pumpkin pie milkshakes

i have lots of pumpkin leftover, so i'm trying to use it all up.

next on my list: pumpkin waffles!

2 c vanilla ice cream

1 c milk

2/3 c pumpkin

1/4 c brown sugar

3/4 t pumpkin pie spice

1/2 t vanilla

blend all together.

top with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice.

or you can do like my friend lisa and just put leftover pumpkin pie and ice cream in a blender and mix it all together (crust & all)! i tried it with paula deen's pumpkin butter cake and it works!

beef + bean chili

from the neely's. ya know... pat & gina from food network.

we had this at our friends on hallowen and i've been wanting to make it.

soooo last week i did.

i used all beef, and didn't have some of the spices, but it was still really good.

especially with LOTS of fritos and cheese!

oh ya, and i didn't add the bacon. that seemed overboard!

click here for the recipe.

thankful

i'm thankful for butter, pies and babies.

i'm thankful for my cozy, working kitchen

and the french doors i can close to make it my own little space,

and the big window i can open to let the fall breeze blow in.

i'm thankful for the oldies station in our kitchen that never turns off.

i'm thankful my husband will finally let me play christmas music tomorrow!

(thanksgiving is his favorite holiday so there's a strict rule about it).

i'm thankful for holidays,

even if it's just my own little family (and uncle craig!)

i'm thankful for them.

kevin, ivy and eli.

i'm thankful for the role they need, want and expect me to play.

i'm so, so thankful i get to be their wife and mom.

i'm thankful for this season to be on my own,

to grow and stretch,

and just when i think i can't do it,

i do it.

i'm thankful we will one day live close to family and my beautiful nieces.

(right, Lord?)

i'm thankful for a husband who supports me no matter how crazy i am sometimes.

i'm thankful for the awareness of my craziness, meaning i am not really crazy. haha.

i'm thankful for this goofy blog that makes me feel closer to you.

and you and you and you.

i'm thankful for my awesome rain boots that keep me warm

and for my awesome mom who gave them to me.

i'm thankful that my awesome mom loves most to be at home and with her children.

and her children's children.

she is probably sitting down right now,

serving them a fabulous meal,

and thanking the Lord for her family.

i'm thankful my mom is thankful for me,

and can't wait to have us home for christmas.

i'm thankful for christmas.

for turning another year older.

for baking.

for music.

for home.

for togetherness.

for Jesus.

for love.

for grace.

i'm thankful for tomorrow.

for rest.

and for leftovers.

amen.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM OUR TABLE TO YALLS!

funny girl

sometimes ivy comes out of her room after her nap with the funniest stuff on. it's usually her cat hat, or sometimes it's the same clothes she was in for her nap except they are inside out (?) or in this case... my sunglasses and necklace. she walks out of her room nonchalantly donning some super random thing... it cracks me up every time.

after she brushed her teeth, she sat in the sink and asked for a bath (like her brother gets).

(this isn't really that funny, i just thought her hair was so cute!)

yesterday, ivy walked into the kitchen....

ivy: mom, makin?

me: chicken and dumplings

ivy (in a grown up voice): ohh, that's my favorite!

(maybe you had to be here.)

after dinner.....

ivy walked into the kitchen SOAKED. dripping wet. she had her arms spread out and a huge smile like "ta-da!" she had gotten into the full tub IN HER JAMMIES while i was cleaning dishes. (i forgot to drain the water earlier). ohhhh my... kevin thought it was hilarious/super dangerous. woops. lesson learned.

later that evening.....

ivy put my flats on her feet and told me "bye mom. ivy go target" haha!

she keeps us entertained!

mr. eli's nursery

here's a few pictures i just took with my phone.

i have to say, mom and cindy put this room together

while i was still at the beach recovering.

when we moved here, it was sooo fun to walk in and see all the stuff i'd saved

and things they added all assembled and in place.

they are the greatest.

we kept it pretty simple because:

1. we didn't know boy or girl

2. we moved here when he was 2 weeks old. (that should be illegal)

3. most all of this he borrowed from his sister's nursery

4. you don't wanna go overboard with a boy :)

so this is where we rock, sleep, sing, sleep, change diapers, get dressed,

and sleep some more.

sweet dreams little e.

proud parent moment

ivy & i usually have a little tiny moment of time together at breakfast

before her brother wakes up or while he's content in his swing.

it's one of my favorite parts of the day

because she is such a sweet morning person

(and is teaching me to be like her).

lately, we basically turned her little table in the kitchen into her school desk

and have been learning all sorts of things :)

to say that her little brain has surprised me is a huge understatement.

i am just flat out amazed.

