Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice!

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It is still rainy and cold in my backyard. All I want to do on days like these is sew, bake and be domestic. If only I had the recipe to make a good pumpkin latte. Maybe I can convince my husband to pick one up for me on his way home from work. {wishful thinking} I love fall!

Wanted to share a recipe I learned from my mother. While I was over this week she made these! Not only were they amazing, they made the house smell like fall! It is beyond simple. It only calls for two ingredients and is low in calories. Score!

Here is what you need:
1 15 oz. box of spice cake mix
1 large 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree

Mix together until a smooth consistency. If it is too dry, you can add a little water to smooth out the lumps. Lightly spray muffin tin, or use paper cups. Follow directions on the back of cake mix box. (each one is a bit different)

If you want to make them a bit more amazing, you can add a cream cheese frosting! (But they don't need it) And that is that! Hoping to be productive this weekend. Need to finish up some of Liam's Halloween costume details. He is going to love trick or treating! Happy Weekend!!!

On Rainy Thursdays

Today has just been one of those non productive, stay in your pj's sorta days. It's been cold, rainy and gray. Thought I would share something that made me smile today! Coldplay came out with their official Paradise video this week. (Only 4 days until the official album release) It's just plain fun!
Take a look:

Moments Like These,...

I was privileged to take some photos this week of my baby brother Luke and his lovely fiance Allyson. The weather was perfect for an outdoor photo shoot! Still practicing my photography skills! They were so sweet to allow me to spend the evening with them. Can not wait until I gain a new sister next year!! Love you two, and wish you many wonderful years together!

County Fair Projects!

I decided this year to go ahead and enter a few of my sewing projects and photos. There is something exciting about seeing your "art" on display. I didn't care if I won anything,..it was just fun seeing my creations in the barns!!

Some beautiful displays of vegetables grown by local farmers....

Beautiful flowers cut straight from the garden and displayed in original ways.

The sewing barn was filled with quilts, hand embroidered pillow cases, needlework, and sewing projects. It was amazing to see all the beautiful hand sewn pieces.

So excited to have won 1st place with my "Oo La La" apron! (Out of 4 entries!)

The yellow dress in the middle won 4th place.

I also entered a pink formal dress which won 1st place. (I couldn't get a good photo, because it was in the corner.)



With my photos I won 2nd with my black and white flower shot and 3rd place for a photo of Liam in Texas! I was told when I picked it up, that it was the photo club's favorite photo in the barn! (I have a cute kid!) I also had a chance to speak with the judge, and he said that he was impressed by my artistic eye and invited me to their photo club that meets at the library twice a month. I was flattered,..and I may just go one of these days.

I also entered a gift wrapping for the Mother's Day theme! (Can you tell which one is mine?) I personally thought it was cute,..but apparently it wasn't bright enough for the judge. I lost to a very flamboyant mismatched package with garden gloves and a tacky blue ribbon. Ha ha (Oh dear, I hope that didn't sound mean.) My package looked a bit lost in the bunch. Which was fine with me! I don't mind standing out in a very reserved kinda way! I am not about to create something just to please a judge. It's not about winning,..it's about sharing an idea. It's about being creative and loving the process.

Same goes for the headband (that I sell in my etsy shop) that I entered. Didn't place in the category, because it wasn't flamboyant enough. Oh well!



Next year, I will be participating again! It was so fun and worth the work! I earned prize winnings just under the amount I paid for my weekly pass! So I basically got in for free the whole week! How cool is that? I think that next year I will be entering more children's sewn items. They had very little in this category. I also want to try and enter a handmade purse and maybe a pillow case? Already starting to dream of all the possibilities to create some new things. This winter will for sure be filled with new projects!! Can't wait until next year,.....

Summer Reflections

This summer was filled with many fun activities! Liam is at the age now where he loves to go out and explore the world. We took a few trips to the zoo, the park, community pool, play dates with friends and walks around the neighborhood in his stroller. He loves being outdoors! Toddlers are busy,...but so much fun! The highlight of my summer every year is our county fair! Being a 4-H advocate (I was in the program 12 years) I have spent every summer at the fair since I was a baby. Of course, this means I purchase a week long pass! Liam loved every minute of it! It has become a family tradition to meet up there. My Uncle Ron and my Aunt Laurie were out from Georgia, my brother Caleb and his soon to be wife Amanda came out from Kansas. Of course my grandma, my two sisters and my other brother Luke were there as well. I thought I would share some of my favorite moments at the Fair this year! Tomorrow I hope to share some of my sewing/photo entries in the hobby barn.

Liam awoke every morning asking to go and see the "animals!"

Of course the "moo cows" were his absolute favorite!

The horses have always been mine!

My grandma loved taking him by the hand to show him all the fun!

He loved the carousel so much!

Of course spending time with family is always the highlight! My sister "Auntie Hannah" spent loads of time loving on each one of the kids.

My mom "Na Na"and sister Roslyn with her two little girlies.

Sitting with Pa Pa watching the country music band play.

Discovering new things together!

Dancing in the sunshine!

But most of all,...the best thing about this summer was all the memories we made!