{First Flurries of the Season}

our first flurries fluttered to the ground this weekend.

it was beautiful and dainty and perfect.

these pictures pretty much sum up how the girls feel about it...

delighted...wouldn't ya say?

ok...it was pretty.

especially this view.

and just so i don't forget...these fall flowers dave brought home 2 weeks ago and still hangin in there.

maybe our fall (not winter) weather will too...

have a happy day,

cindy

{Roasting Pumpkins, Recipes and a Lunch Date}

when we were at the pumpkin patch a few weekends back dave picked up a pumpkin to roast.
these directions were helpful.

look at that color!!
we got about 8 cups of pumpkin puree but were hoping for a little bit more.
i guess next year we better get two.

 

here is our favorite pumpkin bread recipe that we got from dave's sister many years ago.

it's simple and oh so yummy.

especially when you add the chocolate chips.

we tried this recipe at the pumpkin patch.

it is light and fluffy and scrumptious.

and if you're in the mood for a yummy pumpkin coffee cake or pumpkin chip muffins check out my friend billie jo's.

**********************

the weather is picture perfect today.
cool, crisp, and not a cloud in the sky.
in the car on our lunch date riley chatted about how much she loves her math teacher.
i am so, so glad.
she visits her before school begins if she needs extra help and i love that she is taking that initiative herself. motivated learners make me smile.

driving the back roads after i drop the girls back off at school is so peaceful to me.
just look at that wide open space.
makes me breathe a little deeper and slower ya know.

today the girls have haircuts after school and dance later in the evening.
they both have a girl scout function this week and then a birthday party for riley friday night.
whew...i may need to take this way home again...

...happiest moment of the day so far...
watching aubrey pretend to be dora...stick pony, backpack and colored picture of boots in hand

 

have a happy day,

cindy

{thankful for}
1. bloggy friends
2. a trip with my honey is booked!!!
3. the weather
4. thoughts for the day..."God's love for us is greater then any problem we face."
5. coloring books

{Wax Leaves}

another great idea i saw on sarah's blog and have wanted to try since last year.
we gathered the leaves so long ago it seems and had them under a press in the laundry room.
they were flat and ready that's for sure.
i think they lost a bit of their color and vibrancy cause we waited so long.
now that we know how easy it is we will be a little quicker next year.

we just followed sarah's directions and melted it right on the stove top on low heat.

but be careful....it's HOT!

 

aubrey really got into it.

we had to interrupt this leaf waxing to get boo'ed by our buddies.

i love this neighborhood tradition.

beautiful and easy and the girls really loved it.

they can't wait to do it again next year.

now we need to hang them.....

 

have a happy day,

cindy

 



{thankful for}
dave...he works so hard during the day and
is always up for whatever crazy thing i have
planned for the evening.
i love you and thank you.

{The Pumpkin Patch}

we made it to the great pumpkin patch!!

one of our all time favorite fall places to visit.

it was chilly but the sun was shining.

glorious.

 

 

 

so much beauty to see.

and all from pumpkins...kind of crazy when you think about it.

the girls kept running around saying..."mom, look at this one.  we should do this at our house!"

can you imagine a porch and front yard filled with all this fall goodness.

lovely.

 

look at these hanging green ones.



 

 

 

 

the maze was a big hit again.

it's funny...when it was time to head on one would come out and say..."where's so and so...let me run back and look for them"....a few minutes later another one would come out..."where's so and so?" this went on for about 15 minutes. i think secretly it was just a trick for more time in the maze.:)

 

 aubrey enjoyed the little maze built just for her too.

 

 

our visit wouldn't be complete without a little ice cream.

two chocolates one pumpkin.

plus one daddy stealing a lick.

the girls thought we needed a picture too so we could chart how much we have grown next year.

hmmmm???

the details and the charm at this place are just amazing.

 

    

after a few hours the clouds stating rolling in and the temperatures were dropping.

time to pick our pumpkins and head to our warm car for a car picnic and the long ride home.

 

janey found this one and knew immediately it was for her...see the heart?!:)

 

 

this is what a long day at the patch looks like.

 

this truly was a wonderful family day.

 

 

...happiest moment of the day so far...

when the girls said "this was fun...we should do it more often" when we got in the car.

 

have a happy day,

cindy

 

 

for more pumpkin patch goodness with three slightly littler girls, check these out.:)

2011

2010