All Hallows Eve

Here are the little "ghouls" dressed up for their (short) night of trick-or-treating. We whipped up these costumes from our dress-up box at the last minute because the ones from the trunk-or-treat just wouldn't do for a second run. We were joined by the Griswold's, and Mom & Dad passed out our candy. (Mark was at class that night.) We did a couple streets, and were pooped out pretty early. Things have changed since I was a kid, because the kids got full-sized candy bars at at least 3 or 4 houses. Their loot was seriously enviable this year...lots of chocolate and only one house gave out money, and even that was a quarter and not a bunch of pennies like when I was a kid. The weather was wonderful, and we got back before it was dark.

Halloween 2007=Success.

Trunk-or-Treating Goes Bust

Did every Ward in the country have Trunk-or-Treating on Friday night? Hmmm...that would make an interesting survey, wouldn't it? Is Trunk-or-Treating becoming the millenial version of Ward Dinners??? Seems pretty standard nowadays...a chili cook-off, some cider and donuts, a costume parade, maybe a spook alley in the overflow or some random classroom hosted by the YM, and then the culminating event of stalking members trunks for some CANDY! Yep, we were there too, along with the rest of you, on Friday night at the Westland Stake Center!

Here are the girls getting geared up to go!


We have a "Red Princess" and a "Rock-n-Roll Witch". They have since abandoned the idea of these costumes for the actual Halloween on Wed. Who knows what they'll be then!!


This is Avery and Maryn marching in the "Costume Parade". There were no contests or prizes this year...which is too bad. There were some really original ones. A whole family was dressed up as the cast of Annie, Dad was Daddy Warbucks with a bald "cap" on, Mom was Mrs. Hannigan ( a little on the trampy side), son was "Sandy the dog", and their 3 yr. old actual daughter named Annie, stole the show with a giant red afro and little red dress. But my favorite costume for the night was a little toddler boy dressed up as Tiki Tiki Tembo...I mean come on!! Is that not awesome?!?

Unfortunately the Trunk-or-Treat was a bust because it started raining after the chili cook-off. People scrambled to set up trunks in classrooms and doorways throughout the building, and the kids managed to make it chaos running back and forth multiple times to the same rooms. Oh well. It's all good. The girls came home with a great stash of candy that will be hard not to raid! I guess we're lucky none of it melted! Here's to a Happy and Spooky Halloween on Wednesday night (if you're not Trunk-or-Treated out already)!! Let's see some pictures!!

Fall Family Faves

Awhile back, Melanie suggested we add some "Fall family favorite recipes"...so here's my crack at it. Mind you, I have zero time for creativity or multiple steps. I can hammer these out in about 30 minutes, and everyone is usually satisfied (with minimal whining and bribery tactics).

Sweet Potatoes and Pears (with Pork chops)

3 or 4 sweet potatoes, cut up into chunks or spears
3 or 4 pears, cut up into chunks or spears (could use apples too)
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 450. Toss ingredients with olive oil, and salt & pepper in a roasting pan. Do not cover. Bake for about 20 minutes or until they are tender. Add a little butter and brown sugar to coat the vegetables if you want a sweeter flavor.

I served this along with just regular pan-fried pork chops with a little seasoning. I think the colors, the flavors, and the roasting really blended well and reminded me of Fall.

Chicken and Couscous

12 (or more) Chicken Tenders (not breaded)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup (fat free, low sodium kind of course!!)
1 tsp. Thyme
About a half a teaspoon of paprika
1 box of plain couscous

Spray down your favorite frying pan, and pan-fry the chicken tenders until pink is gone from the outside and season to your taste with whatever you like. Make sure the pan doesn’t get too dry…add water if necessary. Add the can of Cream of Chicken soup and seasonings over the top of the chicken tenders. Let this simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, also making sure the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile cook the box of couscous according to package directions. When sauce and chicken are done simmering, serve it over a bed of couscous. I usually serve steamed broccoli and cauliflower on the side.

This is REALLY simple (and fast), but is a real family favorite. The girls love the sauce and it keeps the couscous from falling all over the place. You can increase ratios for more people.

My Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

½ large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1-2 cups of fresh mushrooms, chopped
Etc. veggies: add another colored pepper or a yellow squash or some carrots if you like…I try to use up my produce when I make this sauce.
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

Heat oil in a large pan, and start sautéing onions and green pepper first. When they have cooked a minute or two, add the zucchini/squash and mushrooms for another minute or so. When veggies are mostly cooked, add the sauce and diced tomatoes. Add the seasonings and simmer for about 10 minutes on medium.

If you want meat/hamburger, you can cook it ahead of the veggies in the same pan, drain and add later.

We usually eat this over whole-wheat pasta, frozen tortellini or ravioli, or sometimes couscous.

1 cup of this sauce is zero points on WW if you keep it vegetarian. This is seriously my secret weapon when I’m trying to lose weight. If you serve even 2 cups of this sauce (1 pt.) over 1 cup of whole-wheat pasta or couscous, you’re still eating only about a 5 points meal, unless you top it with some parmesan cheese, which is always good (and not too bad in points values either). It is very filling and nutritious.

Remember This?

In case you don't, this is the 'ole water wheel at the Franklin Cider Mill. This is what I think of when I think of going to the cider mill as a kid...I remember going on field trips here with classes from Taylor Elementary, I remember going after school with Mom, Ryan, and "the little girls", getting donuts and cider BEFORE dinner, and before Dad got home from work. I remember the old water wheel, watching them mash and squish the apples up into cider and enjoying it with hot, greasy cake donuts.

(This is the apple mash, the cider draining into the final strainer, and view of the 3 Brown Gals on their way into the chaos...)

