I should be in bed

We had a soccer tournament between parents and players tonight. It was pretty funny. Yes, I played a little, until my knees started screaming at me (they're still not happy and I made the mistake of trying to run this morning). The kids ended up winning, I think it was 5-3. In our defense, the coaches play on the kids' team and they are pretty good. Anyway, by the time the game ended at 7:30, I was freezing! I can't believe how cold it gets once the sun is down. We've got our last game tomorrow in Alpine and I am going to have to bundle up! I should be excited, actually. For one thing, I love Fall clothing! For another thing, soccer is finally done!





Olivia has been home from school the past two days. She's had a little bit of a fever and sore throat. I think part of the attraction is the unlimited TV time and popsicles at her disposal, but tomorrow she's going back! She and Ashley went out on some errands with me today. We visited Target, one of our favorite places. We first passed it on the way to the beauty supply place and Ashley said, while pointing to Target, "Mom, I want to go there." I said, "Do you like that store?" She said, "Yeah, it's fun." I replied, "Yes, I know what you mean, Target makes me happy too." We had to check out new bikes for Austin, pick up some Glade Plug Ins (our rooms are not so fresh), and buy winter boots. Last year I made the mistake of waiting too long to buy boots and of course, they were GONE before I knew it! So those of you who need boots this year- go get 'em now while you can! While at Target we only made two trips to the bathroom. More cheers for a potty trained kid! What fun.

When we got home, about 2:30, we were turning onto our street and saw a couple of cars stopped on the side of the road, near the corner. It didn't look good. I thought there had been a crash, but as we rounded the corner I could see a woman laying on the ground with blood on her head. A few people were crowding around her. I then saw a motorcycle about 8 feet away from her on its side. Once home, I got out and looked back down the street, which was suddenly swamped with 2 sheriff trucks, an ambulance, and at least a dozen people. I had that strange feeling like, "Should I have stopped and asked to help?" I don't know what I could have done? and I guess part of me does not want to contribute to the chaos... be one of those onlooker people just gawking... I don't know, I felt guilty for some reason. It turned out that it was the mother of a woman in our neighborhood and apparently she had been riding the motorcycle (it was the off-road kind) down the street and somehow fell. She was found by the mayor, who happened to be in the area, unconscious, with a lot of blood around her. She had not been wearing a helmet, so the head injuries were the main concern. About 20 minutes later, a helicopter came and took her to the U of U. I was so concerned for their family and kept praying that she would be okay and that the family could be comforted. It was amazing how quickly the neighborhood pulled together- one neighbor immediately offered to take care of the family's 3 boys and keep them for dinner, so that the husband and wife could go to the hospital. Other people offered to make dinner the next day. My mom and another woman went and cleaned their house. Everyone was concerned and wanting to help. Thankfully, I later heard that she is alright and will probably be released tomorrow. What a blessing. I was so glad to hear that everything seemed to be alright, since it initially appeared to be so serious. I have to admit I took a moment to remind my kids to wear their helmets when riding bikes and scooters because you never know when an accident will happen. Anyway, it was one of those reminders that "Life is Fragile" and things can change in an instant.


Spiced Pumpkin Soup with Ginger Browned butter



2 lbs. sugar pie or other baking pumpkin
2 lbs butternut squash or acorn squash
8 cups chicken broth, divided
7 T. butter, divided
2 med onions, chopped
1 tsp. salt
4 cloves garlic
2 T. plus 1 tsp. fresh ginger, divided
1 tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. fresh ground cardamom seeds (about 4 pods)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
½ c. packed light brown sugar

1. Preheat oven 375 degrees. Cut pumpkin and squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and stringy parts. Put flesh side up in large roasting pan with 1 cup broth. Cover pan with foil and bake until tender, about 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, melt 3 tsp. butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and look creamy, about 5 minutes. Reduce to low or med-low and cook onions, stirring every 5 minutes, until they turn caramel color and become sweet, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
3. When pumpkin and squash are tender, scoop out flesh and set aside, discard skins. Reserve any liquid in bottom of pan.
4. Return pot with onions to medium-high heat. Add garlic and 2 T. fresh ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add remaining 7 cups of broth, the carrots, cooked pumpkin and squash, and reserved liquid from roasting pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Process vegetables in a blender (in batches) until smooth. Return to pot and stir in brown sugar. Season with salt to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
6. Put a small bowl or measuring cup next to the stove. Melt remaining 4 T. butter in small frying pan over med-high heat. Add remaining 1 tsp. fresh ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter starts to foam. Stir mixture constantly until it starts to brown. Pour mixture into waiting cup or bowl. Divide soup among 8 bowls and serve hot, with a swirl of ginger butter in each.