Feels like Fall

It DOES feel like fall.  And much too soon, in my opinion.  I’ve switched from shorts, a tank, and sandals to socks, sweaters, and leggings in a week.  From iced coffee to hot vanilla nut tea and hot chocolate.  (Not that it’s bad, just different, and MUCH too soon.)  I digress…

My counter.  Technically, it’s the desk my wonderful father made for me in elementary school, that I absolutely love.  But right now, it’s serving some time as a kitchen counter.  I was looking at it this evening after I put cinnamon rolls in the oven, and came to the conclusion that it’s a lot like my life.

Look at the organized clutter, the spattering of flour and cinnamon, the balancing of the laptop.  It’s got character, dents,scrapes, and doodles.  Lots of love oozes out of it when I think of the time and love my daddy poured into it as he made it.  (It’s got to be my favourite Christmas present ever.  Seconded by the hope chest he made me a few years later.)  My life is like my desk.  Organized, but in a messy, ‘only-I-know-where-everything-is-but-it-REALLY-is-organized’, kind of way.  Cluttered like my brain, jumping and crashing from one thought to the next.  Spattered like the laughter, screams, squeals, and tears of my family, throughout every day.  My life has had its share of dents and scrapes.  Doodles are the fun, quirky times.  So much love has been shoved into my life, and so much love squeezes out of me.  It’s give and take kind-o-deal.

There you go.  My life in a desk.  Didn’t think you’d ever come across that comparison now, did you?

On the other hand…

I may or may not need more counter space.  Either way, I had just enough room, in this cluttered mess, to make Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls.  I’m not going to share the recipe, I’ll just send you over to Piping Dreams for that.  But I did just want to say hey, and share a few photos.  Sorry (yet again) for being disconnected the past year.  Spring was crazy.  I thought, ‘Surely I’ll have some down time in the summer!’.  I was wrong.  Now that summer has flown by, and fall is at my heels, I’m thinking, ‘I must MAKE time through the fall and winter months!’.  Will it happen?  Only time will tell.

But for now, I leave you with cinnamon and clove scents wafting through my kitchen into yours.  As Lauren says in her post, these only take 30 minutes TOPS to whip up.  You can have your house smelling like mine in no time.  Or you can come over for coffee right now… or in the morning.  Whichever.

My hubby couldn’t wait for me to even get pictures, before he tried snatching a cinnamon roll.  What I didn’t tell him was that they were whole wheat.  Will he notice?  I haven’t heard any comments yet.  I’ll let you know.  (Sneaky wife here, trying to get him to eat healthier…  Do cinnamon rolls count as healthier?  Imma say yes.  Why not?)

If you really aren’t into whole wheat, check out these bad boys:  Nanny’s Cinnamon Rolls.  Yummmm!

Or these:  Apple Jelly Tea Rolls.  So good.  Soooo fall-ish.

Pictures of the kiddos you say?  Why, sure!

{Hats all around.  Cael wearing his uncle’s fedora, and Jude’s new hat knit by a great friend of the family}

I have a hat fetish.  There are so many awesome hats that look absolutely adorable on little boys…  *sigh.

A Food Kind of Day

Before I get started, I just want to do a shout out to a fellow blogger.  I love looking at other blogs for ideas, and inspiration, not to mention wonderful recipes.  And I’ve been following Madison for at least 6 months, and I love what she posts.  It’s a mixture of fashion, food, great products, and life.  She’s really down to earth.  She does ‘No Fat Talk’ posts that focus on not talking trash about our bodies (because, ladies, I know it’s really hard not to).  Just check her out.  She’s at Espresso and Cream.

Okay, now that we’re done that, onto other things.

{I caught Cael trying on Daddy’s shoes the other day – so cute.  Sorry it’s slightly blurry…  He just wouldn’t stand still!}

So, as I’ve said many a time, life is crazy busy.  It doesn’t seem to ever slow down.  And I am just barely keeping up.  (What am I going to do after baby #2 comes?!)  I’ve had multiple great post ideas floating around my head for the past few weeks, and no time to get them written up & posted.

