Look Who's Turning Three!

Joshua - 1 month old

Joshua - 1 year old

Joshua - 2 years old

Joshua - 3 Years Old!

Happy Birthday Joshua !!



Friday Food - Apples, Apples!

Recently, I borrowed some recipe ideas from a friend and they all had to do with Apples!  Boy, am I glad I did.  I mentioned that I've on the search for perfect cookie recipes but I accidentally found the perfect bread recipe too :-)

Apple Butter
adapted from allrecipes.com

I have never made Apple Butter before but when I saw this link on a friends blog I decided, since apples are currently $0.49 a pound, I would try this out.  It is a huge success.  I actually want to pick up another batch of apples to make a full batch of this to actually freeze.  I actually cut this in half and it turned out perfectly (in case we didn't like it, I wanted to waste as little as possible).  This recipe is sweeter then what I've had before and, according to reviews, you can cut the sugar by as much as half but we liked this better then the traditional Apple Butter.

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 pounds apples - peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 4 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
2. Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
3. Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
4. Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.
5. Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Of course, I needed to make something to go with the Apple Butter so check out this next recipe!

Apple Bread
adapted from: allrecipes.com

I've made apple bread in the past and have never been thrilled with it but when I saw this recipe it looked good.  I was not disappointed.  It cooked up very moist and the topping was to die for - unlike a lot of breads with toppings, this one kind of sunk in so it did not fall off when I flipped it out of the pan.  I did not add nuts to the bread (my husband is not a fan) but I did not miss them!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup chopped, peeled apple
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• TOPPING:
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Fold in apple and nuts. Pour into a greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. For topping, combine the first four ingredients; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack

I had hoped to try a new Apple Crisp recipe but haven't had a chance to do so yet so maybe I'll have another Apple Recipe to add soon . .. except I'm kinda moving into pumpkin recipes now :-)

What can you NOT Live Without?

Let me clarify this post right up front - this is not a deep post!  Just something fun I was thinking about recently.  Very simply, what things MUST you have to avoid meltdowns, breakdowns, or to just be happy?

Here are my top 10 things!

1) Ketchup - Ketchup has become a food group in our house.  My kids dip everything from cheese to fries to pancakes in ketchup (don't judge the pancakes - it is so much easier to clean up ketchup than it is syrup!).  I now make sure I always have one extra bottle on hand since my kids will eat ketchup with a spoon, as a vegetable :-)  The only good thing is my kids also like BBQ sauce and A1 but Ketchup is the first choice.

2) Hershey's Syrup - Yep.  Josh loves Chocolate Milk.  (Cocate Ilk).  It is not a good day when I run out of Hershey's Syrup.  Normally, he gets a glass for breakfast and a glass before bed.  The good thing is that with the Syrup, I control the amount of chocolate - recently, there were only drips left in the bottle, he saw me putting it in the milk and that was enough for him :-)  So yes, I can still fool him with "barely" chocolate milk!!

3) Tassimo Caramel Cappuccino - This is my drink of choice right now.  It is a sad day when I run out, which I do periodically.  No, I don't throw a fit but I do end up drinking an extra Pepsi :-) 

4) Pepsi - I hate when we run out of Pepsi.  I try to limit myself to one can a day, if that, but it is my go to drink when I've been working hard on something like cleaning :-) or when I just really need a break.

5) Pizza - Whether it be the stuff to make homemade pizza or some frozen ones - they are a life saver for lunch and a quick dinner.  My kids love pizza and often ask for it - it is so nice to have it on hand to be able to make what they want.  This isnt' a deal breaker, though, just something nice to have on hand.

6) Mac and Cheese - Enough Said.  Easy Peasy Meal!

7) Something Sweet - Don't care what; Frozen Yogurt, Mini Candy Bars, Cookies - just something to meet the need of that sweet tooth that hits at some point during the day.  Trust me, if I don't have something on hand, we end up snacking like crazy trying to "feed" the need and it isn't met so we snack on something else!! 

8) Pop Tarts - The kids eat one pastry for breakfast and Nate usually has at least one other one for a snack throughout the day.  If I don't have them and have to substitute cereal, I usually have two boys who lay down on the floor and tell me they don't want cereal until they get hungry enough to grab a snack cup :-)  I have learned that they do like Meijer brand poptarts (Darryl does not!) and they are less messy because they are dryer.  Plus they are cheaper so it is a  win-win!

9) Bananas - These are a deal breaker but when my almost three year old wants a banana, nothing else will do and we  have a meltdown.  Periodically Apples and "Fuit" (i.e. Strawberries) will replace bananas but he always goes back to those yellow fruits!!

10) Fruit Snacks - It is another one of those foods that if it is out of site it is out of mind but when it comes into their mind there is nothing that replaces that thought!  I try to keep a box on hand just to keep everyone happy.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't cave to my kids cravings - if we don't have it, we don't have it and that's life but, why fight battles you don't  have to fight, right?

Do you have a list of things you can't live without?

