A Few Likes & Links

I haven't done this in forever, so here are a few things for your weekend...

My new favorite cake.

I never thought I'd love the semi-platform of these shoes, (made that word up), but the comfort makes it so worth it.

These bracelets are the neatest.

I love these peanuts (especially the chocolate ones).

Reading this book and just finished this one (loved it!).

Loved spending a weekend here!

One of my favorite gifts my kids received for Christmas!

Love this lip liner.

And, that's it!  Have a great weekend!

September in Review

In September we...

continued with school (sometimes Dad can help on Saturdays if we need to catch up).

painted a bit.

started learning Jiu-Jitsu

 baked our favorite biscuits.

stopped on the side of the road to take in the sunset.

made each other laugh.

 visited our friends' amazing dairy.

 did a little cattlework.

(check out the spurs on her Hunter boots, ha!)

and made some trail mix for friends!

Cake Pops Cure All

Sometimes when I'm stressed, I bake.  Nothing like adding one more thing to the mess, right?  Well, during a break in sickness a month or so ago, I saw this recipe pop up, and just by chance, we had everything we needed.  

I feel like she is the Pioneer Woman of baking.  There is nothing I've ever made on her site that wasn't easy to follow and delicious!  So, of course, her cake pop recipe had to be, too.

It was!

I made her vanilla recipe but coated most of them with chocolate.  I just prefer milk chocolate to white chocolate.  The kids seem to, too.

I didn't worry about finding styrofoam to put them right-side-up, so they look different but still taste the same.

Do yourself a favor, and make these!

Italians in the Making

So, for Christmas, I got Jeremy a little pasta maker on a whim.  Here is actually what I bought, and for the first time, it was a big hit!  It came with a pasta roller, flour for pasta, a spoon, and a cookbook!  And, can I tell you, this gift has benefited all of us!  Jeremy is on a roll.

We've made braciole.  

We've made rustic pizza.  

We've made fettuccine, spaghetti, meat balls, soups and sauce (every Sunday).  And it has been so.much.fun!  I've loved seeing Jeremy in the kitchen more.  I've loved trying new things, and I've loved all of us getting involved.  I'm not sure I'll love the scale, but ohhhh well.

Jeremy jokes that when our kids are out of the home and avid Italian food eaters and cookers, their friends might ask if they're Italian.  And, I'm sure they'll respond with, "No, our parents just wanted to be!"

Ha!