What Should I Bring?

Not hosting this year. If you are wondering what to bring to Thanksgiving dinner bring this!

Pumpkin Cake/Bread Recipe

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 cup of pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray the pan with cooking spray. 

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.  

In the mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and butter and mix until fluffy.  

Add the eggs, vanilla and pumpkin and mix well.

With your mixer running, add the dry ingredients a bit at a time.  

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap gently to even the mix.  

Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked through.

Let cool and dust with powdered sugar.

Easy Peasy!!

Crazy around your house like it is at mine!?
If you don't have the time or energy to make it from scratch then get a great mix.  

Trader Joe's makes a great mix.

 Pillsbury makes a quick bread version.

Here is a great bundt pan from Target and another one from Macy's.

Bring something different this year that everyone will enjoy!

I would love to hear what you are bringing to Thanksgiving this year.

A Thankful Tree

It's quickly approaching-The Holiday Season. -YIKES!!!!

It's easy to forget to be thankful.  With all of the running around and busyness that life brings it's hard to remember the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

So this year on Thanksgiving Day have each guest reflect and write one thankful thing 

on a paper leaf and place it on your special tree.

The kids and I cut a few branches from a bush outside and stuck them in an old urn from Pottery Barn. You could use something like this or this.  Place the bare branches into the urn using floral foam to keep them secure.  Have your guests attach the leaves to the branches using a hole punch and a bit of craft wire. 

What kinds of things are you thankful for this year???

Another Birthday

The month of November is nuts-o around our house.  Two birthday boys one week apart and Thanksgiving quickly approaching-yowzas!  Despite the mile long to-do list we always have time for a celebration and today it's for our big 5 year old Finn!  In honor of his special day we made birthday pancakes for breakfast!  

Birthday Pancakes

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups boxed yellow cake mix

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups milk

sprinkles

Top with whipped cream

Mix dry ingredients together.  Add eggs, vanilla, melted butter and only 1 1/2 cups of the milk.  

Stir until smooth.  Add the rest (1/2 cup) of the milk if the consistency is too think.  

Add birthday sprinkles and fold into batter.

Preheat skillet on medium heat, add batter 1/4 cup at a time and cook until tiny bubbles form on top.  Flip and cook for about 30 seconds more.

Top each stack with whipped cream and decorate with remaining sprinkles.

Enjoy this birthday breakfast!

Five years ago today I held this perfect little baby in my arms and thought, "Cherish every moment.  Five years from now I will look back and think it's gone too fast."  And it has.  He has grown and I have grown-we have grown together.  Every day is a new day with new experiences and I feel so grateful that I have been blessed with four wonderful children.  On his birthday I feel that he gave ME the best presents, to be a mother for a third time and to be HIS mother.

So Salad

So this salad is out of the world yum!!!  It is one of those terrific, must make on a regular basis fall staples for lunch in our house.  It's very easy and doesn't take much time but the flavors scream Autumn and this recipe is a must make.  My favorite time to enjoy this salad is when the house is quiet in the afternoon during naps-BTW the only time during the day when this house is quiet! 

So Salad

50/50 mix of spinach and mixed greens

1/2 cup candied walnuts

1/2 cup of dried cranberries

1/4 cup of reduced fat crumbled feta

Favorite light vinaigrette mine is below:

So Salad Vinaigrette
1 small garlic clove
Juice from 1/2 a large fresh lemon
Splash of white vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of salt

I also love Brianna's Home Style Real French Vinaigrette found in the aisle at your local grocery!  BAM!
An excellent, healthy, quickie lunch!
Enjoy!

What's your go-to salad????

Lips Lifesaver

Well it started this week.  The colder temperatures and drier air means my lips are suffering.  I hate getting ready for the day and my lips are cracked and peeling-ick.  

I love to use an easy 3-ingredient all natural lip exfoliant that will help schlep off all of the yuck.

3-Ingredient Lip Exfoliant

1. White Sugar acts as the exfoliant 

2. Olive Oil is rich in antioxidants

3. Lemon Juice has essential vitamins and folic acid

In a small ramekin mix together a tablespoon of white sugar, one tablespoon olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice.  Rub onto lips using forefinger.  MMM…tastey and leaves lips super soft!  
Now that's the stuff!

Now that we have our lips in shape it's time to bring out the big guns- These are four of my favorite lip therapies that will give your kisser a smoother, softer appearance as well as allow your favorite lipstick to stick around longer.  

So it's time to kiss the chapped lips good bye and try one of these.

1. Philosophy's Kiss Me Good Night is super rich and creamy.  A little bit goes a long way and your lips with feel healed almost instantly.-You can find this at Nordstrom

2. Maybelline Baby Lips is so smooth going on and comes in many fun tints.-You can find this at Target

3. Burt's Bees Lip Balm is all natural and works so much better than the petroleum based products out there.  It has peppermint oil which makes your lips feel refreshed.-You can find this at Target

4. EOS Lip Balm in Honey Dew is completely organic has a fabulous scent.  It leaves your lips smooth and kissable.-You can find this one at Target too.  Gotta Love Tar-zhay!

These are my four lip balms in my make-up bag that I can't live without. I'd love to hear what works best on your smackers.

Root Beer Baby

Well, we had a bunch of rowdy eight and nine year old boys here last night to celebrate Jack's birthday. We had pizza, ice cream cake and root beer which were Jack's wishes for his big evening with friends.  Today, I thought we could use the rest of the root beer for a fun after school treat.  One of my favorite seasonal ice creams is Edy's Pumpkin Patch-it tastes like frozen pumpkin pie.-YUM!  So here we go……

Hope you give these a try before the Pumpkin Patch disappears and won't return again until next year.

Birthday Boy

Our second born, Jack turns 9 today!  Nine years have come and gone right before my eyes.  I blinked and he is a grown boy so smart and sensitive and caring and kind.  Here's to another fabulous year!!

Jack is our boy who loves sports!  Here are some great inspirations for sports themed parties that can be done right at home!

Love and Family has a great sports party HERE

Check out this party by Swanky Chic Fete HERE.

 

By Charn Event Design

The Hostess with the Mostess has a great party HERE

The Little Style File has a party HERE.

The Tip Junkie has great boy themed birthday's HERE

Hope you got some great ideas from these wonderful sites.