Campfires, marshmellows, and dirty faces!

Nothing like a end of summer camp trip to get ready for fall! We stayed at the Big Sur Campgrounds this past weekend and it was the prefect setting for families with young children.
http://www.bigsurcamp.com/
We were lucky enough to get two campsites right on the river and across from the park (yes a park). I could literally BBQ at our site and keep my eyes on the kids the entire time! Next time we may not be so lucky to get a park and river site because they book up so far in advance but that won't stop us from booking for next September. I booked this past trip in May and just got lucky. Anyhow they steam cleaned the bathrooms twice a day, had a laundry room, air hoses to fill up water toys, the cutest lil general store with cocoa, free coffee in the morning and soft serve ice cream. Most sites had a water spicket and some had a electric outlet.
It really dosnt get better then this when it comes to camping.

My sweet husband bought our son a portable DVD player to watch at night, at first I thought it excessive but it actually helped him wind down and gave us adults a lil time to enjoy the fire!

Even the dog had a wonderful time!

Daylight Savings, Cold Weather and Hand Washing!

It seems that since we switched the clocks back that mother nature has taken its cue to crank up the cold. BBRRRR! I used to take advantage of this time change and catch up on my sleep but JoJo has other plans. at 6:30 a.m. he wakes up bright eyed and bushy tailed, hungry and ready to start the day. As I groan and roll our of bed I can't help but notice how darn cute he is in his footie pajamas and bed hair. Then I remember how my mother used to growl at me in the morning (not a fun way to start the day) and I put on a pot of coffee and do my best to start the day.......and counting the hours until nap time.
I just can't help but be fueled by JoJo's eagerness to start each day anew with a smile and the morning he brought me my slippers it melted my heart. The morning he tried to shove a soggy fruit loop in my sleeping face I was just as excited  because he just makes me laugh.
Summer was a busy busy time, we hopped out of bed, hit the pool and ran until sun down. Now JoJo is learning the art of hibernation and cuddling. He's pretty good at it too, heck I'm a natural at sleeping, maybe he gets it from me.

This is the season of walks to the park, building forts in the living room, hide and seek in the house, crafts and baking. I think we'll make it through this season just fine!

Getting Ready for Halloween

I know I am going to be super busy the next couple of days with Halloween happenings so I am posting JoJo in his costume early. Viola.....

I'm still debating whether its awesome or sad that I have his costumes picked out in my head for the next 5 years, LOL!

Autumn Stew

I call this Autumn Stew because......well I make it every Autumn and into winter, also known as the "croc pot season"!
Anyhow, I just throw these ingredients together so for the recipe I did my best to put the ingredients into specific measurments, LOL. No really it will turn out great in your Slow Cooker.

Ingredients:
-1 lb Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast
-1 Table Spoon of Cooking Oil
-3-4 medium sweet potatos
-1 large yellow onion
-1/3 cup dried apples
-4 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
-2 teaspoons dried/crushed sage
-1 tablespoon of quick cooking tapioca
-1/4 teaspoon cardamom
-1 teaspoon pepper
-1/3 cup brown sugar
-2 cups chicken broth
1 cup of apple cider or apple juice

Method
 -Cut pork into 1-2 inch pieces, trimming fat
-In large skillet heat cooking oil, brown meat and drain grease
-slice carrots, celery and onions. ( I like the onions fairly large in the stew)
-cut sweet potato into 2 inch cubes
-put vegetables in slow cooker
-top with meat
-sprinkle dried sage, tapioca, cardamom, pepper, and brown sugar
-pour chicken broth and apple cider over all
-Cook on high 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours

VOILA!

Favorite Fall Recipe

Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients
-1/2 canola oil
-1 cup pastry flour
-1/3 cup cocoa powder ( I like the kind from Trader Joe's)
-2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (also from Trader Joe's)
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
-1/4 teaspoon of salt
-1 cup of sugar
-2 eggs
- 1 (15 ounce0 can of pumpkin puree
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
Preheat oven to 350, line muffin pan with festive muffin cups or grease pan. Set Aside

In a large bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla. Slowly whisk flour mixture until well combined then transfer to prepared pan.

bake approximately 13-17 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Set aside, let cool before frosting.

