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pumpkin spiced and iced cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or organic spelt flour)
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup soft butter or margarine (I use canola oil)
1 cup of organic sugar
1 3/4 cups (15 or 16 oz can) solid pack organic pumpkin
2 organic eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl beat butter and sugar until creamy. Mix in pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix to form batter. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop rounded tablespoons onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven.

While the cookies are cooling mix up the glaze:
vanilla glaze
1 cup organic powdered sugar
1- 1 1/2 tablespoons of milk (I use soy)
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Add all ingredients and mix well. With a teaspoon drizzle over cooled cookies. My girls love helping with this part.

Modified from this original recipe.

Eva on the other hand, a natural.

I like to say that we are doing all these things for the kids, but truthfully I enjoy them just as much as (I hope) they do. We absolutely had to go and feed some farm animals. I am still not quite sure why llamas are kept on farms, but I think they are very interesting animals, with their huge eyes and camel like faces.

Hence, I channelled llama’s hair for the day.

Many of the farm owners we chatted with complained that the frost earlier in the season killed most of their crops. So there wasn’t a huge variety to choose from but we got to pick some Granny Smiths. We have a good size bag, I think we’ll make some caramel apples later in the week.

I like going to the smaller less popular farms and buy produce, you know THAT’S the way to buy produce; going to the actual farm and getting it from the hands that grew it, not from Target.

We ended the day with catching the last few rays of sun by the lake.

It was so peaceful. Just how we like it.

Click to SHOP.

And I have been craving pumpkin everything ever since the first drizzle of rain. So last night I made some pumpkin cookie batter! I didn’t have all the ingredients to make the glaze that goes on top so the batter is in the freezer, but I did bake a sample batch and have already sampled one to many, I know I know! They are just so good, melt right in your mouth.

I have the best little family, have I mentioned that? Lately we have had a little quality time overload since we have all been sick and then sick some more, but you know as hard as it is in all of our crankiest moments, I really really really like being around them.

Tessa has been ridiculously amusing since she has started talking. Her vocabulary seems to multiply by the minute and between her and Eva they are a force to be reckoned with.

Here is the latest inside family joke:

Alex and I were surprised to find out that what we thought Tessa was saying “Chuck Norris” is actually “tag you’re it!” Wow. Thanks Eva for decoding that one! Now when the girls want us to chase them around the house Eva says, “lets play Chuck Norris!” even though she has no idea what/who the heck that is.

Speaking of “what the heck” that’s another phrase Tessa picked up, we thought it was funny when Eva says it, but it is HILARIOUS when Tessa says it! I tried to record it but instead caught them singing. This is a very rare occasion as they DO NOT like to be recorded singing for God knows I’ve tried, and here what do you know, Tessa and Eva busting Castledoor‘s Shouting At Mountains. Notice how Tessa leads Eva into the “dream, dream, dream.” Haha!

P.S. It is hard work to upload a video to the blog! (or is it just me?!)

Every step and every ingredient of a recipe in a single frame? Pretty clever. And I have to say makes me want to bake something right now.

Marina Aurora.

I really do need to get into the habit of taking along our camera (as lame as it is) and taking more pictures, I never remember to at the moment I should, ya know?

So, I like looking at this picture and tell myself my roots aren’t THAT bad. Haha. I did buy a similar hat the other day (with the same intentions). Not to worry guys, the problem should be fixed next week. And then I am promised a fake perm! Actually I have been searching for tiny foam curlers to try and just do it myself for a look similar to this:

Any idea where I could find some? I tried Target and Ulta with no luck. I did come across some at a thrift store but something in me just couldn’t let myself buy used foam curlers from a thrift store, and besides there wasn’t even enough for me to do the whole head…(that I think was probably the real reason I didn’t buy them).

It’s going onto week two for us of taking care of little sicklings, Tassa just started her turn with the cold a couple of days ago, so I forsee at least a few more days of being anchored at home. So sad to see the little ones sick! Although Tessa’s raspy voice is also really really cute!

Its just the worse to spend a weekend like this when the weather is nice for picnics outside or trips to apple hill. Hoping to knock out some projects over the weekend, I’d typically wouldn’t have a chance to get around to…

Came across this and I really want to DIY this sweatshirt:

Seems simple enough right?

photo: style.com & Vanessa Jackman