my muse

The treats of life

Of course Alex & Addie. i am blessed to have them in my life.

the celebration of birthdays. a way of reflecting on the year.

warm, soothing coffee. my new daily addiction.

spontaneous dance breaks when Alex gets home and the giggles that flow from Addie.

Wednesday morning Encounter. so good to dig deep into the word.

my new zest for meal planning. so many food combinations to try.

community on our block that dates back 30+ years. we call them the Golden Gang.

stepping in to our heated home.

daily dose of blog posts on the Internet and the inspiration that follows.

a husband that keeps me laughing with his joking around.

Kleenex. a necessity for a one year old.

meeting Thursdays with life group. those ladies are real, thought provoking, and funny to chat with.

my Mom and the crafting bug she's given me.

never having to leave home to return a movie. Netflix.

holidays filled with Olson family traditions.

Starbucks luring me in with their holiday flavors. pumpkin spice latte is my favorite.

i know i shouldn't use them, but q-tips are hard to quit.

the continual refinement through relationships in my life.

deep connection and history i have with my sisters.

a holiday to reflect and remember. thanksgiving.

unemployment. love love love spending my days with Addie.

big or small, vacations are always great. can't wait for one this weekend.

very convenient to have a walking partner down the block with a kid the same age as my babe.

x. sorry i've got nothing.

the color mustard yellow. a fall favorite.

free zoo. a Madison mother's escape.

Pork Chops and....

Applesauce!

This year was my first attempt at making applesauce. After a trip to a orchard in the area, I set off on the first batch. The lady at the orchard recommended I go with Melrose because it is good for sauces. I worked through a 10lb bag of apples and ended up with 10- 2 cup Ziploc bags full of applesauce. I am contemplating even making more. It only took me about an hour and is SO good!

{peeling... and finally getting some technique after the 20th apple}

{Melrose from Eplegaarden}

{cooking with 8oz. of water for 20 minutes}

{my favorite work horse mixing in a little sugar}

{double bagged to keep it yummy}

Coupons!

I love to save. I love a good deal. If you're like me, it's hard to buy something full price. If I do pay full price, it is usually a well thought out purchase.

These are my two favorite saving sites...

Groupon.com

Hip2save.com

What are yours? I always love a new blog!

It smells like fall around here.

Love this recipe. It is the essence of fall if you ask me. The best part about this concoction is that it makes the house smell so good!

Mulled Apple Cider

2 quarts apple cider

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 t. whole cloves

1 t. whole allspice

2 cinnamon sticks

A dash of nutmeg

1/4 t. salt

Put the whole cloves and allspice in a tea infuser. Add all the ingredients to a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Just Dance

{thanks Kate and Ben for letting Addie borrow your toy... she loves it!}

Addicted

Felt felt felt. I just can't put the sewing needle down. I just jump from one project to the next. I think some of you may have to take them off my hands.