What I'm Reading

Welcome back to "What I'm Reading!"  I did not post last weekend for no other reason then I didn't have a chance :-) 

Over the past few weeks I've been reading an extended series by Lauraine Snelling - Red River of the North, Return to Red River, and finally Daughters of Blessing.   This is such a fantastic series that as I finished reading the last book in the Daughters of Blessing series, Rebecca's Reward, I went in search to see if there is more in this "family" only to discover that I'm not the only one who loves this little town!  Lauraine Snelling even has a blog that is called Postscripts From Blessing.  Guess what?  There is another series called Home to Blessing which continues the story of the family.  I'm already saving my pennies to be able to purchase the books in the series!  I just love these books!!!

As I finished up the above series I decided that I needed to start reading some of the books on my year end book list or I would have zero success!  This is a book I picked up as a new release at a great deal through another blog and I'm looking forward to digging into it.  I've only read the introduction and I already like the way Angie Smith "talks".  I love how she pointed out that when Satan asked Eve about the Tree in the garden, he didn't say "don't eat", he asked her if that is what she was told - he made her think, doubt, question.  Isn't that what we tend to do?  Get a shadow of a doubt and latch onto it.  I'm looking forward to actually getting into the meat of this book.   So for now, I'm going to focus on my reading goal and see if I can't get a few of those books marked off that list!!!

Making Your Home a Haven

Yes, it is week three over at Women Living Well of

This weeks challenge has to do with removing stress, both from our homes and from our spiritual life.

Lets start with the home - Courtney challenges us to find a few areas that cause visual stress in our home (also known as CLUTTER!) Over the past few years, last year specifically, I worked really hard to declutter our house and get rid of all of those things that just took up space. This year I've focused on simplifying our family life.  I've done fairly well on accomplishing my goals but I'd like to show you a dirty little secret.  Well, it really isn't little and it isn't a secret because anyone can see it when they walk in my house!  Are you ready?

 This is my desk area.  Notice that there is very little space.  The basket and binders are my current projects.  (Notice I didn't even show you UNDER the desk!)   But wait . . . .

 This is my desk overflow.  Yep.  This stuff is also projects, paper, kids lessons and more that do not fit on my desk daily so my table begins to hold my "desk" stuff . . .until we need to eat.  Then I move it all to our bed . .. then I move it when we go to bed . .. it just goes in circles.

 That book shelf back there . . .yep, that is more "desk" LOL  It is something I've tried to utilize for organization but I just haven't made it work yet plus the kids like to pull the bins off of it that belong to "them" and open stuff up. 

Oh wait, he isn't part of the desk but he is so cute I couldn't resist HA!

There ya have it!  That is my problem!!!  I cannot for the life of me figure out how to make my wonderful roll top desk work for me.  Trying to keep it organized and clutter free just about drives me NUTS on a weekly basis. I just need more space!  I've thrown around a few ideas for additional storage but I don't want to add more furniture to the living room.  So, I need to really figure out some other solution.  I'm tired of the clutter; tired of moving stuff around; and tired of not being able to find things (Like a hole punch that I was looking for tonight and still haven't found!)  That is the clutter area I'm focusing on currently. 

As far as the spiritual part?  It is a simple truth - practice repentance daily - it will set you free!  You'll get rid of that spiritual weight you carry!  You can check out Women Living Well to read Courtney's full post and see a video she posted as well. 

What I'm Loving Wednesday

I'm loving . . . this fabulous fall weather.  Cool days, blue skies, and bright sunshine.  Not to mention the grey, rainy days that you only get in the fall! 

I'm loving . . . .working on the stuff for my sons birthday party on Saturday.  I'm not a huge party planner and many others do it better but I just have fun making it  . .. fun!

I'm loving . . . that even though we only went to the local farm stand to grab pumpkins (it was TOO cold and blustery this weekend to go as planned) my boys can't stop talking about the "Punkin Pach".  I guess seeing hundreds of pumpkins lined up in rows is impressive to them!

I'm loving . . . that my kids love to play together (yes, they still disagree sometimes).  Today, they were sitting on the porch, eating a cookie, and just giggling away. 

I'm loving . . . that we got to go out to eat on Saturday to one of our favorites.  We had planned a trip to the pumpkin patch/orchard but due to the weather, we took off and went to Toys R Us, just to walk around, and then to dinner.  Something we don't do often so it was great!

I'm loving . .. my family :-) 

 What are you loving today? 

"Banana's for you" Date Night Idea

Not long ago, I posted about the 120 Day Challange that I was working on completing.  As part of that challenge, I recently put together this date night for my Hubby! 

On the morning of, I put a cute little invitation in his Lunch Cooler so that he would find it once he started digging for his sandwich later in the day.  (To get your copy, click here - I tried to make it generic)

After the kids went to bed (they go down fairly early), our date started with making dinner together.  Since my theme (which you will understand why in just a few!) was "Banana's For you"  we made Banana Sour Cream Pancakes,  and Sausage Patties (Darryl ended up making eggs too because he was so hungry!).  Then, for dessert a little later we had good old Banana Splits!!!

Now, where did this inspiration come from??  For Christmas this past year, I picked up the game Bananagrams for Darryl's stocking and we have yet to play it! It was a hot item last year on lots of blogs!

It's a form of scrabble but without a board.  We had fun playing it and will play it again - it would be a great game to play with older elementary kids and above too.

Doesn't he look so serious?  He won.  :-) 

So yes, this was a successful date night - we had fun, got to eat hot food, and just hung out together! 

What dates have you done recently?