seeds

2 tickets, 1 large Coke, and a large bucket of buttered pumpkin seeds, please.  My husband takes his pumpkin carving and seed toasting seriously.  This year, he went with cinema style classic butter and salt - the perfect snacking until you can't stop combo.

ACV

Apple Cider Vinegar.  Some say it's toothpaste, but I tried it, and it's apple cider vinegar as the 8hr acne treatment.  After some recent reading about all the positive effects from ACV uses, I tried it last night on some oh so clogged pores that came out of the sky like lightening on a sunny day.  And it worked like a charm.  Next up for my ACV trial:  Cures and Weightloss.  I'll keep you posted.

Via

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

It wouldn't be October without a Sunday morning with pumpkin pancakes - and in the shape of pumpkins no less.  My kids are at that age when shaped food brings them much delight.  This recipe was super easy, lightly sweetened, and full of pumpkin spice comfort

Premium Comfort

Whenever I was sick as a child, my mother would put a little bell next to my bed so I could ring it if I needed her.  I wish I could ring that bell right now and my mom would come walking down my hallway.  But, I can't.  So, I am left with my saviors of saltines, gatorade and ginger tea to get me through this wicked flu.  Did you have this canister growing up?  We did.  It still brings me comfort..now if I only had that bell.

1 + 1 = 3

I attended a perfect wedding between two beautiful people over the weekend.

The wonderment took place at the Blue Dress Barn and the setting was just as quaint as its name.

There were tears of joy as stories were told of how this came to be.

 The love from family and friends embraced the barn as we square danced away the night.

LBD (little boring dress)

We all have one.  The dress that hangs in the closet but never gets worn.  It's always in the "maybe" pile, sometimes in the "donate" pile and for some reason has nine lives and finds itself back in your closet.  My dress happens to be black.  Even though I bought it two years ago, the style cries out bohemian 1999, and the low cut neck is not my style.  So, why did I even buy it you ask?  Temporary insanity is all I can plea. The other day when I was wearing the dress as a housecoat (I love those old school words), and was going to change into this blouse and pants, I realized that the blouse could possibly be worn under the dress and give it new life.  It's all about shopping the closet, finding creative ways to layer, and making the best with what you have.

this is not a pose

; but was taken in the five seconds my son and i had in between students and parents walking and driving by

routine

Every morning, the kids and I walk the four short blocks down the street to school.  And every morning, about two blocks in, we joke about the wind tunnel that seems to be brewing in the same spot, everyday.  It's always windy in this small block of about one hundred feet.  And the small comfort that my children find in knowing that these one hundred feet will be windy reminds me that they still thrive on routine.  Much like they did when they were toddlers; taking naps at the same time and experiencing the same bedtime routine, the wind tunnel serves as that similar reliance on routine.  Just as I rely on routine (and caffeine) to get me through my days, the security of a routine seems to last throughout life.  And when the routine is disrupted, like when I open the fridge to realize that we are out of half & half and my morning joe will not take place, we tend to meltdown.  Although, adult meltdowns tend to be subdued, the internal kicking and screaming is there.  So, it is for this reason, that I always let my kids know the schedule of the day.  I've been giving my six year old the "schedule of the day" since he was one and the schedule consisted of diaper changes, wiggle worm classes, and puffs snack breaks.  And, perhaps, this is why we need calendars and schedules - to remind us of our routine - to add a little comfort in knowing what will happen because there is so much that we don't.

Polka Dot Salad: A Market Post

Club Sprouts does it again with an amazing little polka dot salad.  The kids love creating a snack at the Club Sprouts tent and I love watching them eat their veggies.  The base of this salad is Trader Joe's brown rice medley.  The polka dots included diced peppers, carrots, red onions, and cucumbers.  The secret to its flavor is mixing apple cider vinegar in with the rice.  Yum and easy to create at home!

Urban Campfire & Country Kicks

This past weekend felt like a weekend in the country, but we didn't go far from our urban abode.  Saturday night, we gathered with about 40 neighbors and friends in our back alley, which happens to be landscaped and lush, but let's keep it real here, it's technically still an alley.  We fired up the chiminea and the kids roasted marshmallows and turned all sticky fingers from their's s'mores.  We all contributed to the food table and enjoyed chili, corn muffins, mac cheese pie and more....We sipped wine and craft beers.  And the most amazing three-piece band played right below our balcony.  You could hear children's playful screams and the lull of chatter while everyone swayed to the music and took in one of the last warm nights of the season.  A reminder that we all have a little bit of country in us and we don't have to go far to get it.

Our fall festivities continued the next day as we took the kids to Design Harvest.  We've been going to this festival since its inception and this year, they really stepped up the kid activities about twenty notches.  Hayrides, a petting zoo, corn maze, pumpkin decorating - the works!

adorable kid swing by k. dille designs
check out her other stunning and creative designs!

and just a reminder that these fall festivities took place within our concrete jungle

           

i found these during a target run for $15; no joke
they are much grayer than this; see above

wholewheat pancakes

In our house, Sunday mornings beg for coffee and something baked, floury and sweet. Attempting my usual German Pancake recipe using all whole wheat flour was risky - I knew the science of it just wasn't right, but it was worth a try.  I adapted the recipe slightly to accommodate for the bland hay taste that many 100% whole wheat pancakes recipes result in...

Whole Wheat Baked Pancakes

(prep time:  less than 10 minutes; you know my rule)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and melt 1 T butter in each cake pan while oven is heating.

2/3 c whole wheat flour
2/3 c milk
2 eggs
2 T sugar
1 T nutmeg
1 t vanilla

Mix all ingredients well.  When butter pads in pans are melted, remove pans, swirl around butter to cover most of the pan and pour the rest into the mixing bowl.  Stir.

Divide batter and pour into each cake pan, bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

The pancakes will not fluff up as in regular German pancakes, but they serve as a wonderful base for powdered sugar, fruit, and syrup.  The kids gobbled them up and Sunday remained processed white flour free.

And Mom didn't have to stand at the stove for 30 minutes flipping flapjacks, letting her coffee get cold, and missing quality breakfast time with the family.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!