she is smarter, funnier, more creative and more sensitive than i ever would've guessed

a little girl of 2 years could be.

she inspires me so.

i realized i don't even touch the surface of her, who she is, on the blog

but rather just tiny attempts of things she's doing

or making

or wearing.

i think i hesitate sometimes because it's hard for me to capture

her personality, her sense of humor, her mannerisms, her style,

her expressions, the way she plays make believe...

it's indescribable.

but she is such a joy right now

(not saying she's perfect, she definitely has her meltdowns)

and it's worth a try so i can remember her.

ivy at 2.

what she has on her feet,

what she eats for lunch,

what she tells me in the car.

just her.

i love every bit of it more than i can ever say.

so here's to more ivy posts that might seem silly

but mean the world to me!

look at lolly eating her snack. ha! all ivy.

ivy removed this owl sticker i had on her bedroom wall, brought it to the kitchen, stuck it on her paper, and accessorized with a bow from her magnetic dolls and a blanket she made from play-dough. "owl take nap" she told me :) genius. and this stuff happens every.single.day.

and now!

i, ivy's mother, hereby declare

on the 17th of november (happy birthday lacy!)

a very bright girl named

IVY JAMES McCONNELL

knows her abc's and 123's.

i am so proud!

(and so is she!)

butterfly + caterpillar

created this morning by ivy mcconnell

happy sunday

crust

i walked into the kitchen and saw ivy in her underpants (not unusual) looking in the fridge (also not unusual) and asked her if she was eating the crust off the chicken pot pie. she turned around and said with a big smile "ivy like that part!" haha

by the way, kevin and i both call them "undies" and are not sure where she learned "underpants" but we think it's funny every time she calls them that.

also by the way, this post is not nearly as funny as i thought it would be.

ps. does anyone else's laundry basket ever look like that?? just wondering.

and yes, kevin's desk is in the laundry room. or the laundry basket is in kevin's office. however you wanna look at it.

over and out!

gma & friends

i took the kiddos to houston last week for a visit and we had the best time. bummer i forgot my camera - i NEVER take pics when i'm home! why??? my nieces were darling as ever, estie had a big fun elephant party, we made our favorite pumpkin dessert, saw gen's big preggo belly, played with khaki (ivy's highlight for sure), saw nana & craig, etc. anyway, here's a few prav took out at lunch one day so just thought i'd share!

uh oh we're losing stapes...

where'd she go?

why do we even try to get all 3 of them?! impossible

i WILL take pictures at christmas.

i will i will i will!

3 months

and growing like a weed. those cheeks!!!

tidbits:

--sleeping 12 hours (same as last month)

--eating all day every day. i really should write it down because it's pretty amazing.

--wearing size 3-6 months in clothes, size 3 diapers

--went on a little trip this month to houston for esther's birthday! slept the whole 4-hr flight snug as a bug in a bjorn.

--he started wearing shoes which is the cutest thing. call me crazy, but i like boys shoes more than girls. at least for babies. (ivy didn't have shoes til she was one and walking!)

--still most definitely favors kevin's dad

--he sucks his thumb with his pointer over his nose. so cute!

--he has yet to sit his royal hiney in a stroller. he'd probably love it, the bjorn just works better for us right now (by us i mean me)

--likes to swing in the mornings, nap in the afternoon and be held in the evenings

--he smiles every time someone looks at him in his adorable squinty way. (he is probably happy to be getting any attention - ivy steals a lot!)

--still enjoying his night time bath (again, probably loving the attention) and i bet he could just sit in the sink all evening. i think it's so funny i have to clean between the rolls in the PALM OF HIS HAND -- who has rolls there??

--he really is a happy, sweet sweet baby. he never has a "fussy time" and only cries if he's hungry.

--if i had to describe him in three words: mellow, chubby, content.

--he loves his momma and his momma loves him :)

ivy's artwork

ivy's creations from art class today, proudly displayed on our fridge.

i love them!!!

turkey + pumpkin chili

i know this sounds kinda strange, but it's actually pretty good! the fact that it's really easy and healthy makes it something worth making if you ask me! i made it in 10 minutes while the kids were napping and now it's ready on the stove. woohoo! perfect weeknight fall dinner.

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 can cannelini beans

1 can pumpkin (15 ounce)

1 can diced green chilies (4.5 ounce)

1/2 cup of corn

chopped cilantro and chives for garnish

s+p to taste

in a large soup pot, brown the ground turkey. remove to a small bowl. in the same pot, saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil til soft. add the turkey back in. add the seasonings, stock, pumpkin, beans, green chilies, corn and simmer til heated through. top with cilantro and chives. serve with tortilla chips!

original recipe: HERE

enjoy! thank you erin :)