My Sweet Babu

pumpkin picking

I probably look foward to taking my little ones pumpkin picking more than any other picking that we do!  So many outdoor activities are often best enjoyed on a warmer day with plenty of sun, however, it seems that pumpkin picking can brighten even the coolest and cloudiest of fall days.  There is something special about all this activity out in the cool autumn air that makes everyone feel super cozy when we get home...I think it might be the snuggling that I like even more that the picking itself!  

 
 We always end up buying more pumkins than are actually necessary, however, this year I am determined to use them for cooking after Halloween has passed.  Now that I have had success with my mini pumpkin recipe, I am feeling pretty brave about trying out some other pumpkin inspired fare.  As a tradition, we wait until All Hallows Eve {the night before October 31st} to carve our pumpkins.  In waiting, we are able to keep them from spoiling.  I have also heard that if you swish some lemon juice around the inner walls of your pumpkin {after taking the seeds adn pulp oput, but prior to carving} that it will help preserve your pumpkin a bit longer, much like the lemon will help cut apples from turning brown too quickly.

Whatever it takes to preserve this festive season!  If you have any ideas or recipes for pumkin that you'd like to share, I'd love to try them! 

Have fun!

a.

Halloween tree

The Halloween tree is a project that I first saw years ago in a Martha Stewart catalogue.  All that you need for this is atree branch that might have fallen in your own back yard!  Early on, our tree branches were on the small side, since we did not have many decorations.  However, as the years went on and I found decorations in a variety of random places, our branches needed to be bigger.  Finding our "tree" actually became a tradition in itself and each year my Tobin will remind me of the year I randomly pulled over to the side of the road to pick up a tree brach that had fallen.  This is our second year using this branch, as it really was a great size and shape!

You will need some black spray paint for your tree branch and I used the remaining blakc paint for the terracotta pot that the branch would be placed in.  To hold the branch secure inside the pot, we used some of the green foam block that is typically used in floral arrangements, then we covered this in spooky looking green spanish moss.  And there you have it, a ghostly Halloween tree.

Sad to say, our puppy got into our tree and knocked it over, leaving me with a mess of terracotta and glass to clean up.  When we put our tree back up, we used fishing line to secure it to the wall in the corner where it resides.  Another idea is to keep your tree up in a higher spot where kiddos and pets might not be able to get to it?  Either way, the extra precautions are well worth it! 

Happy decorating!

a. 

mini pumpkins

I must start out by saying that I did have a most wonderful birthday weekend full of well wishes from friends and time spent with family.  The weather was just perfect for a variety of fall time activities and I could not have been happier that we had the extra days off to enjoy this great fall season!

 
One of the highlights of the weekend, however, was our weekly sunday dinner {which also doubled as my birthday dinner this week}.  A couple of weeks ago, we attended a spectacular wedding, where as part of the entre we were served a mini pumpkin on our plates, which was so delicious, it very well could have been the dessert.  We decided to try to replicate the recipe and this was what we came up with.  Begin by taking 5-6 mini pumpkins and carefully cut of the tops {so they may be saves and replaced like a jack o lantern} and remove the seeds and strings.  Place the pumpkins, lids on, in a baking dish with about 3-4 cups of water in the bottom of it, and bake in the oven for 40 minutes at 375'. 

 
While the pumpkins are roasting, I took 2 bananas and sliced them.  We sauted the bananas along with 2 Tbsp. of butter and 1Tbsp. of cinnamon {more cinnamon if you like}.  After the bananas are mostly mush and combined thuroughly with the butter and cinnamon, remove from the heat and put into the food processor.  Once the pumkins are finished roasting, pour most of the water out of the baking dish.  Use caution as the pumpkins are hot.  I used an oven mit to hold the pumpkins and scoop out the meat of the pumpkin into the food processor.  Don't completely empty the pumpkin, as you will want to use the pumpkin shell for serving.  We added about 2 tsp. of vanilla and a pinch of salt, then blended away.  Fill your pumlin shells with the mix and put back in the oven {pumpkin lids on} for about 15 minutes, to warm through until the rest of your meal is ready to serve.

 

I have to say that we did a pretty great job of recreating what we had tasted!  The kids thought it was so cool to have a mini pumpkin on their plates...I never thought I'd see them eating pumpkin and enjoying it!  I hope you give this fun holiday treat a go!

Enjoy!

a. 

getting back

I have a million valid reasons for having all but disappeared from the "land of blogg" for the last week; our trip to Vermont, my allergies, my growing belly, my attempt to get laundry done and the kiddos back into a routine after being away, oh the list could go on and on!  I have not finished any crafting projects in a while {instead, I have a couple that are in the works}, and I am searching high and low for the perfect counted cross stitch to make for the tiny peanut who will be arriving in just over 3 months now! 

And then there is life to write about...  Well, life in school could not be more different from what we had been used to.  My days are filled with making breakfasts and lunches at the same time, makng sure folders and forms are returned each day, and praying that my big boy is having fun and not getting into any trouble.  We have soccer practices during the week, games every saturday and I have found myself actually saying the words "slow down, slow down", as if time itself might hear me and alloow me to catch up a bit so that I can fully embrace my most favourite season.

 
I was only too pleased to see that some of the other women whose bloggs I enjoy reading so much have also felt that they needed a bit of a break for any number of reasons.  Sometimes, that is just the thing to do.  And so, to add yet another reason for my disappearing act, for my birthday that is today, I gave myself some space.  Instead of sitting at the computer or sewing machine, I have sat in the backyard and watched my kiddos play, or during quieter moments, sat on the couch and watched my favourite show, Murder, She Wrote.   School is out for a four day holiday...{I'm suspecting it is for Columbus day and is not in honor of my birthday}  and I'm looking foward to time with family, pumpkin picking, a lovely birthday sunday dinner and plenty of pumpkin pie!  I'm looking foward to sharing some of what we've been up to the last couple of weeks {what we have managed to craft and what we have baked} next week.

Have a lovely October weekend!

a.

off to vermont

As a child, each weekend my half brothers and I would be draggged off to Vermont for the weekend to ski.  I used to dread these trips; being packed into the truck after school on a friday, three kiddos, a dog, cat and all of our stuff.  Skiing all day saturday and half of sunday, then driving home to an early monday morning and a long week of school.  At the time, I had no idea how lucky I was to even have this experience, nor did I know how much I would come to love Vermont.  Although we have not braved skiing with the kiddos and our trips are much less frequent than mine were as a child, I have loved taking my own family to the town where I spent much of my childhood, skiing in the winter and playing in the lakes in the summer...

Tomorrow we are headed off for a long weekend to the area of Vermont known as "The Shire".  My birthday is next weeknd, and when I was asked if there was anything special that I would like, this family get away was what I came up with.  The last few days have been a bit busier than usual, but I am happy to report that there will be clean sheets on the bed to come home to, plenty of snacks and a knitting project for the trip and a Harry Potter book on CD to listen to on the ride.  I can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday or to kick of the autumn season than with time spent with my most favorite people enjoying the beauty of the changing leaves and any number of fun fall activities!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

a.