Between working part-time, trying to keep up with Cael (who’s full speed ahead, and down to one nap a day), keeping the house together and clean, cooking/baking, trying to find time to help out with church programs, and still have time for friends and family…  I’m clean outta time.  At the moment though, house doesn’t look too shabby, laundry’s folded (not put away though, mind you), and I have myself a cup of lemon tea.  So I’m writing this.  And it feels good.  To be typing, sharing food and just having some sitting down time.

I’ve been reading a book by Lee Strobel called, ‘The Case for the Real Jesus‘.  And it’s really great.  I think it was written with teens in mind, but it’s a great book for teens and adults, and it’s written in a way for really easy understanding, I’d definitely recommend picking it up to read sometime.

Also, we do a ‘Young Adults’ (which is really whatever age…) group once a week.  We’ve just started up for the year, and we’ve decided to commit to memorizing scripture verses every week.  I think it’s  really great idea.  This week, I’m going to memorize Psalm 27:4 – “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.”  I find that I don’t linger enough on the thought of heaven, and being close to God, and that I should do so more often.  So hopefully, this verse will stick in my mind and help me to remember to think on such things.

Now to some foooood.  Awhile ago (April, to be exact), I wrote a post about quiche.  Well, I’m onto the quiche again.  This time, I made a few changes in vegetables, but that’s it.  I just had to share it with you, because it looked so pretty.

The colours are just…  vibrant, and I thought they looked great.  So here goes.

Quiche (Version #2)

(Makes 2 9-inch quiche)

Pie crust for 2 pies

1 cup broccoli, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

8 eggs

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1 1/2 cups milk

1 Tbsp flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp parsley

Pinch chili powder

1 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat your oven to 350F.  Line 2 9-inch pie plates with pie dough.  Sprinkle celery, onion, peppers and cheese over pie crust.  In a bowl, whisk together eggs, milks, flour, salt, pepper, parsley, chili powder and melted butter.  Whisk.  Pour over vegetables and cheese in pie plate.  Bake quiche for 30-45 minutes (it really just depends on the oven), or until set.

Now, I figure it’s time to get on with the 30 Day Challenge.  So here goes.

Day 8 – A moment you felt most satisfied with your life

This is a tough one.  I’m really not sure what to write.

Hmm…  I felt really satisfied on my wedding day.  I had  finally married him, the guy I’d been dreaming of getting married to since elementary school (honestly).  Standing beside him, kissing him and just, being joined together with him, with all of our family and friends to see.

It was breathtaking (though, that might have been the cold air too… )

…  Just kidding!

It was great.  I do feel pretty satisfied most days though.  When I look and see all the blessings I have.  A great hubby, the cutest, funniest little boy, and another baby on the way.  Not to mention the family, friends, and material blessings…  they abound.  It’s great.  So why do I complain?  I just forget to think about all these things.  So many great things.

What about you?  When have you felt most satisfied with your life?  I’d love to hear yours…

Crazy, this thing called life.

So,  I’m completely sorry that I’ve been MIA this week.  Thing is, life happens, whether we’re ready for it or not… and…  well – We bought a house!  So that’s my excuse.  (I think it’s a pretty good one, don’t you?)  We’ve spent the last few days at the lawyers office, then painting, painting, painting, garbaging, cleaning… and wrecking the place.  I arrived back at the house yesterday after taking an hour break to a wall being torn down…  Mess.  Everywhere.  But it’s good.  It’s going to make the place look much bigger and more spacious.  And most importantly, it’s going to INCREASE my kitchen space!  (ie – More baking space!!)

Anyhow.  I do have another post almost ready to go.  And I’ll be sharing that with you in the next few days.  Because, (did I mention I’m taking a university course?) I have 2 assignments and an exam to do in the next 3 days, AND my great little bro has a birthday this week too (so I’ve got to get baking that cake!!), and in the midst of all that, I’ve got to look after my hubby, little boy, and try to post something… BUT it WILL happen!  Okay?

Do you believe me?

While you’re waiting for that post/recipe.  I wanted to share this picture with you.  We went out for supper last week to Mateus Bistro, and we ordered scallops (and other great things) for appetizers.

{Photo courtesy of my wonderful hubby}

Don’t they look amazing?  They were realllly cool tasting.  Like, surprising, and very yummy to those taste buds.

Anyhow – I’ll be back to you soon!  Have a great Sunday afternoon!