13th

Your the 13th. A gift from God! Love you to the moon and back and never stop!

wow!!!

We started off with doughnuts, ended with smores and had pecan pies and a tea party in between!!!! I was in the kitchen most all day, but the guys were outside most of the day!! Soooo thankful for the work they did on the back of the house!!! They put siding up!!!! Yay a thousand times!!!

There is no place like home.....

always....

Everyday, every moment, in every season, with every sunrise and sunset....I will miss you and love you
always!! It was this time 6 years ago that it began. My world changed forever. Sure, grace has carried me these years but I will never, ever get "over" it and I will never, ever be the same person. There is a place so deep within that is empty.

Pumpkin BAKED Doughnuts!

Perfect for a Fall-ish breakfast!!!

Make sure you invest in these little doughnut pans!!! They are so fun!!

Whisk/blend first 4 ingred.
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée (canned pumpkin)

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus a heaping 1/4 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 3/4 c. + 2 TBl spoons flour.

Beat everything together until smooth. Lightly spray your pans!
using a cookie scoop, fill 3/4 full in your sweet new doughnut pans! Bake 350 for 15-18 min til springs back. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. When they are no longer too fragile, place them in a bag and swoosh them around in cin. and sugar mixture....more sugar than cin. Ha! Aren't they just gorgeous!?!? Just wait til you taste them!!!! But before you take a bite, get some coffee and Christmas music going and settle in for a yummy breakfast! Enjoy!!!

making memories.....

Even though I feel like a "maid" to the older children, I am still a mom to the younger ones, so I can't let moments slip away with them for memory making!! .....and they certainly appreciate the efforts of things like this. It warms my heart as Mercy bounces around and her eyes all lit up with anticipation of the "afternoon tea.". The "thank you mom," will ring in my ears for time to come after the little tea party!!!! There is just something about little kids that is whimsical and magical. They have no cares, worries or wants. It's an easy life.


Go make a memory.......

it's s'more fun this way!

Chimenea+back deck+cool evening+kiddos=S'Mores!!!!!!

love country

Sometimes the country just seems to whisk away all your fears, worries, stresses, hurts, difficulties.....but really it's just mercies that are new everyday. So thankful that the heaviness of all the above can be brought to his throne. Thankful to catch glimpses of the "light" peeking through. He is Faithful! He was, he is and will be!

Have a great weekend!!

recipe!

Here is the Apple Pie Recipe!

About 14-16 granny apples peeled and cut up
3 c. Sugar
2 TBL lemon juice
1/2 c. Cornstarch
2 tsp. cin
1 tsp nutmeg
1 dash of cloves
1/4 c. cold butter
1 egg beaten
2 pie crusts! (you can use pillsberry or make your own, I made my own)

Lay one pie crust over 9" pie pan. Mix first 7 ingred in a bowl. Pour over crust. Cut butter and lay over filling. The filling will be alot, all heaped above the pie plate! BIG pie for big family!! Ha!! Top with 2nd crust. Lightly brush beaten egg over top of 2nd crust. Cover with foil. Bake 400 degrees for 15 min. Remove foil a d reduce temp to 350. Bake for about 45 min. (I always sit the pie pan on a cookie sheet to catch the spills.

For my pie crust, I use about 2 cups of flour and some salt. You can use butter or shortening, about 1/2 cup and cut into flour til crumbly. Next pour ice water without the ice, haha and make a moist dough. Turn on floured counter and divide into 2 portions. Roll out and place crusts accordingly in pans.

Top with ice cream or fresh whipped cream!!! ( and coffee)

Enjoy!!!

can't wait!

This means it's not long til I can put my tree(s) up!!! Yay!!!

food!

Pumpkin bowl of dip with veggie snacks! Apple pie!! Sounds like Fall!! "Tastes" like Fall too!!

neighbors!

Hope your neighbors are as good, kind as mine!!!

it's really Fall

Yesterday it really felt like a Fall day!!! Sooooo to honor the day, some Fall pies had to happen! I have found lots of little places and paths for ALL the reception pumpkins!! I feel spoiled to have soooooo many this year!! I think it will have to be my tradition now to go out to the Grider Pumpkin patch and get all my pumpkins!!!

a few more recetpion photos

My friend Vicki took photos with a "real" camera!!! So thankful for her doing this and editing them for me!!! She has a blog over here, so go check it out and see all her wonderful animals and farm and her awesome photography!!!

 Joel's boots!!!