Here we are in the AF Canyon, at Swinging Bridge, one of our favorite places. The older kids each had a buddy while we walked the trail (somehow I didn't get Dev and
Tameeka's picture though!).
Em and Tiff
Dev resting on a fallen tree with cool frozen sap-
sicles.
The reason we came up here was to gather pine cones so we could scent them with essential oils. We didn't find very many, and they were small, but there are now sitting in a
ziplock bag with Frankincense, cinnamon, and other oils, awaiting to be placed in a bowl. The process takes about a week, so we're really excited to have a lovely
Christmassy smelling display soon!
We went to the "Grape Path" the day before the canyon. This is the spot where in the summer, it's a waterfall, and the kids like to splash
thru the tunnel and swim in the stream.
Em giving Ty a hand up the snowy hill!
It's great to see the sun and to be outside!!!
Tameeka getting ready to race down the path!
This is the coolest fort some kids made out of sticks.
I like this picture because everyone is exploring something different. The kids loved breaking
thru the ice along the stream!
Tick-tack-toe in the snow.
Calvin won!
The kids found this cool echo chamber pipe thing. They did some singing.
Calvin pulled out a huge frozen tube of ice that was in this pipe (it broke before I could capture its length!)
Handsome Ty!
Calvin the tree-climber!
When the Bringhams came for Thanksgiving, Dan gave us this rather strange looking squash he had grown.
Not knowing what this squash was even called, or how we were going to eat all of it (or any of it!), we cut it open to see what it looked like. I should have used a chain saw because it was very difficult to cut open- even with a very sharp knife! To our surprise, it was sweet! We all kept coming up with different things it tasted like: cucumber, cantaloupe, jicama, watermelon, honeydew, carrots...it really was a multi-flavored squash! We tried to combine all these foods into one name, and finally, Devon came up with "Dan-a-lope" because Dan grew it, and because it tasted like a cantaloupe (among other things!).
What to do with a huge Dan-a-lope? Make muffins, of course! I cut it up in chunks, pureed it raw with some water...
...my helpers helped me,
and we used the following recipe, replacing the sweet potato with the Dan-a-lope.
I always use honey in place of white or brown sugar. Healthier, tastier, and more moist!
I stuck the extra bags of puree in the freezer.
And how were the muffins, you ask?
Simply amazing! I can't make them fast enough! Thanks for the Dan-a-lope, Dan! You can bring us another one next year. :)
