Together

As we stood in the setting sun waiting for the trail riders to return, she beamed with delight to be with me alone.  She was relieved to skip the horse riding and stay back with me. Together we visited the horses behind the gate, watched the sun sink low behind the red barn and did what we came to do...spend meaningful time together.  I enjoy the sweet time with you each year at our favorite camp.

advent days

Yesterday marked the beginning of the Advent season.  My children love to count down the days until Christmas.  Each year we do something a little different to mark the days.  This year, I found some wonderful little Advent calendars by Playmobil (actually, I found them on clearance last December and held onto them until this year).  My girls loved opening their first door this morning and had a lot of fun setting up the little cardboard scenery beforehand.  I like this calendar better than the Lego Advent calendars because the figurines are so much bigger and more sturdy for little hands.  They also have a ton of different Advent calendar themes too.  Something fun to celebrate the season! 

Playmobil Advent Calendar

Autumn leaves

I don't ever remember autumn leaves this pretty in our area. I guess it is from the early freeze we had a few weeks back.  Reds, yellows, browns and greens fill the hills and roadsides. It is a welcome change at this time of year and certainly makes beautiful leaf collections for the kids.  Enjoy the fall color wherever you are this weekend. 

Simple ingredients, yummy treats

Happy Thanksgiving Day to you!

As I prepared the old family favorite today for the big meal, I laughed at the recipe that has been copied, scanned and written down many times over the years.

No one knows what book or newspaper it came from.  It is an old favorite that is only enjoyed at Thanksgiving. Yes, Thanksgiving wouldn't be thanksgiving without the Spinach Molds.  It is funny the way a certain food can transport you back in time to when you were a kid sitting at Grandma's table--much simpler times indeed when all you had to do was light the candles on the table.  Sweet memories fall in abundance into my thoughts today.  I hope my children will remember these Thanksgiving tastes long into their older years and enjoy sharing them with their families too.  The circle spins round...

Hope you are enjoying some family favorites and memories today too!

Thawing out...

We fished like ice-fishermen, all bundled up fighting the icy wind off the lake.

She climbed with lots of layers to fight off the blowing wind.

She learned to shoot with ice-cold fingers.

She bravely chose not to kayak because she didn't want to get cold and wet.

They ate in a screened-in, mess hall with no heat.

But during it all, she never failed to smile!

Campouts on cold weekends are quite the experience.  We made it with no heat for 24 hours on one of the coldest and most dreary weekends I can remember.

Even though it was cold, the girls and their mommas bonded through lots of fun activities and meals.  I was amazed at the ability of all the kids to endure the cold weather. They definitely worked together and made the best of a cold camping weekend!

Needless to say, we are happy to be thawing out at home.

Little afternoon treats

A cold dreary afternoon (when the little one is asleep and the house is quiet) is the perfect time for a little treat.  This little treat can be thrown together in a coffee mug in minutes. My friend's talented husband came up with the recipe and it has been a favorite ever since he shared it.

Brownie for One in a Mug:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder 

Pinch of salt

Pinch of cinnamon 

1/4 cup water

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 drops vanilla

Mix together all ingredients in a coffee mug and cook for 1 minute 30 seconds in the microwave. Top with your favorite berry and enjoy with a cup of coffee and a good friend!

Hand sewn

I love the imperfections of handmade pieces. They add a touch of reality and charm.

When her grandmother taught her some simple sewing and embroidery techniques on burlap this summer, she began to sew little vignettes for all her family.

As soon as she heard about an art contest at school, she decided that hand-sewing something would be best.  She worked for over a month, sewing little bits here and there when she felt like sewing.  Finally, the due date drew near and she put all the finishing touches on at the last minute (just like her mom).

When she turned in her little piece of hand sewn work, she couldn't have been more proud.  

I love to watch kids work hard for something and then see the pride errupt when they complete their little dreams.  It is unparalleled and the best reward.