So, every Thursday morning at 5:50 I've been meeting friends from church to jog. It's great! We talk the whole time and really go to town. Today we went 3 1/2 miles just jogging, we did some walking before and after too. Not so bad! Well, when we ended today I realized I had lost my cell phone. So, I drove the few miles peering from my car for my new, cute purple phone. I had to replace it less than a month ago.... no luck. I jumped on my bike, praying the whole time. After looking, there it was on the side of the sidewalk, nestled nicely in the grass. The whole time I was looking I couldn't help but worry it had fallen on the iceplant side, thick iceplant on the left for our whole route... But miracles never cease to happen. One, I found it and two, I fould it before someone else pocketed it. Thank you!

Well, our baby is two years old! What a birthday it was! Three days of straight parties and lots of presents later, she's officially a year older. Here are a few sanpshots of the actual birthday day. A picture of her in her playhouse having a princess tea party, dinner at Moo Moo's Burger Barn (yes, she wore the princess get up all day long. We couldn't figure out why everyone was staring at us in the restaurant... we finally figured out it was because we were having dinner with "royalty"!), opening presents like a pro and loving a cupcake. More pictures of the visit from Grandma Shelley and Megan and the friend's birthday party to follow!

We spent the day (all dressed in red) at the Pumkin Patch for Micah's fall field trip. There were lots of pumpkins, a pea planting activity, hayride, petting zoo and play area complete with a swimming pool full of dried beans. Micah hung with his friend Bella (who REALLY likes him if you get my drift) and Lauren really enjoyed the goats although not so much the tractor. Does crying ever look like smiling? Not really as you can tell by the picture!

Monday was a great Federal Holiday, Columbus Day, which ment Dad had the day off, yipee! What a great way to spend it (ok, great place for kids to spend it) at Chuck E. Cheese. Needless to say, I think we all had some fun and I have made a new personal record, winning the Ski Ball jackpot not one, but TWO TIMES in one afternoon! Our grand total: 501 tickets between the four of us, just under 100 tokens. Good, clean fun!

So, Micah had a realization the other day. it went something like this:

"Mom, girls have it SO easy!"
"Really Micah, why?"
"Girls get to sit down when they go to the potty. Boys have is SO hard. They have to stand up, they have to aim, they have to be very careful going to the bathroom. You have it so easy Mom, boys don't."
"Ohhhh..."

I didn't mention all the other things that girls have "harder" than boys in retort. We'll save that conversation for when he's older and over how HARD he has it!

So....
I don't know if you know what pepper jelly. Basically it's jelly made with vinegars, habaneros and bell peppers and vinegar. Sounds appetizing right? Well, it's actually really yummy with cheese and crackers. So, once or twice a year I make a big batch and can it. We take it to people's houses, make it for Christmas gifts, people seem to like it. I've made it three or four times before, without any problems. The first few times I got the peppers from the grocery store. This time I got them at the Farmer's Market.
There's a warning int he recipe: "fumes may burn nose and mouth, don't touch with bare skin, wear gloves". So the first time I wore gloves for part of the time but dodn't have any problems. The next times Ididn't wear gloves and have any problems. This time I didn't wear gloves and I have SERIOUS PROBLEMS.
Come to find out, they derive pepper spray from Habaneros. Yes, PEPPER SPRAY. And I think these were some unusually potent peppers. Other than filling the whole house with noxious fumes and having a huge spill, I have had burning hands since last night. Not kind of burning, deep burning. So bad that I dreamed my hands were burning all night... oh, they really were! What a mess! I scrubbed and scrubbed with soap water and a scrub brush only to find the burning got worse. I then turned tot he internet for some advice. I tried soaking them in yogurt for an hour (the casein is supposed to break up the oilthat causes the burning). I can't say it helped but it made me feel like I was doing something. I am avoiding touching any part of my body in fear that the fire will spread. Scott took out my contacts last night.
So, lesson learned. Avoid hot peppers. If you're going to touch the nasty little buggers, WEAR GLOVES!!! And probably a mask for the fumes. I'm not kidding!
I'm not sure the jelly will even be edible, I think it will be too hot to touch!