Visiting Underwood Family Farm

There is a beautiful farm out in Moorpark that we love.  They have lots of animals and produce.  We went there yesterday and it was a beautiful and hot day for late November.  Bella and Lala got to ride the ponies.  We tried to put Ceci on one, but she instantly cried!  We got to feed goats, horses and alpacas.  We saw ducks, chickens, pigs, turkeys, and more. We had a great time.

Our Thanksgiving

We had the most simple and quiet Thanksgiving we've had in years.  Usually, we go out to dinner on Thanksgiving day with Craig's family.  Then the next day we get together with all of my family (now 30 of us!) at my sister's Brenda's home. Brenda would make the turkey and the rest of us each took a side dish (which meant I did very little).  The kids would get crazy and we'd have a great time.

With my sister gone this year and our families getting bigger, we each had our own family celebrations.  I don't think we've ever cooked the whole meal ourselves until this year and I have to say it was really fun!!  We decided to do everything organic.  We went to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and got our turkey, potatoes, yams, stuffing, rolls, etc., all organic.  (Craig took a picture at the new Whole Foods because we had just gotten a new camera!)  

I decided that we would make an apple pie from scratch the day before.  We got organic flour, butter, apples, even organic sugar!  Bella and Lala LOVED helping make the pie.  They peeled apples, helped stir them while they cooked, helped make the dough, roll the dough, and put the top on.  Here's a picture of Lala crimping the top to close it (excuse Bella in the other pic for being in her panties, but Ceci was smiling too cute!)  

On Thanksgiving, after the turkey was in, I took the girls out to gather leaves and we made placemats with leaf rubbings.  The girls helped Craig to peel the yams, the potatoes, and later mash them.  They totally LOVE helping in the kitchen.  I have realized this also keeps them out of mischief.  They helped set the table too, and helped make a bouquet of marigolds for our centerpiece. Ultimately, our meal was delicious, and we had a wonderful day.  I am so thankful for all of my blessings.  I try to live that was every day.

The Elves Faire

The Elves Fair is one of my favorite things in the world!!  It is a big fair put on by the Pasadena Waldorf school.  We went last year and it literally changed my whole life!!  I had never even heard of it, but Waldorf is a philosophy and a way of life that is very simplicity and family oriented. I feel that it backs up Mormonism/Christianity.  I am learning and using Waldorf curriuculum in home schooling my girls.

Anyways, the Elves Fair was a blast. 

 There were lots of fun crafts to do including candle-making, fairy-making, magnet-making.  The girls and I did all of these.  They also decorated oranges with cloves, and decorated tin mugs.    Lorell and I and our kids had a delicious tea party, too.  Wish I could have taken a picture of John C. Riley (the actor) holding Ceci.  His kids go to Waldorf and he and Craig talked while waiting in line so he asked if he could hold her.

Am I really that old?? My 20 year reunion!!

Has it really been 20 years?  I thought I was still in my mid-twenties, but I guess that can't be.  Anyways, the reunion was great.  It was so fun to see old friends, especially my friend Jackie, because I hadn't seen her in 10 years.  We all had a great time.  Everybody was so down to earth, it was nice.