As some of you know if you have been following me for a while, it took my husband and I SIX long years to welcome our little boy into the world. During those six years there was countless hours of day dreaming and picturing what our life would be like with a child. Those dreams were especially prevalent during the holiday months. Louie and I are holiday obsessed. October/November/December are our favorite months of the whole year. There is just something about these last three months of the year that just make me happy. I always imagined the traditions we would start, the activities we would do, and the places we would go once we had a family.
The dream has finally come true for us. We now have Lincoln. Our beautiful *almost* 7 month old little boy who is the best thing EVER, and all those things I dreamed of doing we can start doing! Last weekend we went to Oak Glen, CA and visited an apple farm and pumpkin patch with my parents. Although the place was busier than a summer day at Disneyland we still had a good time. Next year we intend to plan better and go up earlier in September AND on a weekday though I will say! Lincoln was so curious with all the new things to see. The corn mazes, the apples on the trees, the pumpkins in the ground-he loved it all! It was SO hard to get a picture of him looking at the camera!
Since we didn't get a pumpkin at Oak Glen, I found a local pumpkin farm that was local and we decided to go there and check it out. There wasn't too many left on the vine there either but we did have a really good time. They had some animals there Lincoln enjoyed watching and it was fun to visit a 'real farm'. We ended up getting one big carving pumpkin, 2 pumpkins that we were told we best for pies, 1 pumpkin that is apparently the best for pumpkin bread and 1 baby pumpkin for Lincoln of course. He again was so curious with the straw on the ground or the pumpkins around him it was hard to get a picture of him looking at the camera! We can't wait to continue going to these places together every year.
This soup is so easy and delicious. The first thing my husband said after having it the first time was to definitely put this on the rotation! Although it IS a crockpot recipe, its one of the faster crockpot recipes out there. Which can be good for those days where you forget first thing in the morning to get the crockpot going!
Ingredients:
1.5 bags frozen hashbrowns
32 oz chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
8oz light cream cheese
1 cup diced carrots
1 onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup milk
Directions:
Dice your onion & carrots.
In a steamer add your carrots and onion until softened. You can also saute them in a little olive oil if you do not have a steamer.
Once softened add carrots, onion, garlic, chicken broth and frozen hashbrowns into the crockpot and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.
After one hour, stir, and turn your crockpot to LOW and cook for 1 hour.
Cube your cream cheese so it melts a little easier, remove lid and add to crockpot. Add your frozen peas and cook for 30-40 minutes on low.
Add your cup of milk and let cook for an additional 15 minutes and your done!
As some of you know if you have been following me for a while, it took my husband and I SIX long years to welcome our little boy into the world. During those six years there was countless hours of day dreaming and picturing what our life would be like with a child. Those dreams were especially prevalent during the holiday months. Louie and I are holiday obsessed. October/November/December are our favorite months of the whole year. There is just something about these last three months of the year that just make me happy. I always imagined the traditions we would start, the activities we would do, and the places we would go once we had a family.
The dream has finally come true for us. We now have Lincoln. Our beautiful *almost* 7 month old little boy who is the best thing EVER, and all those things I dreamed of doing we can start doing! Last weekend we went to Oak Glen, CA and visited an apple farm and pumpkin patch with my parents. Although the place was busier than a summer day at Disneyland we still had a good time. Next year we intend to plan better and go up earlier in September AND on a weekday though I will say! Lincoln was so curious with all the new things to see. The corn mazes, the apples on the trees, the pumpkins in the ground-he loved it all! It was SO hard to get a picture of him looking at the camera! 
Since we didn't get a pumpkin at Oak Glen, I found a local pumpkin farm that was local and we decided to go there and check it out. There wasn't too many left on the vine there either but we did have a really good time. They had some animals there Lincoln enjoyed watching and it was fun to visit a 'real farm'. We ended up getting one big carving pumpkin, 2 pumpkins that we were told we best for pies, 1 pumpkin that is apparently the best for pumpkin bread and 1 baby pumpkin for Lincoln of course. He again was so curious with the straw on the ground or the pumpkins around him it was hard to get a picture of him looking at the camera! We can't wait to continue going to these places together every year. 
