girls.
Phil and I spent the night at my Grandma's the night before Thanksgiving so we could help cook and set up. Jay as always worked his tail off to make an awesome Thanksgiving Day.I decided this Thanksgiving I am most Thankful for my Grandma and Grandpa Jay.
My family is a little bit complicated. Long story short I've never met my mom's mom and so my Grandma Kim is the only Grandma I've known and she's never made me feel as if we weren't blood related. Since my Granpa Ken's painful death in 2000, I thought that little hole in my heart would never heal. He is irreplaceable, but I couldn't have imagined a better new husband for my Grandma than Jay. Every year he slaves over an amazing dinner for a family that isn't even techinically his. His ability to make Phil and me feel loved is a blessing. We have really grown to love him and am so thankful for him. Neither Phil nor I have any living grandpas. So Jay, thank you for loving us! You've made the hole in our hearts smaller. We love you Grandpa Jay.

Food

Last night Phil and I went to Aomatsu to try the new Japanese Shabu-Shabu. Its not totally new but I haven't had a chance to try it. It was delicious and healthy. However compared to our Chinese Hot-Pot experience last spring I vote that the Chinese do it BETTER! Hot-Pot seems to be more focused on flavorful broth for soup as opposed to Shabu-Shabu the broth is bland but there are dipping sauces for meat and veggies.
I am happy to say that we are still eating on the potatoes from our summer harvest. We usually chop em' up and roast em' with other veggies for breakfast. Quick and easy. Our breakfast this morning was purple potatoes, red onion from our garden and tomatoes from our garden. In early October we still had a ton of green tomatoes so we picked them all and they have been ripening in our window sill. ITS ALMOST DECEMBER and we still have tomatoes. I love it!
I've been reevaluating what we will grow again and what we will not. Potatoes are a FOR SURE item in next year's garden.

Pizza Party

Last night Ruby and I had a craving for homemade pizza. Post Dox we had Freddie & Erica and Casey over for a party.

Lots of toppings and sauces: Onions, mushrooms, broc, roasted red peppers, artichokes, roasted squash, olives, basil, cilantro, bacon, chicken, salami, peperoni, sausage, gouda, jack, parmesan, bbq sauce, pesto, tomato sauce
I made a bbq chicken bacon pizza with gouda, red onion and cilantro. I'm not the best at forming dough so ruby had to do it for me, she's a professional. I also dont have a rolling pin so a bottle 0f wine did the trick.

Ruby made a pesto sausage broc squash onion pizza

of course we had the classic peperoni and Erica made a yummy chicken veggie pizza
we buy our crust at the coop. one package can make 2 pizzas and its only $3!
Its fun to slowly eat a pizza while the next is baking fresh (12mins). We ate 4 pizzas. It was enough food for 6 adults and 2 kids only $6 dollars for dough and scrounge up whatever toppings you find in your fridge/cupboard.

Fun Party.
I'm looking forward to perfecting our methods for future parties. I like sitting around the table eating slowly and chatting, I think my stomach likes it better too.
To perfect our methods I wish I had some pizza pans and stones. Like my Grandma from this post: http://philandjennakelley.blogspot.com/2009/03/busy-birthday-weekend.html

Slumber Party

This weekend was the longest Phil and I have had Emma for a slumber party. I usually get her after work but we got her a full 28hrs, Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon.

Jenn brought Bem over when I woke up on Saturday. We went on a walk to the grocery store to buy items for breakfast(her lunch) and we got Emma some paints for Nu-Nu's house. She LOVES to paint. I was trying to teach her to clean her brush before changing colors.
Uncle Bill made a yummy breakfast/brunch/lunch. I turned my back for one sec to make my plate in the kitchen and Emma fed her baby some biscuits & gravy and scrambled eggs. She loves taking care of baby.

What a silly girl.We had a full afternoon of playing, singing, painting on paper and painting nails. It was actually her idea. I think I had left my polish out, she asked "Nu-Nu paint Emma's toes?"