Frosting
-1/2 cup butter, softened
-4 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
-2 cups of sugar
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract


I've heard of some people putting chocolate chips in it or baking it into a cake or even a bread loaf and sprinkling powdered sugar on top instead of the frosting. let me know how yours turn out!

Pumpkins, Corn mazes, and Fun!

If you don't care much for autumn then I must apologize because I am in a fall frenzy and am loving every minute of it! By the time winter hits my poor husband is so tired of pumpkin pie, harvest festivals and nutmeg that he even welcomes the winter blues, LOL!
So naturally we spent this weekend at our local organic farm enjoying the festivities.....its still early enough in the season that my husband participates......I think JoJo makes it fun for just about everyone anyhow! We brought JoJo's cousin, Mia along and it was funny how many people thought they were twins. Mia is 3 months older then JoJo and is his best friend.              

                                                                    Corn Maze Babies!

                                                                                                         

They had a fantastic time playing in the corn maze, checking out pumpkins, they had their face painted, colored, and played in the corn bin!

The best part was the making of corn husk dolls (which is easier then i thought) and the pumpkin races. The husband did such a awesome job at the pumpkin race we went home with a whole car6t of pumpkins for Halloween, he made us very proud, LOL!
Daddy and JoJo making their corn husk "action figure"....boys don't play with dolls, LOL

It now sits on out table at home.....with some of our trophy pumpkins!

The kids and husband with our prize pumpkins...........

Easy Fall Craft

I like this craft because it is something even toddlers can help out with and it also gets the kids out of the house.
You will need

-wax paper
-scissors
-iron
-yarn or ribbon
-hole punch
-a bag of fall leaves
-2 paper bags

-Grab a bag and take a nice walk outside. Have the child collect all sorts of leaves and flowers to put in the bag.
When you get home sort them out have your child pick their favorites.
 -warm up your iron and lay down a paper bag
-Cut two large pieces of wax paper of the approximate same size. Wax side up, let the child arrange the leaves however they like
-Lay the second piece of paper atop the first, wax side down
-iron the whole peice of paper, flip over and iron that side

 At this point you can decide if you want it to be a place-mat, or like us you can cut it it out, punch a hole in it and hang it in the window as a decoration for fall.












 Another fun thing to go is to use crayon shavings in between the wax paper, they melt and make a cool looking decoration.

Falling in Love with Fall!

Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.  ~George Eliot


First Day of Autumn: Wednesday Sept. 22


MMMM, this my most favorite time of year....and it has nothing to do with it being football season. I am more festive and at peace in the fall then any other season. Today I did my autumn ritual of buying fall scented candles, fall scented lip gloss, got the last of the Halloween costume accessories, Halloween candy, and decorated for fall. I got JoJo his Thanksgiving outfit and some fall ensembles. I just LOVE the smell of fall, inside and outside. We had our first fire in the fireplace last week and soon Starbucks will be selling their fantastic Gingerbread latte, LOL. I do hope JoJo loves fall as much as I. My husband has learned to love fall because to him that equals baking season, for some reason I bake a lot of goodies in the fall!
Anyhow not to leave the kiddies out here are some of my favorite fun activities to do with the wee-ones…..

-Plant some flowers or veggies
-have a picnic
-star gaze
-visit your local orchard to pick what is in season
-stuff a scarecrow

The coolest thing on our latest bug walk was releasing ladybugs into the garden. I didn’t know you can buy ladybugs at most garden stores like Osh/Home depot or your local nursery. They are great for any garden and the best time to release them is at night, early morning and right after you have watered!
The kids had such a fun time with the ladybugs!

The pumpkin patches opened last weekend!