We took a trip this past weekend, and it was pretty much the same as I remembered. (Except for the crowds and the bees...)

The girls mostly had a good time too. I figured I had to include the cute one of Avery on the left, as the photo on the right is the "not so cute" side of her.

Tools of the Devil

Long lines at Meijer, stop-n-go traffic on 96 (east and westbound), toe holes in a new pair of pantyhose, bacon grease, shower mold, burnt food, a zit in the middle of my face, all-you-can-eat buffets, my alarm clock, crappy service at restaurants, the internet, Secretary of State's office, chapped lips and no carmex...no matter how hard I try to not let these things get the best of me, they do!! They confound me and they exist to torment and inflict serious anxiety in my life. They also exist to make me feel bad about me and life in general. I have a hard time with the fact that there are some yucky things in life that I, in fact, can't control and have to learn to live with...(it's called opposition or adversity, but that's a whole different topic). These things are discouraging. They make even the best days not so great. While I think that many negative things in life can be used as tools of the devil, I failed to take into account the bigger picture.

Discouragement — A Tool of the Devil

Once upon a time it was announced that the devil was going out of business and would sell all his equipment to those who were willing to pay the price.

On the big day of the sale, all his tools were attractively displayed. There were tools of Envy, Jealousy, Hatred, Malice, Deceit, Sensuality, Pride, Idolatry, and others flauntingly exhibited. Each of the tools was marked with its own price tag.

Over in the corner by itself was a harmless looking, wedge-shaped tool very much worn, but bearing a higher price than any of the others. Someone asked the devil what it was, and he answered, "That is the tool of Discouragement."

The next question came quickly," And why is it priced so high even though it is worn more than these others?"

“Because,” replied the devil, "It is more useful to me than all these others. I can pry open and get into a man's heart with that when I cannot get near him with any other tool. Once I get inside, I can use him in whatever way suits me best. It is worn well because it is so easy to use on so many people, and few folks even know it belongs
to me."

I found this analogy in an article recently titled "I Blew It" by Vickey Pahnke Taylor from MeridianMagazine.com. The analogy really hit home. I think I have a discouragement wedge of my own. It's there, I know it. It implants itself deeper and more permanently each time I'm faced with pesky little irritating things or bigger, more menacing obstacles and tribulation. I don't know that I'll ever be able to extract it, it's pretty much there to stay. However, I know I can find a way to live with it, and choose to ignore it and be happy anyway. I know that certain tools that Satan uses, although clever and designed for us individually, don't have to be the (spiritual) death of us. That is part of the test, my friends. Can we live with what we've been blessed with by our loving Heavenly Father and be happy in spite of Satan's attempts to knock us down, and beat us up with his tools??? I'm thinking that we can. It isn't easy to make the choice, but is absolutely something we have the power and ability to do. So, if you're feeling a little like the wedge is inching deeper in your own life, stop it! You can stop the wedge (maybe not pull it out), but stop it by changing the way you're thinking. Think of your greatest blessings and hopefully with each smile that wedge will loosen up a little and be a little more bearable to live with.

Just something to think about...

My latest obsession...

http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Okay, so I think I mentioned in my last post that things have been a bit slow at work. I found this blog after reading one of Shauna's friends blogs (you know you've read them too!!), and I can't get enough. Her blog series titled "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels: A Love Story" is hypnotic. It reads almost at times like a romance novel, but definitely more down-to-earth. I can't believe this is actually someone's life. It seems so fairy-tale, or horsey-tail as the case may be for Ree. She is a fantastic writer, photographer, and cook!! She also has a separate blog for recipes and cooking. It's equally as hypnotic and something you will love as well.

http://www.thepioneerwomancooks.com/

I'm totally trying her recipe for the Best Lasagna Ever and her Chocolate Sheet Cake.

I'm warning you however, make sure you have a chunk of time set aside, because you will get sucked in...guaranteed!

If you Google “Suzanne Brown”, this is what you get…

(Bear with me, it’s been a dry spell at work.)

…A lawyer, an award-winning visual designer, an author, an attorney, an actress (who may possibly have taken her clothes off at some point), a diet success story, an artist, a family history buff, a stay-at-home Mom’s club organizer, a book-club organizer, a gallery owner, an English professor, a certified public accountant, a high-school principal, a travel agent, a CRNA who volunteered in Cambodia, a bride, a trust beneficiary, an insurance agent, a photographer...

So who am I? Why wasn’t I among the “Suzanne Browns” on Google? Am I not good enough for Google? So I took a stab at describing myself in a Google synopsis, and here it is:

Mom of two, Wife of one, Daughter of two and Daughter-in-law of two more, Sister of five, Sister-in-law of eleven, Aunt of twenty-seven, Niece of twelve, Cousin of…I can’t count that high, Employee of one company, Teacher of Relief Society, Patient of several Doctors (including a very recently rich allergist) and one Dentist, Head of hair for 1 salon (also very recently rich), Customer of Kroger, Target, Meijer, and Kohl’s (but never Wal-Mart), holder of Livonia library card as well as Zoo, Museum, Compuware Wellness Center, and Family Video memberships, cooker, baker, candlestick maker (just kidding), cleaner, launderer, decorator, organizer, comedian, comforter, nurse, chauffeur, psychiatrist, teacher, student, lecturer (boy do I know how to do that), artist, diet success story (loser of 67 pounds and counting), college graduate, not a sports fan (sorry guys), relaxation enthusiast, runner, temple patron, child advocate, friend to many, helper of whomever I can, disciple of Christ, daughter of God.

After putting it that way, I guess I don’t feel too small for Google.

(Avery and I in our Sunday "matchy-matchy" outfits for Church.)