She was very good at sitting still and blowing. I was surprised.
You'll notice she is frequently shirtless. I love how she wears her headbands, very 60s. She is talking SO much. I now feel like we can have actual conversations. Here she is calling Bumpa of course.
After nap(3.25hrs long!) we took Grandma and Papa out to mexcian. Emma wanted to put makeup on with Nu-Nu.


I gave her my cup of brushes and a little bit of glitter. She is so GIRLY
We finished up her look with clip on earrings and a flower clip. I always thought I wanted all boys not realizing how fun it is having a girl wanting to copy everything you do :)
Saturday Night Emma slept 12.5hrs! Can you believe it?! She didn't wake up until close to 9am. She is ALWAYS so nice to me and sleeps in. I realized later I probably should have woken her up. When I saw Jenn at Dox on Sunday evening I found out Emma didn't go down for her nap that afternoon. Sorry Jenn.

Silly Emma was helping Ruby with laundry and she came to the kitchen to show me this! :) ha ha ha.

Emma is a VERY helpful little girl. She loves washing dishes. It is amazing that she actually understands me. "Emma can you throw that away in the garbage under the sink?" "Emma can you put all your baby doll things back in the bag then put it in the toy box in the other room?" She is growing up!!!

My Husband

Phil has been without a phone for over a week because he lost it. His new one arrived in the mail today and within the first hour he drops it in a puddle?!

He is also participating in No-Shave-November

I had to...

I have officially joined! A lot of you have been major blog slackers! I needed something else to look at during my lunch break!

Poor Mr Guy

Last night we had to put a cone on Jericho. He has an ear infection and he wont stop scratching. He's not smart enough to know that when your skin is bleeding you need to stop. And because he has such a fat neck we had to buy the biggest cone which makes him look extra stupid.

The cone doesn't help The Guy's hearing much. When Phil called the dogs to take a picture Jericho turned and looked the opposite direction. Ha ha ha!

Poor Jericho. He looks so stupid.
On the brighter side of things. Lewis cooked breakfast for the 2 of us. He served me delicious fresh eggs while I was working. What a good guy!

Our First Dozen

We were excited after our first full week with chickens to complete our first DOZEN of eggs. Sunday morning Ruby made french toast and today we had BELTs, BLTs w/ Egg.

Phil gets so excited each time he finds an egg... like a kid on Easter morning!

Thanks Pete

Just Another Normal Night At The Kelley/Kiker Farm

Sometimes Thursdays are just as exciting as Fridays, ITS ALMOST THE WEEKEND! After work RuBoo and I dressed up to make a gourmet din!
Tudy was in charge of the AMAZING one day old fresh wild chinook salmon caught by her dad. She smothered the salmon with her dad's secret sauce and bbq'd to PERFECTION. flaky moist and perfect!
Why are we cooking in red satin dresses you ask.... BECAUSE WE CAN!
I was in charge of the veggies. Broccolini smothered with crimini mushrooms in a chardonnay reduction

The boys are always so good at going along with our crazy ideas.
Nice chest Lewis!
I'd pay $25 for our meal in a nice restaurant. All four of us were going crazy! We felt so special to have fresh caught amazing salmon, THANKS STEVE! In the middle of dinner I actually asked everyone to take a moment of silence and give God GLORY because I was so overwhelmed with God's creation. ha!
We had decided we potentially saved $150 on dinner so we deserved to go out for GELATO!
Phil is hilarious, I have such a weird husband. He is wearing a very "nice" outfit.
mmm...so rich and creamy.
Ended the evening with Nachos and NBC's Best Night of Comedy!

Ha ha ha ha!

So I was looking for pictures of 'snuggies' because I REALLY need one. During wokr I usually have a blanket on my lap and a blanket on my shoulders.

During my search I found this and could not stop laughing. ha ha ha!